Hunter gets key hit as Mets beat Braves 4-3

ATLANTA (AP) – The New York Mets got homers from Jonathan Villar and Tomás Nido, an unlikely hit from Tommy Hunter and strong performances by a string of relievers to beat the Atlanta Braves 4-3 Tuesday night. Villar hit a two-run shot in the third inning, and Nido won it for the Mets in the ninth with a tiebreaking drive into the left-field seats off struggling Braves closer Will Smith (0-4). One night after being struck in the face by a 95 mph fastball, Kevin Pillar brought New York’s lineup card to home plate before the game, a gesture that brought a huge sigh of relief to both teams. With his face swollen and badly bruised, Pillar still managed a smile as he shook hands with the four umpires and Braves coach Walt Weiss, who gave him a warm pat on the shoulder. Austin Riley and Freddie Freeman homered for Atlanta. Marcell Ozuna tied it for the Braves with a two-out, broken-bat single in the eighth off Jeurys Familia (2-0). TWINS 5, WHITE SOX 4 MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Miguel Sanó homered three times, Jorge Polanco hit a game-ending RBI single and Minnesota beat Yermín Mercedes and the Chicago White Sox. Mercedes was the center of attention once again, one day after he hit a controversial homer in the ninth inning of Chicago’s 16-4 victory. Twins reliever Tyler Duffey was ejected for throwing behind Mercedes in the seventh, and that seemed to spark the slumping Twins. Sanó’s two-run drive off Aaron Bummer (0-2) with one out in the eighth tied it at 4. With two out and runners on second and third in the ninth, Polanco singled to right against Liam Hendriks. The Twins had dropped two in a row, including an ugly 16-4 loss to AL Central-leading Chicago on Monday night. Taylor Rogers (1-2) got three outs for the win. Jake Lamb and Yasmani Grandal homered for the White Sox, who had won three of four. Lance Lynn pitched six innings of two-run ball. YANKEES 7, RANGERS 4 ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) – DJ LeMahieu had a season-high three RBIs, including the tiebreaking, two-run double in New York’s big inning, and the Yankees beat Texas. LeMahieu went the opposite way for his double down the right-field line to cap a five-run fourth that put the Yankees up 5-3. That was the first multi-RBI hit this season for LeMahieu, who added a sacrifice fly to deep center in the sixth. Rougned Odor went 2 for 5 with two strikeouts against his former team in his return to the Yankees lineup after missing 12 games because of a sprained left knee. Nick Solak, now the Rangers second baseman, had a solo homer after an earlier RBI single for the first Texas run. Wandy Peralta (3-1) worked a scoreless inning. He took over for Yankees starter Jameson Taillon after Solak’s eighth homer of the season with two outs in the fifth got Texas within 5-4. Aroldis Chapman worked the ninth for his 10th save in 10 chances. Rangers starter Mike Foltynewicz (1-4) allowed five hits and a walk in a seven-batter stretch in the fourth, and the bases were loaded when LeMahieu greeted reliever Kolby Allard with the two-run double. GIANTS 4, REDS 2 CINCINNATI (AP) – Anthony DeSclafani gave up one run over seven good innings, Alex Dickerson hit a three-run homer and San Francisco beat Cincinnati. DeSclafani (4-1), who signed with the Giants after five seasons in Cincinnati, was outstanding in his first appearance back at Great American Ball Park, scattering six hits and striking out seven. Jake McGee pitched the ninth and got the Reds in order for his 11th save. Brandon Crawford also homered for the NL West-leading Giants, who took the first two of the four-game set with the Reds. Luis Castillo (1-6) struck out 11 through five innings and gave up three runs, all on Dickerson’s homer. CARDINALS 5, PIRATES 2