MLB roundup: Jansen plays for Red Sox & Blue Jays in same game, Cubs & Yankees win
Boston catcher Danny Jansen made major league history as the first player to appear for both teams in the same game. He was facing an 0-1 count on June 26th when the game was suspended by rain with one out in the top of the second inning, then traded to the Red Sox on July 27th for three prospects.
On Monday, Toronto's Daulton Varsho pinch-hit for Jansen in the second-inning at-bat, and Jansen was behind the plate for Boston.
Springer broke a scoreless deadlock with a towering one-out solo homer to left in the seventh, tagging Boston righty Nick Pivetta (4-5) with the loss. Pivetta fell despite picking up 10 strikeouts over six innings of relief. He allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits, walking none.
Zach Pop (1-2) recorded the win. Jarren Duran hit a solo shot for the Red Sox.
Cubs 18 Pirates 8
Dansby Swanson hit a grand slam and Pete Crow-Armstrong headlined a historic night on the basepaths in Chicago's pummeling of host Pittsburgh to open a three-game series.
Crow-Armstrong had three of Chicago's eight stolen bases, the most steals in a game for the Cubs since 1913. The Cubs' 18 runs were a season-high, as were their 21 hits. No. 9 hitter Miguel Amaya recorded his first career four-hit game and added four RBIs.
Chicago stole seven bases against Pittsburgh starter Mitch Keller (11-8), who was pulled after throwing 97 pitches across four frames. He surrendered three runs on seven hits.
Yankees 5 Nationals 2
Nestor Cortes pitched 6 2/3 strong innings to win his third straight start as visiting New York beat Washington.
Gleyber Torres, Austin Wells and Jazz Chisholm Jr. homered for the Yankees, who have won five of their past six games. Anthony Volpe and Alex Verdugo had three hits apiece. Cortes (8-10) gave up one run on four hits.
Juan Yepez and Jacob Young homered for the Nationals, and 22-year-old right fielder Dylan Crews went 0-for-3 with a walk in his major league debut. Mitchell Parker (7-8) allowed two runs on five hits over four innings.
Royals 4 Guardians 3 (Game 1)
Bobby Witt Jr. smacked a go-ahead solo shot in the eighth inning, allowing Kansas City to open a split doubleheader with a win over host Cleveland.
John Schreiber (4-3) earned the win with 1 2/3 innings of perfect relief. Lucas Erceg worked around a walk in the ninth to notch his eighth save. Hunter Gaddis (4-3) served up Witt's long ball to take the loss.
It originally looked like MJ Melendez was going to single-handedly lead the Royals to victory, as he put Kansas City up 3-2 with a three-run homer in the fourth, then made a stunning catch an inning later.
Phillies 3 Astros 2 (10 innings)
Bryce Harper delivered a walk-off single in the 10th inning to lift Philadelphia over visiting Houston in the opener of a three-game series.
Harper grounded a first-pitch sinker from Josh Hader (6-7) into right field, past a diving Jose Altuve at second base. In his second inning of work, Hader walked Trea Turner to open the frame before Harper plated automatic runner Kyle Schwarber. Matt Strahm (6-2) held the Astros scoreless in the top of the 10th.
Houston starter Ronel Blanco allowed two runs and seven hits, with five punchouts over 5 2/3 frames. Alex Bregman had a pair of singles to headline the Astros' offensive attack.