Correa hits 2 home runs as Astros wallop Rangers
ASTROS 9, RANGERS 7
HOUSTON — Carlos Correa didn’t sleep at all Thursday night while fighting a cold and struggled Friday night in a loss to the Rangers.
A day and a few hours of sleep later, Houston’s star rookie felt — and performed — much better.
Correa and Jose Altuve hit two home runs apiece as the Astros connected a season-high six times in a 9-7 victory over the Rangers on Saturday, cutting Texas’ lead in the American League West to 3 ½ games.
“Obviously I didn’t feel good and I struck out three times,” Correa said of Friday’s performance. “It happens … you’ve got be able to go the next day and bounce back and do something to help the team. I went to the plate in my first at-bat with a lot of confidence like I hit three homers the day before.”
Manager A.J. Hinch wasn’t worried about how Correa would bounce back Saturday.
“There’s never a doubt with Carlos showing up,” Hinch said. “He’s got a chance to dominate the game. I’m not sure I would have predicted the type of day that he had, but it’s always in there. His ability to stay calm in the moment continues to shine through.”
The victory breaks an eight-game losing streak to the Rangers and ends a three-game skid overall for Houston, which left its lead for the second wild card spot to ½ game over the Angels.
BLUE JAYS 10, RAYS 8 Jose Bautista hit two home runs, David Price (18-5) won for the ninth time in 11 starts with Toronto and the playoff-bound Blue Jays beat the Rays.
RED SOX 8, ORIOLES 0 First-time starter Craig Breslow and six relievers combined on a five-hitter and host Boston beat Baltimore, further denting the Orioles’ slim playoff hopes.
YANKEES 2, WHITE SOX 1 Chase Headley and Alex Rodriguez hit consecutive run-scoring doubles off John Danks in the sixth inning, Adam Warren combined with his bullpen on a
three-hitter and New York beat the Chicago White Sox to close in on their first postseason berth since 2012.
ANGELS 3, MARINERS 2 David Freese led off the ninth inning with a home run to center, and host Los Angeles kept pace in the AL wildcard race with their fourth consecutive victory.
INDIANS 9, ROYALS 5 Carlos Santana drove in three runs, Yan Gomes homered and visiting Cleveland beat Kansas City to move above .500 for the first time since April 9.
TWINS 6, TIGERS 2 Eduardo Escobar homered and drove in three runs as visiting Minnesota kept pace in the AL wild-card race with a victory over Detroit.
METS 10, REDS 2 New York Mets clinched the National League East title for their its first postseason berth since 2006 by beating host Cincinnati behind Lucas Duda’s first career grand slam and another dominant start by Matt Harvey (13-7).
NATIONALS 2, PHILLIES 1 A season that started with so many soaring expectations for Washington crashed with a thud when it was mathematically eliminated from playoff contention despite a victory over visiting Philadelphia in
12 innings on Bryce Harper’s RBI double.
PIRATES 4, CUBS 0 Francisco Liriano pitched four-hit ball into the eighth inning, and visiting Pittsburgh beat Chicago for its eighth consecutive victory.
CARDINALS 5, BREWERS 1 Jaime Garcia worked eight dominant innings after getting a big early cushion and host St. Louis maintained its three-game lead in the NL Central with a victory over Milwaukee.
MARLINS 6, BRAVES 2 Justin Bour hit a two-run home run, Justin Nicolino pitched seven solid innings and host Miami beat Atlanta.
PADRES 3, DIAMONDBACKS 0 Robbie Erlin pitched two-hit ball for seven innings, leading host San Diego past Arizona.
ROCKIES 8, DODGERS 6 Carlos Gonzalez hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning as Colorado beat the Dodgers, preventing Los Angeles from moving closer to clinching the NL West title.
GIANTS 14, ATHLETICS 10 Rookie Jarrett Parker became the first Giants player to have at least three home runs and seven RBI in a game since Willie Mays did it 54 years ago.