After scoring 20 runs to end a five-game losing streak, the Toronto Blue Jays will try to keep the offense going Wednesday night against the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, Fla.

The Blue Jays pounded out 27 hits on Tuesday to defeat the Rays 20-1, gaining a split of the first two games of the four-game series.

“It got a little ugly,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said.

George Springer finished 4-for-5 with a solo home run, a triple, two RBIs and three runs.

“It’s good to see some positives on our side,” Springer said. “It’s just a good day. Hopefully spiral into a lot more.”

The Blue Jays scored nine runs and had three home runs in the ninth inning — including a grand slam by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. that gave him six RBIs for the game — against two position players. Luke Raley moved from first base in the eighth to pitch 1 2/3 innings, and catcher Christian Bethancourt pitched one-third of an inning.

“It’s not my favorite place to be,” Raley said. “I told them before, I got rocked in high school, so I can’t imagine what these guys would actually do to me if I tried to pitch. So just try to lob it over the plate and save our bullpen.”

The 19-run margin of defeat was the largest in franchise history. The worst had been a 22-4 defeat to the Boston Red Sox on July 23, 2002.

The Blue Jays are scheduled to start left-hander Yusei Kikuchi (5-1, 4.08 ERA) on Wednesday. In six career games, five starts, against the Rays, he is 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA.

Left-hander Shane McClanahan (7-0, 2.05 ERA) is slated to start for the Rays. In seven career starts against Toronto, McClanahan is 3-2 with a 2.65 ERA.

The Blue Jays broke out on Tuesday after they had lost seven or their previous eight games, including six losses in the final seven games of a 4-6 homestand.

Toronto center fielder Kevin Kiermaier is making his first visit to where he played 10 years for the Rays. The Blue Jays won two of three from the Rays in Toronto last month.

“I told (the Rays) last year when they didn’t sign me, I said, ‘I’ll make you guys miss me next year. Whether you admit it or not, I’m going to make you guys miss me,’ ” Kiermaier said. “So who knows if they do or not; they’re doing just fine without me, so. …”

Kiermaier is 2-for-8 with one RBI in the first two games of the series.

Rays right-hander Tyler Glasnow (left oblique strain) is set to be activated Saturday and pitch for the first time this season. It is a boost for a rotation that has lost Jeffrey Springs (Tommy John surgery) and Drew Rasmussen (flexor strain) to long-term issues.

“Regardless of the injuries, I think having Tyler Glasnow back no matter what is important,” McClanahan said. “The guy’s been busting his butt to get back as soon as he can. We’re excited to see what he can do for us and what we know he can do for us.”

Toronto right-hander Adam Cimber (right rhomboid strain) was reinstated from the injured list on Tuesday and pitched a scoreless ninth inning. Infielder Ernie Clement was promoted to the major league roster. Right-hander Thomas Hatch and infielder Otto Lopez were optioned to Triple-A Buffalo, and right-hander Mitch White (right elbow inflammation/right shoulder fatigue) was transferred to the 60-day IL.

–Field Level Media

The St. Louis Cardinals look to continue their offensive surge when they visit the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night in the third game of a four-game series.

One night after clubbing his eighth homer of the season, St. Louis shortstop Paul DeJong continued his offensive renaissance on Tuesday with a hit and two runs in an 8-5 win.

DeJong’s offense helped right-hander Adam Wainwright record a rare win in Cincinnati while complementing a two-homer effort from slugger Paul Goldschmidt.

DeJong is four years removed from the best year of his career, when he belted 30 homers and drove in 78 for the Cardinals in an All-Star season.

“I can watch highlights from 2019 and realize, ‘Hey, I still get to throw the ball to Paul Goldschmidt every day,’ or ‘I have Nolan Arenado right next to me. Or Adam Wainwright and all these other great players,'” DeJong said.

“We have some really great players here, and I just opened my eyes to the great opportunities that I have to be here and wear this uniform. That really propelled me to have fun and be in the moment, as opposed to in years past wanting to hit certain benchmarks subconsciously. Those thoughts have melted, and I can just have fun with these guys.”

The Reds have dropped seven of nine to fall into last place in the National League Central. They did get some good news Tuesday when center fielder TJ Friedl returned from the injured list, having recovered from an oblique strain that kept him out for 11 days.

