Like his Milwaukee Brewer teammates, Corbin Burnes has looked sharp following a rough opening against the Chicago Cubs in 2022.

Meanwhile, Marcus Stroman is still trying to find his form for Chicago.

Aiming for their sixth straight win, the Brewers will look to sweep a three-game home set from the struggling Cubs on Sunday. On the mound, Burnes (1-0, 1.75 ERA) will face Stroman (0-3, 6.98) in a matchup of right-handers.

Since losing the season’s first two games at Chicago, Milwaukee is 15-5. The Brewers have outscored their opponents 38-13 during this five-game winning streak, including 20-2 in the first two games of this series.

“The thing about baseball is you have to keep grinding, keep putting in the work and keep trying to get better,” Brewers star Christian Yelich, who has homered in each of the past two games and is 6-for-13 in the past four, told the club’s official website.

Burnes, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, certainly has pitched better since a 5-4 loss to the Cubs on Opening Day, when he gave up three runs, four hits and three walks while striking out four over five innings. In his following three starts, Burnes has allowed two solo home runs and seven other hits, and has struck out 29 and walked three over 20 2/3 innings.

He recorded 11 of those strikeouts while yielding just two hits over 6 2/3 scoreless frames during the Brewers’ 4-2 home loss to the San Francisco Giants on Monday.

“I’m just going out and doing my job,” Burnes told the website. “We’ve done really good to this point with everyone sticking to what they do best, and going out there to play good baseball.”

Meanwhile, the Cubs, losers of three straight and nine of 11 since starting 6-4, have not played very good baseball behind Stroman to start his career on Chicago’s North Side. His teammates have totaled just 10 runs in four games when he’s been on the mound.

Then again, Stroman hasn’t necessarily helped his own cause; he’s yielded 15 earned runs over 19 1/3 innings. However, he lasted a season-high six innings, giving up two earned runs and six hits without a walk during Tuesday’s 3-1 loss at Atlanta.

“It’s getting better,” Stroman told the Cubs’ website. “I’m still not where I want to be, but definitely making strides in the right direction. As far as how I feel, I definitely need to do some work.”

Stroman made a solid first impression with the Cubs when he gave up a home run to Willy Adames and allowed one other hit, while walking three with three strikeouts, over five innings of Opening Day appearance over Burnes and the Brewers. Adames is 5-for-8 with two homers vs. Stroman all time, and he is batting .341 with four doubles, four homers, 11 runs scored and 11 RBIs during a 10-game hitting streak against the Cubs.

Milwaukee’s Hunter Renfroe is 5-for-9 with three home runs and five RBIs in this series.

Chicago’s Ian Happ is batting .333 while hitting safely in six of his past seven games and is 5-for-14 with two doubles and a homer vs. Burnes. Teammate Jason Heyward is 4-for-9 with a homer against him.

However, the Cubs have been held to one run in three straight games, and four of their past five.

–Field Level Media

The St. Louis Cardinals will welcome third baseman Nolan Arenado back into the lineup Sunday after he served a one-game suspension Saturday against the Arizona Diamondbacks because of his role in a benches-clearing brawl last week.

Arenado incited the brawl with the New York Mets on Wednesday after motioning to pitcher Yoan Lopez when a pitch by Lopez was high and inside.

Following an appeal to Major League Baseball, Arenado had his suspension reduced from two games to one game. He missed Saturday’s contest, won by Arizona 2-0, on what happened to be a bobblehead promotion day in his honor.

Rookie Brendan Donovan started in his place at third base, and Edmundo Sosa played shortstop.

The Cardinals produced only two singles against Arizona starter Merrill Kelly and two relievers in Saturday’s loss.

They had only five hits, including a double by Arenado and a homer by Paul Goldschmidt, in Friday’s 6-2 loss.

In Thursday’s 8-3 win to start the series, the Cardinals produced 15 hits, all of them singles.

“It’s a matter of when you look at the teams that are successful in the playoffs, there’s a lot of doubles and home runs being hit,” St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol said. “When that’s not happening, you have to find other ways to win.

“At the end of the day, we’re going to have to drive the baseball. Do I think we will? Absolutely. That’s something we have to get going.”

The Cardinals will try to salvage a split of their four-game series with the Diamondbacks with Arenado — a .375 batter — back in the lineup.

Arizona will start right-hander Zach Davies (1-1, 5.40 ERA) against right-hander Jordan Hicks (1-2, 3.00).

