American League
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| Beltran keys rally |
While the AL East and Central divisions are tightening and becoming more interesting every day, the Houston Astros are beginning to make a mockery of the AL West.
Winning their fifth in a row, the Astros manhandled Minnesota, the current resident of first place in the Central, by a score of 16-8. The three, four, and five hitters in the Astro lineup - Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, and Carlos Beltran - were a combined 10-for-15, with Beltran going 4-for-5, stroking three singles and a three-run homer, scoring three times and driving in three runs.
The amazing part of Houston's win was that they trailed the Twins, 8-2, going into the eighth inning, then erupted for 11 runs in the top half of the inning, finalized by Beltran's blast, plating himself, Altuve and Correa.
The Astros have found little in the way of competition as they've gotten off to a 36-16 mark, 11 games in front of the Angels and Rangers in the division. Though they lost three straight to Cleveland at the start of their most recent homestead, they finished up by taking three of four from Detroit and sweeping three from the Orioles. The win at Minnesota was the start of a three-game series and ten-game road trip that will take them to Texas and Kansas City.
Game two of the series at Minnesota resumes Tuesday, at 8:10 pm ET.
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| Gsellman: 7IP, 1ER, W |
Monday was a strange day for Mets' pitcher, Robert Gsellman.
First, he pitched seven innings in New York's 4-2 win over Milwaukee, giving up only three hits, but the Brewers scored two times against him, though only one run was earned.
At the plate, Gsellman's day was more weird. With the score tied at 1-1 in the fifth, the 6'4" right-hander lifted a sac fly to right, scoring Wilmer Flores from third. In the sixth, the Mets had forged a 3-2 lead, but loaded the bases on a walk, a single, and a hit batsman.
Up stepped Gsellman, who worked out a walk from Rob Scahill, adding an insurance run with his second RBI of the day, doing so without a hit.
After seven innings, walking two and striking out five, Gsellman left the game to the bullpen, which blanked the brewers the rest of the way.
Gsellman is 3-3 with a 5.75 ERA, batting .067, with one hit in 15 at-bats, but three RBI.
The win left New York tied for second with the Braves in the NL East, though both teams trail the Nationals by 8 1/2 games. Washington (31-19) is the only team in the division with a winning record. The Mets are 22-27. Despite the loss, Milwaukee holds first place in the Central by 1 1/2 over the Cardinals and Cubs.
Game two of the four-game series is scheduled for 7:10 pm ET at Citi Field in New York.
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