NEW YORK (AP) Pittsburgh’s Gregory Polanco singled home the go-ahead run in the 10th inning to give the Pirates a 3-2 win against the New York Mets in Friday’s opening game of a key series between National League contenders, ending the Mets’ long run of home victories.
The Pirates have the second-best overall record in the NL but could not reduce the six-game deficit to Central Division rival St. Louis, which beat Miami.
In the openers of key American League series, Kansas City rallied to defeat the Los Angeles Angels, and the New York Yankees won a tight game at Toronto to end the Blue Jays’ 11-game winning streak and move above them back to the top of the AL East standings.
Pittsburgh went ahead in the 10th through Polanco’s single off Bobby Parnell (1-2) and Aramis Ramirez padded the lead with a sacrifice fly.
The NL East-leading Mets, which had won seven straight home games, scored in the bottom half of the 10th on Curtis Granderson’s sacrifice fly before Pittsburgh closer Mark Melancon sealed the victory.
St. Louis’ Jaime Garcia held Miami scoreless until the ninth inning, steering the Cardinals past the Marlins 3-1.
Garcia (5-4) came within two outs of throwing the first complete game of the season for the NL Central leaders. He gave up one run and one walk while striking out six.
Matt Carpenter’s bunt single broke a scoreless tie in the fifth. He hit a solo home run in the eighth.
Kansas City’s Eric Hosmer hit a go-ahead two-run homer that lifted the Royals to a 4-1 victory over the Angels.
The Royals mustered just one hit off Jered Weaver (4-9) until the sixth, when a Ben Zobrist double was followed by an error by Angels first baseman Albert Pujols which tied the game, and Hosmer followed with his homer.
Kansas City starter Danny Duffy (6-5) settled down after a wild start – he hit three batters in six innings – and gave up only one run, wriggling out of a few jams by leaving six Angels on base; three in scoring position.
New York’s Carlos Beltran hit a huge home run in the eighth inning to help the Yankees win 4-3 at Toronto.
Blue Jays pitcher David Price took a 3-0 lead into the eighth before New York rallied. He left after giving up an RBI double to Chase Headley and Beltran then greeted reliever Aaron Sanchez (6-5) with a three-run homer.
Yankees closer Andrew Miller got in a jam in the bottom of the ninth, allowing runner onto second and third base, but he struck out the remaining two batters – the second of which was a 12-pitch at-bat by Troy Tulowitzki – to end it and put New York back ahead of Toronto in the standings.
The Chicago Cubs notched their 14th win in 15 games by beating the cross-town White Sox 6-5.
Chris Coghlan hit a three-run homer in the top of the third, and then he and Anthony Rizzo added back-to-back solo drives off the struggling Jeff Samardzija (8-8) in the fifth; the game’s last runs.
The Cubs’ current eight-game streak is their longest in seven years.
San Francisco’s Matt Duffy homered among his three hits and drove in three runs to power the Giants past Washington 8-5.
Hunter Pence also had a homer for the Giants.
Washington have lost four straight and missed a chance to cut the gap to the NL East-leading Mets.
Houston’s Dallas Keuchel struck out eight in seven solid innings to steer the Astros past Detroit 5-1.
Keuchel (14-6) yielded one run to improve to 11-0 at home this season. His 14 wins overall are tied for most in the AL.
Jed Lowrie powered the offense with a two-run double in the fifth inning which turned the game in the Astros’ favor.
Los Angeles’ Adrian Gonzalez hit a three-run homer to highlight a four-run fifth inning which lifted the Dodgers to a 5-3 win against Cincinnati.
Reds’ pitcher John Lamb gave up four consecutive two-out hits, capped by Gonzalez’s 23rd homer of the season.
Texas’ Josh Hamilton homered and delivered the tiebreaking sacrifice fly that helped the Rangers defeat Tampa Bay 5-3, ending the Ray’s four-game winning sequence.
Cleveland’s Corey Kluber struck out seven in his fourth complete game of the season, steering the Indians past Minnesota 6-1.
Baltimore’s Manny Machado hit a two-run homer in the 13th inning to give the Orioles an 8-6 win against Oakland.
Atlanta’s Julio Teheran pitched six strong innings as the Braves edged Arizona 3-2.
Boston routed Seattle 15-1 just hours after Red Sox manager John Farrell announced he’s taking a medical leave to treat lymphoma.
San Diego’s Matt Kemp hit a triple in the ninth to complete the first cycle in Padres history and they went on to beat Colorado 9-5.
Milwaukee’s Wily Peralta pitched seven scoreless innings to help the Brewers beat Philadelphia 3-1.
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