The New York Mets experienced plenty of success and charmed moments during the first five-plus weeks of the season.

But after nearly 50 years in professional baseball, Buck Showalter never expected the smooth ride to last all year.

The Mets will look to start bouncing back from their first series loss of the season Monday night, when they are scheduled to host the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a four-game set.

With Tylor Megill, their originally scheduled starter for Monday, heading to the injured list Sunday due to right biceps tendinitis, the Mets have yet to announce a starter, though Showalter indicated right-hander Trevor Williams (0-2, 5.73 ERA) is the likeliest choice.

Right-hander Miles Mikolas (3-1, 1.49 ERA) will start for the Cardinals.

The Mets will be continuing a seven-game homestand after a furious ninth-inning rally fell short in Sunday’s 8-7 loss to the Seattle Mariners. The Cardinals concluded a six-game homestand Sunday night by cruising to a 15-6 win over the San Francisco Giants.

The Mets lost two of three to the Mariners as they dropped a series for the first time in 11 tries. New York, which won nine series and split a four-game set with the Atlanta Braves from May 2-4, was the last big league team to lose a series this season.

Even with a win Sunday, the Mets’ day would have been dampened by the loss of Megill, who started a five-pitcher no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies on April 29 to cap a month in which he went 4-0 with a 1.93 ERA.

But Megill gave up 11 runs over 6 2/3 innings in his last two starts and reported soreness while throwing following his start against the Washington Nationals last Wednesday.

“We knew stuff like this was going to happen,” Showalter said. “So it’s not ‘woe is me.’ I don’t wallow around in self-pity. We’re going to look at it as an opportunity to shine.”

Sights both routine and unprecedented highlighted the Cardinals’ rubber game win over the Giants. The combo of starting pitcher Adam Wainwright and catcher Yadier Molina – reunited after Wainwright missed 10 days due to testing positive for COVID-19 – became the winningest battery in history by earning their 203rd victory together.

The duo previously shared the record with Warren Spahn and Del Crandall, who produced their 202 wins for the Boston and Milwaukee Braves.

And the Cardinals’ easy win ended with Albert Pujols – who, like Wainwright and Molina, is expected to retire at the end of the season – making his debut as a pitcher by allowing four runs in the ninth inning. He gave up home runs to Luis Gonzalez and Joey Bart, who were five years old and four years old, respectively, when Pujols made his big league debut in 2001.

“That was fun,” Wainwright said. “I just can’t remember a time that ever would have happened. But that’s some of the reasons why this season is magical – things like this might happen.”

Williams last pitched on Wednesday, when he relieved Megill and threw 3 2/3 scoreless innings in an 8-3 loss to the Nationals. Mikolas earned the win last Wednesday, when he gave up one run over seven innings as the Cardinals beat the Baltimore Orioles, 10-1.

Williams is 4-6 with a 5.64 ERA in 19 career games (14 starts) against the Cardinals. Mikolas is 1-0 with a 1.13 ERA in three games (two starts) against the Mets.

–Field Level Media

It’s been more than three weeks since the Chicago Cubs won a home game.

That came against the Pittsburgh Pirates, who happened to enjoy some rare success at Wrigley Field last month.

Looking to avoid a seventh consecutive home defeat, the Cubs welcome the Pirates, who are trying for a season-high third straight win, back to Chicago on Monday night.

The Cubs won three of their first four 2022 home games, but are 1-10 there since. That lone victory came over Pittsburgh 21-0 on April 23. However, Chicago was outscored 12-8 in losing the three other games in that home set.

The Cubs suffered home losing streaks of nine and 13 games in 2021.

“The only thing we can control is the way we come and go about our business,” Chicago’s Willson Contreras told Marquee Sports Network. “Come down here, day in and day out, and do our best.”

Chicago, however, returns home looking for its third straight victory following a 4-2 road trip at San Diego and Arizona.

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh’s only 2022 winning road series came at Chicago, where prior to that series, it had lost 21 of 24. The Pirates return to the North Side looking for a third consecutive victory following a 4-3 homestand against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cincinnati.

Pittsburgh made some interesting history Sunday, when it became the sixth team in baseball’s modern era to win without recording a hit. Ke’Bryan Hayes’ eighth-inning RBI fielder’s choice produced the only run in the Pirates’ 1-0 victory over the Reds.

“Winning a major league game is really hard,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said.

