MLB scores: Benches clear, four ejected in Royals-White Sox scuffle; Gardner's grand slam lifts New York over Boston

Wednesday was getaway day for many teams in Major League Baseball, so that means it was this week's getaway day and we had plenty of day baseball. The Phillies took the three-game series finale over the Mets, the Cardinals finally were able to beat the Brewers and the Royals came out on top over the White Sox, but not before a bench-clearing situation on the south side of Chicago.

At night, the Yankees got another game closer to .500 with a come-from-behind win over the Boston Red Sox. The Mariners dropped their sixth straight game, and lost their 20-game home run streak in the process. The first-place Tampa Bay Rays became the first team to 14 wins this season with their win over Baltimore while the Houston Astros, who were looking to win their 11th straight game, dropped a one-run game to the Oakland Athletics.

All that and more is below in our daily roundup. So go ahead, and get updated on all of the MLB action from Wednesday.

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 Wenesday, April 17

Arrieta deals another gem, Phillies barely hold on

Some of us like to refer to Jake Arrieta's ridiculous run in the second half of 2015 and into the first several weeks of 2016 as the Terminator version of Arrieta. He had arguably the best second half in baseball history before throwing a shutout in the wild card game. In recent years, he has lost some velocity and the control abandons him more than he'd probably like to admit, but the movement on his stuff is still filthy. 

When he's keeping it inside the zone, even if he's not getting swings and misses, he gets weak contact. 

Such was the case on Wednesday afternoon. Through six innings, he'd allowed just three hits and they were all infield singles. He would end up going eight-plus, allowing just six hits and two earned runs, though the second one was a tough one to swallow. It was an infield hit and then Arrieta was removed only to see the bullpen allow his runner to score. 

Regardless, Arrieta walked six in his first outing, but cut that to three walks in seven innings in his second start and now he's only given out three free passes in the last 15 innings. If he's going to be in the zone, we better be prepared to see his ERA remain pretty damn low. Through four starts, it's 2.25. He's not quite the Terminator, but he's a frontline starter with this control. 

Oh, speaking of the bullpen, it continues to be a headache for the Phillies. After a Pete Alonso single that bounced off Arrieta to start the ninth, Adam Morgan came in and hit Robinson Cano with a pitch. Just like that, the tying run was on base with no outs. Morgan coaxed a deep flyout from Michael Conforto and was removed for Hector Neris. Neris got a huge strikeout before Amed Rosario's weak tapper ended up another infield hit. Then Neris hit Wilson Ramos with a pitch. 

Oh boy. It was now 3-2 with the bases loaded and two outs. Neris fell behind Keon Broxton 2-1 and then saw the count run to full. There was no margin for error. He wouldn't mess around, pumping a fastball right down the middle. Keon Broxton swung through and the Phillies held on by the skin of their teeth. 

The good news is the 11-6 Phillies are in first place and Arrieta looks like the frontline starter they thought they signed before last season. The bad news is his effort was almost wasted due to the shaky bullpen. Until they get a healthy David Robertson back, it's likely to remain anxious in the late-and-close situations for Philly. 

Cardinals salvage one, Burnes has HR problem

The Cardinals went to Milwaukee this week with a chance to take first place despite having lost three of four there to start the season. Instead, their pitching staff was brutalized -- mostly by Christian Yelich, who has eight homers against the Cardinals this season -- and they dropped the first two games of the series. 

St. Louis managed to get one back on Wednesday afternoon and they even avoided a Yelich home run. Michael Wacha put together a quality start for the Cardinals (6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K) while Matt Carpenter and Marcell Ozuna went deep for the winning club. For more on Ozuna raking while the rest of the outfield is banged out, click here.

On the Brewers' end, starting pitcher Corbin Burnes was again teed up. Through four starts this season, he's posted a 10.70 ERA and 2.15 WHIP. He has struck out 24 hitters in 17 2/3 innings, but everything else looks rough, particularly the long ball. He has now given up an MLB-worst 11 home runs. For a reference point, the NL leaders in home runs allowed last season were Chase Anderson and Tyler Anderson with 30. It's April 17 and Burnes is more than a third of the way there. 

Aside from Zach Davies, pretty much the entire Brewers' rotation has been an issue so far this year and Freddy Peralta is now on the injured list. 

Still, the Brewers remain in first place at 12-7, thanks in large part to dominating the rest of the NL Central (10-3), including going 5-2 so far against the Cardinals. 

Benches clear, four ejected in Royals-White Sox

Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson blasted a two-run home run (his fourth of the season) against Kansas City Royals right-hander Brad Keller in the fourth inning of the Royals 4-3 win over Chicago in 10 innings on Wednesday. Anderson flung his bat toward his own dugout before making his way around the bases. 

Alas, the terribly unnecessary unwritten rules of baseball don't allow players to have any fun while playing a kids' game, and Keller 'retaliated' by hitting Anderson in the lower back with his first pitch of the sixth inning. While Anderson made his way to first, he and Royals catcher Martin Maldonado shared some words, and soon after both team's benches cleared. Here's the full scuffle:

It looked like we were finally ready to get back to game action, but then White Sox manager Rick Renteria needed to be held back by umpire Joe West while arguing with the Royals coaching staff.

"I don't have any rules," Anderson told reporters after the game. "I play fun, I play to have fun and I play with a lot of energy. Our fans pay hard earned money to come to the ballpark to see a show so why don't I give them one?"

On the other hand, Royals' third baseman Hunter Dozier attempted to defend the reasoning for retaliation against players who celebrate their success at the plate.

"Keller did the right thing," Dozier told reporters. "He aimed for the lower body. Hit him. It should just be like 'OK, go to first and move on.' It shouldn't have been as big of a situation as it was in my opinion, but I could be wrong. I don't know."

"Everybody has those 'unwritten rules,' everybody has their own, I guess," Renteria said, when speaking with media after the game. "Timmy wasn't showing them up or showing the pitcher up, he was looking into our dugout, getting the guys going. You want him to not do that? Get him out."

Blue Jays outfielder Randal Grichuk chimed in on Twitter after the game, with Anderson replying. Take a look: