American League

Rays 5, Twins 2 (18 innings)

The Tampa Bay Rays were wrapping up a rough road trip, on the verge of another frustrating defeat as they stranded runner after runner on base.

One of the best bullpens in baseball made sure they at least left Minnesota on a winning note.

Yandy Díaz hit a sacrifice fly in the 18th inning to break a tie that lasted since the second, and the Rays finally pulled away for a victory on Thursday to avoid being swept in a series by the Twins for the first time in 13 years.

"That was kind of the motto today at some point. We were like, 'If we're going to play this long of a game, we're going to win the game,'" said Ryan Yarbrough, the eighth reliever and 22nd player used by the Rays during the game that lasted 5:42 after rain delayed the first pitch by 57 minutes.

Yarbrough (7-3) threw three of the 16 scoreless innings logged by Rays relievers to earn the victory. The bullpen that entered the game with a 3.51 ERA, good for third-lowest in the majors, allowed only six hits against 19 strikeouts.

"We're a really tight group, not just teammates but friends. We root for each other so hard," said Adam Kolarek, who pitched the 13th, 14th and 15th. "So, I think as each inning kind of passed and each pitcher went in, it was like you want to keep the good outcomes coming."

The Twins had the same vibe going, with their first eight relievers combining to allow two hits over 10 innings. Starter Kyle Gibson joined the club in the 17th inning, his first relief appearance in 170 career games. Then Ryne Harper (3-1) faltered in the 18th, pitching for the third straight game and the sixth time in 10 days.

The Rays loaded the bases with nobody out, just as they did in the 10th against Blake Parker when they failed to score. Díaz hit a medium-depth fly ball with one out to left fielder Luis Arraez, whose strong throw was a little too far up the first-base line for catcher Jason Castro to catch and make the tag before Brandon Lowe's left hand grazed the plate on his head-first slide.

Rays pitchers set a franchise record with 22 strikeouts. This matched their longest game in history, in terms of innings. This was also the most innings played in Target Field's 10-season history. The Twins beat the Boston Red Sox in 17 innings just last week.

The Twins, who were missing three regulars from their lineup to injuries, went without a home run in two straight games for the first time since May 30-31, also against the Rays.

"They're character-building games for sure, and with any team you look for your identity in the way that you're going to play and our guys, they never quit," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. "We've been kind of spoiled with the way that we've swung the bats this year, and when we have a little run where we don't swing the bats like that, they're easy to point to. These games are tiring."

Willy Adames and Ji-Man Choi followed Díaz with RBI singles to give the Rays some insurance on their way to salvaging a 3-7 record from this three-time zone road trip. Just 13 days ago, they led the American League East by a half-game over the New York Yankees, who are tied with the Twins for the AL's best record. Now the Rays are 6½ games back in the division race.

"We got to the point where we'll take any win however we get them," manager Kevin Cash said. "That was a challenge."

Ryne Stanek made his major league-leading 23rd start for the Rays in their trendsetting opener role, falling behind 2-0 in the first of his two innings. Arraez had the third hit of the frame for the Twins, a sharp two-out single to right field that prompted third base coach Tony Diaz to wave Nelson Cruz home.

The throw by Guillermo Heredia would've beaten the 38-year-old designated hitter by a long way, but the ball skipped past catcher Mike Zunino for an error on Heredia as Cruz safely reached the plate.

The Twins, who lead the major leagues in runs and several other hitting categories, left starter Martín Pérez hanging after he allowed only three hits over seven stellar innings. After allowing consecutive two-out RBIs in the second that tied the game, a double by Michael Brosseau in his first major league start and a single by Heredia, Pérez finished his afternoon by retiring 16 consecutive batters. Then he watched the next, yes, 11 innings.

"It was fun," said Pérez, who was 0-2 with a 7.50 ERA in his previous five turns. "I know we're a little tired, but that's baseball."

Diaz was reinstated from the injured list after the minimum 10-day stay and placed in the cleanup spot in the batting order. To make room on the roster, RHP Hunter Wood, who has a 2.24 ERA in 24 innings, was sent to Triple-A for the third time this month.

Angels 8, Athletics 3

Shohei Ohtani and Kole Calhoun each hit two-run homers, Griffin Canning allowed only three hits over six innings and Los Angeles beat Oakland for its fourth straight win.

Both homers were to center field and came on sinker pitches by Tanner Anderson (0-3). Calhoun's drive gave Los Angeles a 2-1 lead in the second. Ohtani's shot came during a five-run third that broke the game open.

Canning (3-4) surrendered both his runs on solo shots. Ramon Laureano lined a slider over the wall in left-center in the second and Matt Olson connected on a fastball in the fourth.

Rangers 3, Tigers 1

Joey Gallo hit two solo homers and Ariel Jurado threw seven shutout innings and Texas completed a three-game sweep of Detroit.

Texas has won five straight games, matching a season high.