“We’ll take the win. Sometimes they don’t look the same, but they count the same.”

The Pirates managed just six runs during that four-game set with Cincinnati. However, starters Zach Thompson and Jose Quintana pitched 13 scoreless innings in the last two contests. Pittsburgh starters have a collective 2.97 ERA over the last eight games.

Pittsburgh, who will start Dillon Peters (3-1, 1.83 ERA) for Monday’s series opener, is 4-2 versus Chicago this season despite its starters going 0-2 with a 5.32 ERA in those games.

Peters, meanwhile, is 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA in four career meetings (one start back in 2018) against the Cubs.

Meanwhile, Hayes, batting .301 on the season, is 4-for-6 against scheduled Cubs starter Wade Miley (0-0, 9.00 ERA). Recovered from an elbow issue, the left-hander looks for a better outing after he gave up three runs, five hits and five walks over three innings of a 5-4 loss at San Diego in his long-awaited Cubs’ debut on Tuesday.

“I let myself get frustrated, get angry,” Miley, who turns 37 in August, told the Cubs’ official website. “I’m not a good angry pitcher, so I’ve got to find a way to calm down out there.

“I’m just hoping I respond well.”

Miley is 4-4 with a 3.64 ERA in 13 career starts against the Pirates.

Contreras went 0-for-9 with four strikeouts at Arizona, but is hitting .387 with a homer, four doubles and eight RBIs in his last eight games versus Pittsburgh.

–Field Level Media

The Milwaukee Brewers will be seeking revenge on Monday night when they open up a six-game homestand with the first of three games against the Atlanta Braves.

The two teams squared off earlier in the month, with the Brewers dropping two of three games against the defending World Series champions. Milwaukee was held to just two runs in each of their losses.

In their six games since losing that series, the Brewers needed a 7-3 win over the host Miami Marlins on Sunday to finish .500.

Brandon Woodruff allowed three runs, only one of which was earned, and five hits while walking two and striking out six over five innings.

Aaron Ashby was exquisite in relief, striking out eight through four innings. He faced one batter over the minimum because a batter reached on a wild pitch after one of Ashby’s strikeouts.

“I thought Woody just competed really well today,” Brewers head coach Craig Counsell said. “Some things didn’t go his way, and it could have been a game that was frustrating and you let that affect you, and he didn’t let that affect him.”

Kolten Wong was on base all day, going 2-for-2 with a home run, a single, three walks and two runs scored. He also stole two bases. Rowdy Tellez went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs, Omar Narvaez had two hits and Luis Urias drove in two runs.

Freddy Peralta (2-1, 4.40 ERA) is Milwaukee’s expected starter on Monday, and he has been stellar over his last four appearances.

Peralta has allowed just five earned runs in his last 21 2/3 innings, good for an ERA of 2.08.

Peralta has made four appearances, including three starts, against the Braves, and he is 2-1 with a 4.41 ERA in 16 1/3 innings.

The Brewers could be without Willy Adames, who is listed as day-to-day with a sprained right ankle. Andrew McCutchen will also be out after being placed on the COVID-19 injured list.

Atlanta had been on a nice stretch, winning four of its last six games prior to its 7-3 loss in 11 innings to the Padres on Sunday.

The Braves led 3-1 through six innings, but San Diego tied things in the top of the seventh before later striking for four runs in the 11th.

Despite the loss, Atlanta starter Kyle Wright posted his fifth quality start of the season. The right hander went 6 1/3 innings, allowing just three hits and one earned run while walking two and striking out nine.

Dansby Swanson homered, scored twice and drove in two runs.

Ian Anderson (3-1, 4.20 ERA) is slated to start against Milwaukee after going 5 1/3 innings in his most recent outing against the Red Sox. Anderson took a no-decision, allowing seven hits and three earned runs while walking one and fanning four.

Anderson has faced the Brewers once, getting the win in May 2021 when he went six innings, allowing a run on two hits with four walks and four strikeouts.

The Braves could be with Ronald Acuna Jr. on Monday, as he is listed as day-to-day with a groin injury.

Acuna made his season debut April 28 after tearing his ACL last July. Since coming back, he has hit .282 with two home runs and five RBIs through 10 games.

“It feels really good to be back with my teammates after a long time away from them,” Acuna said. “I feel good, I feel healthy, and I feel good at the plate.”