Davies is 3-5 with a 4.54 ERA in 14 career starts against St. Louis, mostly when he was with the Milwaukee Brewers from 2015 to 2019.

Arizona hopes Davies can continue the effective pitching against St. Louis that Madison Bumgarner and Kelly displayed in the wins Friday and Saturday.

“I’m really proud of the guys for their resiliency after losing the first game here Thursday after it seemed like St. Louis was getting hit after hit,” said Arizona manager Torey Lovullo, whose team has won four of its last five games. “The pitching has really been the difference with us getting our confidence level up.

“They’re hitting their spots and giving everybody a lift because of the way they are performing.”

Hicks will make his first start against Arizona in his four-year career. He has pitched in three games against the Diamondbacks, totaling four innings without an earned run allowed.

Marmol is confident the Cardinals can always manufacture runs with their baserunning. They lead the majors with 22 stolen bases in 23 attempts after stealing two Saturday.

The 95.65 percent success rate is their best over the first 20 games since caught stealing was made an official stat in 1951.

Harrison Bader stole second in the second inning Saturday, giving him a National League-leading six steals.

He had only nine stolen bases in 2021.

–Field Level Media

The Seattle Mariners and the host Miami Marlins saved the best pitching matchup for last.

When the teams close their three-game series on Sunday afternoon, the Marlins will start right-hander Sandy Alcantara (2-0, 1.78 ERA).

Seattle will counter with right-hander Logan Gilbert (3-0, 0.40), who leads the American League in ERA.

The Marlins have won seven straight games — the longest active streak in the National League.

“Our pitching has been great all year,” Marlins third baseman/outfielder Brian Anderson said. “Our position players are just now starting to roll.”

Alcantara will try to keep it going against Seattle, a team he has never faced. But one of the game’s trends favors Alcantara, who has a 3.22 career ERA in Miami, covering a span of 44 games (40 starts). On the road, his career ERA is a tick higher at 3.60.

All four of Alcantara’s starts this year have come with catcher Jacob Stallings, who is expected to start on Sunday.

Gilbert, who has yet to face Miami, has actually been better on the road (3.82 ERA in 14 starts). He has a 4.18 home ERA, also in 14 starts.

This will be a homecoming for Gilbert, a native Floridian (Winter Park) who played his college ball in this state at Stetson, alma mater of Jacob deGrom.

Gilbert has two previous major league starts in Florida, going 1-1 with a 2.53 ERA at Tampa Bay’s Tropicana Field.

This year, Gilbert will enter Sunday’s game on a streak of 17 1/3 scoreless innings. One key has been the increased velocity of his slider, from 83 mph to 86.

Seattle has won all four of Gilbert’s starts. Perhaps this will be where the Mariners end their four-game losing streak.

The Marlins, who started nine right-handed hitters on Saturday in their 3-1 win over lefty Robbie Ray, are expected to go back to their usual starters on Sunday.

That means lefty batters Jazz Chisholm Jr., Joey Wendle and Jesus Sanchez are expected to face Gilbert.

Chisholm leads the Marlins in homers (four), steals (four), triples (three), RBIs (15) and OPS (1.010).

If Chisholm isn’t Miami’s best young hitter, then it’s Sanchez, his fellow 24-year-old. Sanchez is hitting .286 and is second on the team in homers (three) and RBIs (12).

Wendle is batting .304 and has shown versatility by playing third base and shortstop.

“I don’t plan to start nine righties against lefties all the time,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said of his Saturday lineup. “It worked out (on Saturday). We want to take care of our guys (with occasional rest).”

The Mariners are led in hitting by catcher Tom Murphy (.385), shortstop J.P. Crawford (.360) and first baseman Ty France (.337). France also leads the team in homers (five) and RBIs (21).

Slumping Mariners include right fielder Jarred Kelenic (.148), center fielder Julio Rodriguez (.205) and left fielder Jesse Winker (.169).

“Playing these tight games against really good pitching,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said, “you have to find a way to get it done.

“We’re fine. You have streaks like this. It’s just a matter of getting through it now.”

–Field Level Media

It’s going to take a special pitching performance to shut down New York’s offense and end the Yankees’ eight-game winning streak.

That’s exactly what the Kansas City Royals hope to get from Daniel Lynch.

The host Royals and Yankees will conclude their three-game series Sunday afternoon. Right-hander Luis Severino (2-0, 3.32 ERA) will get the ball for the Yankees while Lynch (2-1, 3.38 ERA) will start for the Royals.