“It’s one of the hardest things being on the IL, watching the guys play. I’m just happy to be back and just get back in there,” said Friedl, who tested the oblique early with an outstretched running grab of a second-inning Tommy Edman drive to the warning track in center.

Reds manager David Bell decided to drop Jonathan India into the No. 3 hole in the batting order for the first time this season while batting Friedl leadoff.

India, who batted leadoff in 46 of Cincinnati’s first 47 games, grounded into a game-ending forceout on Tuesday with the bases loaded and the tying runs on base.

“It makes the most sense. We have two left-handed hitters in our lineup,” Bell said of leadoff hitter Friedl and cleanup batter Jake Fraley. “To separate those guys makes a lot of sense just to not make it too easy on the other team to bring a left-hander in for both of those guys. Also, it just lengthens our lineup (because) trying to get production from the bottom half of our lineup is really important.”

Cardinals left-hander Steven Matz (0-5, 5.05 ERA) could be facing the perfect team on Wednesday to help earn his first win of 2023. Since joining the Cardinals in 2022, Matz is 3-0 with a 2.38 ERA in three games (two starts) against the Reds. In his career, he is 4-0 with a 2.92 ERA vs. Cincinnati over five appearances (four starts).

Matz took the loss last Friday at home against the Los Angeles Dodgers despite giving up just one run, which was unearned, and six hits over 4 2/3 innings.

The Reds will counter with right-hander Ben Lively (1-2, 2.45 ERA), who will be making his second straight start after two relief outings. Lively allowed just two runs and two hits over 5 2/3 innings on Friday in a 6-2 loss to the New York Yankees.

Lively will be facing the Cardinals for the first time in his career, but Goldschmidt is 4-for-8 with a home run lifetime against him.

–Field Level Media

Despite a few hiccups, the Texas Rangers have been playing with plenty of confidence on the road this month, and their record away from home has been a good indicator of that.

Boasting an 8-4 record outside of Arlington, Texas, in May, the Rangers will look to continue being road warriors on Wednesday when they conclude a three-game series with the host Pittsburgh Pirates.

Texas emerged from Tuesday’s contest with a 6-1 victory, anchored by a complete game from starter Nathan Eovaldi. Left-hander Martin Perez (5-1, 4.01 ERA) will be looking to replicate that performance on Wednesday after allowing two runs on seven hits in seven innings of a victory against the Colorado Rockies last Friday.

Perez is 2-1 on the road this season, but he has posted a 5.28 ERA through six starts away from Globe Life Field.

Pittsburgh might try to take a page or two out of the Rangers’ book, as Wednesday marks the Pirates’ last home game of the month. Pittsburgh will open a six-game trip on Friday, playing three games in Seattle before heading to San Francisco.

Right-hander Johan Oviedo (3-3, 4.69) will get the nod for the Pirates after giving up just one run on two hits in six innings of a win against the Arizona Diamondbacks last Friday.

Oviedo has allowed just two runs over his last two starts spanning 11 innings, and he attributed a lot of that success to his sinker.

“Really happy,” Oviedo said of how he feels about his sinker after his outing against Arizona, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “It was amazing. So glad it worked out the way we wanted. Hopefully we can stick with it.”

Only two players in Texas’ lineup — Robbie Grossman and Brad Miller — have recorded at-bats against Oviedo, who made his major league debut on Aug. 19, 2020.

That unfamiliarity could make it even tougher to hit a Pittsburgh pitching staff that has the second-best ERA in the National League (3.78). Only the Atlanta Braves (3.64 ERA) have fared better.

However, the Pirates also might not have a grip on Perez, who has only faced four Pittsburgh hitters. Veterans Carlos Santana and Andrew McCutchen have seen Perez the most, with Santana sporting a .250 average (7-for-28) against the southpaw and McCutchen hitting .353 (6-for-17) against him.

What Perez has on his side is run support, though, as the Rangers have scored the most runs in the majors this season with 307. Texas is averaging a whopping 6.4 runs per contest and has scored at least five in six of its last seven games.

Getting shortstop Corey Seager back in the lineup has been a big reason for the recent success, as Seager is hitting .348 (8-for-23) with two home runs and 10 RBIs in six games since returning from the injured list. He had missed 31 games because of a left hamstring strain.

“I feel good,” Seager said. “This lineup is really good, and hitting is contagious. Everybody wants to pass the baton and keep moving. That’s all we’re trying to do.”

