Caratini’s HR in 10th gives Brewers 5-2 victory over Cubs

MILWAUKEE — Victor Caratini hit a three-run homer with two outs in the 10th inning to give the Milwaukee Brewers a 5-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Monday.

Caratini’s big hit followed an eventful ninth inning that featured an inside-the-park homer from Chicago’s Seiya Suzuki and a two-out, bases-loaded walk by Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich.

After striking out in each of his four previous at bats, Caratini hit a 2-1 sinker from Scott Effross (1-4) over the center-field wall.

It was Caratini’s second career walk-off homer. He also did it June 17, 2021, for San Diego against Cincinnati’s Amir Garrett.

Milwaukee’s Brad Boxberger (3-1) worked his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the 10th by striking out Willson Contreras and Ian Happ, who had been ahead 3-1 in the count.

A game that started out as a pitchers’ duel between Chicago’s Justin Steele and Milwaukee’s Eric Lauer went haywire in the ninth inning.

It was 1-all when Suzuki, activated from the injured list earlier in the day, hit a drive off Josh Hader that ricocheted off an angled portion of the center-field wall, bounced past center fielder Jonathan Davis and rolled along the warning track back toward right field.

Davis finally chased the ball down and threw to second baseman Luis Urías as Suzuki sprinted around the bases. After Urías threw to the plate, Suzuki slid around Caratini’s tag attempt at the plate.

Hader, who entered the game with a 1.05 ERA, was working for the second straight day after throwing 33 pitches in a 2-0 victory at Pittsburgh on Sunday. He also allowed a one-out double to Nico Hoerner but left him stranded at third.

Cubs closer David Robertson couldn’t protect the lead.

Urías led off with a single and with one out, Keston Hiura hit a ground-rule double that bounced over the wall in left-center field.

Robertson struck out Jace Peterson for the second out but hit Kolten Wong with a pitch to load the bases. After the Cubs held a conference on the mound, Robertson stayed in the game and walked Yelich on four pitches to bring home the tying run.

Willy Adames had a chance to win the game for the Brewers but struck out against Robertson.

Steele held Milwaukee hitless for the first four innings and helped the Cubs carry a 1-0 lead into the seventh, when Pedro Severino delivered a two-out, tying double. The Cubs’ only run through the first eight innings came in the third as rookie Nelson Velázquez hit his first homer in his 14th career game.

Lauer struck out nine, walked two and allowed two hits and one run in six innings. Steele also struck out nine and threw a career-high 108 pitches while allowing four walks, two hits and one run in 6 2/3 innings.

Alvarez’s 9th-inning HR lifts Astros 7-6 win over Royals

HOUSTON (AP) — After falling behind early on, Houston chipped away at Kansas City’s lead before one mighty swing by Yordan Alvarez completed the Astros’ biggest comeback win of the season. Alvarez homered with two outs in the ninth inning, and Houston beat the Kansas City Royals 7-6 on Monday for its seventh straight victory.

“Nobody in the dugout gives up throughout the game … even if we’re losing like that,” Alvarez said through a translator.

Led by Kyle Tucker and Alvarez, AL West-leading Houston erased a five-run deficit on the way to its 15th victory in its last 18 games. Tucker sparked the Astros’ three-run eighth with a two-run single, and Alvarez hit a drive to left-center against Scott Barlow (2-2) for his 24th homer.

“I just tried to get focused, see a pitch up in the zone, but that pitch came back to the middle of the plate and I was able to hit it,” Alvarez said.

Ryne Stanek (1-0) pitched a scoreless ninth for the win.

The Astros also won in their last at-bat on Sunday, using Jeremy Peña’s tiebreaking two-run homer with two out in the ninth to post a 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.

It’s the first time the Astros have had consecutive last at-bat wins on home runs since Mark Loretta and Carlos Lee on June 28-29, 2007, against Colorado.

Andrew Benintendi had three hits and two RBIs for Kansas City, which had won three of four. MJ Melendez hit two solo homers.

“It’s one of the tougher ones of the season. … You like the chances of us being able to finish that off,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said.

The Royals jumped on Jake Odorizzi for five runs in three innings in his return from injury. Hunter Dozier and Benintendi each hit a two-run single, and Melendez connected in the third.

The Astros trailed 6-3 in the eighth when Wyatt Mills walked Peña with no outs before Amir Garrett took over.