PITTSBURGH — Wilyer Abreu got three hits and brought in two runs while the Boston Red Sox defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-1 on Sunday, completing a three-game sweep.
Abreu's RBI single off Martín Pérez (1-1) in the third inning gave the Red Sox the lead they held onto. He added another RBI single in the sixth as Boston continued its strong performance away from Fenway Park.
Reese McGuire contributed a pinch-hit two-run single for the Red Sox, who now have a 10-3 away record this season. Justin Slaten (1-0) worked two scoreless innings in relief to secure the win, reducing the Red Sox's away ERA to 1.45.
Ke'Bryan Hayes had two of Pittsburgh's seven hits and brought in the Pirates' only run with a sacrifice fly in the first inning. Pittsburgh has lost six straight games, bringing their season record to .500 (11-11) for the first time this season.
The Pirates have only scored nine runs during their losing streak and struggled against five Red Sox pitchers. Pittsburgh also made a couple of baserunning errors that cost them scoring chances. Hayes and Jack Suwinski were both caught out at second, Hayes in the fourth and Suwinski in the sixth, as they attempted to take an extra base in the hope of improving their struggling offense.
NATIONALS 6, ASTROS 0
WASHINGTON — Pitcher Mitchell Parker threw seven scoreless innings, and Luis Garcia Jr. had three singles and two RBIs as Washington defeated Houston.
The Nationals have won three of their last four series after starting the season 2-6.
After allowing two runs in his major league debut last Monday, a 6-4 win over the L.A. Dodgers, Parker (2-0) was even more effective in his second major league start, allowing three hits, striking out eight, and walking none, throwing 57 of his 73 pitches for strikes.
Parker used an 85-87 mph splitter, 81-82 mph curveball, and 92 mph four-seam fastball. He struck out Jose Altuve and Jeremy Peña a combined four times. Dylan Floro and Matt Barnes each added a scoreless inning for Washington.
Astros right-hander Hunter Brown replaced scheduled starter Cristian Javier, who was removed from Sunday's series finale with neck discomfort. Javier was placed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to April 14, and right-hander Spencer Arrighetti was called up from Triple-A Sugar Land.
GUARDIANS 6, ATHLETICS 2
CLEVELAND — Josh Naylor delivered a pivotal three-run double in the seventh inning as Cleveland continued their best start in 25 years with a win over Oakland, completing a three-game sweep.
With the Guardians leading 3-2, Naylor, who celebrated a two-run homer on Saturday by hitting the top of his helmet with his bat before rounding the bases, doubled with the bases loaded off T.J. McFarland.
Naylor is batting .406 (13 of 32) with 14 RBIs in nine home games.
The surprising Guardians have won four straight, seven of eight, and improved the AL's best record to 16-6. This is the club's best start since Cleveland had the same mark through 22 games in 1999.
Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee (2-0) allowed two runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander gave up a two-out RBI single in the sixth before first-year Guardians manager Stephen Vogt turned to his bullpen, which came in with a 2.19 ERA.
Cincinnati Reds won against Los Angeles Angels with a score of 3-0.
CINCINNATI — After starting pitcher Frankie Montas left the game in the first inning, the Reds' bullpen took over and Cincinnati shut out Los Angeles to complete the series sweep.
Montas was hit by a line drive from Taylor Ward, resulting in a bruised right forearm and his departure from the game after throwing 16 pitches. Brent Suter then allowed four hits in 3 1/3 innings. Emilio Pagan (2-1) secured the win by giving up just one hit in two innings.
Jose Soriano (0-3) kept the Angels hitless until the sixth inning. Elly De La Cruz broke the no-hit bid with a single. Nick Martini reached on an error, followed by Christian Encarnacion-Strand's double and Jeimer Candelario's triple, putting the Reds ahead 3-0.
Soriano finished with three unearned runs on three hits in six innings, a career high, and had a career-high seven strikeouts.
Alexis Diaz secured his fourth consecutive save in five attempts.
Baltimore Orioles won against Kansas City Royals with a score of 5-0.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Colton Cowser and Jordan Westburg hit back-to-back home runs for Baltimore off Kansas City starter Seth Lugo, who hadn't allowed a home run since last September, leading Baltimore to victory over Kansas City.
Cole Irvin (1-1) pitched 6 2/3 innings for Baltimore, allowing four hits and two walks. He managed to leave a runner on third in the first inning and stranded another at second base in the fifth, earning his first win since defeating the Royals on June 10, 2023.
Lugo (3-1) had not allowed a home run in 41 1/3 innings until Cowser sent one into the right-field fountains leading off the third inning. Westburg followed it up with a home run two pitches later.
Cowser's homer came after he mistakenly threw Craig Kimbrell's 422nd save ball into the fountains while celebrating the Orioles' 9-7 victory. To rectify the mistake, Cowser retrieved the ball with the help of stadium staff after the game.
Lugo, who had given up three runs in 25 2/3 innings, allowed four runs, nine hits, and a walk in 5 1/3 innings on Sunday.
Miami Marlins won against Chicago Cubs with a score of 6-3.
CHICAGO — Jesús Sánchez's powerful solo home run and an RBI single contributed to Miami's win over Chicago.
Sánchez, Luis Arraez, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and Nick Fortes each had two hits as Miami managed to split the four-game series. The last-place Marlins have a record of 6-8 since their season started with nine consecutive losses.
Miami right-hander Edward Cabrera (1-0) pitched five innings, allowing three runs. He struck out seven and walked three.
Chicago had secured victory in six of their last eight games. Nico Hoerner had three hits and two RBIs for the Cubs, while Mike Tauchman had two hits and scored twice.
