The Boston Red Sox have waited for this kind of week all season long.

They will look to make it five straight wins and complete a four-game sweep of the visiting Seattle Mariners on Sunday afternoon.

Boston showed resilience to extend the streak with Saturday’s 6-5 win, overcoming a 5-0 deficit to take its first and only lead on Christian Vazquez’s game-winning RBI single in the eighth.

“It was a total team effort today. Garrett (Whitlock) got hit hard, but we just tried to figure out a way to get all 27 (outs),” said Sox manager Alex Cora, whose team has come from behind in three of its last four wins. “Offensively, it felt like we had good at-bats early. … It’s getting there. We’re feeling good about ourselves.”

Whitlock lasted just three innings on Saturday, but five relievers allowed just two hits combined and kept Boston in the game to make its largest comeback of the season.

Nathan Eovaldi (1-2, 4.32 ERA) will be looking to shake off a rare bad start when he takes the mound Sunday, as he allowed nine runs (six earned) on eight hits in just 1 2/3 innings last Tuesday.

The Astros tagged Eovaldi for five home runs in a single inning during his last outing. It was his shortest start since 2016 and the only one this season in which he has given up more than three runs.

“In the past, I feel every time I’ve faced the Astros, they came out swinging, and tried to jump on the fastball,” Eovaldi said. “I was able to locate it in the first and had a quick inning. I tried to do the same thing the second inning, and they didn’t miss. … I have to do a better job of mixing my pitches and attacking them differently.”

Eovaldi made two starts against the Mariners last season, going 0-1 while allowing six earned runs over 10 innings.

It has been a struggle of a road trip for the Mariners as they are 3-6 in the last nine games, but Logan Gilbert (4-2, 2.40 ERA) will look to continue his recent success in his second career start against Boston.

April’s American League Pitcher of the Month, Gilbert struck out nine in his two most recent starts, tying the career-high mark that he set on Sept. 13, 2021, at Fenway Park.

In his second consecutive loss last Tuesday at Toronto, Gilbert worked seven innings of three-run ball. The second-year Mariner enjoyed great success with his fastball as it averaged 96.7 miles per hour and topped out at a career-high 99, according to MLB.com.

“I think it sets everything up,” Gilbert said. “I tried to use everything how I could, but I felt like I had a good fastball (on Tuesday) and I tried to play off that. Then the curve and slider, good enough.”

Prior to a May 6 no-decision against Toronto, Gilbert had gone 4-0 while surrendering just one total earned run over his previous four consecutive starts.

Julio Rodriguez enjoyed a 3-for-4 Saturday with a double, RBI and run scored, upping his May average to .342 in 20 games. But the Mariners were scoreless after Whitlock left the game.

“Unfortunately for (Saturday starter Chris Flexen), it was about the only time we’ve scored any runs for him this year and wasn’t able to get a bit deeper in the ballgame,” manager Scott Servais said. “He wasn’t fooling anybody. It turned into a bullpen game after that. And their bullpen was a little bit better.”

–Field Level Media

The streaking Los Angeles Dodgers will look for their eighth straight victory when they go for a series sweep against the host Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday.

After losing three of four to the Phillies last week in L.A., salvaging the finale, the Dodgers won four in a row over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

On Saturday, the Dodgers rallied from a 4-1 deficit and came away with a 7-4 win to take the first two in the Phillies’ home park.

Mookie Betts led the way with a home run, double, single and three RBIs. He also added an outfield assist throwing out Odubel Herrera at home plate.

“This game is so hard so to be able to play well on both sides of the ball, you take it when it comes,” Betts said on a postgame interview on SportsNet LA. “I work hard on offense, defense, everything.”

Justin Turner started as the Dodgers’ designated hitter and had three hits with Max Muncy playing third base. Manager Dave Roberts said that combination will likely continue as often as possible.

“I tried to essentially thread the needle with him and Max, as far as giving them starts at third, starts at DH,” Roberts said. “You could argue that, with no definitive kind of role, as far as a DH or third baseman, you can’t get comfortable. So I’m gonna give Justin more DH days, so he can get more used to that role and give Max more third base days.”

