Each night in the 2016 baseball season, we'll run down the top news, facts and highlights from action around Major League Baseball.
Wilmer Flores' fifth home run in as many games gave the Mets a lead they would not relinquish as Citi Field saw eight home runs blasted in a 9-7 New York win over National League East-leading Washington.
SPECTOR: Sorry, Nationals: Slide rule is clearly written
The Nationals jumped out to an early three-run lead in the fourth thanks to solo homers from Bryce Harper, Clint Robinson and Anthony Rendon. But the Mets, who have won seven of their past eight, answered just a half inning later with a Travis d’Arnaud blast and an upper-deck shot from Jose Reyes, his first homer since joining the club this week.
Flores’ pinch-hit homer in the fifth was followed by an Asdrubal Cabrera solo shot to push the Mets' lead to 8-6 an inning later. Daniel Murphy continued his onslaught against the Mets with a solo homer to trim the New York lead. The long ball was Murphy’s 14th RBI against the Mets this season.
The Mets' Neil Walker added an insurance run for closer Jeurys Familia, but the ninth inning wasn’t without controversy.
During a 6-4-3 double play, Nationals veteran Jayson Werth was called out at second base after the umpires ruled that he slid late into the base, an automatic out on the grounds of slide interference. The violation was upheld after review.
Player of the day
Rockies shortstop Trevor Story's two home runs (four RBIs) against the Phillies gave him 21 homers so far this season. That ties the National League rookie record for most homers in the first half of the season set by Dave Kingman in 1972 and matched by Albert Pujols in 2001.
Highlight
Down a run in the ninth, Royals All-Star Salvador Perez drills a walk-off double to the center-field wall, scoring two runs to give the reigning World Series champions a 4-3 victory over the Mariners. It's the third time this season the Royals have won a game in which they trailed by at least three runs in the eighth inning or later (most in MLB).
Three things to know
— The Phillies' lone two runs against the Rockies came on Ryan Howard's 369th career homer, tying him with Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner, and Todd Helton, for 78th on baseball's all-time list.
— Cubs star Kris Bryant was hit by a pitch twice, while teammate Anthony Rizzo was nailed on the elbow by Braves pitchers, but it was an inside pitch in the top of the ninth to Braves veteran Jeff Francoeur that cleared the benches at Wrigley Field. No players were ejected in the brief confrontation.
— The Red Sox acquired infielder Aaron Hill and cash from the Brewers in exchange for right-handed pitcher Aaron Wilkerson and second baseman Wendell Rijo. Hill, 34, will likely see action at third base in place of Travis Shaw when lefties are on the mound.
What's next
Nationals (51-36) at Mets (47-38), 7:10 p.m. ET: Stephen Strasburg (11-0, 2.71 ERA) takes the mound against host Noah Syndergaard in a pitching matchup between Cy Young Award candidates,(9-3, 2.41 ERA). Both pitchers enter with 123 strikeouts on the season, but Thor lasted only three innings against the Nats on June 27.
Braves (29-57) at White Sox (44-41), 8:10 p.m. ET: Ace Chris Sale (14-2, 2.93 ERA) will try to become the first AL pitcher to win 15 games before the All-Star break since David Wells in 2000. Facing the fourth-worst club against lefties, Sale has a shot at the feat. Matt Wisler (3-8, 4.16 ERA) takes the mound for the Braves, who saw Nick Markakis hit two homers Thursday night for his first multi-homer game since 2008.