The Yankees are second in the American League in runs (100), home runs (29), OBP (.326), slugging (4.24) and OPS (.750).

The Yankees defeated the Royals 3-0 Saturday night to claim the three-game series, the 12th straight series triumph over the Royals dating to 2015. The Royals held the Yankees to only one extra-base hit, but eight walks allowed Yankees all over the basepaths.

Yankees starter Gerrit Cole threw six of the shutout innings and the Royals didn’t threaten against the New York bullpen.

Lynch has been spectacular recently. He’s had two consecutive scoreless outings, allowing six hits over 11 innings. He’s the only Royals starter to record a win this year. He says there hasn’t been anything special that has contributed to his success.

“I’ve been throwing a lot of strikes, attacking guys in the strike zone,” he said. “I feel like I’ve been doing a good job of getting ahead of guys, not really putting myself in bad counts. I’ve been letting them put the ball in play and let the defense do their thing.”

Lynch has struggled with throwing too many strikes. He threw better than 70 percent of his pitches for strikes and had seven strikeouts in five innings in his first start against the Cardinals. But he also allowed nine hits, including three home runs.

Now, he’s finding the corners of the zone.

“Sometimes hitters hit good pitches,” he said. “I feel like I’m getting ahead more. That might be getting hitters into forced positions to get good swings. Confidence is important for anyone, but for me, I have confidence that the pitch I’m about to throw is going to go exactly where I want it.”

Lynch has only faced the Yankees once in his career, without recording a decision. He allowed three runs in 4 2/3 innings last Aug. 10.

If Lynch and the Royals are going to stop the Yankees’ streak, they’ll have to do it against a pitcher who’s had success against them in the past. Severino is 2-1 with a 4.42 ERA in three career starts.

He allowed two or fewer runs in his first three starts this season before allowing four in six innings in his last start. Three of those runs came on a home run by Baltimore’s Anthony Santander. In fact, Severino carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning.

“I was pretty good, executing my pitches,” Severino said. “In the sixth inning, I was behind in the count and walked a couple. The homer, I don’t know how it got out. I don’t know how to explain that.”

–Field Level Media

Jo Adell is expected to get the start in left field Sunday afternoon when the visiting Los Angeles Angels play the third game of their four-game set against the Chicago White Sox.

With Mike Trout in center field and Taylor Ward winning the every-day spot in right field with his sizzling bat, Adell and Brandon Marsh find themselves in a platoon situation in left field, with the right-handed hitting Adell getting starts against lefties.

The White Sox will throw left-hander Dallas Keuchel (1-2, 9.00 ERA) against Angels right-hander Michael Lorenzen (2-1, 2.93) on Sunday.

Adell, though, actually has had more success against right-handers, both in his career and this season. He’s hitting .290 against right-handers this season, and just .158 vs. lefties. For his career, he’s hitting .217 vs. righties, .202 vs. lefties.

Adell also is still trying to figure out how to lower his strikeout rate. In his rookie year in 2020, he struck out in 42 percent of his plate appearances, but he got that number down to 23 percent last season. He is at 36 percent in 2022.

The Angels, though, still believe in his potential, and with Adell (23 years old) and Marsh (24) still getting their major league feet wet, splitting the left field duties might take off some of the pressure.

“They’re very talented, there’s no question,” Angels manager Joe Maddon said. “You put your scout’s cap on, and my goodness, that’s exactly what you’re looking for. Body, speed, strength, running ability, everything. They’re gonna get settled in. But they’re going to be really good major leaguers for a long time.”

In fact, together, their combined numbers aren’t too far off those of Trout (five homers, 10 RBIs) and Ward (five homers, 13 RBIs). Adell and Marsh have combined for five homers and 23 RBIs.

“They’re giving you flashes right now,” Maddon said. “We need to get their feet on the ground to the point where they can compete in really tight games and meaningful times of the year. … That has to be nurtured. I don’t expect it overnight. You don’t turn battleships on a dime.”

Lorenzen has no decisions with a 3.86 ERA in five career games (two starts) vs. the White Sox. Keuchel has had success against the Angels, going 12-2 with a 3.52 ERA in 20 career games (19 starts). But he has not beaten Los Angeles since 2018.

Despite Saturday’s 4-0 win over the Angels, the White Sox have lost 10 of their last 12 games, a lack of offense being a big part of it. During those 12 games, they’ve averaged just 2.4 runs per game.