The Dodgers will send Tony Gonsolin (4-0, 1.64 ERA) to the mound. Gonsolin is 0-0 with a 2.45 ERA in one career start in 2021 against the Phillies. He lasted 3 2/3 innings.

“I’ve talked with (Clayton Kershaw) a lot on how to go deeper in the game, what works and what doesn’t work and just trying to figure out what works for me,” Gonsolin said after his last start. “Anything to give our bullpen a break.”

Trea Turner will bring a 13-game hitting streak into Sunday’s finale.

The scuffling Phillies will hope to snap a three-game losing streak.

Philadelphia, which has gone 1-4 on this homestand, did receive a spark with the return of Bryce Harper.

The reigning National League Most Valuable Player missed five straight games while recovering from a PRP injection in his right elbow and went 1-for-4 on Saturday.

Harper does have a seven-game hitting streak despite the five-game absence.

“It’s frustrating,” Phillies manager Joe Girardi said of the recent losses. “This is frustrating. We go out and have a really good road trip. We come home and have some games where we don’t score any runs.”

The Phillies scored four runs on Saturday after combining for four total runs in the first four games of the homestand.

Zach Eflin (1-3, 3.90 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Phillies. Eflin gave up five hits and one run in six strong innings in his last start against San Diego.

Eflin has struggled in six career starts against the Dodgers, going 0-3 with an 8.78 ERA.

“I’d be lying to you if I said I wasn’t pretty tired out there, but I was happy with the way the ball was coming out,” Eflin said after his last outing, his first since May 1.

–Field Level Media

Getting through the first game was all part of the process for catcher Adley Rutschman and the Baltimore Orioles.

Now settling in as a major leaguer can commence for one of baseball’s top prospects.

Rutschman, the overall No. 1 draft pick in 2019, made his Orioles debut Saturday night in a 6-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.

The teams complete a three-game series Sunday afternoon in Baltimore. Rutschman is expected to be the designated hitter.

Rutschman said he’s interested in becoming comfortable in his new surroundings. He was greeted with incredible fanfare in his first game. Orioles fans showered him with adoration at nearly every move, particularly after a seventh-inning triple. It was overwhelming for the 24-year-old.

“An emotional overload,” he said. “I was definitely amped up a little bit stepping into the box.”

He said he tried to soak it all in.

“Make sure to appreciate every moment,” Rutschman said. “Extremely blessed to be able to play this game. Looking forward to just getting with the team and trying to win the games. I can’t wait to get to that normal, every-day (feeling).”

Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde said he liked how Rutschman handled himself just a night after the player learned he was being promoted from Triple-A Norfolk.

“It was a cool moment, something I’m sure he’ll never forget,” Hyde said. “(Fans) were excited to see him. There was so much build-up and anticipation. … Now he can exhale a little bit and just start playing the game.”

The Rays will wait to see the status of third baseman Yandy Diaz, who had an awkward head-first slide at the plate in the sixth inning and missed the rest of Saturday’s game with a shoulder strain.

Tampa Bay played without shortstop Wander Franco, who developed quad tightness a night earlier in the 13-inning loss to the Orioles.

“He has been dealing with it for a while,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “(He was) available off the bench.”

Keeping outfielder Randy Arozarena in the lineup would be ideal. He continued to bash Baltimore with two home runs Saturday night. It marked his fifth career multi-homer game, with three coming against the Orioles.

“Thankfully, I’ve been able to connect well with them,” Arozarena said. “I don’t know exactly what it is. I wish I could play against them all the time.”

This will be the rubber game of the series. The Rays have won seven of their last nine series.

Right-hander Corey Kluber (1-2, 4.29 ERA) will start for the Rays in the series finale. Tampa Bay has scored just five total runs in support of Kluber’s last three starts. Against the Orioles, Kluber holds a 5-1 record and 2.94 ERA in 11 career starts.

Spenser Watkins (0-1, 5.10 ERA) goes to the mound for the Orioles. The right-hander went 1-3 in four starts last season vs. the Rays, though he hasn’t won a game since beating Tampa Bay on July 19.

