Mariners 2, Athletics 0 (12)

Dee Gordon doesn't have many home runs this season. Two to be exact. So when Seattle's light-hitting utility player muscled up in the 12th inning, he celebrated by kissing both biceps as he stood in the dugout after crossing home plate.

It was a good-natured gesture toward a few of Gordon's teammates who were ribbing him as he rounded the bases. It was also an expression of relief for the Mariners, who lost the first two games of this series after sweeping first-place Houston on the road.

Gordon homered off Yusmeiro Petit to break a scoreless tie, and the Mariners beat Oakland on Wednesday to avoid a three-game sweep.

"I got lucky," Gordon said. "It's evening out. I've been lining out so much the last month."

Jean Segura had four hits to help the Mariners close within 2½ games of the A's for the second AL wild-card spot.

"We needed to get this ballgame today," Seattle manager Scott Servais said. "It's not going to get any easier, but we're starting to play with our confidence again and have some swag to our team."

Seattle's Mike Leake pitched eight innings of two-hit ball with six strikeouts and one walk. Oakland's Brett Anderson went 7 2/3 innings without allowing a run in his longest outing since June 16, 2015.

Nick Martini had three hits for the A's and Matt Olson added two. Oakland entered the day one game behind first-place Houston.

"In games like that, typically what happens, it's one pitch," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "That was the case today. Even though today was tough, we have to look at it as a positive. We took the series."

Both teams squandered numerous scoring opportunities before Seattle scraped together two runs on one hit.

After Petit (5-3) got leadoff man Denard Span to ground out, Mike Zunino walked. Gordon hit the next pitch over the right-field wall. Then he flexed and kissed his biceps.

"I was messing with Cam (Maybin) and (Denard Span) because they've been calling me skinny, so I had to let them know I've got some guns," Gordon said. "And it was a big situation ... in a playoff race. Just having fun."

Gordon's only other home run was a solo shot against Cleveland on April 1 in Seattle's third game of the season.

James Pazos (3-1) retired one batter for the victory. Edwin Diaz pitched the 12th for his major league-leading 47th save in 50 opportunities.

The Mariners had two on with one out in the in the ninth and 11th but failed to score. The A's stranded Olson at second in the 10th, and then had two on in the 11th before Pazos got Khris Davis to strike out swinging.

Olson singled leading off the 12th before Diaz struck out Stephen Piscotty, Marcus Semien and pinch-hitter Chad Pinder.

Diaz converted all six save opportunities on the Mariners' road trip and is one shy of the franchise record of 48 set by Fernando Rodney in 2014. Rodney is with the A's in a setup role.

Astros 12, Rockies 1

Throughout their five-game losing streak, the Houston Astros failed time and again to get a big hit when they needed it.

They didn't have that problem Wednesday night.

Evan Gattis and Tyler White hit two homers each, Yuli Gurriel added a two-run shot and the Astros broke out of their offensive slump in a huge way with a win over Colorado.

"We needed to have a little fun," manager A.J. Hinch said. "Obviously, nights like this produce that and the hits produce it. Hitters love nothing more than hits and runs."

Gerrit Cole struck out 12 and the defending World Series champions stopped a nine-game home losing streak with their first win in Houston since July 14, their last game before beginning a 10-game road trip. Houston's five home runs were a season high, and the run total was more than the Astros managed in their last four games combined.

The win, combined with Oakland's loss to Seattle, helped the Astros extend their lead in the AL West to two games, with a series against the Athletics coming up next to start a nine-game trip.

"It's nice to finish a homestand that was disappointing on a high note," Hinch said. "Happy flight (Thursday) for a really important and really long road trip."

Carlos Correa, who entered the game 1 for 15 since coming off the disabled list on Friday, added a three-run double for the Astros, who have been struggling to find their offense with AL MVP Jose Altuve on the DL for the first time in his career.

"For me at least it was a relief, coming in from the DL ... to come out with a double and three RBIs and give us the lead early, I think it was huge," Correa said.

The Rockies had trouble stringing hits together against Cole (11-5), who yielded five hits and one run in six innings to end a three-game losing streak and get his first win since July 14.

After managing just three hits in a 5-1 loss on Tuesday, the Astros got going immediately in this one. Alex Bregman hit a leadoff double before Tyler Anderson (6-5) walked the next two batters to load the bases. Correa followed with his double to make it 3-0.

Bregman drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the second before Gurriel's homer extended the lead to 6-0.

The first homer by Gattis came with two outs in the third to make it 7-0.

