Nelson Cruz oldest to hit 30 HRs, Rays beat Red Sox 12-7

BOSTON (AP) – Nelson Cruz homered twice and, at 41 years old, became the oldest player in major league history to hit 30 home runs in a season, powering the Tampa Bay Rays past the Boston Red Sox 12-7 Wednesday night. Mike Zunino also homered twice and Jordan Luplow connected for the team with the best record in the American League and the highest-scoring club in the majors. Rays rookie Wander Franco went 0 for 4 with a walk, extending his on-base streak to 37 games and passing Mickey Mantle (1951-52) for the longest by an AL player under 21 years old. The 20-year-old Franco now trails only Frank Robinson, who reached in 43 straight in 1956. The Rays won their seventh straight road game and increased their AL East lead to 9 1/2 games over New York. Cruz hit a two-run homer in the third inning and a solo drive in the fifth, giving him 447 in his career and his eighth 30-homer season. He passed David Ortiz (38 in 2016) and Darrell Evans (34 in 1987), who were both 40 when they hit the mark. Cruz also doubled and singled, driving in four runs and scoring three. Boston’s Bobby Dalbec hit a pair of two-run homers. Danny Santana also homered for the Red Sox. Drew Rasmussen (2-1) got the win, going five innings, allowing one run on six hits with no walks and two strikeouts. Eduardo Rodriguez (11-8) lasted just 3 2/3 innings, matching season highs with six runs and two home runs allowed. BLUE JAYS 5, YANKEES 1 NEW YORK (AP) – Marcus Semien homered again, Alejandro Kirk went deep twice and surging Toronto beat skidding New York after Yankees Gerrit Cole exited early with a hamstring injury. Cole (14-7) was pulled in the fourth inning with left hamstring tightness. He allowed three runs, two earned, and five hits in 3 2/3 innings. Semien extended his career high with his 38th homer and seventh against the Yankees this year It was the sixth homer in six games for Semien. Toronto won its sixth straight and for the ninth time in 10 games. New York dropped its fourth straight. Steven Matz (11-7) allowed one run over six innings and matched his career high for wins. He struck out six, walked none and withstood several long outs to the warning track. REDS 4, CUBS 3 CHICAGO (AP) – Wade Miley pitched seven effective innings, Nick Castellanos homered and Cincinnati got a sorely needed victory, topping Chicago. Cincinnati had dropped seven of nine to lose ground in the NL playoff race. The Reds began the day one game back of San Diego for the second wild card. They rebounded behind Miley (12-5), who allowed one run and five hits, struck out eight and walked none. Willson Contreras, Rafael Ortega and Ian Happ homered for Chicago, which had won a season-high seven straight. Happ finished with three hits. BRAVES 8, NATIONALS 5 ATLANTA (AP) – Ozzie Albies hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer off Ryne Harper in the seventh inning, Adam Duvall took Paolo Espino deep with an early three-run shot, and Atlanta beat Washington. Albies, who had four RBIs and went deep for the fourth straight game, put the Braves up 5-1 in the fourth with a sacrifice fly. Luke Jackson (2-2) earned the win after replacing Tyler Matzek. Will Smith recorded his 31st save in 35 chances after facing the minimum in the ninth. Harper (0-2) took the loss. Yadiel Hernandez hit his eighth homer, a three-run shot, for the Nationals. DODGERS 7, CARDINALS 2 ST. LOUIS (AP) – Albert Pujols homered in his return to Busch Stadium, sending Los Angeles past St. Louis. Justin Turner homered twice and Will Smith also homered for the playoff-contending Dodgers, who won for the sixth time in eight games. St. Louis has lost five of six.