SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Wilmer Flores hit a grand slam in the first inning and matched his career high with six RBIs as the San Francisco Giants snapped out of their offensive funk and beat the St. Louis Cardinals 13-7 to end a five-game losing streak. On a day the Giants honored former catcher Buster Posey in a pregame ceremony, Mauricio Dubón and Darin Ruf also homered. Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina reached 1,000 career RBIs. Dylan Carlson added a three-run homer, but St. Louis committed three errors and ended its three-game winning streak.
CHICAGO (AP) — Clayton Kershaw dominated over seven innings in the opener, Mookie Betts drove in five runs in the nightcap, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Chicago Cubs 7-0 and 6-2 to sweep a split doubleheader. The Dodgers continued to roll along with Kershaw and Betts coming through. Betts smacked a three-run double in the second inning of Game 2 against Keegan Thompson to cap a four-run rally, and he added a two-run homer in the ninth to make it 6-2. Los Angeles’ only other hit was a single in the ninth by Freddie Freeman. But the NL Central leaders drew nine walks on the way to their 17th win in 22 games. Chicago’s Willson Contreras homered. But the Cubs lost for the ninth time in 11 games.
Elsewhere in the major leagues:
— Yonathan Daza, José Iglesias, and Connor Joe hit consecutive, two-out, run-scoring singles in the ninth inning to help the Rockies rally past the Diamondbacks, 4-1. Colorado trailed 1-0 and pieced together four runs off Arizona closer Mark Melancon, who had a 1.08 ERA coming into the game. Jordan Luplow stole back-to-back bases in the eighth and scored on Christian Walker’s double to put Arizona ahead, 1-0.
— Joe Dunand homered on the third pitch he saw as a big leaguer and then doubled as the Marlins clobbered the Padres, 8-0 to end a six-game losing streak. The nephew of Alex Rodriguez hit a 1-1 pitch from left-hander Sean Manaea (mah-NY’-ah) into the first row in left-center with one out in the third just hours after his contract was selected from Triple-A Jacksonville. Jorge Soler (HOHR’-hay soh-LEHR’) hit his first career grand slam and Pablo López pitched eight strong innings for Miami.
— Max Fried (freed) outpitched Corbin Burnes and Ronald Acuña (ah-KOON’-yah) Jr belted a solo homer to break a scoreless tie in the fifth inning of the Braves’ 3-2 decision over the Brewers. Fried allowed one run on four hits with eight strikeouts in seven innings to end Milwaukee’s four-game winning streak. Acuña’s homer off Burnes is his second in as many games as he continues to prove he has fully recovered from knee surgery.
— The Reds ended their nine-game losing streak by erupting for seven runs in the eighth inning of a 9-2 win over the Pirates in Game 1 of a doubleheader. Tyler Stephenson keyed the big rally with a two-run double to help Cincinnati win for just the fourth time in 26 games this season. Stephenson finished with three hits and four RBIs.
— In the nightcap, Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a two-run homer and Yoshi Tsutsugo (TOH-shee soo-SOO’-goh) and Diego Castillo had back-to-back shots as Pittsburgh won, 8-5 for a split. Brandon Drury homered, doubled, and drove in four runs for the Reds in the second game.
— Homers by Josh Bell, Yadiel Hernandez, and Nelson Cruz powered the Nationals past the Angels, 7-3. Maikel Franco drove in three runs and Josiah Gray won his second straight start, allowing three runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings. Jared Walsh and Brandon Marsh homered for the Angels, who had won three straight.
— Jose Altuve (al-TOO’-vay) homered early and Michael Brantley tripled in a two-run eighth that pushed the Astros to their sixth straight win, 3-2 versus the Tigers. The Astros trailed 2-1 in the eighth when Altuve singled with one out and scored on Brantley’s three-bagger. The walks followed to bring in the lead run.
— The White Sox earned their fifth consecutive victory as Jose Abreu (ah-BRAY’-oo) delivered a tiebreaking double in the eighth inning of their 3-1 decision over the Red Sox. Leury (lay-OO’-ree) García had two singles and a game-tying sacrifice fly in the ninth to help Chicago reach .500 for the first time since April 21. The Red Sox have dropped 13 of 17.
— The Athletics are owners of an eight-game losing streak after Jorge Polanco’s sixth-inning homer stood up in Minnesota’s 1-0 victory against Oakland. Four Minnesota pitchers combined to fan 15 and allow just three hits. Polanco had three hits as the AL Central leaders moved to 17-11.
— The Blue Jays coasted to an 8-3 win over the Guardians as George Springer and Raimel Tapia each drove in three runs in the first four innings against Shane Bieber. Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman worked 6 1/3 innings in Game 1 of the doubleheader, allowed one run, and finally issued his first walk of the season. Bieber gave up a career-high-tying seven runs in 3 1/3 innings.
— Brandon Lowe (low) produced his second career multi-homer game with a pair of solo shots off Seattle starter Marco Gonzales in the Rays’ sixth consecutive win, 8-2 at Seattle. Manuel Margot (mahn-WEHL’ mahr-GOH’) added the first grand slam of his career, one night after crushing a three-run homer in the ninth. Winning pitcher Drew Rasmussen tossed one-run ball for five innings.
— The Guardians rebounded to take the nightcap against Toronto, 8-2. Owen Miller delivered a two-run double and Franmil (FRAHN’-meel) Reyes homered and had two RBIs in Cleveland’s sixth win in eight games. Triston McKenzie earned his second straight victory with six innings of two-run ball, striking out nine.
— The Mets and Phillies were rained out in Philadelphia, as were the Yankees and Rangers in New York and the Orioles and Royals in Baltimore. The Mets and Phillies will make up the game as part of a Sunday twinbill, as will the Orioles and Royals. The Yankees and Rangers will play Saturday’s postponed game on Monday, which was a scheduled off day for both teams.
