NL East-leading Mets use Nimmo HR in 8th to beat Marlins 6-4

MIAMI (AP) – Starling Marte homered, tripled and drove in three runs, Brandon Nimmo broke an eighth-inning tie with a two-run shot and the New York Mets overcame two early deficits to defeat the Miami Marlins 6-4 on Friday night. Nimmo finished with three RBIs from the leadoff spot and Marte was a double short of the cycle for the NL East leaders, who won their fourth straight and maintained a three-game lead over second-place Atlanta. Pinch-hitter Eduardo Escobar reached on an infield single leading off the eighth against reliever Steven Okert (5-1) and advanced on Tomás Nido’s sacrifice bunt. Nimmo then drove an 0-1 pitch from Okert over the wall in right-center. Daniel Vogelbach doubled twice for the Mets, who had eight extra-base hits – six against Marlins All-Star starter Sandy Alcantara, who completed five innings and allowed four runs and a season-high eight hits, walking three and striking out five. Adam Ottavino (5-2) pitched a scoreless seventh and Edwin Díaz converted his 23rd save. The Marlins scored three in the first on Miguel Rojas’ bases-loaded double off Chris Bassitt, who gave up four runs, six hits and four walks in six innings. ORIOLES 6, REDS 2 CINCINNATI (AP) – Cedric Mullins hit a tiebreaking, two-run single in a four-run ninth inning, and Baltimore beat Cincinnati to move two games over .500 for the first time since April 2021. Baltimore had not been two games over since it was 4-2 last year. The Orioles, at 37-25 following a 14-24 start, is 16-7 in July, assured of consecutive winning months for the first times since May and June 2016. Ramón Urías walked against Buck Farmer (0-1) leading off the ninth, Rougned Oder doubled and Mullins grounded a first-pitch changeup up the middle and into center field for a 4-2 lead. Trey Mancini followed with an RBI single. Ryan Mountcastle followed with a sacrifice fly. Dillon Tate (2-3) earned the victory. Joey Votto hit two-run homer in the first off Kyle Bradish, who made his first start since June 18 after a stint on the injured list caused by right shoulder inflammation. Bradish struck out seven in five innings, allowing five hits. BRAVES 5, DIAMONDBACKS 2 ATLANTA (AP) – Austin Riley had a homer and three RBIs, Kyle Wright earned his NL-leading 13th victory and Atlanta topped Arizona. Riley homered in the first and drove in runs with doubles in the third and fifth. Wright has won five straight decisions and gave up five hits and two runs with two walks and five strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings. Geraldo Perdomo hit his third homer and Madison Bumgarner (6-10) took the loss, surrendering eight hits and five runs – four earned – in six innings. Chris Devenski pitched the seventh for Arizona, making his first appearance since undergoing Tommy John surgery last year. CARDINALS 6, NATIONALS 2 WASHINGTON (AP) – Nolan Gorman and Lars Nootbaar hit back-to-back homers in the sixth inning as St. Louis beat Washington and won consecutive games for the first time since July 15-16. Washington’s Juan Soto went 1 for 4 in what could be his final homestand with Tuesday’s trade deadline looming. The Nationals were 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position. Miles Mikolas (8-8) allowed two runs in seven innings, giving up six hits and a walk while striking out four for St. Louis. Aníbal Sánchez (0-3) lost his third consecutive start for Washington, which has a majors-worst record of 34-67. He pitched into the sixth inning for the first time this season. Dylan Carlson and Paul Goldschmidt had run-scoring groundouts sandwiched around Sánchez’s run-scoring wild pitch for the Cardinals. PHILLIES 4, PIRATES 2, 10 INNINGS PITTSBURGH (AP) – Rhys Hoskins drilled a go-ahead two-run homer in the top of the 10th to lift Philadelphia past Pittsburgh.