National League

Brewers 7, Cubs 0

Corbin Burnes continued his sizzling start to the season and finally got a little run support, thanks in part to his own surprising skill at the plate.

Burnes struck out 10 in six dominant innings and also delivered a bases-loaded single for his first two career RBIs as Milwaukee defeated the Cubs on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old right-hander has knocked home twice as many runs (two) as he has allowed (one) through his first three outings of the year.

“That's the best guy we've faced all year there today,” Cubs manager David Ross said.

Burnes (1-1) has 30 strikeouts while allowing only four hits and no walks in 18 1/3 innings. He gave up two hits Wednesday.

He was asked after the game if this is the most fun he's ever had pitching.

“Yeah, I'd say so,” replied Burnes, who finished sixth in the NL Cy Young Award voting last year. “Last year was pretty awesome, too. I think it makes it a little bit sweeter this year having some fans in the stands and having the fans in the ballpark to enjoy it with us.”

This marked the franchise-record eighth straight game in which a Brewers starter worked at least five innings while allowing no more than one run.

Burnes’ performance helped the Brewers take two of three in the series and gain a measure of revenge one day after an emotionally charged 3-2 loss to the Cubs.

Milwaukee had given up a go-ahead, two-run homer to Willson Contreras on Tuesday after hitting him with a pitch earlier in the game. Cubs reliever Ryan Tepera threw a pitch behind Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff, who had thrown the pitch that hit Contreras.

Wednesday’s game saw no trouble in response. Milwaukee’s Keston Hiura was hit by a pitch in the fourth inning, without incident.

The Cubs had no answers for Burnes, who finally got a win to reward his brilliant work. Burnes yielded just one hit in each of his first two starts, but the Brewers lost both games.

Although Burnes carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning April 3 against Minnesota, the Brewers mustered just one hit and struck out 17 times in a 2-0 loss to the Twins. Burnes left with a 1-0 lead Thursday at St. Louis, but the Cardinals rallied against Milwaukee’s bullpen to win 3-1.

Burnes got more help Wednesday.

Travis Shaw scored one of Milwaukee's two runs in the first inning and delivered a solo shot in the third off Jake Arrieta (2-1), who struck out five and gave up three runs in five innings.

“Whenever you get a lead to go out and start the game early on, it makes it a lot easier on us on the mound to go out and just fill the strike zone and force some contact early,” Burnes said. “It definitely makes it a little easier to pitch.”

The Brewers broke the game open in the sixth as reliever Shelby Miller didn’t retire any of the five batters he faced. That four-run outburst in the sixth included Burnes' bases-loaded single up the middle off Justin Steele.

Burnes said he and the other Brewers pitchers often tell bench coach Pat Murphy how well they all can hit.

This time, Burnes showed Murphy he could back up that big talk.

“He just told me, 'Take it easy, I know you got a hit but you're still a pitcher,' ” Burnes said.

Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks was back in Chicago on Wednesday, one day after getting scratched from his scheduled start because he wasn’t feeling well. Ross said Tuesday that Hendricks tested negative for COVID-19 and none of his players have tested positive, but the Cubs are being cautious after bullpen coach Chris Young and first base coach Craig Driver both had positives tests.

“It feels like every day is sort of a new challenge with this,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said. “How to distinguish what is seasonal allergies versus what is COVID symptoms, there’s no way to know, and I think because we have those two coaches who are positive, we have to act in a certain fashion.”

The Cubs activated catcher Austin Romine from the injured list, activated pitcher Jason Adam off the COVID-19-related injured list and selected Miller from their alternate site in South Bend, Indiana. They designated catcher Tony Wolters for assignment and optioned pitchers Adbert Alzolay and Brad Wieck to the alternate site.

Dodgers 4, Rockies 2

Justin Turner homered and drove in two runs, and rookie Zach McKinstry added a late homer as Los Angeles beat Colorado for its fifth consecutive victory.

Luke Raley got his first career hit in the eighth inning for the major league-leading Dodgers, who have won 10 of 11 while remaining unbeaten in their past 11 games at Dodger Stadium since last Sept. 23.

C.J. Cron slowed his slump with two hits for the Rockies, who lost their fifth straight despite snapping their 26-inning scoreless streak since last Saturday with Trevor Story's RBI single in the fifth. Colorado couldn't score in the final four innings against Los Angeles' bullpen.

