CHICAGO (AP) — Anthony Rizzo hit a grand slam in the first inning and Javier Baez scored on a wild pitch in the ninth as the Chicago Cubs overcame a late Cincinnati Reds rally to win 7-6. Baez opened the bottom of the ninth with a double off Wandy Peralta and pinch-hitter Jon Jay walked. Then, Ben Zobrist moved the runners with a groundout. Reliever Blake Wood came in and struck out Albert Almora Jr. On the next batter, Wood threw a breaking pitch that got away from catcher Tucker Barnhart for the game winner.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Yasiel Puig’s (yah-SEEL’ pweegz) two-run double in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Chicago White Sox 5-4 for their second comeback win in as many games. Puig sent a 3-2 pitch from Jake Petricka into center field, scoring Logan Forsythe and Austin Barnes.
HOUSTON (AP) — Josh Reddick hit a two-run homer as part of a four-run eighth, and Charlie Morton threw 6 1/3 solid innings as the Houston Astros defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 9-5. Despite having the best record in the American League, the Astros had been slumping in recent weeks, but are showing signs of returning to form by winning consecutive games for the first time in three weeks.
NEW YORK (AP) — New York Jets wide receiver Lucky Whitehead will have surgery this week on his broken foot. The team’s kickoff and punt return duties are now likely to fall to Frankie Hammond, Romar Morris, Chris Harper and Marcus Murphy. Coach Todd Bowles says that Whitehead could potentially return this season, but it’s uncertain how much time he will miss.
PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (AP) — Gene Bennett, who was with the Cincinnati Reds organization for more than 60 years as a scout and executive, died Wednesday. He was 89. Bennett began scouting with the Reds in 1958 and became scouting supervisor in 1975. His signings included Don Gullett, Barry Larkin and Paul O’Neill. Bennett received many scouting honors, including election to the Middle Atlantic Major League Baseball Scouts Hall of Fame. He also received the Legends In Scouting Award from the Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation.
