Fiers has danced around trouble his last two starts, allowing 15 hits over 10 innings but limiting the damage to five runs (three earned).
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Astros: Collin McHugh (9-10, 4.96) has won two straight decisions and the Astros have won the last four games that he started. “Baseball is such a game of ups and downs, and you’ve just got to stay even through the whole time”. Alex Bregman ran into an out at third after stealing second in the fourth inning. Giles rallied by recording a pair of strikeouts, including one of Cubs catcher Willson Contreras with pinch-runner Matt Szcur at third base representing the tying run.The Cubs (90-51) scratched across their lone run in the fourth inning, with Miguel Montero following a one-out walk by Jorge Soler with a double to right field.
“Their pitchers were really good today; give them credit”, Cubs manager Joe Maddon said.
Springer and Contreras crossed paths again in the seventh inning when Springer attempted to score from first base on Bregman’s single to right-center field with two out.
“Decent pitch and good hit by the kid”, Lackey said. Contreras received the relay throw from shortstop Javier Baez and applied the tag on the foot of Springer just prior to his touching home plate.
Joe Musgrove (2-4) became the first Astros starter to work at least six innings since right-hander Collin McHugh reached that benchmark August 30 and for a spell, he proved skillful at eluding the danger that he caused.
Toronto stopped a four-game losing streak and avoided matching its longest skid this season.
Happ (18-4) allowed two runs and four hits in six-plus innings, ending a three-start winless streak.
Upton connected against Eduardo Rodriguez (2-7) in the second for his 20th homer.
Yankees 5, Rays 1 -At New York: Gary Sanchez homered and nearly hit another while Tampa Bay was trying to intentionally walk him, leading Masahiro Tanaka and hard-charging New York to its season-best seventh straight win, over the Rays.
The Yankees closed within three games of AL East-leading Boston, their closest to the lead since mid-April. Houston is 2 1/2 games behind Baltimore for the second wild card.
Rondon took over for the eighth and struck out two before Aroldis Chapman struck out one in a flawless ninth for his 13th save. Chris Archer (8-18) tied the Tampa Bay record for losses in a season, set by Tanyon Sturtze in 2002.
Mariners 14, Athletics 3 – At Oakland, Calif.: Felix Hernandez pitched six scoreless innings to continue his dominance at the Oakland Coliseum and Seattle beat the Athletics.
Seattle batted around twice and had seven players with two hits or more. Astros right-hander Collin McHugh (10-10) departed with a lead after five innings of one-run ball, leaving four Astros relievers to hold the line.After rookie right-hander Chris Devenski worked a flawless sixth inning, veteran right-handers Will Harris and Luke Gregerson each worked around a walk in their respective innings of work.
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Oakland’s Kendall Graveman (10-10) allowed eight runs and a career-high 12 hits over five-plus innings.