Although Acuna is back, Manny Pina will undergo season-ending surgery on his left wrist, and Eddie Rosario remains on the 10-day IL due to blurred vision and swelling in his right retina.

–Field Level Media

Come Monday, a rematch of last year’s American League Championship Series awaits as the Houston Astros visit the Boston Red Sox for the first of three games.

“If we need motivation, they’re right there, right in front of us,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “They did what they did to us in October, and we’ve just got to be ready. They are playing good baseball.”

The Red Sox were unable to complete a three-game sweep in Texas after Sunday afternoon’s 7-1 loss to former teammate Martin Perez and the Rangers.

Boston was shut out after Rafael Devers hit a fifth-inning RBI single. Devers (3-for-4) had three of the team’s seven hits.

Boston had scored 30 runs in its previous four games.

The Red Sox are set to give Garrett Whitlock (1-1, 2.19 ERA) another turn in the rotation. He has allowed three runs or fewer over each of his first four career starts.

Whitlock, who allowed just two earned runs over his first 12 innings as a starter, is coming off his worst start of the season last Wednesday at Atlanta. On 82 total pitches, he had five strikeouts while allowing three runs on four hits and four walks.

The Sox aim to continue extending Whitlock, who dominated four relief outings before starting April 23 at Tampa Bay.

“Obviously he’s not going to jump into seven innings. We know that,” Cora said before Whitlock’s last start. “The pitch count is something we’ll take a look at, and stressful innings. He hasn’t done that in a while.”

Whitlock has allowed one earned run in just 2 2/3 career innings (two appearances) against Houston.

The Astros had an 11-game win streak snapped Saturday in Washington, but they bounced back for an 8-0 Sunday win as Justin Verlander threw five shutout innings.

“We had our horse on the mound,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “He wasn’t real sharp early and rarely do you see 30 pitches in that first inning. We were just hoping we didn’t have to go through our whole bullpen. He did a great job and battled and battled.”

Houston hit four home runs over the final five innings in support of the 39-year-old Verlander, who threw 28 pitches to escape a first-inning jam. Yuli Gurriel had the second of those to highlight a 3-for-4 day.

After starting second baseman Jose Altuve (leg) and shortstop Jeremy Pena (knee) missed time during the last series with nagging injuries, Mauricio Dubon was acquired in a Saturday trade from San Francisco. He made his first appearance Sunday.

“I think I can bring a lot — defensive versatility, and I can hit,” Dubon said. “It’s just a matter of what they need from me. I’ll be ready to go.”

Altuve homered during his Sunday return.

Pena’s return is imminent, as he was also expected to play Sunday before waking up sore.

“Just a little discomfort, and I feel like we just took cautionary steps to see what’s up,” the Rhode Island native told MLB.com.

Jake Odorizzi (3-2, 3.38 ERA) looks to continue a dominant run during the series-opening start in Boston. The righty has won his last three starts, allowing just one run on six combined hits over 17 2/3 innings in that stretch.

Odorizzi shut out Detroit for five innings last Sunday, allowing one hit.

Odorizzi pitched at Fenway last June, earning the victory in his 20th career start against Boston. He is 5-7 with a 4.87 ERA all-time against the Sox, who have beaten him in three of his five most recent starts dating back to 2017.

–Field Level Media

Toronto Blue Jays left-hander Yusei Kikuchi will face his former team for the first time Monday night, and the visiting Seattle Mariners should be a happy bunch.

Both teams have struggled this season, but the Mariners held on Sunday to defeat the New York Mets 8-7 in the rubber match of a three-game series.

It was the first road series victory of the season for the Mariners, and it opened a 10-game trip. It was the first series loss for the Mets.

The three-game series with the Mariners will open a six-game homestand for the Blue Jays. They dropped the rubber match of a three-game series 3-0 to the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday to complete a 2-7 trip. They have lost four straight series as their hitting woes continue.

Kikuchi (1-1, 4.15 ERA) signed with the Blue Jays as a free agent after pitching three seasons with the Mariners. He was 15-24 with a 4.97 ERA, over 70 starts with Seattle.

After a slow start this season, he is 1-0 with a 2.38 ERA in his past two starts.

The Mariners will start right-hander Chris Flexen (1-5, 4.24) on Monday. In two career outings against Toronto, he has no wins or losses and a 4.09 ERA over 11 innings.

The Mariners, who are 7-12 on the road, outpitched Mets starter Max Scherzer in the first game of the series and chased Carlos Carrasco in the fifth inning in winning the third game to take the series.

