Colorado Rockies outfielder David Dahl stretched his hitting streak to 17 games Thursday, matching the record for the longest streak to begin a Major League Baseball career. The 22-year-old hit a single in his first at-bat during a 12-9 win over the Texas Rangers as he equaled the record set by Cincinnati's Chuck Aleno in 1941. The single also gave Dahl sole possession of the Rockies' club mark. Colorado's Juan Pierre began his career by getting a hit in each of his first 16 games in 2000. Carlos Gonzalez's clutch pinch-hit double drove in three to highlight a five-run eighth for the Rockies in front of a crowd of 20,700 at Globe Life Park in Dallas, Texas. Orioles 9, Athletics 6 Mark Trumbo hit his third career grand slam, right-hander Chris Tillman recorded his 15th win and the Baltimore Orioles avoided a four-game series sweep with a victory over the Oakland Athletics. The Orioles had lost three-straight one-run games to the A's, scoring a combined three runs, but they broke out of their slump with a vengeance in the series finale. Trumbo belted his major-league leading 32nd home run of the season and first grand slam as an Oriole. Diamondbacks 9, Mets 0 Braden Shipley threw seven shutout innings in his best start as a major leaguer and added an RBI single and a stolen base in the Arizona Diamondbacks' win over the New York Mets. The Diamondbacks swept the three-game series from the free-falling Mets, who dropped to .500 for the first time since April 20. New York is 10-19 dating to July 8. Pirates 4, Padres 0 Pittsburgh rookie Jameson Taillon limited San Diego to three singles over eight innings to extend the strong start to his career as the Pirates blanked the Padres. Taillon (3-2) lowered his ERA to 2.85 in his first 10 major league appearances, striking out four and walking two — or one more than he had walked in his previous five starts. Astros 15, Twins 7 (Game 1) Jose Altuve had four hits and Carlos Correa belted a three-run homer to lead the Houston Astros to victory over the Minnesota Twins in the first game of a doubleheader. It was the second consecutive four-hit game for Altuve, who raised his batting average to a majors-best .366 this season. Astros 10, Twins 2 (Game 2) George Springer had three hits, including a two-run homer, and Chris Devenski pitched five shutout innings to help Houston complete a doubleheader sweep. Springer played a starring role in both contests, combining to go 5-for-9 with six RBIs. In addition to his home run, he also doubled twice and scored a pair of runs in the night game as Houston won the final three contests of the four-game set. Elsewhere it was: Brewers 11, Braves 3; Cubs 4, Cardinals 3; Yankees 4, Red Sox 2; Royals 2, White Sox 1; Indians 14, Angels 4.
