Duran goes 4-for-4 to lead Red Sox to victory

Mexican Jarren Duran went 4-for-4, including a tiebreaking homer with two outs in the eighth inning that sent the Boston Red Sox to a 6-5 victory over the Houston Astros.

Triston Casas, who had two hits and three RBIs, put Boston up 3-0 in the first inning with a two-run homer.

Jon Singleton hit a two-run homer to tie the score in the bottom half and Yainer Diaz homered for the third straight game with a drive to left-center field that tied the score at 5 in the fifth.

Red Sox starter Nick Pivetta allowed six hits and five runs in five innings. Zack Kelly (5-2) pitched a perfect seventh for the win and Kenley Jansen pitched a scoreless ninth for his 24th save.

Houston’s Ronel Blanco also allowed six hits and five runs but lasted just 3 2/3 innings.

In St. Louis, Frankie Montas pitched seven brilliant innings and Devin Williams pitched out of a ninth-inning jam to lead the Milwaukee Brewers to a 3-2 victory over the disheartened Cardinals.

Montás (6-8) allowed one hit — a single to Alec Burleson in the fourth inning — in his fourth start since being acquired in a trade with Cincinnati.

The Dominican struck out three and walked one.

Venezuelan William Contreras had three hits for NL Central-leading Milwaukee, which won its sixth straight game. Sal Fralick added two hits.

JAMES MCCANN and three RBIs, as the Baltimore Orioles defeated the New York Mets 9-5.

Anthony Santander opened the scoring in the first inning with his 37th homer, a two-run blast off Jose Quintana (6-9). Ramon Urias and Eloy Jimenez each added RBIs for Baltimore, which began the day a half-game behind the AL East-leading New York Yankees.

Dean Kremer (6-9) allowed one run in six innings for the second straight start. He allowed just two hits and struck out seven.

DOMINICAN Marcell Ozuna hit a home run and his compatriot Reynaldo López remained solid on the mound for five innings after returning from the injured list, as the Atlanta Braves beat the division-leading Philadelphia Phillies 3-1.

In the first of three games in this series, the Braves, champions of the National League East Division in the previous six seasons, closed within six games of Philadelphia.

CORBIN CARROLL and Cuban Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit home runs to help Venezuelan Eduardo Rodríguez and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Miami Marlins 3-1.

Arizona, which finished with four hits, improved to a major league-best 30-13 since July 1. Carroll also singled and scored on Joc Pederson’s hit, while Geraldo Perdomo walked twice.

IN WASHINGTON, Austin Gomber allowed one run and three hits in seven innings, Ryan McMahon had two hits and one RBI, and the Colorado Rockies beat the Washington Nationals 3-1.

Brenton Doyle and Ezequiel Tovar each had two hits and scored one run as Colorado earned its third win in the last four games.—AP

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