–Field Level Media

The San Diego bats — struggling to get going all season — may be coming alive as the Padres enter the second game of a three-game series against the host Washington Nationals on Wednesday.

San Diego smacked four homers in a 7-4 win in the series opener on Tuesday and has won two straight games for the first time since May 3-5. The Padres blanked the Boston Red Sox 7-0 on Sunday.

Outfielder Juan Soto, playing his second series back in Washington after being traded away to San Diego last August, spoke with some of his former teammates before the game, told them he was going to hit a home run and did.

Soto finished 3-for-4 with his ninth home run of the season while finishing with an RBI, a walk, a stolen base and two runs. He received a standing ovation from the Nationals Park crowd before his first at-bat.

“Definitely last year was a little bit more emotional,” Soto said. “This year was emotional. But it was more like happy. I feel more happy instead of being sad about being traded.”

Xander Bogaerts, Brandon Dixon and Jake Cronenworth also homered for the Padres, who can clinch a series win Wednesday after losing their past five. Yu Darvish went six innings for the win and Josh Hader worked the ninth for his 12th save.

“We know we’re capable of doing these things,” San Diego manager Bob Melvin said. “Good to see us backing up two games in a row.”

Padres left-hander Ryan Weathers (1-2, 3.42 ERA) opposes right-hander Trevor Williams (1-2, 4.26) on Wednesday.

Weathers, who was recalled last week from Triple-A El Paso to take the rotation spot of Seth Lugo (right calf strain), has pitched in six games with four starts. In his most recent start on May 14, Weathers gave up four runs on three hits and four walks over 5 2/3 innings in a loss to the Dodgers.

Weathers won his only previous start against Washington, in 2021, despite allowing four runs in 5 1/3 innings.

Williams worked six innings, allowing three runs on five hits, in a loss to the Marlins last Thursday. He walked one, struck out five and allowed one home run.

“He threw the ball well,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “This whole year he’s been keeping us in the ballgame. They got a couple of hits there and gave up a couple of runs. But other than that, man, he threw the ball really well.”

Williams, a San Diego native, is 0-1 with a 4.96 ERA in four games (three starts) versus the Padres. San Diego designated hitter Matt Carpenter is hitting .286 with three homers and six RBIs in his career against Williams.

On Tuesday, Washington rallied from a 3-0 deficit to tie the score in the fifth inning, but the bullpen allowed four runs.

Lane Thomas and former Padre CJ Abrams — acquired in the Soto trade — hit back-to-back homers for the Nationals.

“It’s exciting,” said the 22-year-old Abrams. “It’s fun just playing against your former teammates and friends. It didn’t go our way, but we’ll get them (Wednesday).”

Thomas extended his on-base streak to a career-high 19 games. During the streak, Thomas is hitting .346 (27-for-78) with three doubles, a triple, six homers, 13 RBIs, four walks, and 17 runs.

Another player who was part of the Soto trade — left-hander MacKenzie Gore — started for the Nationals and went 4 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits in a no-decision.

–Field Level Media

George Springer went 4-for-5 with a solo home run and two RBIs as the Toronto Blue Jays demolished the Tampa Bay Rays 20-1 on Tuesday in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Springer finished a double away from hitting for the cycle as the Blue Jays ended a five-game losing streak. Toronto had 27 hits, the highest single-game total in the majors this year. Tampa Bay used position players to pitch the final two innings, and they yielded 10 runs.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a ninth-inning grand slam and drove in six runs, and Matt Chapman and Danny Jansen added two-run homers in the ninth. Toronto right-hander Jose Berrios (4-4) allowed one run, five hits and two walks with five strikeouts in seven innings.

Isaac Paredes hit a solo home run for the Rays, who won the opener of the four-game series on Monday. Rays right-hander Taj Bradley (3-1) gave up nine hits and four runs while amassing seven strikeouts and no walks in four innings.

Royals 4, Tigers 1

Michael Massey’s double sparked a three-run fourth inning and the Kansas City bullpen made it hold up in a win against visiting Detroit.

Eduardo Rodriguez (4-4) flirted with trouble all night, putting runners in scoring position before escaping with back-to-back strikeouts in each of the first two innings. Ultimately, he completed five innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on eight hits and two walks. He struck out nine.

