MLB scores, highlights: Matt Kemp becomes first Padres player to hit for cycle

Joe Rodgers

MLB scores, highlights: Matt Kemp becomes first Padres player to hit for cycle image

Each night we'll provide you with the nine top story lines from the day's action, beginning with the stars of the day, and look ahead to the next day's matchups.

Hitters sure do love Coors Field.

Padres outfielder Matt Kemp joined the Rangers' Shin-Soo Choo as players to hit for the cycle in Colorado this season. Like Choo, Kemp capped his feat with a ninth-inning triple in San Diego's 9-5 win. Kemp started the game with a two-run homer in the first, added a single in the third, then connected on an RBI-double in the seventh. The triple in the ninth drove in Yangervis Solarte, giving Kemp four RBIs on the night. 

The cycle was the first of Kemp's career and the first in franchise history. He is the fourth player to hit for the cycle this season, joining ChooAdrian Beltre and Boston's Brock Holt.

Kemp wasn't the only player with a memorable home run. Yankees pinch-hitter Carlos Beltran drilled a three-run shot off Blue Jays reliever Aaron Sanchez in a come-from-behind, 4-3 win to snap the Jays' 11-game winning streak. With the victory, the Yankees jumped a half-game in front of the Jays in the AL East. 

Here are more highlights from Friday's games:

Impact players:

 C — Stephen Vogt, Athletics: Getting the most out of his extra at-bats in a 13-inning affair with the Orioles, Vogt finished 3 for 5 with a homer, two RBIs and a walk. 

1B — Travis Shaw, Red Sox: Shaw went 3 for 5 with two home runs and three RBIs. Since being called up Aug. 1, he is 11 for 28 with four homers and seven RBIs. 

2B — Chase Utley, Phillies: Helping his trade value, Utley went 4 for 5 with an RBI, extending his hitting streak to a modest six games. 

SS — Asdrubal Cabrera, Rays: Recording his ninth multi-hit performance in the past 10 games, Cabrera finished 3 for 4 with a double, two singles and a run scored.

3B — Manny Machado, Orioles: Machado finished 2 for 6, including a walkoff, two-run homer in the 13th inning to beat the A's.

OF — Chris Coghlan, Cubs: Leading the Cubs to their eighth straight win, Coghlan hit a pair of homers and drove home four runs against the White Sox. 

DH — David Ortiz, Red Sox: "Big Papi" went 2 for 4 with an RBI, a walk and three runs scored as Boston put up 15 runs on the Mariners. 

SP — Jaime Garcia, Cardinals: The southpaw scattered six hits in 8 1/3 scoreless innings against the Marlins to lower his ERA to 1.57.

Key injuries:

An MRI on Indians outfielder Michael Brantley's shoulder came back clean, but the star will miss the next two or three games to recover. 

Orioles catcher Matt Wieters strained his right hamstring Tuesday, but the backstop told reporters it feels better and he will likely avoid the disabled list. 

Sidelined since early May, Rays pitcher Drew Smyly (shoulder) will rejoin the rotation with a start Sunday against the Rangers.

The Tigers activated All-Star slugger Miguel Cabrera from the 15-day disabled list. Cabrera returned from a six-week absence with an 0-for-3 performance against the Astros. 

The Yankees originally thought forearm tightness would keep starter Michael Pineda out of commission until at least September, but Pineda threw a 30-pitch bullpen session Thursday and performed well enough to earn a rehab start for Double-A Trenton on Sunday. He could return to the rotation late next week. 

Royals outfielder Alex Gordon, on the disabled list since July 9 because of a severe groin strain, will begin a rehab assignment "soon."

Web gems:

Rays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier tracked a deep fly ball from the Rangers' Prince Fielder and leaped to steal a two-run homer.

Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts chased down a deep fly ball and jumped at the Green Monster to rob the Mariners' Robinson Cano of an extra-base hit. 

Surprise performers:

Good: A's outfielder Coco Crisp had four hits, three of them doubles. He had seven total hits in 73 at-bats entering the game. 

Bad: Nationals starter and former Cy Young winner Max Scherzer lasted just three innings against the Giants, allowing a season-high six runs on seven hits. 