“That was a very entertaining series, three one-run games, though I would have preferred them not to be all one-run, but we’ll take it,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said.

Julio Rodriguez, the Mariners’ 21-year-old center fielder, reached base five times in five plate appearances on Sunday. He had the first four-hit game of his career, including his second homer of the season and an RBI single.

After a slow start, he is adjusting to major-league life.

“I feel like the more you are around it and the more you see stuff, the more you adjust,” Rodriguez said. “That’s something that I felt very comfortable with, kind of stepping out of my comfort zone and learning and seeing what they are actually going to try to do to me. I’ve been able to learn.”

At St. Petersburg, Fla., the Blue Jays lost games started by their best two pitchers — Kevin Gausman on Friday and Alek Manoah on Sunday.

Manoah allowed three runs (one earned) in six innings Sunday. All three runs came in the sixth, with one run scoring on an error by usually sure-handed third baseman Matt Chapman and another on a wild pitch.

“We’re just going through a little phase right now,” Manoah said. “This clubhouse is going to stay together, and this offense is going to show up. No matter how good we pitch, if we don’t win a ball game, it doesn’t matter.”

“You’ve got to pitch and play defense to win games,” Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said. “I didn’t expect our offense to struggle like we did. We didn’t play a clean game, but our offense didn’t do anything. When you’re not hitting, there’s no room for error.”

“I know that if you talk to any guy on our team right now, they’d probably think that they could be playing better than they are,” Chapman said. “I think it’s one of the things when we’re in the middle of the summer and we’re rolling we can look back and remember May and maybe how it made us stronger.”

–Field Level Media

The New York Yankees will look to continue one of their best starts in franchise history when they visit the Baltimore Orioles to open a four-game series on Monday.

The Yankees, who took three of four games against the Chicago White Sox this past weekend, are a major league-best 25-9. The Orioles got swept in their three-game series by the host Detroit Tigers after arriving in Motown having won six of eight games.

The Yankees, whose 167 runs are second-most in the American League, will look to take advantage of Orioles rookie right-hander Kyle Bradish (1-1, 4.24 ERA), who was fantastic in his last start. He allowed two earned runs on four hits to go along with 11 strikeouts and no walks in seven innings in a 5-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday.

Bradish’s third start of the season came after he held Boston to two earned runs on five hits in six innings during a 3-1 loss on April 29 in his major league debut. He surrendered four earned runs on six hits over four innings during a 9-4 win over the Minnesota Twins on May 4.

The Yankees will counter with Luis Severino (2-0, 4.08), who is no stranger to the Orioles. The right-hander has dominated Baltimore in 11 games (nine starts) throughout his career. He’s 6-1 with a 3.59 ERA with 58 strikeouts and 15 walks in 57 2/3 innings. He’s picked up the victory in each of his last five starts against the Orioles dating to May 2017.

The Yankees and Orioles will be playing their third series already this season, with New York having won four of the teams’ six meetings.

The Orioles outscored New York 9-7 while taking two of three games at Camden Yards from April 15-17, but the Yankees have emerged as a completely different team since leaving Baltimore.

The Yankees have won 20 of their last 24 games, which includes series sweeps of the Guardians, Royals, Blue Jays and Orioles.

“We’ve won in a lot of different ways,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “It’s been pitching some days, maybe a baserunning play. We’ve had our handful of games where we’ve scored a bunch of runs, had a couple of blowout games and we’ve scrapped and found ways (to win) late.

“That’s built a lot of confidence in that room, that we don’t have to lean on one thing on a given night.”

The Yankees clobbered the Orioles in the team’s last series, outscoring Baltimore 27-15 during a three-game sweep at Yankee Stadium from April 26-28.

Severino allowed four earned runs on three hits to go along with five strikeouts and two walks in six innings, picking up the win in the Yankees’ 12-8 victory in the first game.

The Orioles had a terrible weekend in Detroit, collectively scoring three runs while dropping all three games to the Tigers.

“We’re just not scoring many runs,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “With the Yankees coming in, we just have to move on from this one.”

–Field Level Media

Suddenly, there is light at what appeared to be endless tunnels for the Detroit Tigers and Tampa Bay Rays.

When the two teams meet Monday night at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., they’ll have more reason to be hopeful than they have at any point this season.

