PITTSBURGH (AP) Chicago’s Ben Zobrist hit a three-run homer as the Cubs continued their superb form on the road and won 6-2 at Pittsburgh on Wednesday, opening a six-game gap between the top two teams in the National League Central division.
The Cubs have won seven successive road games and completed their first sweep of the Pirates in four years.
Elsewhere, David Ortiz continued his climb up the list of career home-run hitters as Boston won at the Chicago White Sox, Washington humbled World Series champion Kansas City on its own turf, and Matt Holliday delivered the winning hit with two outs in the ninth inning to lift St. Louis over Philadelphia.
Chicago’s Zobrist hit his three-run shot in the third inning but should never have had the opportunity. Pittsburgh center fielder Andrew McCutcheon could have ended the inning on the previous batter but dropped a line drive by Anthony Rizzo.
Rizzo also hit a homer, while Cubs starter Jon Lester worked out of a couple of jams and pitched 5-2/3 scoreless innings as Chicago made it seven wins from their past eight games.
Their crosstown rivals, the White Sox, lost 5-2 at home against Boston.
David Ortiz hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning to give him 509 for his career, tying him with Gary Sheffield for 25th on the all-time list. It was his 451st with Boston, one off Carl Yastrzemski’s club record.
Washington’s Daniel Murphy had a single, double and homer to power the Nationals to a 13-2 rout at Kansas City.
Bryce Harper broke out of his recent slump with a homer, while Murphy and Clint Robinson drove in three runs apiece.
St. Louis’ Matt Holliday came up with the walk-off winning hit as the Cardinals edged Philadelphia 5-4.
St. Louis loaded the bases with one out in the ninth inning against Phillies closer Jeanmar Gomez. Stephen Piscotty delivered an infield single to tie the game. Holliday then smacked his hit through the left side of the infield to drive in the winning run.
Toronto’s Russell Martin also came up with a ninth-inning winner as the Blue Jays beat Texas 4-3.
Edwin Encarnacion singled off Tony Barnette to begin the ninth. After a walk, then an out, then another walk, the bases were loaded for Martin, who drove his hit into the right field corner.
It was another close win for the Blue Jays, who took Tuesday’s game 3-1 in 10 innings.
Seattle also had a narrow victory, winning 9-8 at Oakland to complete a three-game sweep.
Dae-Ho Lee hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the seventh after an earlier solo shot for his first career multi-homer game.
The Mariners had a season-high 16 hits and improved to an AL-best 11-4 on the road. The A’s lost their fourth straight.
Cleveland’s Corey Kluber pitched a shutout as the Indians beat Detroit 4-0, making its five straight wins over the Tigers this season.
Kluber worked out of jams in the second and fourth. He struck out seven in his second career shutout and eighth complete game.
The Indians scored all their four runs in the fourth inning, when Anibal Sanchez gave up three hits, a walk, a hit batter and a wild pitch.
Tampa Bay’s Steve Pearce hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the sixth inning to lift the Rays over the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-5.
Pearce put Tampa Bay ahead 5-2 with one of four Rays homers for the game.
Miami’s Giancarlo Stanton homered and drove in two runs as the Marlins beat Arizona 4-3, making it nine wins from 10 games.
Cincinnati’s Brandon Phillips, Eugenio Suarez and Zack Cozart all homered in a five-run second against San Francisco starter Jake Peavy to set up a 7-4 win for the Reds.
New York’s Steven Matz pitched 7-2/3 scoreless innings as the Mets beat Atlanta 8-0, winning a sixth successive series for the first time in 10 years.
The Mets’ city rivals, the Yankees, ended a six-game losing skid by winning 7-0 at Baltimore, led by C.C. Sabathia’s seven sharp innings.
Los Angeles’ Mike Trout had an RBI triple and sparked a four-run eighth with a solo homer to lead the Angels to a 7-3 win at Milwaukee.
Colorado’s Tyler Chatwood pitched eight scoreless innings as the Rockies beat San Diego 2-0, handing the Padres their eighth shutout loss from 28 games this season.
Houston won back-to-back games for the first time in 2016, as Jason Castro homered and drove in four runs, while Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa both homered and knocked in three in a 16-4 rout of Minnesota.
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