MLB scores: Felix Hernandez reaches 2,500 career strikeouts; Cubs hit another walk-off homer

Here is everything you need to know about the day in baseball

By R.J. Anderson

& Mike Axisa

May 12, 2019 at 12:09 am ET • 6 min read

It's Saturday and that means a full slate of baseball action. Here are the latest news, notes, and scores from a full 16-game slate -- yes, 16, since the Tigers and Twins played a pair at Target Field.

Select games can be streamed regionally via fuboTV (Try for free). For more on what channel each game is on, click here.

Baseball scores for Saturday, May 11

FINAL - Red Sox 9, Mariners 5 (box score)
FINAL, Game 1 - Tigers 5, Twins 3 (box score)
FINAL - Pirates 2, Cardinals 1 (box score)
FINAL - Cubs 2, Brewers 1 in 15 innings (box score)
FINAL - White Sox 7, Blue Jays 2 (box score)
FINAL - Angels 7, Orioles 2 (box score)
FINAL - Athletics 3, Indians 2 (box score)
FINAL - Rays 7, Yankees 2 (box score)
FINAL - Mets 4, Marlins 1 (box score)
FINAL - Phillies 7, Royals 0 (box score)
FINAL - Astros 11, Rangers 4 (box score)
FINAL, Game 2 - Twins 8, Tigers 3 (box score)
FINAL - Padres 4, Rockies 3 (box score)
FINAL - Braves 6, Diamondbacks 4 (box score)
FINAL - Reds 5, Giants 4 (box score)
FINAL - Nationals 5, Dodgers 2 (box score)

Felix records 2,500th strikeout

Felix Hernandez became the 36th pitcher with 2,500 career strikeouts on Saturday, fanning Red Sox rookie Michael Chavis in the second inning to cross the threshold. Here's the milestone strikeout:

At 33 years and 33 days, Hernandez is the sixth youngest pitcher to reach 2,500 strikeouts. Here are the five ahead of him:

Nolan Ryan: 31 years, 101 days
Walter Johnson: 31 years, 197 days
Pedro Martinez: 32 years, 221 days
Tom Seaver: 32 years, 287 days
Bert Blyleven: 33 years, 0 days (on his birthday)

Unfortunately, for Hernandez, his day soon fell apart. He started the third inning but didn't finish it, ending his day with a final line that included six hits, seven earned runs, and three walks. Hernandez's seasonal ERA is now 6.52.

Hernandez is the second pitcher to cross 2,500 strikeouts this season, by the way, joining Nationals ace Max Scherzer. CC Sabathia, meanwhile, surpassed 3,000 strikeouts two weeks ago.

Cubs hit yet another walk-off homer

For the third time in the last five games, the Cubs won with a walk-off homer Saturday. Kris Bryant hit a walk-off homer Tuesday, Jason Heyward hit a walk-off homer Wednesday, and Willson Contreras hit a walk-off homer Saturday. In the 15th inning! Here is the Cubbies' latest walk-off winner:

This is only the 12th time in history a team hit three walk-off homers in a five-game span. Our Dayn Perry takes a deeper dive into what the walk-off means for the Cubs.

Also, the 15-inning game is the longest ever Cubs-Brewers game at Wrigley Field. Of course, the Brewers spent the first three decades of their existence in the American League, so the two teams haven't been NL Central rivals that long, but still.

The win is the 18th in the last 23 games for the Cubs, who have baseball's best record since the cherry-picked date of April 13. Their 68 runs allowed since April 13 are 16 fewer than any other team. They held the Brewers to four hits in the 15-inning game Saturday.

Diaz helps Rays stay in first place

The Rays will finish the weekend in first place in the AL East. Following Friday's win, the depleted Yankees sat only a half-game behind Tampa in the division, so a win Saturday would've moved New York into the top spot. Instead, Yandy Diaz put the Rays on his back and homered twice in Saturday's win. Tampa will finish the three-game series in first place no matter what happens Sunday.

Here are Diaz's dingers:

The Yandy-Man can. pic.twitter.com/ef7nqqGOLE
— Tampa Bay Devil Rays (@RaysBaseball) May 12, 2019

Diaz, who came over from the Indians in the three-team Edwin Encarnacion/Carlos Santana trade, has hit nine homers in 35 games this season. He hit one homer in 88 games with Cleveland the last two seasons. The Rays have helped him unlock his power and Diaz has been an impact hitter this season.

With the Red Sox winning again Saturday -- Boston is 19-11 since their 2-8 start -- the top of the AL East is really starting to tighten up. Here are the division standings following Saturday's games:

Rays: 24-14
Yankees: 23-16 (1 1/2 GB)
Red Sox: 21-19 (4 GB)
Blue Jays: 16-23 (8.5 GB)
Orioles: 13-26 (11.5 GB)

The Yankees and Rays will play another three-game set at Yankee Stadium next week. Lots of season still to go, obviously, but it sure looks like the AL East will be much more competitive than it was a few weeks ago.

A's walk-off for second straight day

Late Friday night, Matt Chapman slugged his first career walk-off home run in a 12-inning win over the Indians. On Saturday, it was Ramon Laureano's turn to provide the game-winning hit. He dunked a walk-off bloop single to right. Give Indians right fielder Jordan Luplow an assist for slipping on his way to catch the ball:

That is three walk-off wins in the last four games for the A's. Stephen Piscotty clubbed a walk-off homer on Wednesday in addition to Chapman's walk-off homer Friday and Laureano's walk-off single Saturday. In fact, seven of the A's last 15 games have ended with a walk-off, either a win or loss. Seems like a lot.

Saturday's win is the fourth in the last five games for the Athletics. As for the Indians, they've now lost five of their last seven games and been outscored 31-20 in the process.

Eflin throws another complete game

Your major league leader in complete games: Phillies righty Zach Eflin. He has two. Yeah, baseball's changed. Eflin threw his second complete game of the season -- his second complete game in his last three starts -- Saturday night when he shut out the Royals in Kansas City.

Zach Eflin

BAL • SP • #24

May 11 vs. Royals

IP9

BB0

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The Phillies acquired Eflin from the Dodgers way back in the day in the Jimmy Rollins trade, and they are just now starting to be rewarded. After pitching to a 5.10 ERA in 255 2/3 innings from 2016-18, Eflin has a 2.47 ERA through eight starts and 51 innings this year, and there are noticeable improvements in his pace and confidence.

Philadelphia has won three of their last four games and nine of their last 13 games. They sit atop a mostly disappointing NL East. The Phillies have a 3 1/2 game lead and the three other "contenders" in the division are under-.500 and look the part.

Vlad Jr. reaches base four times

The first 11 games of Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s big league career have not gone especially well. He went into Saturday's game hitting .146/.222/.171 in 45 plate appearances, and, honestly, it should not be a concern. Vlad Jr. is not the first player to have a hard time in his first two weeks in the big leagues. Players have bad 11-game stretches all the time.

Guerrero may be snapping out it now. He went 2 for 2 with two walks Saturday and added 102 points to his OPS. Pretty good day at the office. Guerrero is the youngest player in Blue Jays history to reach base four times in a game. Here are the last five players younger than Vlad Jr. to reach base that many times in a game: