Schwarber walk-off HR lifts Nationals over Diamondbacks 1-0

WASHINGTON (AP) – Kyle Schwarber hit a game-ending homer in the ninth inning, helping the Washington Nationals beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 1-0 on Friday night after Max Scherzer passed Cy Young on baseball’s career strikeouts list. The lefty-batting Schwarber connected on a 2-1 pitch from left-hander Alex Young (0-3), sending a drive to right that traveled an estimated 463 feet for his first homer for Washington. Brad Hand (1-0) worked a scoreless ninth for the win. The Nationals allowed just three hits. Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, struck out the side in the seventh while passing Cy Young to move into 22nd place on baseball’s strikeout list. He finished with 10 on the day, giving him 2,808 for his career. RAYS 8, YANKEES 2 NEW YORK (AP) – Brandon Lowe hit a two-run double in the first inning off opener Nick Nelson (0-2), and AL champion Tampa Bay kept up its domination of New York, setting off frustrated fans who caused a brief interruption. The young, athletic Rays spurted to an 8-0, seventh-inning lead and beat the Yankees for the 16th time in their last 21 meetings, including during last year’s Division Series. New York walked seven Rays, had just three hits, struck out 14 times and made three errors that led to three unearned runs. The game was stopped for about 2 minutes, 15 seconds with Clint Frazier batting in the bottom of the eighth when about a half-dozen balls were thrown on the field from the pandemic-limited crowd of 10,202 on a cool, breezy night with a 45-degree temperature at game time. Michael Wacha (1-1) lowered his ERA from 7.00 to 4.20, allowing one hit in six scoreless innings with nine strikeouts and two walks. ATHLETICS 3, TIGERS 0 OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – Frankie Montas allowed two hits in six sharp innings and Oakland won its sixth straight game by beating Detroit. After opening the season with six consecutive losses, the roller-coaster A’s (7-7) are back at .500 thanks to their follow-up winning streak. Oakland joined the 1991 Mariners and 1915 White Sox as the only teams to have both a six-game winning streak and six-game losing streak in the first 14 games of a season, according to SportRadar. Montas (2-1) walked one and struck out seven during an impressive 100-pitch outing. Mitch Moreland and Sean Murphy had two-out RBI hits in the fourth against José Ureña (0-3). Matt Chapman homered in the eighth, and Lou Trivino got his second save. PHILLIES 8, CARDINALS 2 PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Zach Eflin pitched into the eighth inning and J.T. Realmuto hit a two-run homer, leading Philadelphia past St. Louis. Eflin (1-0) allowed six hits, struck out six and walked none in seven-plus innings. The lanky right-hander retired 12 straight batters at one point and exited after surrendering a two-run homer to Justin Williams in the eighth. Cardinals righty Carlos Martinez (0-3) gave up six runs and five hits in five innings. The Phillies jumped ahead 6-0 in the second with their biggest inning of the season. Nine straight batters reached safely after Martinez got the first out. BRAVES 5, CUBS 2 CHICAGO (AP) – Kyle Wright plunked four Chicago batters but still left with the lead after a last-minute call-up, and Will Smith stranded the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning for Atlanta. Wright was recalled from the club’s alternate site to replace Drew Smyly, who was scratched and placed on the 10-day injured list with left forearm inflammation Friday morning. Wright hit four batters, including Javier Báez twice, but limited Chicago to two runs and three hits over 4 1/3 innings. He also doubled for his first career hit.