Making just his sixth career start — and first since Sept. 6 of last year — Mike Mayers fanned the first four Tigers he faced and a career-best eight over 4 2/3 innings, allowing one run on six hits and a walk. Four Royals relievers hurled 4 1/3 innings to close out the Tigers.

Padres 7, Nationals 4

Juan Soto had three hits, including a home run, against his former team, and visiting San Diego defeated Washington.

Xander Bogaerts, Brandon Dixon and Jake Cronenworth also homered for the Padres. Soto added two singles and a walk and scored twice as he began his second series in D.C. since being traded to the Padres at the 2022 trade deadline. Yu Darvish (3-3) allowed three runs on six hits over six innings. Josh Hader pitched the ninth for his 12th save.

Lane Thomas and former Padre CJ Abrams homered for the Nationals. Washington starter MacKenzie Gore, who came over with Abrams in the group exchanged for Soto and Josh Bell, went 4 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits with four walks and five strikeouts.

Dodgers 8, Braves 1

Right-hander Bobby Miller limited Atlanta to one run in his major league debut and catcher Will Smith drove in three runs to help visiting Los Angeles post its second straight win in a matchup of National League division leaders.

Miller (1-0), the team’s first-round draft pick in 2020, allowed a lone run in the first inning but never faltered. He pitched five innings and gave up one run on four hits with one walk and five strikeouts. Smith went 3-for-5 with a double. He is batting .318 (21-for-66) in May and lifted his season average to .310.

Spencer Strider (4-2) took the loss. He pitched six innings and allowed a season-high-tying four runs (two earned) on five hits with three walks and 11 strikeouts, his fourth double-digit strikeout game of the season.

Yankees 6, Orioles 5 (10 innings)

Rookie Anthony Volpe hit a game-ending sacrifice fly in the 10th inning after Aaron Judge hit a tying homer off Felix Bautista in the ninth as host New York outlasted Baltimore.

The Yankees won their fifth straight and moved a season-high 10 games over .500 at 30-20 when Volpe brought home the winning run off Bryan Baker (3-2). Judge blasted an 0-2 splitter off Bautista into the left field seats for his 14th homer and eighth since returning from the injured list two weeks ago. Harrison Bader homered in the fourth and capped New York’s three-run fifth off Baltimore’s Kyle Bradish with a sacrifice fly.

Adam Frazier hit a two-run double five batters into the game off Gerrit Cole before Cedric Mullins and Gunnar Henderson homered in the third and fourth, respectively, off the Yankees’ ace.

Cubs 7, Mets 2

Christopher Morel tied a team record by homering in his fifth straight game, rookie Matt Mervis clubbed a two-run drive and Seiya Suzuki also went deep as host Chicago cooled off New York.

With Chicago ahead 6-2 in the seventh, Morel added some historic insurance with a ball well into the left-field bleachers. He’s the first Cub to homer in five straight since Sammy Sosa (1998). Called up May 9, Morel has homered nine times in his first 12 games — only the fourth player since 1901 to accomplish that feat. Mervis had three RBIs and Drew Smyly (5-1) allowed two runs, four hits and two walks while striking out five over five innings for the Cubs, who regrouped following a 2-7 road trip.

Pete Alonso clubbed his league-leading 18th homer and had two RBIs for the Mets, who were riding a five-game winning streak. Brandon Nimmo added three hits.

Giants 4, Twins 3

Michael Conforto hit a two-run, go-ahead home run in the seventh inning to lead San Francisco past Minnesota in Minneapolis for the Giants’ third straight win. It was the second straight game that Conforto, who also doubled, hit what proved to be a game-winning home run for San Francisco.

Alex Cobb (4-1) picked up the win, allowing three runs on six hits over seven innings. He walked one and struck out eight. Camilo Doval hit a batter but struck out the side in the ninth to earn his 13th save as the Giants got to .500 for the first time since April 6.

Byron Buxton went 2-for-4 with a home run, a stolen base and two RBIs and Michael A. Taylor also homered for Minnesota, which lost for the fifth time in its last six games. Jorge Lopez (1-2) suffered the loss.

Rangers 6, Pirates 1

Nathan Eovaldi fired a complete-game six-hitter, and visiting Texas evened its three-game series with Pittsburgh with a victory.

