All-Star Josh Bell homered three times and drove in seven runs as the Pittsburgh Pirates pounded out 23 hits Monday and pummeled the visiting Chicago Cubs 18-5.
Jul 1, 2019; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Josh Bell (55) takes a curtain call after hitting his third home run of the game against the Chicago Cubs during the eighth inning at PNC Park. Pittsburgh won 18-5. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Jung Ho Kang and Jose Osuna also homered, Adam Frazier had four doubles among his five hits, and Colin Moran also had five hits for Pittsburgh, which has won eight of 11.
Javier Baez homered for Chicago, which lost for the fifth time in seven games and fell out of first place in the National League Central. The Milwaukee Brewers, who beat the Cincinnati Reds 8-6, moved one game above Chicago.
Pirates starter Trevor Williams (3-2) gave up five runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings, with four strikeouts and three walks.
Brewers 8, Reds 6
Christian Yelich belted his majors-leading 30th homer and drove in three runs as Milwaukee won at Cincinnati.
Keston Hiura and Lorenzo Cain each launched a solo homer, and Ben Gamel, Mike Moustakas and Yasmani Grandal drove in one run apiece for the Brewers, who have won three in a row overall and seven of 10 games against Cincinnati this season.
Eugenio Suarez belted a pair of two-run homers and Jesse Winker also went deep for the Reds, who have lost six of their past eight on the heels of a season-high, six-game winning streak.
Blue Jays 11, Royals 4
Freddy Galvis homered twice, Cavan Biggio and Randal Grichuk each had four RBIs, and Clayton Richard won for the first time in more than a year as Toronto defeated visiting Kansas City.
Richard (1-4) allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings on Canada Day to earn his first win since June 22, 2018, when he was with the San Diego Padres. He was 0-9 with a 7.10 ERA in 18 starts between wins.
Teoscar Hernandez also hit a home run for the Blue Jays, who took three of four games in the series with the Royals. Kansas City’s Glenn Sparkman (2-4) allowed eight runs on nine hits, including three home runs, in three innings.
Rays 6, Orioles 3
Kevin Kiermaier slugged a go-ahead, three-run homer in the sixth inning, leading Tampa Bay to a win over Baltimore in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Kiermaier launched the decisive shot off reliever Branden Kline (1-4), who entered in the bottom of the sixth with the Orioles up 3-2.
Ji-Man Choi recorded two hits and two RBIs for Tampa Bay, and Avisail Garcia had two hits, an RBI and a run. Adam Kolarek (3-2) earned the win in relief, and Jose Alvarado notched his seventh save with a scoreless ninth.
Angels at Rangers, ppd.
Los Angeles’ scheduled game at Arlington, Texas, was postponed in the wake of the sudden death of Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs, 27. The left-hander was found unconscious in his hotel room in Southlake, Texas, and was pronounced dead on the scene, according to police. A cause of death was unknown.
A makeup date for the game was not announced.
—Field Level Media