“Guys are grinding. But whatever the reason, the quality of at-bats can get better, and they’re working on it,” White Sox manager Tony La Russa said.

“It’s starting to show results. I’ve learned a long time ago, if you try to explain yourself, it sounds like an excuse. The less you explain, the less excuses people think you’re making. But our offense is going to be fine. We’re going in the right direction,” La Russa said.

–Field Level Media

The Minnesota Twins and host Tampa Bay Rays have taken turns notching comfortable wins heading into Sunday’s series finale, and the Twins are waiting to see about star center fielder Byron Buxton.

Without Buxton, who was scratched from Saturday’s lineup due to a sore right hand, the Twins still pounded out 14 hits in winning 9-1. They have won eight of their last nine games. The bullpen also shut down Tampa Bay, tossing five shutout innings with seven strikeouts.

In Friday’s game, which Tampa won 6-1, Buxton was hit by a Corey Kluber pitch. Images of the hand came back negative.

Second baseman Jorge Polanco hit leadoff in place of Buxton on Saturday, with Gilberto Celestino getting the nod in center field.

Buxton, hitting .271 with six homers and 11 RBIs, took batting practice on Saturday, but the speedy center fielder still was experiencing discomfort.

Meanwhile, Josh Lowe of the Rays is starting to show signs of heating up. On Friday, the rookie hit his first big league home run. He followed that up with a double on Saturday, collecting one of Tampa Bay’s four hits.

“We’ve just got a lot of key components right now who are not doing what they typically do,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said of the struggling Rays’ offense. “They’ll get out of it.”

The Rays had their three-game win streak snapped.

On Sunday, the Twins will start rookie right-hander Josh Winder (0-0, 3.48), who has never faced the Rays.

Winder, who was a candidate for the rotation before the Twins picked up Chris Paddack and Chris Archer in spring training, is making his first start after three relief appearances. In 10 1/3 innings, he has allowed four runs on seven hits, with three walks and five strikeouts.

He most recently pitched April 24 against the Chicago White Sox, surrendering one run and three hits with two strikeouts as the Twins prevailed 6-4.

With rosters expanded to 28 for April, the Twins are using their seventh starter this season. They have been going with a six-man rotation, but the impending roster reduction is expected to change that strategy. Teams will carry a maximum of 26 players, and they are limited to 13 pitchers.

“If that number shrinks going forward and does go down to 13, I don’t want to say it would be impossible, but it would be very difficult to have a six-man rotation,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said.

The Twins made a roster move on Saturday to add long-relief depth. Right-hander Cole Sands was recalled from Triple-A St. Paul, and right-hander Bailey Ober, who has made four starts, has been placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to April 20, with a right groin strain.

As the Twins are using expanded roster spots to ease the workloads of their starting pitchers, injuries have caused the Rays to be more creative in piecing together their rotation. They have used nine starters in their first 21 games.

Sunday’s starter is listed as left-hander Josh Fleming (2-2, 4.50 ERA). Three of his four appearances have been in relief, most recently on Tuesday against the Seattle Mariners. In two innings, he gave up seven runs — all unearned — and four hits, with a walk and two strikeouts.

Fleming is in his third season in the majors and has never faced the Twins.

The organization also is dealing with some COVID-19 issues with members of its coaching staff.

–Field Level Media

The visiting Houston Astros will be glad to say goodbye to former teammate George Springer Sunday afternoon after playing the rubber match of a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Springer hit two home runs against Astros starter Luis Garcia on Saturday afternoon in a 2-1 Blue Jays victory.

“It boiled down to too much George,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “Man, that was a tough one to lose because both pitchers were throwing the ball well. Luis was throwing great, outside of the two homers to George.”

Three of Springer’s six home runs this season have been against Houston, the team he left when he signed as a free agent with Toronto before the 2021 season.

He has hit safely in four games against the Astros this season, going 5-for-15 (.333) with a double and three RBIs, in addition to the homers.

“I love it,” Springer said. “As a team, we’re in a great spot. We’ve played some close games, but it’s all good. This is a team that has to go through it and understand what it’s like to do it. We’re starting to see that we can. It’s a good start to April, now it’s on to May.”

“It’s big, what he’s doing,” Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said. “It’s tough to manage against something like that because you’re always thinking about the third time around (the order) and all of that stuff. The third time around, they’re getting George Springer again. That makes us a lot better.”

Montoyo was ejected in the fifth inning Saturday after Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was called out on strikes in the fifth inning.

