Aug 2, 2018 4 min read

Pinch-hitter Jose Martinez sliced an opposite-field single to the right-center field gap off Wade Davis with one out in the ninth inning, driving in the tying and go-ahead runs and lifting the St. Louis Cardinals over the Colorado Rockies 3-2 Thursday.

Greg Garcia singled with one out against Davis (2-4) and took third on a single by rookie Harrison Bader.

Bader stole second, and Martinez singled on a high fastball, giving the Cardinals their ninth walk-off win this season.

Davis has a career-high five blown saves in 36 chances.

St. Louis starter Miles Mikolas allowed two runs – one earned – and seven hits in seven innings. Rockies starter Antonio Senzatela gave up one run and five hits in six innings.

Tyler O’Neill put St. Louis ahead with a sacrifice fly in the third. Gerardo Parra had a tying single in the fourth, and Colorado went ahead when Ian Desmond hit a bouncer to the third-base side, and Mikolas made an off-balance throw that hit the tarp in foul territory in right field. Desmond was credited with a single, and Nolan Arenado came home from third on the error.

Rays 4, Angels 2: Jalen Beeks got his first major league win, C.J. Cron had a two-run single and the Tampa Bay Rays completed a three-game sweep by beating the Los Angeles Angels 4-2.

Beeks (1-1), the second pitcher in a bullpen day, allowed two runs and two hits in five innings. The rookie left-hander, acquired from Boston for right-hander Nathan Eovaldi July 25, gave up eight runs and 10 hits over 3 1/3 innings against Baltimore in his Tampa Bay debut Saturday.

Tampa Bay’s Hunter Wood struck out five and allowed one hit over the first two innings. Diego Castillo and Sergio Romo, who worked the ninth for his 13th save, completed a three-hitter.

Angels star Mike Trout didn’t play due to a sore right wrist and is listed as day to day. The center fielder was hurt sliding during a stolen base attempt of third base on Wednesday night.

White Sox 6, Royals 4: Jose Abreu hit a tying home run off Jason Adam in the eighth and pinch-hitter Daniel Palka had a three-run homer off Jason Hammel later in the inning, leading the Chicago White Sox over the Kansas City Royals 6-4.

Avisail Garcia doubled, Omar Narvaez was intentionally walked and Hammel relieved. Palka drove a hanging slider a half-dozen rows in the right-centerfield bleachers. He tied the White Sox record of three pinch homers in one season, set by Oscar Gamble in 1977.

Rosell Herrera hit a sacrifice fly in the ninth off Luis Avilan, who got his first save in seven major league seasons.

White Sox starter Reynaldo Lopez allowed two runs and five hits in seven-plus innings, leaving with a 2-0 lead after Alcides Escobar doubled leading off the eighth and Adalberto Mondesi reached on a bunt single.

Sonny Gray moves to pen:

The Yankees removed Sonny Gray from their starting rotation and replaced him with newly acquired Lance Lynn, and New York put pitcher J.A. Happ on the 10-day disabled list with hand, foot and mouth disease.

Gray tied a career high by allowing seven runs while lasting 2 2/3 innings against Baltimore on Wednesday, smirking at booing fans as he left the field. He is 8-8 with a 5.56 ERA this season.

Lynn was acquired from Minnesota this week and pitched 41/3 scoreless innings in relief of Gray on Wednesday.

Happ won his Yankees debut last weekend and had been expected to pitch on Saturday against AL East-leading Boston.

Hand, foot and mouth disease is a contagious virus that usually affects young children.