MLB roundup: Cards conquer Pirates to hand Paul Skenes first defeat
Nolan Arenado hit a solo home run for the Cardinals, who evened a three-game series at a victory apiece.
Skenes (6-1) allowed two runs on four hits in a career-high eight 1/3 innings. He struck out eight and didn't issue a walk.
Cardinals starter Lance Lynn blanked the Pirates for five innings, giving up four hits and walking three. He fanned two and now has 2,000 strikeouts in his career. Ryan Fernandez (1-2) earned his first big-league victory and Ryan Helsley earned his 33rd save of the season for St. Louis.
Athletics 8, Astros 2
Lawrence Butler hit one of Oakland's five home runs and finished a single shy of the cycle as the Athletics routed visiting Houston.
Brent Rooker, Seth Brown, Zack Gelof and Shea Langeliers also homered for Oakland, who have taken the first two games of a three-game set. Osvaldo Bido (2-1) limited the Astros to one run and four hits in five innings.
Jeremy Pena capped a three-hit night for the Astros with a homer in the ninth inning. Jake Bloss (0-1) served up five runs and six hits in four innings.
Phillies 3, Twins 0
Brandon Marsh hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly and Nick Castellanos followed with a two-run double in the top of the ninth inning, lifting Philadelphia to a win over Minnesota in Minneapolis.
Zack Wheeler fired seven scoreless innings for the Phillies, who evened a three-game series at one victory apiece. Gregory Soto (2-3) recorded one out and received the victory, and Matt Strahm pitched a perfect ninth for his first save of the season.
Simeon Woods Richardson tossed six shutout frames for the Twins. Jhoan Duran (5-5) gave up three runs in two-thirds of an inning.
Guardians 5, Tigers 4
Jose Ramirez's first homer in nearly a month put Cleveland ahead for good in the fifth, and his RBI single an inning later provided some much-needed insurance as the Guardians beat visiting Detroit.
Ramirez's 24th home run of the season, a solo shot, was his first long ball since June 29, and it broke a 2-2 tie. He then capped a two-run sixth with a line-drive run-scoring single to right that put Cleveland ahead 5-2.
Steven Kwan and Jhonkensy Noel also homered and had two hits apiece while Emmanuel Clase recorded his 30th save of the season for the Guardians. Wenceel Perez hit a two-run homer for the Tigers.
Marlins 6, Orioles 3
Jesus Sanchez homered and Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Nick Gordon each drove in two runs as hosts Miami used early offence to beat Baltimore in the first game of a three-game series.
Five Miami pitchers combined on a nine-hitter, including two hitless innings from A.J. Puk (4-8). Neither team scored after the third inning.
Orioles starter Albert Suarez (5-4) lasted only two-plus innings. He was charged with six runs on eight hits. He left the game after taking a comebacker off his right foot. That happened one play after second baseman Jorge Mateo left with an injury after colliding with shortstop Gunnar Henderson on an infield single by Sanchez.