Eovaldi (6-2) held the Pirates to a single run, walked one and struck out five to become the first pitcher in the majors to record two complete games this season. Pirates starter Rich Hill (4-4) tallied nine strikeouts, but also allowed seven hits and five runs through 5 1/3 innings.

Josh Jung’s eighth-inning solo homer capped Texas’ scoring in the win, and Jung finished with three RBIs and two runs.

Diamondbacks 4, Phillies 3

Gabriel Moreno homered and drove in two runs and Corbin Carroll hit two doubles and had a go-ahead RBI single in the eighth to lift Arizona past host Philadelphia for the Diamondbacks’ fourth straight win.

Diamondbacks starter Ryne Nelson tossed six strong innings and allowed three hits and one run with four strikeouts and no walks. Jose Ruiz (2-0) earned the win in relief, and Miguel Castro threw a scoreless ninth for his fifth save.

Kody Clemens had a double and two RBIs and Bryce Harper added two hits for the Phillies. Matt Strahm lasted two innings after being pressed into a spot start for the Phillies. Strahm gave up three hits and two runs with three strikeouts and no walks. Seranthony Dominguez (1-2) took the loss.

Brewers 6, Astros 0

Colin Rea and four relievers combined on a five-hitter and Owen Miller hit a two-run homer to pace Milwaukee to a victory over visiting Houston, snapping the Astros’ eight-game winning streak.

Rea (1-3) allowed four hits over 5 1/3 innings, striking out four and walking two for his first major league win since August 2020 when he was with the Chicago Cubs. The Brewers’ bullpen allowed just one hit the rest of the way.

Astros starter J.P. France (1-1) allowed two runs, one earned, on five hits in 5 2/3 innings. He stuck out eight and walked one. Houston had won 11 of its previous 12 games.

White Sox 4, Guardians 2

Yasmani Grandal homered and drove in two runs, Romy Gonzalez highlighted a three-run seventh inning with a go-ahead, two-run double, and Chicago doubled-up host Cleveland.

Dylan Cease (3-3) snapped a seven-start winless streak, allowing two runs on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts over six innings. Chicago evened the three-game series at a win apiece and has won four of its last five. Kendall Graveman pitched the ninth for his fourth save.

Will Brennan homered and Andres Gimenez had two hits for Cleveland, which has lost six of its last eight. Guardians starter Logan Allen (1-2) retired 14 of his first 15 batters but took the loss after giving up all three runs in the seventh.

Cardinals 8, Reds 5

Paul Goldschmidt snapped out of a prolonged slump with solo homers in his first two at-bats while Adam Wainwright earned a rare win in Cincinnati as visiting St. Louis beat the Reds.

Goldschmidt entered the game in a 1-for-21 slump with nine strikeouts and had not homered since May 7, when he homered three times against Detroit. Wainwright (2-0) scattered eight hits and five runs over 5 2/3 innings for his first win in Cincinnati since Aug. 16, 2019, which was also his last win against the Reds overall.

Graham Ashcraft (2-3) was pulled after five innings, allowing seven runs on 10 hits, striking out five, walking none and yielding the two solo homers to Goldschmidt.

Rockies 5, Marlins 4

Elias Diaz had three hits, Randal Grichuk drove in two runs and Colorado beat Miami in Denver.

Jorge Soler homered among his two hits, Garrett Cooper also went deep, Yuli Gurriel had three hits and Nick Fortes and Jon Berti each had two hits for Miami. Soler got the Marlins started in the first when he blasted the first pitch he saw from Austin Gomber over the wall in center field — his 13th homer of the season.

Gomber (4-4), who has pitched well after a rough beginning of the season, settled down quickly after Soler’s 456-foot blast. He retired 11 of the next 12 batters and eight in a row at one point. He ended up lasting 5 2/3 innings. Marlins starter Eury Perez (1-1) took the loss.

Angels 4, Red Sox 0

Los Angeles got seven scoreless innings from Griffin Canning and home runs from Mickey Moniak, Matt Thaiss and Mike Trout on the way to a victory over Boston in Anaheim, Calif.

Canning (3-2) gave up just two hits and three walks while striking out five. Matt Moore (eighth inning) and Jacob Webb (ninth) completed the two-hit shutout.

Moniak and Thaiss each hit a solo homer off Red Sox starter Brayan Bello (3-2), the only runs Bello allowed in seven innings.