Cole had allowed just one single with two outs in the fourth when three straight singles, capped by one from Trevor Story, cut the lead to 7-1.

White's two-run shot pushed Houston's advantage to 9-1 and chased Anderson with one out in the fifth.

Anderson allowed a career-high nine runs on seven hits, all for extra bases, in 4 1/3 innings. He remained winless since July 4.

"When he missed in the strike zone, he missed down the middle. That's a bad combination," Rockies manager Bud Black said. "You're throwing balls and your strikes are sort of middle. That's a tough night for Tyler."

Gattis sent one just over the short wall in right field with two outs in the fifth off Harrison Musgrave to put the Astros up 10-1.

White added a second two-run homer when he connected off Musgrave with one out in the seventh.

Hinch said OF George Springer (sprained left thumb) will come off the disabled list Friday when he's eligible, barring any setbacks between now and then.

Altuve, who has been out since July 25, took batting practice on the field for the first time since he's been out. Hinch said that was an encouraging step, but he still isn't sure when Altuve will return.

Houston catcher Brian McCann, out since June 30 with a knee injury that required surgery, will begin an extended rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Fresno on Thursday.

Braves 5, Marlins 2

The Atlanta Braves and their manager had plenty of reasons to be unhappy even after completing their first four-game sweep of Miami since 2006.

Seeing slugging rookie Ronald Acuna Jr., who had been on a home-run streak, hit by Jose Urena's first pitch led to two melees on the field and more unrest in the clubhouse.

Dansby Swanson filled the power void left by Acuna's exit, hitting a two-run homer that led the Braves to a win over Miami.

Acuna, who had hit leadoff homers in the last three games and homered in five straight games overall, didn't get a chance to extend the streak. Urena plunked him on the left elbow with a fastball.

The Braves said X-rays on the elbow were negative and results of further tests would be announced on Thursday.

Benches and bullpens for both teams emptied onto the field twice after the pitch. No punches were thrown. Urena and Braves manager Brian Snitker were ejected.

"He's been swinging the ball incredibly well, obviously," Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman said of Acuna. "It just makes no sense. It was just completely classless on Jose Urena's part."

Snitker, Freeman and other Braves players believe Urena intended to hit Acuna. Marlins manager Don Mattingly said the umpires also believed Urena tried to hit the Braves rookie, but Mattingly was upset his pitcher was not ejected until Snitker came on the field for the second time.

"If you think he's done it on purpose, then throw him out right away," Mattingly said.

Urena said he was only trying to throw the pitch inside.

"I made the bad pitch," Urena said. "I missed my spot inside on the corner the way I wanted to start with him. I tried to get inside to move him."

Paul Nauert, the third-base umpire and crew chief, said the decision to eject Urena was delayed because "we wanted to make sure as a crew we were all on the same page. ... When we got together as a crew, it was decided by the crew that yes, he should have been ejected. So that's what we did."

An angry Snitker was near the front of the line of Braves players charging out of the dugout toward the mound. His emotions started to rise again following the game.

"I'm not sure I've ever felt like that in a baseball uniform," Snitker said, adding Acuna "didn't deserve that. ... I've had three hours to calm down and all of a sudden I'm not real good right now."

Acuna became the 11th batter to be hit by a pitch from Urena this season, tied for the most in the National League.

Acuna left the game in the second inning. He took his position in left field and then walked off the field. Snitker said Acuna had cramping in his forearm when he left the game.

Because he was forced from the game after being hit by the pitch in his only plate appearance, Acuna will be eligible to continue his three-game streak of leadoff homers in his next game.

Kevin Gausman (7-9) allowed two runs in six innings. A.J. Minter pitched a perfect ninth for his 11th save in 12 opportunities.

Elieser Hernandez, who replaced Urena, allowed two hits in three scoreless innings.

The Braves trailed 2-0 before scoring three runs off left-hander Jarlin Garcia (1-2) in the fourth. Charlie Culberson, who doubled, scored from third on Ender Inciarte's grounder to first base. After Tyler Flowers walked, Swanson cleared the center field wall with his 10th homer.

Culberson had three hits, including two doubles. Inciarte, who had a run-scoring single in the sixth, drove in two runs.

Starlin Castro led off Miami's fourth with his 10th homer into the seats in right field.

Cubs 8, Brewers 4

Anthony Rizzo homered, drove in three runs and stole two bases in his return to the cleanup spot, and Chicago beat Milwaukee to restore a three-game lead in the NL Central.

Jason Heyward added three hits and two RBIs to help Chicago bounced back from a 7-0 loss in the opener of the two-game series. David Bote had two hits, scored twice and made barehanded play at third base in his first action since he hit a game-ending grand slam Sunday night against Washington.