Springer led off the bottom of the first with a homer, the 46th of his career to lead off a game, tying Jimmy Rollins for sixth on the all-time list. Springer’s second homer came with one out in the third.

The homers came on cutters. The first one was on a poor one that Astros catcher Jason Castro referred to as “kind of lazier.”

“The second one, that’s just him being a really good hitter,” Castro said. “It’s something that’s usually his something that’s usually his bread and butter and George just did a nice job.”

“Any time you can get the first guy even on base in an inning, it allows guys to hit the way they want to hit,” Springer said. “It’s a good spot. You always like to be up, 1-0, but any time you can get to first base to start an inning is huge.”

Toronto will start right-hander Kevin Gausman (1-1, 2.19 ERA) Sunday against Houston left-hander Framber Valdez (1-1, 3.15).

Gausman faced Houston once last season, July 30 in San Francisco when he was with the Giants. He allowed three earned runs, six hits and two walks in 4 1/3 innings. He struck out nine in taking the loss. In four career games against the Astros, he is 1-3 with a 5.16 ERA.

Valdez is 1-1, 6.17 ERA, in two career starts against Toronto.

Astros left fielder Michael Brantley did not play Saturday due to “health and safety protocols.”

Toronto put left-hander Tayler Saucedo (right hip) on the injured list Saturday and recalled right-hander Bowden Francis from Triple-A Buffalo.

–Field Level Media

The Pittsburgh Pirates will see the San Diego Padres’ Eric Hosmer and Manny Machado, and will raise them Bryan Reynolds.

Reynolds, the Pirates’ All-Star center fielder and arguably their best player, had been struggling at the plate before he was one of the keys to Saturday’s 10-inning, 7-6 win over the Padres.

The rubber game of the series in Pittsburgh is set for Sunday.

Reynolds was 1-for-3 with two walks and an RBI and reached on an error as the winning run scored Saturday. He raised his batting average to .194, far below his career mark of .285 and last year’s .302.

“Just trying to get more and more comfortable in there, and things will turn,” Reynolds told AT&T Sportsnet.

“The way he’s taking pitches, I think it’s the best he’s looked at the plate. … That’s the Bryan Reynolds we saw last year,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said.

The Pirates had lost four straight before Saturday and San Diego had won four straight.

“We’ve been playing good baseball; we just haven’t gotten the timely hits to drop,” Reynolds said. “To come back and get it done (Saturday), it can start some good momentum.”

Not if the Padres have something to say about it, particularly Hosmer and Machado. They each homered Saturday, accounting for five runs, as they continue to be among the best hitters in the major leagues. Hosmer’s average dropped to .389 after he entered Saturday leading the big leagues. Machado isn’t far behind at .386.

“That’s five runs, and usually we win those games,” San Diego manager Bob Melvin said. “Those two guys continue to show up big for us. But we have some (other) guys who can hit it out of the ballpark, who just haven’t heated up yet.”

In the series finale, San Diego right-hander Joe Musgrove (3-0, 2.16 ERA) is slated to oppose Pittsburgh right-hander Mitch Keller (0-3, 6.62 ERA).

Musgrove is in his second season with his hometown Padres after three seasons with the Pirates.

His time in Pittsburgh helped him mature into the solid starter he has been for San Diego — 14-9, 3.05 ERA, 1.057 WHIP and a no-hitter since he was traded by Pittsburgh — even though he began his career with World Series champion Houston.

“The three years I spent here was the best thing that could happen for my career,” Musgrove told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette this weekend. “It was a chance to leave some of the big names, where I was just another number on the roster, and get the chance to stand out a little more and take more of a leadership role, even though I felt like I wasn’t ready at the time.

“But everyone here encouraged me and pushed me. I loved it.”

Musgrove is 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA in two career starts against the Pirates.

Keller, 26, remains a work in progress. He has lost each of his starts so far and has not won at PNC Park since last May 29.

His most recent start was a no-decision Tuesday against Milwaukee, when he allowed four runs and five hits in 4 2/3 innings, with two walks and one strikeout.

Against San Diego, Keller is 1-1 with a 7.00 ERA in two career starts.

–Field Level Media

While the Boston Red Sox finished April with a slightly better record than the Baltimore Orioles, the AL East foes share the common trait of constantly being involved in close games.

The first two games of their season series were close, and both teams seek a little more breathing room Sunday afternoon in the finale of a three-game series in Baltimore.