For a Tampa Bay pitching staff that was banged up coming out of spring training, things are looking a lot brighter than when the Rays were searching for arms.

For Detroit, a three-game sweep of Baltimore shows that, at least for the moment, this might not be a dead-end season.

Tampa Bay has used 25 different pitchers (including outfielder Brett Phillips in mop-up duty) and 10 different starters. But it’s looking more and more like the Rays will finally be able to settle into a rotation without having to rely on the “opener” concept in which the starting pitcher is expected to go just two or three innings.

That is due, in part, to an encouraging report on right-hander Shane Baz, who hasn’t pitched this season after having elbow surgery. Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said Baz threw two innings in an extended spring training game on Saturday. Cash said reports were that Baz pitched “very well.”

The Rays may have stumbled across another starter in the meantime. Making only his third start since joining the rotation, Jeffrey Springs pitched 4 2/3 innings in Sunday’s 3-0 win against Toronto. Springs gave up four hits on 76 pitches.

“We’re trying to get him to go longer each time to take the pressure off the bullpen,” Cash said. “The goal was five innings and we got 4 2/3 innings from him. He’s getting better with each start.”

While sweeping a Baltimore team that has struggled so far might not seem like a big deal, it meant plenty to the Tigers. Their bats came to life against the Orioles on Sunday with Miguel Cabrera hitting his 505th career home run to break a tie with Eddie Murray for 27th place all-time. Cabrera added a single and drove in another run with a sacrifice fly.

“Our guys are good hitters,” Detroit manager A.J. Hinch said. “We haven’t done well in the first month, but these guys have a track record and guys can hit. It probably helps that it’s 80 degrees out and not 30 degrees.”

Weather won’t be a factor at Tropicana Field, but the Tigers will have to deal with one of the best pitchers of the current era. That’s Corey Kluber. Although he’s 1-2 with a 4.55 ERA this season, Kluber has two Cy Young Awards.

Kluber, 36, also will be facing the Tigers for the 27th time in his career. That’s more than he’s faced any other team and he’s 13-7 against Detroit.

Detroit is scheduled to start rookie right-hander Alex Faedo (1-0 with a 3.60 ERA). He has never pitched against the Rays, but he’s no stranger to the Tampa Bay area. Faedo grew up in Tampa and had a stellar high school career at Alonso High School.

-Field Level Media

Cincinnati Reds rookie right-hander Hunter Greene and reliever Art Warren combined on a no-hitter Sunday, but the host Pittsburgh Pirates scratched out a run on Ke’Bryan Hayes’ fielder’s choice in the eighth for a 1-0 win.

Greene (1-6) started and went 7 1/3 innings, and Warren finished the eighth. According to the Pirates, it is the sixth time since 1901 a team has thrown a no-hitter and lost.

Greene, 22, a highly touted prospect in recent years making his seventh major league start, was pulled after he walked Rodolfo Castro and Michael Perez with one out in the eighth. He walked five, struck out nine and threw 118 pitches.

Pittsburgh starter Jose Quintana pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing three hits, with five strikeouts and one walk. Chris Stratton (2-1) pitched the eighth, and David Bednar pitched a one-two-three ninth for his seventh save as the Pirates earned a split of the four-game series.

Cardinals 15, Giants 6

Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina became the winningest pitcher-catcher battery in Major League Baseball history as host St. Louis demolished San Francisco.

Wainwright (4-3) and Molina recorded their 203rd victory together, moving them past Warren Spahn and Del Crandall for first place all-time. Molina paced the offense with a two-run homer and a two-run single. Paul Goldschmidt drove in three runs with two doubles and a homer, Andrew Knizner had three RBIs and Nolan Arenado added a two-run homer.

Giants starter Carlos Rodon (4-2) suffered his first poor outing of the season. After allowing just seven earned runs in his first six starts, he allowed eight runs on 10 hits in 3 2/3 innings. He walked one and struck out three.

Padres 7, Braves 3 (11)

Ha-Seong Kim had an RBI double to start a four-run 11th inning rally, and San Diego defeated host Atlanta to take two of three games in the series.

Kim’s second double of the game drove in automatic runner Jake Cronenworth to start the 11th. After Eric Hosmer reached on a fielding error, Kim scored on Jurickson Profar’s fielder’s choice. Wil Myers followed with a broken-bat two-run single to expand the lead to four runs.