Mariners 3, Athletics 2

J.P. Crawford and Ty France hit back-to-back home runs in the fifth inning as Seattle rallied for a victory against visiting Oakland.

Oakland suffered its sixth straight loss and its winning percentage dropped to .200 this season (10-40 record). A’s right-hander Luis Medina (0-3), making his fourth major league start, gave up three runs on five hits over five innings, with two walks and four strikeouts.

Mariners left-hander Marco Gonzales (4-1) put together a quality start, allowing two runs on five hits in six innings. Paul Sewald pitched the ninth for his 10th save in as many opportunities in 2023.

–Field Level Media

The visiting Houston Astros will be looking for a happy offensive medium against the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday in the rubber game of the three-game series at American Family Field.

Milwaukee right-hander Adrian Houser (0-0, 3.07 ERA) will start opposite Astros righty Brandon Bielak (1-1, 2.89).

The Astros were blanked 6-0 on Tuesday to snap their eight-game winning streak after pounding out five homers the day before in a 12-2 win in the series opener.

“I’ve seen it a bunch like that,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “You end up scoring a lot of runs one night, and you wish you could cut them up and spread them over two or three games. But that’s what happens. The ball is in the court of the pitcher.”

Colin Rea and four relievers combined on a five-hitter Tuesday night for the Brewers. Rea, recalled five days after being sent to Triple-A because of injuries in the rotation, allowed four hits over 5/13 scoreless innings for his first major league victory since August 2020 when he was with the Cubs.

Owen Miller had a two-run homer and rookie Joey Wiemer added a solo shot for the Brewers.

Astros second baseman Jose Altuve, playing in his fourth game since coming off the IL, left in the sixth inning and his status is uncertain for Wednesday.

“He was feeling sick,” Baker said. “So, that’s why he called us out there. We just took him out because we thought it was the best thing to do for precautionary reasons. Like I said, he was feeling sick and you could sort of see it. He’s being evaluated by doctors and we’ll let you know tomorrow.”

Bielak got the win in his last start, a 5-1 victory over Oakland on Friday, giving up one run in five innings with a career-high nine strikeouts.

Bielak made one relief appearance after a call-up from Triple-A Sugar Land, on May 1. In three starts since, he has allowed five runs, four earned, in 14 2/3 innings.

Miller also had a pair of singles Tuesday, raising his average to .347. It was the third three-hit game in the last 12 days for Miller, a Wisconsin native who played at Ozaukee High School, about 35 miles from the Brewers’ ballpark.

“He didn’t have a great offensive season last year, but he got a ton of at-bats, kind of stockpiled and under his belt, and I think that’s so necessary for a young hitter in this league,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said of Miller, acquired from Cleveland during the offseason. “I think that experience and those struggles, you learn, you make adjustments, you adapt, and you combine that with the talent that he has as a hitter and he’s got a good little streak going here.”

Houser will be making his fourth start since coming off the injured list May 7. He allowed four hits in six scoreless innings in his last start but did not get the decision in a 1-0 loss at Tampa Bay on Friday.

Houser is looking to regain his form from 2021, when he was 10-6 with a 3.22 ERA, before dipping last season to 6-10 with a 4.73 ERA.

Houser is 1-0 with a 1.42 ERA in two career appearances, including one start, against the Astros, allowing one earned run in 6 1/3 innings.

With starters Brandon Woodruff, Wade Miley and Eric Lauer on the injured list, the Brewers reportedly are signing 32-year-old right-hander Julio Teheran, who last pitched in the majors in 2021.

Teheran, an All-Star with Atlanta in 2014 and 2016, was 4-2 with a 5.63 ERA in eight starts for the San Diego Padres’ Triple-A affiliate El Paso, before opting out of his minor league deal Monday.

–Field Level Media

Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson finds himself in yet another slump at the plate, but the two-time All-Star remains as confident as ever.

Anderson will look to build some momentum when the White Sox face the host Cleveland Guardians in the rubber match of a three-game series on Wednesday.

Anderson went 1-for-5 in Chicago’s 4-2 win over the Guardians on Tuesday night, and he has three hits in 21 at-bats over the past six games. He is hitting .244 with no home runs in 127 at-bats overall.

Chicago manager Pedro Grifol said he has no plans to move Anderson from the leadoff spot.