Facts of the day:

The Blue Jays became the first team in MLB history to hold the Yankees scoreless for 33 consecutive innings, until Chase Headley connected on an RBI double. The previous best scoreless streak was 31 innings by Detroit in 1934. 

The Mariners are the first team to allow 15 or more runs in the first game after a no-hitter since the 1905 Red Sox, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes became the first Cuban-born player to hit at least 20 homers in each of his first four MLB seasons, per ESPN.

Nationals slugger Bryce Harper is the first left-handed hitter to hit 30 homers in a season at age 22 or younger since Boog Powell in 1964.

Off the field:

According to Comcast Sportsnet, six teams are in the mix to acquire Chase Utley from the Phillies — the Angels, Astros, Cubs, Giants, Yankees and Dodgers.

Red Sox manager John Farrell revealed that he's been diagnosed with Stage 1 lymphoma. The "highly curable" cancer was detected when Farrell underwent hernia surgery in Detroit on Monday. 

The Giants masterfully recreated the "Full House" opening and Sporting News' Ryan Fagan wants to see 15 more TV show intros remade by MLB teams. 

Better late than never, the Yankees will honor Alex Rodriguez for becoming the 29th player in major-league history to reach the 3,000-hit mark in a pregame ceremony Sept. 13, the team announced Friday.

Barry Bonds said the overturning of obstruction of justice charges was a "weight lifted off (his) shoulders." But there's another burden he refuses to carry. Bonds feels he belongs among baseball's best in Cooperstown; he feels no need to justify his Hall of Fame credentials.

Former All-Star closer Jose Valverde was suspended 80 games after a positive drug test in the minor leagues, the commissioner’s office announced. 

Reactions:

Sporting News' Jesse Spector details the modern criticism of the RBI as a statistical focalpoint, but argues it is elemental to the game.

Safe to say Cubs reliever Pedro Strop is pretty fired up after the Cubs captured their eighth straight win. 

Friends off the diamond, Jose Altuve decided to untuck Miguel Cabrera's jersey as the Astros speedster took his lead off first in the bottom of the third against the Tigers. 

Scores:

American League:

Orioles 8, Athletics 6 (13 innings)
Yankees 4, Blue Jays 3
Red Sox 15, Mariners 1
Astros 5, Tigers 1
Royals 4, Angels 1
Rangers 5, Rays 3
Indians 6, Twins 1

National League:

Pirates 3, Mets 2 (10 innings)
Braves 3, Diamondbacks 2
Brewers 3, Phillies 1
Padres 9, Rockies 5
Cardinals 3, Marlins 1
Dodgers 5, Reds 3
Giants 8, Nationals 5

Interleague:

Cubs 6, White Sox 5

A look ahead: (All times Eastern)

Yankees (63-51) at Blue Jays (64-53), 1:07 p.m.: With his team a half-game ahead of the Jays in the AL East, Masahiro Tanaka (8-5, 3.79 ERA) looks to put the Yankees in position to win the important series. Marco Estrada (10-6, 3.21 ERA) takes the hill for the Jays, looking to hold the Yankees scoreless for a second-straight outing. On Aug. 9, Estrada pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowing just three hits with six strikeouts at Yankee Stadium. 

Mariners (54-62) at Red Sox (51-64), 1:35 p.m.: Mariners starter Felix Hernandez (14-6, 3.11 ERA) has allowed 29 hits in his past three starts and could be in line for more against Boston’s David Ortiz, who is batting .440 in 25 regular-season at-bats against him. Wade Miley (8-9, 4.68 ERA) toes the rubber for the Red Sox but will have to be on his best against Nelson Cruz, who entered Friday’s game batting .381/.724./1.178 against left-handed pitching this season. 

Cubs (66-48) at White Sox (54-59), 7:10 p.m.: Jake Arrieta (13-6, 2.38 ERA) has posted a 1.23 ERA over his past 10 outings and will need to stay hot again as the Cubs try to stay within striking distance of the Pirates in the National League wild card race. With southpaw Jose Quintana (6-9, 3.59 ERA) on mound for the White Sox, Starlin Castro may make another start at second base

Joe Rodgers