Gallo led off the second inning by driving Spencer Turnbull's pitch deep into the right-field seats. With two outs in the fourth inning, Gallo lined Nick Ramirez's pitch over the left-field wall. Gallo has 19 homers on the season.

It was Gallo's eighth multi-homer game and his first since Aug. 8, 2018, against the Seattle Mariners.

The Tigers have lost seven in a row overall, as well as their past seven home games.

Jurado (5-3) allowed six hits as he improved to 4-1 as a starter this season. He struck out four and walked just one. Jurado has won four of his past five decisions.

National League

Cubs 9, Braves 7

Craig Kimbrel dodged trouble for a save in his season debut when new teammate Anthony Rizzo dived into first base for the final out, and Chicago rallied from five runs down to beat Atlanta.

Called up from Triple-A earlier in the day, Kimbrel struck out Brian McCann looking and induced a groundout from Johan Camargo to start the ninth inning. Ronald Acuña Jr. then doubled into Wrigley Field's ivy, and Dansby Swanson walked on four pitches. Freddie Freeman grounded sharply down the first base line, and Rizzo fielded and had to dive for the bag to beat Freeman.

Kimbrel earn his 334th career save and did it against his original team. The Cubs finalized a $43 million, three-year contract with 31-year-old free agent on June 7, then sent the right-hander to the minors to get himself ready.

Victor Caratini's two-run homer capped the Cubs' four-run fifth inning that put them ahead for good. Kyle Schwarber also went deep for the Chicago, which got three RBIs from Jason Heyward on a warm day at Wrigley Field with steady wind blowing out to left.

Nationals 8, Marlins 5

Juan Soto and Victor Robles each homered, and Washington rallied to beat Miami and sweep a three-game series.

Robles and Matt Adams homered against starter Sandy Alcantara (4-7) during a five-run sixth inning that erased a 4-1 deficit. Kurt Suzuki also went deep, and Trea Turner had two hits and two stolen bases for the Nationals, who have won 8 of 10.

Stephen Strasburg (9-4) won his 10th straight decision against Miami after allowing four runs and seven hits in seven innings. He struck out four on a season-high 111 pitches. He hasn't lost in Miami since 2015.

Dodgers 12, Rockies 8

Chris Taylor drove in the go-ahead run with a bloop single as part of a four-run ninth, Max Muncy hit two of Los Angeles' six homers and the Dodgers won their 12th straight over Colorado.

It was another late-inning win over the Rockies for the Dodgers, who also got a three-run homer from pinch-hitter Kike Hernandez in the ninth. Los Angeles won three straight home games against Colorado last weekend — all in walk-off fashion.

Taylor delivered his fourth hit of the game, a one-out single off Wade Davis (1-3) that dropped over the head of first baseman Daniel Murphy.

Pedro Baez (3-2) pitched a scoreless eighth to earn the win. Kenley Jansen struck out Garrett Hampson to end the game with two on in a non-save situation.

Diamondbacks 5, Giants 1

Nick Ahmed hit a go-ahead home run leading off the fifth, Carson Kelly added a two-run shot in the seventh to help Alex Young win his major league debut, and Arizona beat San Francisco.

Young (1-0), called up from Triple-A Reno to get his first shot, allowed two hits and one run, struck out five with one walk in five innings.

The Diamondbacks won for the fourth time in five games following a six-game skid, extending their winning streak at San Francisco to five.

Tyler Beede (1-3) allowed two runs on four hits in 5 1/3 innings. Brandon Belt hit his 10th home run.

Interleague

Brewers 4, Mariners 2

Orlando Arcia hit a three-run homer and Milwaukee avoided a three-game sweep with a win over Seattle.

Chase Anderson (4-2) bounced back after he allowed six runs in his previous start. Anderson allowed two runs, one earned, and struck out six in 5 1/3 innings.

He also kicked off a four-run fourth inning with an RBI sac bunt with the bases loaded. Arcia followed and slammed Mike Leake's next pitch to right for a three-run homer before Leake retired Yasmani Grandal to end the inning.

Leake (7-7) allowed four runs, eight hits and a walk while striking out five over six innings.

Josh Hader earned his 19th save of the season, striking out three batters over two scoreless innings.

Pirates 10, Astros 0

Josh Bell homered for the second straight game as one of five home runs by Pittsburgh as the Pirates routed the Houston Astros for the second game.

Former Astro Joe Musgrove (6-7) threw six scoreless innings for the win and Kevin Newman, Corey Dickerson, Starling Marte and Jacob Stallings added home runs for the Pirates to send Houston to its ninth loss in 11 games.

The Pirates picked up where they left off in Wednesday night's 14-2 rout of Houston when Newman sent Brad Peacock's first pitch of the game into the seats in left field for his first career leadoff homer. He has a career-long 17-game hitting streak, which is the longest active streak in the majors.

Houston starter Brad Peacock (6-6) allowed six runs in three innings, a game after Framber Valdez also made an early exit after the Pirates jumped on him for six runs through the first three.