The Orioles sent left-hander Nick Vespi to Norfolk on Saturday — a day after he picked up the victory in his first major league game.

Tampa Bay has won 28 of its last 31 meetings with the Orioles, including four of five this season.

–Field Level Media

Randy Arozarena belted two home runs and Jeffrey Springs threw 5 2/3 shutout innings as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the host Baltimore Orioles 6-1 and spoiled the debut of heralded catcher Adley Rutschman on Saturday night.

Kevin Kiermaier also homered as the Rays bounced back from a 13-inning loss from a night earlier.

It was the first game for Rutschman, who was the overall No. 1 draft selection in 2019 and called up from Triple-A Norfolk. He struck out and walked before lacing a triple down the right-field line with one out in the seventh inning off reliever Ralph Garza Jr.

Arozarena posted the fifth two-homer game of his career, with three of them coming against Baltimore.

Kyle Bradish (1-3) took the loss, lasting 5 1/3 innings. The Orioles didn’t score until Trey Mancini’s two-out RBI single in the eighth.

Yankees 7, White Sox 5

DJ LeMahieu hit a grand slam in the second inning and New York beat visiting Chicago in a testy contest that featured a pair of shouting matches between Yankees designated hitter Josh Donaldson and White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson.

LeMahieu hit his second career grand slam to cap a five-run second off Chicago lefty Dallas Keuchel (2-4). After LeMahieu’s 341-foot drive to the short porch in right, Donaldson and Anderson barked at each other at the end of the third and in the fifth. Isiah Kiner-Falefa hit an RBI single and Donaldson produced a run-scoring groundout in the third before his first incident with Anderson. Anthony Rizzo added a sacrifice fly as the Yankees won for the 24th time in 29 games.

Jose Abreu hit a three-run homer in the third off New York lefty Nestor Cortes (3-1). Leury Garcia and Josh Harrison hit RBI doubles in the sixth off Michael King, who also walked Anderson before finishing the inning.

Diamondbacks 7, Cubs 6 (10)

Daulton Varsho delivered a two-run double in the 10th, and scored on the same play, as visiting Arizona overcame a four-run deficit to beat Chicago for a third consecutive day.

Arizona’s Madison Bumgarner gave up back-to-back homers to Frank Schwindel and Patrick Wisdom in the second, then an RBI double to Suzuki and a run-scoring single to Yan Gomes in the third. However, Bumgarner lasted seven innings, and struck out seven without a walk for Arizona, which entered this four-game set losers of six straight.

Chicago has lost four in a row after winning four straight. Each defeat has come at home, where the Cubs are 6-15.

Cardinals 5, Pirates 4

Tommy Edman’s RBI single in the fourth inning proved the difference in visiting St. Louis’ win over Pittsburgh.

Paul Goldschmidt was 4-for-5 with a two-run double and Edmundo Sosa added an RBI single for the Cardinals, who have won two straight. St. Louis starter Matthew Liberatore, 22, gave up four runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings, with three strikeouts and two walks in his major league debut.

Bryan Reynolds hit a two-run inside-the-park homer and Yoshi Tsutsugo had an RBI double for the Pirates, who have lost four of five.

Blue Jays 3, Reds 1

Bo Bichette hit two home runs and right-hander Alek Manoah went eight innings as Toronto defeated visiting Cincinnati.

Bichette’s second home run of the game was a two-run blast against Luis Cessa (2-1) in the seventh inning to break a 1-1 tie. Manoah (5-1) allowed one run and seven hits with no walks and four strikeouts.

Cincinnati right-hander Hunter Greene allowed one run, four hits and two walks in six innings. He struck out six in his first start since pitching 7 1/3 innings last Sunday and combined to hold Pittsburgh without a hit, only to lose 1-0 to the Pirates. Cincinnati scored its only run in the fourth inning on Joey Votto’s RBI double to score Tyler Naquin.

Red Sox 6, Mariners 5

Christian Vazquez’s eighth-inning base hit off the Green Monster in left field lifted Boston over visiting Seattle.