San Diego’s Nabil Crismatt (2-0) pitched two scoreless innings with four strikeouts to earn the win. Crismatt also had a key defensive play in the 10th when he threw out designated runner William Contreras at third to negate a sacrifice bunt.

Brewers 7, Marlins 3

Rowdy Tellez stroked an RBI single as part of a four-run fifth inning and added a solo homer in the seventh, leading Milwaukee over host Miami.

Aaron Ashby earned a four-inning save, his first of the season, by striking out eight while not allowing a run, hit or walk. The Brewers, who won twice in the three-game series, received solo home runs from Kolten Wong and Jace Peterson.

The Marlins, who have lost 11 of their past 14 games, got a home run from Jorge Soler, his seventh of the season. After hitting just two homers in 20 April games, Soler has five in 14 May contests.

Astros 8, Nationals 0

Justin Verlander threw five shutout innings and Houston homered in three consecutive innings to bash host Washington in the rubber game of a three-game series.

Martin Maldonado, Yuli Gurriel, Chas McCormick and Jose Altuve all hit home runs for Houston. It was a strong bounce-back outing for the Astros, who a night earlier had an 11-game winning streak snapped with a 13-6 loss. Verlander (5-1) used 107 pitches and gave up two hits to combine with three relievers on a four-hitter.

Nationals starter Patrick Corbin (0-6) took the loss, logging six innings and giving up five runs on six hits, including three home runs. Washington, which has been blanked three times this season, has lost five of its last seven games.

Rangers 7, Red Sox 1

Adolis Garcia ripped two home runs, a three-run shot in the sixth inning and two-run blast in the eighth, and Kole Calhoun had two solo homers as Texas beat Boston in Arlington, Texas.

The Rangers salvaged the finale of a three-game series and snapped a two-game losing streak. Texas had managed just four runs in the first two contests in the series. Martin Perez (2-2) earned the win against his former team, allowing one run on five hits and two walks with seven strikeouts in six innings.

Boston had just seven hits, with Rafael Devers going 3-for-4. J.D. Martinez had a single in the first inning to expand his hitting streak to 16 games; Martinez has reached base in 32 consecutive contests.

Tigers 5, Orioles 1

Tarik Skubal struck out 11 batters in six innings, Miguel Cabrera homered and drove in two runs and host Detroit completed a three-game series sweep of Baltimore.

In matching his career high for strikeouts, Skubal (3-2) allowed just three hits and two walks. Harold Castro supplied three hits, a run scored and two RBIs, while Tucker Barnhart contributed two hits and drove in a run. Detroit’s three-game win streak is its longest of the season.

Baltimore starter Tyler Wells (1-3) allowed three runs on eight hits in four-plus innings. Trey Mancini homered in the ninth for the Orioles, averting a second consecutive shutout.

Mariners 8, Mets 7

Cal Raleigh hit a tie-breaking two-run homer in the sixth inning and Julio Rodriguez collected a career-high four hits for visiting Seattle, which became the first team to beat New York in a series this season by withstanding a furious ninth-inning rally to earn an 8-7 win.

The Mariners took two of three from the Mets to improve to 5-9 this month. The Mets lost a series for the first time in 11 tries this season — the longest stretch to open a season in franchise history.

The Mets looked like they might extend their streak when they responded to a three-run fourth inning by the Mariners by scoring four runs in the bottom half off Robbie Ray (4-3) via two-run triples by J.D. Davis and Brandon Nimmo — the first time in franchise history New York has collected multiple RBI triples in an inning.

Royals 8, Rockies 7

Salvador Perez had a two-run single in the ninth inning to help Kansas City rally for a win against Colorado in the rubber contest of their three-game series in Denver, Colo.

Emmanuel Rivera doubled, homered and drove in three runs, and Whit Merrifield and Bobby Witt Jr. also homered for the Royals, who let a six-run lead slip away before rallying for the win. Royals starter Daniel Lynch did not allow a run in 5 1/3 innings.

Rockies starter Austin Gomber allowed three runs and four hits in six innings. He struck out three and walked three. Yonathan Daza and Randal Grichuk each had two-run singles in a seven-run seventh inning.

Rays 3, Blue Jays 0

A throwing error by Toronto third baseman Matt Chapman opened the door for a three-run sixth inning by Tampa Bay, and five pitchers combined for a shutout as the Rays defeated the Blue Jays at St. Petersburg, Fla.

