Scherzer helps Dodgers beat Mets 4-3 for 9th straight win

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Trea Turner, Albert Pujols and Chris Taylor homered, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the slumping New York Mets 4-3 Saturday. The surging Dodgers have won nine consecutive games, matching a season-best win streak. Six of those wins have come against the Mets, who have dropped eight of nine overall. Kenley Jansen pitched a scoreless ninth for his 27th save. He hit Kevin Pillar to lead off the inning, then got Brandon Nimmo to ground out and struck out Jeff McNeil and Pete Alonso. Dodgers right-hander Max Scherzer (11-4) struck out eight while pitching five innings of one-run ball. Alonso hit a two-run shot for New York, and Nimmo connected for a solo homer. Rich Hill (6-5) allowed three solo homers over five innings. GIANTS 6, ATHLETICS 5 OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – Pinch-hitter LaMonte Wade Jr. connected for a two-run homer in the ninth inning, helping San Francisco rally for the win. Brandon Belt drew a one-out walk against Lou Trivino (5-5) and was replaced by Mike Yastrzemski. Wade followed with his 16th homer, a towering drive to right on a 1-1 pitch. Kris Bryant, Brandon Belt and Darin Ruf also homered for San Francisco, which trailed 5-2 after six innings. The Giants (79-44) stayed 1 1/2 games ahead of the charging Dodgers for the top spot in the NL West. Tyler Rogers (4-1) got the win. Jake McGee pitched the ninth for his 27th save. Starling Marte doubled twice for Oakland, continuing his surge since the All-Star break. Josh Harrison added an RBI double. BRAVES 5, ORIOLES 4 BALTIMORE (AP) – Austin Riley put Atlanta ahead for good with a homer in the fifth inning, and the Braves stretched their winning streak to eight games. The Braves overcame four solo home runs by Baltimore, including two by Anthony Santander. The Orioles’ 17-game skid is their second-longest since the team came to Baltimore in 1954, behind the 0-21 start to the 1988 season. Joc Pederson also homered for the Braves, who have won 15 of 17 to take over first place in the NL East. Atlanta has peeled off 12 straight road wins, a single-season franchise record and the longest run in the majors since Cleveland won 14 in a row in 2017. Atlanta’s Drew Smyly (9-3) struck out eight over five innings. Will Smith worked the ninth, earning his 27th save despite allowing Santander’s second homer of the game. Matt Harvey (6-13) got the loss. RANGERS 10, RED SOX 1 BOSTON (AP) – Former Boston utilityman Brock Holt hit two RBI singles, and the Rangers used a surprisingly strong start by Jordan Lyles to beat the sloppy Red Sox. The victory snapped a four-game losing streak for the Rangers, who entered with the majors’ few wins since the All-Star break at 7-25. Andy Ibáñez and Adolis Garcia each had two of Texas’ season-high seven doubles. Lyles (6-10) pitched seven innings of one-run ball in his 50th career win. He came in 0-5 with a 7.46 ERA in six starts since the All-Star break. Kiké Hernández had an RBI single for the Red Sox, who committed a season-high five errors, had two wild pitches and two baserunners cut down. Eduardo Rodriguez (9-7) got the loss. RAYS 8, WHITE SOX 4 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – Brandon Lowe, Manuel Margot and Joey Wendle each had two hits and two RBIs for the Rays. Wander Franco also had two hits and scored twice as Tampa Bay won for the fifth time in six games. Luis Patiño (3-3) pitched six innings of two-run ball, and Collin McHugh got five outs for his first career save. The AL East-leading Rays finished with 11 hits while scoring at least eight runs for the 11th time in 15 games. José Abreu had two hits for Chicago, which rallied for a 7-5 victory in the opener of the weekend series between AL powers. Dallas Keuchel (8-7) was charged with six runs in five innings.