Interleague

Nationals 6, Twins 5 (16)

During a career that has spanned five decades, Dusty Baker was pressed to remember a baseball game as zany at this one.

"I feel like I just came out of 'The Twilight Zone,'" the Nationals' first-year manager said Sunday night after Washington spent nearly six hours crafting a 16-inning victory over Minnesota.

Bryce Harper tied it with a pinch-hit home run in the ninth inning, pitcher Oliver Perez put down a bunt in the 15th that kept the game going and Chris Heisey homered in the 16th to end it.

At 5 hours, 56 minutes, it was the longest regular-season game in Nationals' history. By far one of the wildest, too.

"We've seen thousands of games. They always say, go to the ballpark and you may see something you haven't seen before," Baker said. "Well this, I certainly haven't seen anything like this. This was crazy."

Harper was supposed to have a day off, but stepped up to lead off the ninth with Washington trailing 4-3 and connected for the first pinch-hit homer of his career.

"(Baker) came up to me at the beginning of the game and said, if we have an opportunity to pinch hit you, if you can hit a homer, that would be great," Harper said.

The Nationals were down 5-4 in the 15th when Danny Espinosa drew a two-out walk and stole second. With no one else left to hit, Perez (1-0) batted for the first time since 2010 and bunted down the third base line. Catcher John Ryan Murphy picked up the ball but threw it wildly past first, allowing Espinosa to score.

"There was a lot of screaming and hollering," Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg said. "It's just kind of disbelief at the same time that he dropped a drag bunt and forced the catcher to throw it away."

Heisey then homered off Michael Tonkin (1-1) to complete a three-game sweep.

After Wilson Ramos hit a two-run double in the eighth that drew the Nationals within 4-3, Harper launched his ninth homer of the season, tagging Twins closer Kevin Jepsen to open the ninth.

Matt den Dekker also homered for the Nationals, who stranded 14 and went 1 for 16 with runners in scoring position.

The Twins struck out 18 times in Saturday's loss, and in this one they fanned 20 times — including four apiece by Miguel Sano, Eduardo Rosario and Byron Buxton.

"You try to find positives," manager Paul Molitor said. "We have to regroup and put this game behind us. It is horrible stretch."

Sano hit a go-ahead single in the 15th. The Nationals rallied against Ryan O'Rourke, who retired the first two batters before issuing a four-pitch walk to Espinosa.

After Espinosa stole, Perez bunted and Murphy seemed to have time to make the play. But Murphy's throw sailed into right field for an error, putting Perez on second to set up the Perez bunt.

Strasburg retired 15 out of 16 batters until pinch-hitter Joe Mauer singled with one out in the eighth. After Eduardo Nunez beat out a high chopper, Brian Dozier homered deep into the left-field seats on Strasburg's 114th and final pitch.

Strasburg struck out 10, walked none and allowed seven hits over 7 1-3 innings. It was his 23rd career outing with at least 10 strikeouts.

Minnesota starter Tyler Duffey left in the fifth inning after being struck in the upper right arm by a line drive off the bat of den Dekker.

Duffey was summoned from the minors to pitch for Ervin Santana, who was scratched with a sore lower back. The right-hander allowed one run — a leadoff home by den Dekker — and five hits.

Pirates 12, Diamondbacks 10 (13)

Arizona pitcher Shelby Miller played left field and chased after a go-ahead double by Pittsburgh's Sean Rodriguez in the 13th inning before striking out to end the game.

Miller went into the outfield after shortstop Nick Ahmed was ejected in the 12th. Miller became the first Diamondbacks pitcher to play a position — the previous major league pitcher to play the outfield since Colorado's Jason Gurka last Sept. 15, STATS said.

Paul Goldschmidt homered twice, including a tying, two-run shot in the Arizona ninth.

Neftali Feliz (1-0) wound with the win. Rodriguez lined his double off the wall in left against Evan Marshall (0-1).

Cubs 9, Reds 0

Anthony Rizzo homered and drove in four runs, Jason Hammel pitched six sharp innings and Chicago routed Cincinnati.

The Cubs improved to 14-5 for the first time in 47 years.

Tommy La Stella homered and doubled twice and Jason Heyward had four hits and three RBIs.

Hammel (3-0) allowed three hits. Alfredo Simon (0-2 gave up nine hits and eight runs in 2 2/3 innings.