The Sox came back from a 5-0 deficit to win their fourth consecutive game and third straight in the four-game series after tying the game with one run in the third and four in the fifth. Vazquez finished a 2-for-4 day by driving home Franchy Cordero — who hit a one-out triple — with the deciding run.

Rafael Devers drove in Boston’s first three runs on a pair of home runs and finished 3-for-4. Xander Bogaerts also had multiple hits. Julio Rodriguez went 3-for-4 with a run scored while J.P. Crawford, Eugenio Suarez and Mike Ford all went 2-for-4 and scored a run for Seattle.

Padres 2, Giants 1

Joe Musgrove worked seven scoreless innings and closer Taylor Rogers picked up his Major League-leading 16th save as visiting San Diego scored a second straight win in San Francisco.

Manny Machado hit a 425-foot home run off a 99-mph fastball from Carlos Rodon for the Padres’ first run, but it was Luke Voit scoring on a safety squeeze bunt by Trent Grisham in the sixth inning that was ultimately the difference.

Musgrove improved to 5-0 and lowered his ERA to 1.90 with an eighth straight quality start to open the season. The right-hander gave up four hits and three walks with four strikeouts.

Braves 4, Marlins 3

William Contreras hit two opposite-field solo homers and Kyle Wright tossed five shutout innings as visiting Atlanta held on for a win over Miami.

Miami scored an unearned run in the eighth to pull within 4-2 before Garrett Cooper delivered a run-scoring double off Kenley Jansen in the ninth. The Marlins had two runners on and two outs before Jansen struck out Jorge Soler for his 10th save.

It was Contreras’ second multi-homer game of the season for the Braves, who have won three of their last four. Cooper had three hits for the Marlins, who lost their third straight.

Twins 9, Royals 2

Luis Arraez was 2-for-3 with two walks, two RBIs and three runs scored, as visiting Minnesota defeated Kansas City.

The Royals issued three leadoff walks and all three scored. The Twins have won the first two games of the three-game series.

Joe Ryan (5-2) allowed one run on five hits in 5 2/3 innings to claim the victory. He came into the game allowing opposing batters to hit just 3-for-24 with runners in scoring position, with no walks allowed. Ryan did give up a hit and a pair of walks in six at-bats with runners in scoring position Saturday but managed to avoid the big inning.

Astros 2, Rangers 1

Justin Verlander produced his third consecutive scoreless start and Houston bounced back from a shutout loss to defeat visiting Texas.

Verlander (6-1) has won six consecutive decisions. He allowed six hits, all singles, and matched his season high of eight strikeouts. He did not issue a walk and threw 95 pitches, 67 for strikes.

Texas managed a threat in the eighth off Astros reliever Hector Neris, with Garcia following a one-out double from Corey Seager with an opposite-field, run-scoring single. But after moving into scoring position on a balk, Garcia was erased by Castro attempting to swipe third base. Neris followed with a strikeout of Calhoun and closer Ryan Pressly followed with his fifth save.

Mets 5, Rockies 1 (Game 1)

Starling Marte homered and singled, Luis Guillorme had three hits, and New York beat Colorado in Denver in the first game of a split doubleheader.

Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil had two hits each and Carlos Carrasco (4-1) allowed a run and struck out four in 5 1/3 innings for New York.

C.J. Cron had three hits for Colorado, which has dropped nine of its last 11 games.

Rockies 11, Mets 3 (Game 2)

Brian Serven hit two home runs and host Colorado scored seven runs in the sixth inning to beat New York in the second game of a doubleheader in Denver.

Serven’s two homers were the first two hits of his major league career. He had four RBIs. Connor Joe had three hits, Randal Grichuk added two, and C.J. Cron also homered for the Rockies. Ashton Goudeau (1-0) tossed 2 2/3 innings of relief for the Rockies, who earned a split of the doubleheader.

J.D. Davis, Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo had two hits each for New York.

Dodgers 7, Phillies 4

Mookie Betts singled, doubled, homered and drove in three runs to lift Los Angeles past host Philadelphia.