Tampa Bay starter Jeffrey Springs allowed four hits in 4 2/3 innings. Relievers Matt Wisler (2-1), J.P. Feyereisen, Colin Poche and Andrew Kittredge combined to allow only two Toronto players to reach base. Feyereisen walked a batter and Kittredge allowed a ninth-inning single.

Alek Manoah (4-1) went six innings for the Blue Jays, allowing three runs (one earned) on five hits with four strikeouts.

Dodgers 5, Phillies 4

Gavin Lux delivered a walk-off two-run double in the ninth inning after committing a costly error earlier in the game and Los Angeles rallied for a win over visiting Philadelphia.

Philadelphia led 4-3 before Cody Bellinger sparked the Dodgers’ comeback with a two-out triple in the ninth against Corey Knebel (0-3). Chris Taylor then walked before Lux doubled in two runs with a line drive into the right-field corner. Mookie Betts went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs for Los Angeles, which snapped its four-game losing streak.

Philadelphia failed to complete a four-game sweep despite a strong outing from Aaron Nola. The left-hander threw a season-high 108 pitches over seven innings, allowing two runs on four hits with two walks and eight strikeouts.

Twins 3, Guardians 1

Gio Urshela and Byron Buxton each hit home runs, and Minnesota held on for a win over Cleveland at Minneapolis.

Max Kepler added an RBI for the Twins, who won despite tallying only four hits. Jose Ramirez homered and Richie Palacios went 2-for-3 for Cleveland, which has lost three of four.

Twins right-hander Joe Ryan (4-2) collected his first victory since April 27. He limited the Guardians to one run on four hits in six innings. Cleveland right-hander Triston McKenzie (2-3) took the loss despite recording a quality start. He allowed three runs on three hits in seven innings with two walks and four strikeouts.

Angels 4, Athletics 1

Shohei Ohtani hit a two-run homer, Patrick Sandoval gave up one run in 6 1/3 innings and Los Angeles beat host Oakland.

Ohtani’s eighth home run of the season came in the first inning against A’s starter Frankie Montas, with Ohtani getting hold of a 95-mph sinker that didn’t sink.

Montas (2-4) gave up two runs and four hits in six innings, striking out a season-high 12, but it wasn’t good enough because of the performance by Sandoval (2-1). The Angels’ lefty gave up one run on four hits and four walks in his 6 1/3 innings, striking out four.

Cubs 3, Diamondbacks 2

Patrick Wisdom homered and doubled and Frank Schwindel drove in the winning run in the ninth inning with a single as Chicago defeated Arizona in the rubber game of the three-game series in Phoenix.

Rafael Ortega also homered for Chicago, which won its second straight series and finished 4-2 on its six-game Western road trip. Scott Effross (1-1) picked up the win with an inning-plus of scoreless relief, while Rowan Wick earned his fourth save. Left-hander Justin Steele started for the Cubs and struck out a career-high 10 over six innings.

Christian Walker had two hits and a run scored and Cooper Hummel tripled for Arizona, which lost its second straight game. Ian Kennedy (2-2) suffered the loss.

Yankees 5, White Sox 1

Nestor Cortes followed up his near no-hit bid by pitching a career-high eight dominant innings and New York made the most of two hits in beating host Chicago.

Cortes (2-1) took a shutout into the eighth and allowed one run on three hits to lower his ERA to 1.35 — the lowest in the American League among pitchers with at least 30 innings. He struck out seven and walked none.

Cortes lost his shutout bid when Adam Engel hit his first home run of the season in the eighth. Joey Gallo hit a two-run homer in the ninth for the Yankees. White Sox starter Michael Kopech (0-1) allowed three runs and one hit in six innings. He struck out three and walked four walks.

–Field Level Media

When the Miami Marlins continue their nine-game homestand on Monday night against the Washington Nationals, there will be an adjustment in the rotation.

Marlins lefty Jesus Luzardo (2-3, 4.03 ERA) was placed on the injured list on Sunday due to a strained forearm.

Right-hander Sandy Alcantara (2-2, 2.74 ERA) will move up one day to make the start on Monday. He will have four days of rest.

In three starts this year on four days of rest, Alcantara is 0-2 with a 4.15 ERA. In three starts with five days of rest, he is 2-0 with a 1.33 ERA.

Alcantara is 3-6 with a 4.86 ERA in nine career starts against Washington.

Luzardo, meanwhile, doesn’t believe he will be out long.

