sport news Minnesota Twins rookie Louie Varland throws seven shutout innings in win over ... trends now

Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli said rookie starter Louie Varland deserved an offensive game ball after throwing seven scoreless innings in a victory over the Houston Astros Wednesday night.

An odd comment considering the right-hander didn't step to the plate in the victory.

'He made life difficult on their side of the field because their (starter) kept having to run out there immediately because the at-bats were one and two and three pitches,' Baldelli said. 'Lou just kept pounding the strike zone ... those quick innings, they help our offense in a huge way.'

Donovan Solano drove in a season-high four runs to help the Twins to the 8-2 win.

It was a career-long outing for the 25-year-old Varland (3-1), who allowed four hits - all singles - and struck out five with a walk. He threw just 86 pitches.

'I was throwing everything in the zone,' he said. 'Their approach kept me in the game long because it was like swing away and it was just outs - fly outs, ground outs.'

Solano drove in two runs with a single in Minnesota´s three-run third and added two more RBIs in the sixth to make it 7-0.

Ryan Jeffers had two hits and two RBIs to help the Twins take the series 2-1 after his 10th inning homer Monday gave them a 7-5 win in the opener.

It was the first series win for Minnesota since taking two of three from the Cubs May 12-14.

Houston rookie starter Hunter Brown (5-2) yielded six hits and a career-high five runs with eight strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings for his first loss since May 2.

Brown sailed through the first two innings, retiring the first six batters he faced with five strikeouts before running into trouble in the third.

Max Kepler and Willi Castro hit consecutive singles to start the inning before Brown walked Michael A. Taylor to load the bases.

There was one out in the inning when Solano singled on a line drive to right field that scored 2 to put the Twins up 2-0. Alex Kirilloff followed with a single on a grounder to left field to send another run home.

There were two outs in the fifth and a runner on first when Kyle Farmer singled to chase Brown.

'I had to go get him because his pitch count got real high,' manager Dusty Baker said. 'He had 100 pitches and we've got to take care of this guy. Then we couldn't close the floodgates.'

Parker Mushinski took over and plunked Joey Gallo to load the bases.

Jeffers then hit a ground-rule double which bounced into the Houston bullpen in right-center to score 2 and extend the lead to 5-0.

The Twins didn´t let up in the sixth when Castro singled to start the inning before Taylor walked. Solano doubled with one out in the inning to score them both and make it 7-0.

Taylor hit an RBI double with two outs in the seventh to leave Minnesota up 8-0.

Jorge López relieved Varland to start the eighth and Jake Meyers and Yainer Diaz hit back-to-back homers to cut the lead to 8-2. He walked Mauricio Dubón and was lifted after hitting Jeremy Peña with a pitch on the left pinkie.

Brock Stewart took over and retired Yordan Alvarez, Alex Bregman and Corey Julks to end the inning.

METS 4, PHILLIES 1

Mark Canha homered and drove in four runs to lead Carlos Carrasco and New York past the slumping Philadelphia.

Carrasco (2-2) pitched six efficient innings to win his second consecutive start. Canha hit a two-run homer in the third and a two-run single with two outs in the fourth off Aaron Nola (4-4).

Edmundo Sosa homered off Carrasco for the Phillies, who lost their third straight and matched a season low at five games under .500. The defending National League champions went 5-14 against the Mets last season and have dropped the first two meetings between the division rivals this year, mustering only one run over two nights.

Brooks Raley struck out three in 1 1/3 innings for the Mets, retiring a scuffling Trea Turner with two runners on to end the seventh. Adam Ottavino got two outs and David Robertson earned his 10th save in 11 chances.

ANGELES 12, WHITE SOX 5 

Shohei Ohtani homered in consecutive innings, including a 459-foot drive that was the longest of his Major League Baseball career, and drove in four runs to lead the Los Angeles Angels over the Chicago White Sox 12-5 on Wednesday.

Mike Trout put the Angels ahead 2-0 with a 476-foot home run in the first that was four rows shy of clearing the left field bleachers. Taylor Ward hit also went deep as the Angels hit four two-run homers plus a solo shot.

Lance Lynn (4-6) allowed eight runs, eight hits and two walks while hitting two batters in four innings, raising his ERA to 6.55.

Jaime Barria (2-2) got the win and gave up one run and four hits in five innings with six strikeouts and two walks.

RAYS 4, CUBS 3

Brandon Lowe and Jose Siri each hit two-run homers late in the game off Mark Leiter Jr. (1-1), Jalen Beeks got the final two outs after coming in with the bases loaded and Tampa Bay avoided its first sweep of the season.

Seiya Suzuki chased Rays starter Zach Eflin with a leadoff double in the seventh and came around on a line-drive single to deep left by pinch hitter Trey Mancini against Colin Poche (4-1), putting Chicago on top 3-2. Mancini got thrown out trying to reach second base on the play, and the lead disappeared in a flash.

Eflin gave up three runs and four hits. He struck out five and walked one.

Cubs starter Justin Steele retired all nine batters before exiting with tightness in his left forearm. Hayden Wesneski pitched one-hit ball over 3 2/3 innings and exited to cheers after walking Manuel Margot with two outs in the seventh.

TIGERS 3, RANGERS 2

Jake Rogers hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the sixth inning and Jake Marisnick followed with a run-scoring single in his Tigers debut, leading Detroit over Texas.

Marcus Semien extended his hitting streak to 20 games with a double in the third.

Will Vest (2-0) retired five straight batters. Alex Lange worked around Semien´s one-out walk in a hitless ninth for his 10th save in 11 chances.

Rangers starter Dane Dunning (4-1) allowed three runs and seven hits in five-plus innings.

GUARDIANS 12, ORIOLES 8

Josh Naylor homered, had a career-high four hits and drove in six runs to highlight a rare power display by Cleveland.

Josh Bell

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