NEW YORK (AP) — José Altuve responded to jeering fans by marking his 31st birthday with a go-ahead, three-run homer off Chad Green in the eighth inning, and the Houston Astros beat the New York Yankees 7-4 to avoid a three-game sweep. Yordan Álvarez hit a pair of solo homers off Gerrit Cole, who turned a 3-2 lead over to Green starting the eighth. After Gleyber Torres pulled the Yankees within a run with a daring dash around the bases in the bottom half, Martín Maldonado hit a two-run homer off Justin Wilson in the ninth. The Yankees had won five in a row.

UNDATED (AP) — Albert Pujols wants to hook on with a new team and play first base. The 41-year-old was cut by the Los Angeles Angels yesterday, ending a decade-long stint with his second major league club. Pujols is batting just .198 so far this season and had been unhappy with his irregular playing time. Angels manager Joe Maddon says Pujols is determined to play first base regularly for another team after he clears waivers.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jeff Carter scored a career-high four goals and the Pittsburgh Penguins moved back into first place in the crowded East Division with an 8-4 victory over the Buffalo Sabres last night. The 36-year-old Carter was acquired from Los Angeles at the trade deadline. He beat Michael Houser three times in the first 25 minutes for his first hat trick since March 28, 2018. He added his fourth with a pretty backhander — the 398th goal of his career — early in the third period.

TORONTO (AP) — Auston Matthews scored his NHL-leading 40th goal of the season to help Toronto beat Montreal. Matthews' goals have come in just 49 games. Only one player in Maple Leafs history has reached 40 goals in fewer games, with Frank Mahovlich hitting the mark in 48 games in 1960-61.

UNDATED (AP) — A Double-A game in Birmingham, Alabama, last night saw one truly a wild inning. The Biloxi Shuckers scored 12 runs in the sixth on just one hit — drawing a whopping 13 walks from a trio of Birmingham Barons relievers, who also hit a batter and threw a pair of wild pitches. All nine hitters in the Biloxi lineup drew walks in the inning, leading the Milwaukee Brewers affiliate to a 14-6 win.

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