Kyle Hendricks (9-9) struck out eight in six-plus innings on his bobblehead day.

Wild card-leading Milwaukee had a chance to inch closer to Chicago, but instead lost for the fourth time in six games. Junior Guerra (6-8) lasted just 3 2/3 innings, and first baseman Eric Thames committed an error that helped set up a run.

The Brewers also lost left fielder Ryan Braun and catcher Manny Pina to injuries. Braun departed with tightness on the right side of his rib cage, and Pina was pulled after he collided with Javier Baez while he was diving back to second in the seventh.

Blue Jays 6, Royals 5

Curtis Granderson hit a grand slam, Marco Estrada pitched effectively into the seventh inning and Toronto beat Kansas City.

Jorge Lopez (0-2), who was making his Royals debut after being acquired July 27 from Milwaukee as part of the Mike Moustakas trade, threw a 2-0 fastball that Granderson drove over the Royals' right-field bullpen gate with two outs in the fourth inning.

It was Granderson's 10th career grand slam and his second this year, both against the Royals. The first was April 18 in Toronto. He has 19 home runs and 50 RBIs in 106 games against Kansas City. Royals pitchers have yielded a major league-leading 10 grand slams.

Estrada (6-9) gave up four runs on six hits over 6 2/3 innings to pick up his first career victory at Kauffman Stadium. Salvador Perez homered twice for Kansas City.

Cardinals 4, Nationals 2

Marcell Ozuna homered and Austin Gomber tossed six shutout innings to lead St. Louis past Washington for its season-high eighth straight victory.

The Cardinals are 18-9 since the All-Star break and have won sixth successive series.

Daniel Murphy homered in the ninth for Washington, which has lost four in a row and seven of nine to fall below .500 and nine games behind first-place Atlanta in the NL East.

Ozuna homered in the second inning, his 14th of the season and his first since July 30.

Gomber (3-0) gave up three hits, struck out six and walked four. Bud Norris pitched the ninth to pick up his 23rd save. Jeremy Hellickson (5-3) was the loser. He left in the fifth inning after colliding with Harrison Bader on a play at the plate following a wild pitch.

Twins 6, Pirates 4

Logan Forsythe had three RBIs, the Minnesota bullpen tossed 5 1/3 shutout innings and the Twins beat Pittsburgh.

Oliver Drake, Gabriel Moya (3-0), Tyler Duffey and Taylor Rogers scattered five hits and struck out three before Trevor Hildenberger picked up his third save in four chances.

Minnesota is 16-4 in its last 20 home games.

Forsythe's two-run single off reliever Edgar Santana (2-2) highlighted a three-run sixth as the Twins took a 5-4 lead. Bobby Wilson homered in the seventh.

Josh Harrison had three hits for the Pirates.

Angels 3, Padres 2

Rene Rivera hit a go-ahead homer in the ninth inning in his return from a long stay on the disabled list, and Los Angeles Angels completed a three-game sweep of San Diego.

Reinstated from the 60-day DL before the game, Rivera connected for a solo shot into the second deck in left field against San Diego closer Kirby Yates (4-1). The former Padres catcher had missed 76 games with right knee inflammation.

Jose Alvarez (5-3) pitched a scoreless eighth to earn the win for the Angels, their seventh in nine games. The sweep was Los Angeles' sixth of the season. Blake Parker retired the side in the ninth for his 12th save. The Angels' Cory Spangenberg tied it at 2 in the seventh with a solo home run.

White Sox 6, Tigers 5

Jose Abreu and Matt Davidson each hit two-run home runs to lift Chicago past Detroit.

The White Sox have won two in a row after losing six of seven. The Tigers have lost nine of 12.

Carlos Rodon (4-3) improved to 3-0 in his last seven starts, giving up three runs on five hits and a walk in eight innings. Luis Avilan got Victor Reyes to fly out to shallow center, earning his second save.

Jordan Zimmermann (5-5) took the loss, allowing six runs on nine hits, including the two home runs.

Indians 4, Reds 3

Melky Cabrera lofted a go-ahead two-run homer into the left-field seats in the sixth inning, and Cleveland beat Cincinnati for its fifth straight victory.

The Indians held the Reds scoreless after a three-run first. In the sixth, Cody Reed (0-1) walked Yonder Alonso before allowing Cabrera's third homer of the season.

Dan Otero (2-1) got Phillip Ervin to fly out with the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth to earn the win. Brad Hand worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth for his 28th save.