Walker gets 2nd straight win as Mets beat Pirates 4-3

NEW YORK (AP) – Taijuan Walker won back-to-back starts for the first time in two months, Daniel Vogelbach homered against his former team and the New York Mets beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 Friday night. Pete Alonso had his National League-leading 113th RBI for New York (91-55), which is assured of its most wins since going 97-65 in 2006. The Mets began the night with a one-game lead over second-place Atlanta in the NL East. Oneil Cruz hit a two-run homer for Pittsburgh (55-90), which has lost 90 or more games for each of the last four fully completed seasons. Walker (12-4) allowed three runs – two earned – and five hits with five strikeouts in a season-high 7 1/3 innings. Edwin Díaz allowed only a walk in 1 2/3 innings for his 30th save in 33 chances. Mitch Keller (5-11) gave up three runs and five hits in six innings. GUARDIANS 4, TWINS 3 CLEVELAND (AP) – Pinch-runner Ernie Clement raced home from second base on a wild pitch in the eighth inning for the go-ahead run and AL-Central leading Cleveland rallied past Minnesota in the opener of a crucial five-game series. Clement ran for Josh Naylor, who led off the eighth with a single and took second on Oscar Gonzalez’s single. The 2-1 pitch by Jhoan Duran (2-4) to Andrés Giménez bounced in front of catcher Gary Sánchez and went back to the screen on the fly. Sánchez couldn’t find the ball initially and Clement rounded third and slid headfirst, beating Sánchez’s throw. Trevor Stephan (6-4) struck out two in the eighth while Emmanuel Clase gave up an infield hit in the ninth, but got Gilberto Celestino on a groundout for his 36th save. Cleveland leads Minnesota by five games and has clinched the season series with a 10-5 edge. The Guardians have won six straight over the Twins and the teams play a day-night doubleheader Saturday followed by games Sunday and Monday. RANGERS 4, RAYS 3 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – Nathaniel Lowe hit his 25th home run in a four-run inning and Texas beat Tampa Bay. Lowe’s two-run homer was the fourth of five straight hits in the third inning off Corey Kluber (10-9). Rangers starter Martin Perez (12-6) gave up three runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings. Three of those were by Rays catcher Francisco Mejia, driving in runs with a single in the second and a double in the sixth. Jose Leclerq pitched the ninth for his sixth save in seven attempts, retiring Harold Ramirez on a bases-loaded grounder to end the game. The Rays, who opened a 10-game homestand, left at least one runner on base in every inning except the eighth, losing for the sixth time in eight games. RED SOX 2, ROYALS 1 BOSTON (AP) – J.D. Martinez had an RBI single in the eighth inning and Boston rallied late to beat Kansas City. Martinez’s single to left was just the third hit for Boston, which had just tied it up when reliever Scott Barlow (4-2) walked Jason Verdugo with the bases loaded after Dylan Coleman issued two walks to start the inning. Garrett Whitlock (4-2) gave up a hit in the eighth and Matt Strahm got the last three outs for his fourth save. Boston had lost six of eight, including a two-game sweep by the Yankees at home this week and nearly fell to the struggling Royals. Kansas City has lost four straight and eight of 10. NATIONALS 5, MARLINS 4 WASHINGTON (AP) – Joey Meneses hit an inside-the-park home run, Ildemaro Vargas had a go-ahead double in the eighth inning and Washington rallied to beat Miami. The Nationals snapped a five-game losing streak, beating the Nationals at home for the first time in eight tries this season. Washington is 2-12 overall against Miami. Lewin Díaz homered for the Marlins, who have lost six of eight and 15 of 19.