“I’m always a glass-half-full guy with guys that have done it before,” Grifol said. “He’s an (at-bat) away, a game away from taking off and hitting .320 the rest of the year. I’m not concerned, I’m not panicked. I don’t think about it too much.”

Chicago, which has won four of its past five games, will be without Luis Robert Jr. in the series finale. The center fielder left the Tuesday game after the eighth inning due to right hip tightness, and Grifol said Robert is listed as day-to-day.

Cleveland, which has lost six of its past eight, will turn to right-hander Cal Quantrill (2-2, 4.06 ERA) on Wednesday. He received a no-decision after allowing three runs over 5 2/3 innings against the New York Mets on Friday.

After posting a 5.40 ERA in his first five starts, Quantrill has recorded a 2.77 ERA across 26 innings in his past four outings.

Anderson is 7-for-17 against the 28-year-old Quantrill, who is 2-1 with a 2.87 ERA in 10 career games (six starts) against the White Sox.

Right-hander Michael Kopech (2-4, 4.83 ERA) will take the mound for Chicago. He turned in his best performance of the season on Friday, allowing one hit and no walks over eight scoreless innings while striking out 10 in a 2-0 win over the Kansas City Royals.

“I was able to find something that clicked, both physically and mentally,” Kopech said. “The main thing that I talk about with (Grifol) is being mentally in control out there. I felt like I was able to do that.”

Kopech, who retired the first 16 batters in the stellar outing, has gone 2-1 with a 2.55 ERA over his past four starts, covering 24 2/3 innings.

Jose Ramirez has been limited to one hit in eight at-bats against Kopech, who is 0-1 with a 4.61 ERA in six career appearances (two starts) vs. Cleveland.

Guardians catcher Mike Zunino went 0-for-4 on Tuesday after snapping a 1-for-31 skid with a two-run homer in Cleveland’s 3-0 win on Monday. Zunino remains optimistic despite his slow start.

“The production has not been to where I’ve wanted it, but that’s part of this game,” Zunino said. “Certain stretches get magnified, but you have to come in, keep putting the work in, keep making the adjustments you need to — and results usually come from that.”

Cleveland clearly needs more production from its lineup after scoring three runs or fewer in 30 of its 48 games.

“We talked before the game and a lot over this last month: There’s not a lot of wiggle room,” Guardians manager Terry Francona said after the Tuesday loss.

–Field Level Media

The Arizona Diamondbacks will look for their fifth consecutive victory — and a three-game sweep — when they battle the host Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday afternoon in the finale of a nine-game road trip.

Arizona went 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position but managed to come up with enough clutch hits to pull out a 4-3 win on Tuesday. Gabriel Moreno hit a home run and knocked in two runs and Corbin Carroll had three hits and the go-ahead RBI in the eighth inning to catapult the Diamondbacks.

“I think that there’s a piece of confidence that it creates,” Carroll said of coming from behind. “At the same time, we have a group of guys that have that inner belief, no matter what is going on in the field.”

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. stayed hot with a double in the eighth to extend his hitting streak to 16 in a row, the longest active streak in Major League Baseball.

The Diamondbacks are 29-20 and nine games above .500 for the first time since Sept. 11, 2018, when they were 77-68.

“We’re in a really good spot because we have a positive energy that we’re going to get the job done,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said.

The Diamondbacks will hand the ball to right-hander Zac Gallen (6-2, 2.95 ERA).

Gallen, Arizona’s unquestioned ace, struggled mightily in his last outing against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday as he allowed eight hits and a career-high eight runs, five earned, in 3 2/3 innings.

“I felt OK,” Gallen said after that outing. “Just kind of … the ball wasn’t really going where I wanted it to. I wasn’t trying to put too much stock into it really, you can’t get too crazy with what goes on down there in the bullpen, but I just knew I wasn’t super sharp.”

Gallen is 3-1 with a 1.93 ERA in four career starts against the Phillies.

The Phillies will hope to avoid a series sweep in the finale.

Bryce Harper had two of the Phillies’ six hits Tuesday, but they went 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position and five left on base.

“There’s nothing we can really talk about besides the fact that we have to get the job done,” Harper said. “We’re not doing it.”

The result was another loss for the defending National League champions, who fell four games below .500.

“It’s frustrating especially when you come back late,” manager Rob Thomson said. “We started slow with the bats.”

The Phillies tied the game at 3 in the seventh inning but couldn’t hold on.