“There isn’t any pain,” Luzardo said Sunday when asked about his forearm. “It’s more like soreness and stiffness.”

The Marlins, who have lost 11 of their past 14 games – including eight of those defeats by one run – lost two of three games to the Milwaukee Brewers this past week.

Miami is 7-9 at home.

Coincidentally, Washington is 7-9 on the road. The Nationals were at home this past weekend, losing two of three to the Houston Astros.

The Nationals on Monday will start right-hander Aaron Sanchez (2-2, 7.58 ERA). Sanchez went 1-0 with a 0.93 ERA in two starts against the Marlins last year.

Miami is in fourth place in the NL East, and Washington is fifth, in last place. The Nationals, though, have actually been better on the road than at home, where they are 5-15.

The Nationals rank 28th out of 30 teams in ERA (4.78). That’s in sharp contrast to the Marlins, who rank ninth in ERA (3.45).

Washington’s rotation ranks 26th in quality, according to yardbarker.com, and that has a lot to do with injuries to Stephen Strasburg and Joe Ross. Patrick Corbin’s slump is going on its third season, and that hasn’t helped the Nationals, either.

Offensively, the Nationals are much better, ranking 12th in the majors in runs scored per game. Washington’s top hitters are right fielder Juan Soto, first baseman Josh Bell and left fielder Yadiel Hernandez.

Soto does exceptionally well despite not getting much to hit. He led the league last year in walks (145) and on-base percentage (.465). He entered Sunday again leading the league in walks (28).

Bell leads the team in OPS (.916), Soto is second (.890), and Hernandez has been a big surprise with an .886 OPS.

“He’s been remarkable,” Washington DH Nelson Cruz said of Hernandez.

Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz is a young player to watch. He hit 21 homers in 72 Triple-A games last year, posting a .993 OPS. A switch-hitter, Ruiz had a career .301 batting average in the minors.

In the majors this year, he has one homer and a .668 OPS in 27 games.

Ruiz and Soto – both 23 years old – offer hope for a bright Nationals future.

For the Marlins, they are building around their rotation and young hitters such as second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (.904 OPS) and center fielder Jesus Sanchez (.615 OPS).

Chisholm and Sanchez are both 24. Alcantara and Pablo Lopez – Miami’s two ace starters – are both just 26.

-Field Level Media

Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina became the winningest pitcher-catcher battery in Major League Baseball history as the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the visiting San Francisco Giants 15-6 Sunday.

Wainwright and Molina recorded their 203rd victory together, moving them past Warren Spahn and Del Crandall for first place on the all-time list.

Molina paced the offense with a two-run homer and a two-run single. Paul Goldschmidt drove in three runs with two doubles and a homer, Andrew Knizner had three RBIs and Nolan Arenado added a two-run homer.

Wainwright (4-3) allowed two runs on three hits and two walks in six innings as the Cardinals won their second consecutive game. He struck out five.

Giants starter Carlos Rodon (4-2) suffered his first poor outing of the season. After allowing just seven earned runs in his first six starts, he allowed eight runs on 10 hits in 3 2/3 innings. He walked one and struck out three.

The Cardinals struck immediately to take a 4-0 lead. Tommy Edman hit a leadoff single and Goldschmidt launched a two-run homer, the first homer Rodon allowed this season.

Juan Yepez hit a one-out single, Albert Pujols hit a double and Molina hit a two-run single.

Goldschmidt hit a double in the third and Pujols hit an RBI single to make it 5-0.

Dylan Carlson led off the fourth inning with a single. Harrison Bader grounded into a forceout, then he stole second base and scored on Edmundo Sosa’s single.

Sosa then scored on Goldschmidt’s double to make it 7-0. Zack Littell relieved Rodon and allowed Arenado’s two-run homer that pushed the margin to 9-0.

Molina hit his two-run homer in the fifth to make it 11-0.

Joc Pederson ripped a two-run homer in the sixth to put the Giants on the board. But the Cardinals upped their lead to 13-2 in their half of the inning with Knizner’s two-run single.

After Yunior Marte hit Knizner with the bases loaded to make it 14-2, Giants manager Gabe Kapler picked outfielder Luis Gonzalez to pitch. Carlson hit an RBI single to boost the lead to 15-2.

Not to be outdone, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol had Pujols pitch the ninth inning — and he allowed a three-run homer by Gonzalez and a solo shot by Joey Bart.

–Field Level Media