Victor González escaped a jam in the fifth after the Rockies chased Dustin May. Corey Knebel (1-0) retired the side on six pitches in the eighth, and Kenley Jansen got three strikeouts for his third save.

Colorado manager Bud Black was ejected in the third inning for arguing with plate umpire Phil Cuzzi from the dugout after a few close ball-strike calls went against the Rockies early.

Jon Gray (1-1) yielded five hits and three runs in a four-inning start for the Rockies after taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning of his last outing.

Marlins 6, Braves 5 (10 innings)

Jesus Aguilar drove in the winning run with a 10th-inning double and Miami overcame two homers by Ronald Acuña Jr. for its third straight win at Atlanta.

Leading off in extra innings with Starling Marte placed at second, Aguilar dumped a low pitch from Tyler Matzek (0-1) down the left-field line to bring home the tiebreaking run.

Acuña led off the bottom of the 10th with a chance to do more damage after erasing Miami's 5-0 lead almost single-handedly. But Yimi Garcia struck out the Atlanta slugger on three pitches before retiring Freddie Freeman and Marcell Ozuna to earn his second save.

John Curtiss (1-0) picked up the win with a scoreless ninth.

Pirates 5, Padres 1

Gregory Polanco homered, and Pittsburgh beat San Diego's Joe Musgrove in his first start since throwing the first no-hitter in franchise history.

Polanco hit a solo shot into the right-field stands in the second inning. That ended a 32-inning scoreless streak by Musgrove that dated to last season when he was still with the Pirates.

Musgrove (2-1) allowed only one run in four innings but was lifted for a pinch-hitter after his pitch count reached to 81.

Tyler Anderson (1-2) gave up one run in 5 1/3 innings to get his first win with the Pirates. The left-hander gave up one run and four hits with two strikeouts and two walks.

Nationals 6, Cardinals 0

Joe Ross pitched six sharp innings and Washington threw its first regular-season shutout at St. Louis.

Ross (1-0) improved to 3-0 in four career starts against the Cardinals. He allowed four hits, struck out five and walked one. He also singled and scored a run.

Four relievers combined to hold St. Louis hitless the rest of the way.

Ryan Zimmerman hit his first homer of the season, a two-run drive in the third off Adam Wainwright (0-2).

Giants 3, Reds 0

Johnny Cueto pitched neatly into the sixth inning before exiting with a tight lat muscle, and San Francisco finished off Cincinnati.

Cueto (2-0) removed himself from the game after fanning Nick Castellanos for the second out in the sixth. The 35-year-old Cueto surrendered three hits and walked none while striking out four.

San Francisco scored twice in the fifth off Tyler Mahle (1-1).

Austin Slater doubled to right-center field on an 0-2 pitch to score Brandon Crawford. Slater advanced to third base on a passed ball and scored on Curt Casali’s grounder.

American League

Rangers 5, Rays 1

Nate Lowe hit a solo homer and rookie Kohei Arihara got his first major league victory, pitching into the sixth inning as Texas beat Tampa Bay.

Arihara (1-1) allowed two singles and a double over 5 2/3 scoreless innings in his third start since signing with the Rangers after six seasons with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Japan's Pacific League.

Lowe went deep against ex-teammate Josh Fleming (0-1) for a 1-0 lead the Rangers clung to until David Dahl's two-run double and Adolis García's two-run triple broke it open in the seventh.

Arihara struck out five and walked none before being replaced by John King.

Tigers 6, Astros 4

Michael Fulmer earned his first win since 2018 and Detroit built a big lead before holding off short-handed Houston for a three-game sweep.

Outscored 14-4 in losing the first two games with a full roster, the Astros went into the wrap-up after putting five players, including stars José Altuve, Alex Bregman and Yordan Álvarez, on the COVID-19 injured list.

Jeimer Candelario had three hits and two RBIs for Tigers, who took advantage of a wild performance by Lance McCullers Jr. (1-1) to pile up six runs in four innings with only a double and a smattering of singles.

Fulmer (1-0) yielded three hits and two runs over five innings.

Royals 6, Angels 1

Salvador Pérez homered and doubled to cap off an impressive series, leading Brad Keller and Kansas City past Los Angeles.

Pérez drove in two runs and went 8 for 12 with four RBIs this week against Los Angeles.

Carlos Santana also homered as the Royals took two of three from the Angels.

Keller (1-1) went 5 2/3 innings and gave up one run and four hits, striking out five and walking one.

Griffin Canning (0-1) went five innings and permitted two runs and six hits.