Boston ended April with an underwhelming 9-13 record, a mark due to them losing four extra innings games on the road and eight of 14 decided by two runs or fewer.

Baltimore ended April with 14 losses in its first 21 contests. The Orioles are 6-8 in games decided by two runs or fewer and have split eight one-run games.

Baltimore is in position for the series win after getting a 2-1 victory on Saturday night. Speedster Jorge Mateo scored the winning run in the 10th inning on a throwing error by Boston reliever Hirokazu Sawamura, who tried to get the out at third on a bunt by Robinson Chirinos.

The Orioles tied the game in the eighth on a two-strike single by Anthony Santander on a night when they were no-hit for 5 2/3 innings by Nathan Eovaldi. They were also without Trey Mancini, who is day-to-day with a rib injury.

Baltimore snapped a five-game skid, thanks to the efforts of six relievers who combined on 5 1/3 scoreless innings after Spenser Watkins went the first 4 2/3 innings.

“We pitched extremely well,” Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde said. “It started off with Spenser. The rest of the guys, they all had great stuff. Just a gutty performance by our pitching staff.”

Boston is 3-6 on its 10-game road trip. The Red Sox have been held to three runs or fewer in six games on the trip. They stranded 10 runners after Xander Bogaerts’ RBI single three batters into Saturday’s game.

“At the end of the day, we have to be better,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “If we want to compete and be the team that we envision, we have to hit.”

The Red Sox also continued to play without J.D. Martinez, whose groin injury has kept him out for three straight games. He is expected to return Sunday.

Baltimore’s Jordan Lyles (1-2, 5.40 ERA), who allowed three homers Tuesday at Yankee Stadium, hopes to keep the ball in the ballpark this time. Lyles led the AL last year with 38 homers allowed when he was with Texas. He allowed one homer in his first three outings before the barrage by the Yankees.

Lyles is 1-1 with a 6.10 ERA in four career starts against the Red Sox. Lyles is hoping for similar results as his previous start against the Red Sox, when he pitched seven innings of one-run ball in a 10-1 win at Fenway Park on Aug. 21.

Nick Pivetta (0-3, 8.27), who is 0-6 with a 6.61 ERA in his past 12 appearances dating to last season, goes for the Red Sox.

Pivetta is 6-1 with a 3.60 ERA in eight career outings against the Orioles. He is 4-1 with a 3.86 ERA in five career starts in Baltimore.

–Field Level Media

Clayton Kershaw set the Los Angeles Dodgers’ all-time strikeout record but the visiting Detroit Tigers snapped a six-game losing streak with a 5-1 victory on Saturday night.

Kershaw entered the game three strikeouts shy of Don Sutton’s record of 2,696 in a Dodgers uniform. Kershaw finished the night with seven strikeouts. He didn’t figure in the decision, giving up one run on four hits while issuing two walks.

Javier Baez and Austin Meadows drove in two runs apiece for the Tigers while Jeimer Candelario had two hits and scored two runs.

Tigers starter Beau Brieske, making his second career appearance, gave up one run on three hits and struck out three in five innings. Jacob Barnes (2-0) pitched an inning of scoreless relief and was credited with the win.

Mookie Betts homered for the Dodgers. Betts smashed Brieske’s second offering, a changeup, over the center field fence.

Kershaw tied Sutton’s record by striking out Dustin Garneau in the third but the Tigers then tied the game. Derek Hill smacked a double and Robbie Grossman walked before Baez’s run-scoring single to left.

Kershaw set the new mark by whiffing rookie Spencer Torkelson on a slider in the fourth inning. In the same inning, the Tigers had two baserunners with two out before Kershaw once again fanned Garneau.

Los Angeles’ Chris Taylor hit a two-out double in the fourth but Brieske induced a Gavin Lux groundout to end the threat.

Meadows, who had three hits, played a key role in the seventh inning as Detroit scored three runs off Evan Phillips (1-1) and Brusdar Graterol.

Candelario was hit by a pitch and pinch-hitter Harold Castro singled. After the next two batters struck out, Baez sliced a double to right to bring in Candelario. Miguel Cabrera walked to load the bases before Meadows’ soft single to left knocked in two more runs.

Los Angeles had two baserunners in the bottom of the inning but Michael Fulmer came out of the bullpen and got Austin Barnes to hit into a double play.

The Tigers made it 5-1 in the eighth on Candelario’s infield hit and Tucker Barnhart’s RBI double.

–Field Level Media