Will Smith and Austin Barnes each homered and Justin Turner added three hits for the Dodgers, who won their seventh in a row. Cody Bellinger had two hits.
Bryce Harper (1-for-4) returned to the lineup after missing the previous five games while recovering from a PRP injection in his right elbow. Phillies starter Aaron Nola tossed 5 1/3 innings and gave up five hits and four runs. He struck out nine and walked one.

Brewers 5, Nationals 1

Andrew McCutchen and Luis Urias homered and Brandon Woodruff tossed six solid innings to pace Milwaukee to a victory over visiting Washington.

Woodruff (5-2) allowed one run on five hits in six innings, striking out six with no walks, lowering his ERA from 5.35 to 4.76.

Washington got two singles off Hoby Milner in the ninth, but Josh Hader came on with two outs and retired pinch-hitter Riley Adams on a fly out to right for his 15th save in 15 opportunities.

Angels 5, Athletics 3

Los Angeles got six scoreless innings from Michael Lorenzen and home runs from the unlikeliest of sources in a win over visiting Oakland in Anaheim, Calif.

Luis Rengifo entered the game with 14 career homers over four major league seasons, and Andrew Velazquez had a total of two homers in five seasons, but both connected to help the Angels end a four-game losing streak.

Lorenzen (5-2) allowed three hits and two walks while striking out five on 84 pitches. Lorenzen allowed only two A’s baserunners to get into scoring position. The A’s were able to push across three runs against Angels reliever Aaron Loup in the eighth inning and had the potential tying runs at second and third with two out. But reliever Oliver Ortega struck out Luis Barrera to end the inning.

–Field Level Media

The visiting St. Louis Cardinals will go for a series sweep Sunday against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Cardinals, who are 26-5 in Pittsburgh dating to May 26, 2018, won the first two games of the set 5-3 and 5-4.

One of St. Louis’ best weapons against the Pirates in recent years is Paul Goldschmidt, who in 52 games against Pittsburgh as a Cardinal has hit .349 with 39 RBIs and 26 extra-base hits.

Goldschmidt was 4-for-5 with a two-run double Saturday. That gave him a 14-game hitting streak dating to May 7 and a stretch of 28 straight games in which he has reached base safely.

“Just see the ball, hit the ball,” Goldschmidt told Bally Sports Midwest. “I try to keep it simple and just enjoy it when things are going good because you know it’s a long season, a lot of ups and downs. Hopefully, keep it going as long as I can.”

St. Louis could be without outfielder Dylan Carlson, who left Saturday’s game because of left hamstring tightness.

“I tried to tough it out,” Carlson said. “Taking it day by day right now.”

Pittsburgh took a step forward in the Saturday loss. The four runs were the team’s most since May 11. The Pirates had totaled 12 runs over their previous eight games.

The bat of cornerstone player Bryan Reynolds is perhaps awakening.

He was 2-for-4 with an inside-the-park home run Saturday. Even though his average is still an anemic-looking .231, the Pirates are hopeful he will round into his All-Star form.

“Really encouraging,” Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton said. “We started talking about it four or five days ago when he got a couple walks and started to move back into better counts.

“I think all along we’ve thought that Bryan was going to hit.”

In the series finale, St. Louis left-hander Steven Matz (3-3, 6.03 ERA) is scheduled to oppose Pittsburgh right-hander Bryse Wilson (0-2, 5.67 ERA).

Matz is coming off a no-decision Tuesday, when he gave up two runs on solo homers and three hits overall through five innings, with seven strikeouts and no walks, against the New York Mets. He left with a 3-2 lead.

Matz is 2-3 with a 5.61 ERA in six career starts against Pittsburgh.

That includes a rough outing in his St. Louis debut, when he gave up seven runs — including Michael Chavis’ grand slam — and nine hits in three-plus innings on April 10, a 9-4 Pirates win.

Wilson has been used to start and out of the bullpen. Most recently, he pitched 5 1/3 innings of relief Monday against the Chicago Cubs, allowing four runs, three earned, and eight hits.

Wilson was supposed to follow opener Dillon Peters, but Peters struggled and Wilson entered in the first — and the first is Wilson’s Achilles’ heel.

Wilson allowed three runs that inning, making it 10 he has allowed in the opening inning this season.