Kyle Hendricks (0-3) was removed after just four innings, having allowed four runs and six hits, resulting in a 12.00 ERA through five starts this season.
Milwaukee Brewers won against St. Louis Cardinals with a score of 2-0.
ST. LOUIS — Owen Miller's two-run single broke the scoreless tie and Colin Rea pitched five shutout innings to lead Milwaukee to victory over St. Louis.
Milwaukee has achieved a four-game winning streak and swept a three-game series in St. Louis for the first time since Sept. 24-26, 2018.
Sonny Gray struck out 12 batters in 6 1/3 innings for the Cardinals, who have lost four games in a row.
Rea allowed five hits in five-plus innings and left the game after walking Paul Goldschmidt to start the sixth.
Miller, who was brought back from Triple-A Nashville on Tuesday, hit a two-run single in the seventh after Blake Perkins and Brice Turang singled with one out.
Gray, who joined as a free agent on Nov. 27, allowed five hits and gave up his first two runs of the season. Gray (2-1) struck out 20 batters before giving up his first walk of the season to Joey Ortiz in the fifth.
TIGERS 6, TWINS 1
MINNEAPOLIS — Casey Mize threw six scoreless innings for his first major league win since 2021 and Buddy Kennedy hit a home run as Detroit defeated Minnesota.
Spencer Torkelson had two hits, scored twice, and brought in two runs. Riley Greene scored three times for the Tigers, who now have a record of 8-3 on the road.
Mize (1-0) allowed five hits, walked three, and struck out four in his first victory since Aug. 24, 2021, at St. Louis. The top pick in the 2018 amateur draft missed nearly all of the past two seasons because of Tommy John surgery and a back operation.
The Twins have lost six of seven and have a batting average of .195, the second-worst in the big leagues.
Minnesota rookie Austin Martin led off the ninth with his first career home run, connecting off Alex Faedo to ruin the shutout.
PADRES 6, BLUE JAYS 3
SAN DIEGO — Joe Musgrove pitched seven innings for the first time since July 4 and Xander Bogaerts hit a home run for San Diego, who defeated Toronto to avoid a three-game sweep.
Musgrove improved to 4-0 against the Blue Jays, who selected him in the first round of the 2011 draft. The big right-hander from suburban El Cajon allowed solo homers to Davis Schneider and Ernie Clement but otherwise pitched well enough to improve to 3-2. He allowed three runs on five hits and struck out three.
The Padres stopped a three-game losing streak and prevented the Blue Jays from completing their first sweep of the season.
Robert Suarez pitched the ninth and got his seventh save.
Bogaerts, who has struggled since signing as a free agent before the 2023 season, hit a home run off Chris Bassitt (2-3) leading off the third to tie the game at 2. His only other home run this year was on April 9 against the Chicago Cubs. He had gone eight games without an extra-base hit.
Bogaerts drew a bases-loaded walk in the eighth and Fernando Tatis Jr. followed with a sacrifice fly.
ROCKIES 2, MARINERS 1, 10 INNINGS, 1st game
MARINERS 10, ROCKIES 2, 2nd game
DENVER — Ezequiel Tovar and Ryan McMahon each hit an RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning to push Colorado over the Seattle Mariners in the first game of a doubleheader.
A bases-loaded triple by J.P. Crawford sparked a six-run second inning that propelled Seattle past Colorado for a doubleheader split.
Cal Raleigh added a two-run homer in the sixth inning of the nightcap and finished the game with three RBIs. Seby Zavala had three hits and scored twice for Seattle, which has won five of six.
Emerson Hancock (2-2) allowed two runs — one earned — and four hits in six innings. He struck out four and walked one.
Julio Rodríguez got four hits out of nine at-bats for the Mariners, giving him five consecutive games with at least two hits.
DIAMONDBACKS 5, GIANTS 3
SAN FRANCISCO — Right-handed pitcher Slade Cecconi limited San Francisco to two runs in six innings in his 2024 debut, and Gabriel Moreno delivered a two-run, go-ahead single in the sixth inning to propel Arizona to a win.
Cecconi (1-0) filled in for an injured Merrill Kelly to help the Diamondbacks split the four-game series. He was brought up from Triple-A Reno for his fifth career start, taking the place of Kelly, who was sidelined with a shoulder injury.
The Giants couldn't get a hit against Cecconi until Thairo Estrada managed an infield single with two outs in the fifth. Mike Yastrzemski then homered over the right-field wall to give the Giants a 2-1 lead.
Moreno delivered his go-ahead single in the sixth inning against left-hander Erik Miller (0-1), putting Arizona in front 3-2.
Arizona added two runs in the ninth to extend their lead to 5-2. During this, Giants manager Bob Melvin and third-base coach Matt Williams were ejected for arguing with plate umpire Stu Scheurwater over a foul-tip call.
RANGERS 6, BRAVES 4
ATLANTA — Andrew Knizner hit a three-run homer, Adolis García added a two-run shot, and Texas prevented a three-game sweep by defeating Atlanta.
Evan Carter also hit a home run as the reigning World Series champions came back from an early 3-0 deficit and halted Atlanta’s six-game winning streak. Michael Lorenzen (2-0) bounced back from a shaky start, allowing three runs and three hits with seven strikeouts in six innings.
David Robertson pitched 1 2/3 innings in relief, and Kirby Yates secured four outs for his third save.
Marcell Ozuna hit his major league-leading ninth home run for the Braves, a three-run shot off Lorenzen in the first inning.
Atlanta rookie Darius Vines (1-1) allowed four runs and seven hits in five innings, striking out six and walking two.
