NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge connected off Max Scherzer for his major league-leading 47th home run, Andrew Benintendi drove in two runs and the New York Yankees beat the Mets 4-2 Monday night for their first Subway Series win this season.
The Yankees, in a historic skid with 14 losses in 18 games coming into this matchup in the Bronx, built a 3-0 lead on DJ LeMahieu’s first-inning sacrifice fly, Judge’s home run off Scherzer (9-3) in the second and doubles by Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Benintendi in the fifth.
Yankees rookie Oswaldo Cabrera misplayed a popup in the fifth, and the Mets’ Daniel Vogelbach followed with a two-run homer that made it 3-2.
Domingo Germán (2-2) gave up two runs — one earned — in 6 1/3 innings. Jonathan Loaisiga finished with four outs in a row for his first save since Aug. 17 last year.
Scherzer (9-3) allowed four runs for the second straight start, raising his ERA from 1.93 to 2.33 in the two outings. He gave up seven hits in 6 2/3 innings.
RAYS 2, ANGELS 1
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Randy Arozarena hit a tiebreaking home run in the fifth inning and Tampa Bay beat Los Angeles.
Jeffrey Springs (6-3) pitched effectively into the sixth inning for the Rays, who have won eight of 10 and moved a half-game ahead of Toronto and Seattle in the AL wild-card race.
Arozarena hit his 17th homer of the season off Tucker Davidson (2-4) after Mike Trout had tied the game in the fifth with an RBI single.
Shawn Armstrong pitched the ninth to earn his first save for the Rays.
CARDINALS 1, CUBS 0
CHICAGO (AP) — Albert Pujols hit career homer No. 693, Jordan Montgomery pitched a one-hitter and St. Louis won its season-best eighth straight.
Pujols led off the seventh with a drive to left-center for his seventh homer in his last 10 games and No. 14 overall in his final big league season.
Chicago’s Drew Smyly (5-7) became the 449th pitcher to surrender a homer to the 42-year-old Pujols.
Montgomery (7-3) struck out seven and walked none in his first career complete game, improving to 4-0 in four starts since he was acquired in an Aug. 2 trade with the New York Yankees.
BRAVES 2, PIRATES 1
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jake Odorizzi struck out seven and Michael Harris II hit a two-run homer to lead Atlanta past Pittsburgh.
The Braves have won 12 of 14 to pull within three games of the New York Mets in the NL East.
Odorizzi (5-5) allowed one run on four hits in six innings, retiring 14 of the final 15 batters he faced.
Harris hit the 13th homer of his rookie season into the left-field bleachers off a curveball from Roansy Contreras (3-4).
Kenley Jansen struck out two in a perfect ninth for his 29th save.
RANGERS 2, TWINS 1
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Adolis García homered and Corey Seager singled home the go-ahead run in the sixth inning as Texas beat Minnesota.
Twins star outfielder Byron Buxton exited in the seventh with right hip tightness.
AJ Alexy (1-0) pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings in relief of starter Cole Ragans. Brett Martin, José Leclerc and Matt Moore blanked the Twins the rest of the way, with Moore earning his third save of the season.
Sonny Gray (7-4) gave up two runs on five hits while fanning six. The Twins turned a triple play behind him in the fourth.
Texas took three of four in the weekend wraparound series and is 5-3 since replacing Chris Woodward with interim manager Tony Beasley last week.
PHILLIES 4, REDS 1
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Noah Syndergaard pitched seven strong innings to stay unbeaten with Philadelphia.
Nick Castellanos and Bryson Stott hit back-to-back homers for the Phillies off Cincinnati’s Luis Cessa (3-2).
Syndergaard (8-8) allowed one run on three hits with one strikeout and two walks.
Philadelphia moved ahead of idle San Diego into the second NL wild-card spot.
ROYALS 6, WHITE SOX 4
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Drew Waters drew a bases-loaded walk to break an eighth-inning tie in his major league debut, boosting Kansas City past Chicago.
Joe Kelly (1-3), the seventh of eight White Sox pitchers, hit a pair of batters to start the inning. Ryan O’Hearn singled, and Waters drew a five-pitch walk with one out to break a 4-all tie.
White Sox starter Michael Kopech exited the game after facing just four hitters, retiring none. Manager Tony La Russa said Kopech had a hamstring issue.
Amir Garrett (3-1) pitched a scoreless eighth and Scott Barlow finished for his 20th save.