“We’ve been working on (the mechanics), and we finally got the mechanics cleaned up a little bit,” Wilson said.

Against St. Louis, Wilson is 0-1 with a 10.00 ERA in three career games, two of them starts. One of those starts was April 10, when he gave up three runs and five hits in four innings.

–Field Level Media

The Seattle Mariners signed outfielder Justin Upton to a one-year deal Saturday night.

Upton will report to Seattle’s extended spring training camp. The team designated right-hander Adrian Sampson for assignment to create roster space.

Upton will make roughly $550,000, the prorated portion of the $700,000 MLB minimum.

Upton was released April 8 by the Los Angeles Angels, who owe Upton the remainder of his $28 million salary for 2022.

Upton, 34, batted .211 with 17 homers and 41 RBIs in 89 games last season. He missed significant time with back injuries.

A four-time All-Star, Upton is a career .262 hitter with 324 homers and 1,000 RBIs in 1,828 games with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, Detroit Tigers and Angels.

–Field Level Media

The Los Angeles Angels got six scoreless innings from Michael Lorenzen and home runs from the unlikeliest of sources in a 5-3 win over the visiting Oakland A’s on Saturday night in Anaheim, Calif.

Luis Rengifo entered the game with 14 career homers over four major league seasons, and Andrew Velazquez had a total of two homers in five seasons, but both connected to help the Angels end a four-game losing streak.

Lorenzen (5-2) allowed three hits and two walks while striking out five on 84 pitches. Lorenzen allowed only two A’s baserunners to get into scoring position.

The A’s were able to push across three runs against Angels reliever Aaron Loup in the eighth inning and had the potential tying runs at second and third with two out. But reliever Oliver Ortega struck out Luis Barrera to end the inning.

Angels closer Raisel Iglesias, after consecutive outings in which he allowed walk-off homers, pitched a scoreless ninth for his ninth save.

Two A’s players were knocked out of the game early because of injuries. Right fielder Ramon Laureano was hit by a pitch on the hand in the top of the second inning. He remained in the game and played defense in the bottom of the second but was replaced in the third inning.

A’s starter Frankie Montas had to leave the game in the bottom of the second inning, getting hit on his right hand by a line drive off the bat of Rengifo.

Neither team got on the scoreboard until the bottom of the fifth when Rengifo hit his first homer of the year, connecting off A’s reliever Adam Kolarek (0-1).

The Angels added to their lead in the sixth with two runs, one coming in on a bases-loaded walk by Brandon Marsh and another on an infield single by Rengifo, to go up 3-0.

The Angels got what turned out to be a couple of big insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh when Velazquez hit his third career homer — second this season — with a runner on base to give the Angels a 5-0 lead.

–Field Level Media

Brian Serven hit two home runs and the host Colorado Rockies scored seven runs in the sixth inning to beat the New York Mets 11-3 in the second game of a doubleheader on Saturday night in Denver.

Serven’s two homers were the first two hits of his major league career. He had four RBIs.

Connor Joe had three hits, Randal Grichuk added two, and C.J. Cron also homered for the Rockies. Ashton Goudeau (1-0) tossed 2 2/3 innings of relief for the Rockies, who earned a split of the doubleheader.

The Mets won the opener, 5-1.

J.D. Davis, Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo had two hits each for New York.

The Mets got a two-run homer in the first inning of the opener of the doubleheader, but it was Colorado’s turn to jump in front in the nightcap.

Joe led off the bottom of the first with a single. After Charlie Blackmon grounded into a forceout, Cron blasted his 11th homer to center field to give the Rockies a 2-0 lead.

New York responded in the top of the second.

Eduardo Escobar earned a one-out walk off starter Ty Blach, and Davis and Tomas Nido singled to cut the deficit to 2-1. Davis, who went to third on Nido’s single, scored on a sacrifice fly by Nimmo to tie it.

Colorado answered right away.

Mets starter Trevor Williams hit Brendan Rodgers to lead off the bottom of the second. Two outs later, Serven got his first major league hit and home run with a shot to left to put the Rockies back in front, 4-2.

Williams (0-3) allowed four runs on three hits in four innings.