Dodgers 12, Rockies 10

Chase Utley drove in the go-ahead run with a double during Los Angeles' five-run ninth to rally at Colorado.

Trailing 10-7, the Dodgers lit up Rockies closer Jake McGee (0-1).

Joe Blanton (2-1) earned the win by getting two outs in the eighth. Kenley Jansen struck out Trevor Story to pick up his ninth save.

Marlins 5, Giants 4

J.T. Realmuto matched his career high with four hits, including a tiebreaking home run in the eighth inning as Miami avoided a three-game sweep.

Giancarlo Stanton also homered and reached base four times for the Marlins.

Realmuto homered off San Francisco reliever Josh Osich (0-1).

Kyle Barraclough (1-0) got the win and A.J. Ramos worked the ninth for his third save.

Cardinals 8, Padres 5

Jedd Gyorko homered, tripled and singled, and rookie Aledmys Diaz had a homer among his three hits as St. Louis rallied.

Gyorko, traded from San Diego to the Cardinals in December, had two chances to complete the cycle but flied out and grounded out.

Padres reliever Kevin Quackenbush allowed consecutive homers to Gyorko and Diaz in the sixth to tie it. Brandon Maurer (0-1) gave up three runs in the eighth.

Kevin Siegrest (3-0) pitched the seventh for the win. Trevor Rosenthal pitched the ninth for his fifth save.

Brewers 8, Phillies 5

Scooter Gennett and Alex Presley homered in a six-run sixth inning, backing an encouraging outing by struggling starter Wily Peralta as Milwaukee beat Philadelphia.

The Brewers also hit four doubles in the sixth, when they chased Phillies starter Jerad Eickhoff (1-3).

Peralta (1-3) allowed three earned runs and seven hits in six inning. The Brewers' opening day starter entered the game with an 8.35 ERA.

Closer Jeremy Jeffress threw a scoreless ninth for his sixth save.

American League

Royals 8, Orioles 1

Yordano Ventura settled down after a shaky first inning, Eric Hosmer and Alex Gordon homered and Kansas City beat Baltimore.

Ventura (2-0) allowed his lone run and two of his three hits in the first inning. He wound up going seven.

Mike Wright (1-2) allowed five runs in 6 1/3 innings.

Blue Jays 6, Athletics 3

Jose Bautista hit a two-run homer, Ezequiel Carrera added a solo shot and Toronto beat Oakland.

Chris Coghlan, Khris Davis, and Josh Reddick each hit solo home runs for the Athletics.

Recalled from Triple-A to make a spot start as Toronto gave its rotation an extra day of rest, Drew Hutchison (1-0) allowed two runs and four hits in 5 2-3 innings. Roberto Osuna closed for his sixth save.

Eric Surkamp (0-2) allowed six runs in 4 2-3 innings.

Indians 6, Tigers 3

Francisco Lindor got three hits and Cleveland overcame an early injury to starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco.

The Indians completed a three-game sweep. Detroit has lost four in a row.

Carrasco and Tigers starter Shane Greene (1-2) both left the game with injuries. Carrasco hurt his right hamstring on an awkward play while covering first base and Greene broke open a blister on his pitching hand.

Trevor Bauer (1-0) got the win and Cody Allen pitched the ninth for his sixth save.

Mariners 9, Angels 4

Wade Miley overcame a shaky first inning that included a home by slumping Albert Pujols to post his first victory in a Seattle uniform.

Kyle Seager, Leonys Martin and Seth Smith hit home runs for the Mariners.

Pujols ended a career-worst 0-for-26 skid with his 563rd career homer, tying Reggie Jackson for 13th place all-time.

Miley (1-2) allowed four runs and six hits in 7 1-3 innings.

Matt Shoemaker (1-3) gave up with seven runs in three-plus innings for Los Angeles.

White Sox 4, Rangers 1

Mat Latos pitched six solid innings for his fourth consecutive win and Chicago swept Texas.

Latos (4-0), who signed a $3 million, one-year deal with Chicago in February, was charged with one run and seven hits. The 6-foot-6 right-hander has allowed two earned runs in 24 1/3 innings while matching his win total from all of last year.

David Robertson struck out the side in the ninth for his seventh save.

Derek Holland (2-1) allowed three runs over 6 1/3 innings.