Giving up leads has been an issue all season.

“My sense is we’re going to fight our way out of this,” Thomson said.

Seranthony Dominguez continued his roller coaster season with a rough outing as he allowed two hits and one run without recording an out in taking the loss.

Dominguez’s ERA increased to 4.26.

“I still trust him,” Thomson said. “Guys are going to have bad nights. If he’s available tomorrow, I’m going to run him back out there.”

Lefty Ranger Suarez (0-1, 10.50) is scheduled to start for the Phillies.

Suarez gave up five hits and four runs in two innings in his previous start against the Chicago Cubs, also on Friday.

In Suarez’s career against the Diamondbacks, he’s 1-3 with a 5.79 ERA in seven games with four starts.

Brandon Marsh was held out of Tuesday’s game with right shoulder inflammation though he was available to be utilized as a pinch runner. Marsh is considered day-to-day and it’s unclear if he’ll be available on Wednesday.

–Field Level Media

J.P. Crawford and Ty France hit back-to-back home runs in the fifth inning as the Seattle Mariners rallied for a 3-2 victory against the visiting Oakland Athletics on Tuesday night.

Oakland suffered its sixth straight loss and its winning percentage dropped to .200 this season (10-40 record).

Mariners left-hander Marco Gonzales (4-1) put together a quality start, allowing two runs on five hits in six innings. Gonzales, who allowed eight runs in 1 2/3 innings of his previous start in Boston last Wednesday, walked one and struck out four against the A’s.

Paul Sewald pitched the ninth for his 10th save in as many opportunities in 2023.

A’s right-hander Luis Medina (0-3), making his fourth major league start, gave up three runs on five hits over 5 1/3 innings with two walks and four strikeouts.

The A’s scored twice in the first inning. Esteury Ruiz led off by lining a single to left field and stole his major-league-leading 25th base of the season. With one out, Ramon Laureano lined a run-scoring single down the right field line and took second on the throw home. Laureano advanced to third on a groundout and scored as Carlos Perez grounded a two-out single to left.

It remained 2-0 until the bottom of the fifth, when the Mariners put together a two-out rally to take the lead. Tom Murphy lined a double to left and Crawford followed with a two-run shot into the first row of seats in right center on a 1-0 fastball to tie the score. France then hit a 1-2 slider off the out-of-town scoreboard beyond the bullpens in left center to give Seattle a 3-2 advantage.

A’s reliever Trevor May, activated from the injured list earlier in the day after being out since April 19 with anxiety issues, hit both France and Eugenio Suarez with pitches in the eighth inning but escaped without allowing a run. France, plunked on the outside of the left hand, left the game for a pinch runner.

–Field Level Media

The Los Angeles Angels got seven scoreless innings from Griffin Canning and home runs from Mickey Moniak, Matt Thaiss and Mike Trout on the way to a 4-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night in Anaheim, Calif.

Canning turned in his best performance of the season. He returned to action this year after a stress fracture in his back cost him half of the 2021 season and all of 2022.

Canning (3-2) gave up just two hits — a single by Enmanuel Valdez in the second inning and a single by Triston Casas in the seventh. Canning retired 15 of 16 batters during one stretch between the second and seventh innings.

In all, Canning struck out five and walked three while throwing 91 pitches.

Relievers Matt Moore (eighth inning) and Jacob Webb (ninth) each threw a scoreless frame to seal the victory, completing a two-hit shutout. The Red Sox had only one baserunner get into scoring position.

Moniak and Thaiss each hit a solo homer off Red Sox starter Brayan Bello (3-2), the only runs Bello allowed in seven innings. Bello gave up six hits and did not walk a batter while striking out six.

The Angels led 2-0 going into the eighth, when Trout hit a two-run homer off Red Sox reliever Joely Rodriguez. It was Trout’s 11th homer of the season, tying Shohei Ohtani for the team lead.

It also was Trout’s 361st career home run, tying Joe DiMaggio for 85th on the all-time list.

Moniak hit Bello’s second pitch of the game over the fence in center field for a home run, his fourth of the season and third leading off the first inning.

Since being called up on May 12, Moniak is hitting .419 (13-for-31) with a 1.373 on-base-plus-slugging percentage in 10 games.

The Angels finished with nine hits, with nine different players each recording one hit.

–Field Level Media