The Mets got within 4-3 in the sixth when Mark Canha walked, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Davis.

Colorado blew it open in its half of the sixth. Sam Hilliard knocked in the first run with a double, moved to third on Garrett Hampson’s single and scored on an errant pickoff throw.

Serven then hit his second homer to make it 8-3. Joe doubled to chase reliever Adonis Medina, and an intentional walk and three straight singles brought home three more runs.

–Field Level Media

Justin Verlander produced his third consecutive scoreless start and the Houston Astros bounced back from a shutout loss to defeat the visiting Texas Rangers 2-1 on Saturday.

Verlander (6-1) has won six consecutive decisions. He allowed six hits, all singles, and matched his season high of eight strikeouts. He did not issue a walk and threw 95 pitches, 67 for strikes.

Over his last three starts, Verlander has allowed 11 hits and five walks while recording 18 strikeouts over 19 innings.

The leadoff batter reached base for the Astros in the first, third, fifth and sixth against Rangers right-hander Jon Gray (1-2), but they were able to convert only twice. Jose Siri singled, stole second base and scored on a Yordan Alvarez single to center for a 1-0 lead in the first. Astros catcher Jason Castro stroked a leadoff double in the fifth and later scored on a Gray wild pitch.

Gray surrendered a leadoff triple to Alvarez in the sixth inning but deftly kept the deficit at two runs. Gray allowed two runs on six hits and two walks with four strikeouts over six innings.

Verlander immediately found trouble in the first when Brad Miller, leading off the inning, reached on a fielding error by Castro and moved into scoring position when Marcus Semien followed with a sharp single to left. Two batters later the frame pivoted in favor of Verlander when right fielder Kyle Tucker erased Miller at the plate following an Adolis Garcia single.

Verlander closed the first with a strikeout of Kole Calhoun, stranding Semien and Garcia on the corners. Verlander retired the side in order only once, fanning Calhoun, Jonah Heim and Mitch Garver in succession in the fourth. However, the four remaining hits he allowed all came with two outs, and in each case, Verlander retired the subsequent batter to mute any rally.

Texas managed a threat in the eighth off Astros reliever Hector Neris, with Garcia following a one-out double from Corey Seager with an opposite-field, run-scoring single. But after moving into scoring position on a balk, Garcia was erased by Castro attempting to swipe third base. Neris followed with a strikeout of Calhoun and closer Ryan Pressly followed with his fifth save.

–Field Level Media

Andrew McCutchen and Luis Urias homered and Brandon Woodruff tossed six solid innings to pace the Milwaukee Brewers to a 5-1 victory over the visiting Washington Nationals on Saturday night.

McCutchen opened the Brewers’ first inning with his 20th career lead-off home run and Urias added a two-out solo shot that ignited a three-run fifth.

Woodruff (5-2) allowed one run on five hits in six innings, striking out six with no walks, lowering his ERA from 5.35 to 4.76.

Washington got two singles off Hoby Milner in the ninth, but Josh Hader came on with two outs and retired pinch-hitter Riley Adams on a flyout to right for his 15th save in 15 opportunities.

The Nationals loaded the bases on a walk and two singles off Brad Boxberger in the seventh, but he fanned Cesar Hernandez to end the inning. Trevor Gott pitched a scoreless eighth with the aid of a double play.

Patrick Corbin (0-7) was tagged for five runs on eight hits in five innings, striking out three and walking one.

McCutchen hammered the first pitch from Corbin 388 feet to right center for his third homer of the season. Urias and Christian Yelich followed with consecutive singles. Urias scored on Hunter Renfroe’s sacrifice fly to the warning track in center to make it 2-0.

Lane Thomas opened the third with his second homer to pull Washington within 2-1, the Nationals’ first run in the series. Milwaukee won the opener 7-0 on Friday night.

Urias, who has reached base safely in all 16 games since coming off the injured list, countered with his third homer with two outs in the fifth. Milwaukee loaded the bases on singles by Yelich and Renfroe and a walk to Mike Brosseau. Keston Hiura then punched a two-run single through the left side to make it 5-1.

–Field Level Media