AL East-leading Yankees avoid series sweep, beat Toronto 4-2

NEW YORK (AP) – Andrew Benintendi hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the seventh inning and the New York Yankees got a win they desperately needed, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 4-2 Sunday to avoid a four-game sweep. The AL East-leading Yankees won for just the 10th time in 30 games since the All-Star break. They top the division by eight games over Toronto. Anthony Rizzo scored on a throwing error by Toronto left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr in the first. and DJ LeMahieu hit a go-ahead RBI single in the fourth. Whit Merrifield hit a bizarre home run in the Toronto fourth on a ball that twice bounced on the fence before going over. The Blue Jays had won four in a row. Lou Trivino (2-7) got the final seven outs and the win. Adam Cimber (9-5) took the loss. METS 10, PHILLIES 9 PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Reliever Nate Fisher pitched three scoreless innings in his major league debut, Mark Canha hit two homers and drove in five runs and New York rallied past Philadelphia. Canha’s second homer was a go-ahead, two-run drive in the ninth inning. Brandon Nimmo hit a solo homer two batters later for the NL East leaders, who took three of four in the series. Fisher, who a year ago was working in a bank. allowed one hit while striking out one and walking two. Alec Bohm hit a pair of three-run homers and Jean Segura also went deep for the Phillies, who have lost four of five. Philadelphia entered second in the NL wild-card race. David Robertson (3-1) took the loss. ASTROS 5, BRAVES 4 ATLANTA (AP) – Atlanta outfielder Marcell Ozuna was booed by his home fans in his return, Kyle Tucker singled to drive in Yordan Alvarez for the go-ahead run in the eighth and Houston beat the Braves to avoid a three-game sweep. José Urquidy (12-4) gave up two runs and five hits. He walked two and struck out six in seven innings for the AL-leading Astros. The Braves started Ozuna in left field, and the embattled left fielder was booed each time he came to the plate after getting charged for DUI early Friday morning. It was Ozuna’s first appearance on the field since his arrest. He struck out in his only at-bats before getting pulled for a pinch-hitter in the seventh. Matt Olson hit a two-run homer for the Braves. Reliever Dylan Lee (3-1) took the loss. DODGERS 10, MARLINS 3 LOS ANGELES (AP) – Rookie Ryan Pepiot celebrated his 25th birthday by getting the best of a matchup with All-Star and Cy Young Award candidate Sandy Alcantara in Los Angeles’ win over Miami. Pepiot held the Marlins to two runs on four hits as Los Angeles won its ninth consecutive home game. Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy hit a home runs and Will Smith drove in three runs for the Dodgers. Alcantara (11-6) was no match for the Dodgers. Alcantara’s 3 2/3 innings were a season low, while his six runs and 10 hits allowed were season highs. The right-hander had one walk and five strikeouts. After struggling with his control at the start of his major league career, Pepiot (2-0) gave up two walks with seven strikeouts over six innings. CARDINALS 6, DIAMONDBACKS 4 PHOENIX (AP) – Nolan Arenado hit a two-run single in the seventh inning and finished with three RBIs, helping St. Louis stretch its winning streak to seven games. Trailing 4-3, the Cardinals loaded the bases in the seventh after pinch-hitter Albert Pujols singled off Joe Mantiply (1-4) and Kevin Ginkel hit Paul Goldschmidt with a pitch. Arenado, who had a run-scoring single in the first inning, lined a single to right-center to put St. Louis up 5-4. Jake Woodford (2-0) allowed a hit in 1 1/3 innings and Giovanny Gallegos worked a perfect ninth for his 12th save to complete the NL Central-leading Cardinals’ seventh sweep this season.