One day after watching Justin Verlander shut down the opposition 2-1, the New York Mets will turn to a 30-year-old rookie against the host Cincinnati Reds on Thursday afternoon in search of their first series win in a month.

Right-hander Kodai Senga (4-1, 3.38 ERA) gets the starting assignment for the Mets, looking to continue an impressive beginning to his major league career after winning 104 games in 11 seasons in his homeland of Japan.

In his last outing on Friday in New York, Senga held the Colorado Rockies to two hits over six scoreless innings in New York’s 1-0 win. Senga struck out four and walked four, and he became the fourth pitcher in franchise history to earn four wins through his first six career major league starts, joining Steven Matz, David Peterson and Jason Jacome.

The Mets have won just four of their last 16 games and will be looking for their first series win since April 17-19, when they won 2-of-3 from the Dodgers in Los Angeles.

The Reds will counter with right-handed reliever Derek Law (2-4, 3.00) in his fifth career start as an opener among his 210 major league appearances. Right-hander Ben Lively is expected to make his first big-league appearance since 2019 with Kansas City.

The Mets took the field on Wednesday trying to put a controversial call from Tuesday night behind them. The Reds’ Wil Myers broke up a play at second base when he slid into the bag and kept Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor from fielding the ball off the bat of Kevin Newman. The Reds scored three runs in the inning and won, 7-6.

Mets manager Buck Showalter asked the umpires to huddle and discuss the play. He became upset when they didn’t and was ejected for the first time in two seasons with the Mets.

“I just saw it differently,” Showalter said. “It’s pretty obvious what it was, but it’s hard to imagine four guys not being able to see what happened. There’s about three ways you can get that play right.”

“There are different plays that happen throughout the game that could’ve cost us the game,” Lindor said. “But for me, as a defensive player, it is very difficult to watch. But as a professional athlete, we have to be able to turn the page and not focus on the umpires.”

On Tuesday night, playing for Cincinnati’s Triple-A affiliate Louisville, Elly De La Cruz accomplished a first in professional baseball. According to MLB.com, no team in Triple-A or MLB had ever hit three balls in play measured above 115 mph in the Statcast era in the same game. De La Cruz did it all by himself.

In Louisville’s 10-9 win over Triple-A Columbus, the 21-year-old phenom had batted balls with exit velocities of 118.8 mph (double), 117.1 mph (home run) and 116.6 mph (home run). The two home runs traveled 428 feet and 456 feet, respectively.

Ironically, De La Cruz won the game on a bases-loaded walk.

“You hit the ball that hard, that’ll lead to walks, for sure,” Reds manager David Bell said. “There is no question that says a lot. That’s where a number like that can point something out that needs to be paid attention to. That’s a big deal. That’s really hitting the ball hard consistently.”

De La Cruz is hitting .345 with five home runs, four doubles, 13 RBIs and 12 runs in his last 12 games at Triple-A.

Prior to Wednesday’s game, the Mets placed catcher Tomás Nido on the 10-day injured list with a vision issue. Taking Nido’s spot was catcher Michael Perez, who was selected from Triple-A Syracuse.

–Field Level Media

Raimel Tapia’s pinch-hit double drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning and Kenley Jansen pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn his 400th career save as the visiting Boston Red Sox beat the Atlanta Braves 5-2 on Wednesday to earn a split of their two-game series.

Jansen pitched one inning and allowed one hit, striking out Travis d’Arnaud to end the game and earn his ninth save. Jansen, who pitched for the Braves last season and led the National League in saves with 41, is the seventh player to record 400 saves and trails No. 6 Billy Wagner, who has 422.

The Braves tied the game in the sixth inning after Ronald Acuna Jr. crushed a solo homer 470 feet to left field. It was the seventh homer for Acuna, his first since May 3. Austin Riley singled with one out, took second on a ground ball and scored on Eddie Rosario’s single to right field to make it 2-2.

Boston starter Brayan Bello (2-1) pitched six innings and allowed two runs on six hits, with one walk and five strikeouts. He has allowed only five earned runs over 16 innings in his last three starts.

Mets 2, Reds 1

Justin Verlander allowed just one run and two hits over seven dominant innings as New York edged host Cincinnati, becoming the 21st pitcher in major league history to record a win against all 30 teams.

Verlander (1-1) was making his third career start against the Reds and only his second start this season since signing with the Mets in the offseason after having his season delayed due to an upper arm strain. He struck out seven and walked two.

David Robertson pitched a perfect ninth for his seventh save in as many chances. Verlander, Adam Ottavino and Robertson combined to retire 24 of the final 25 Cincinnati batters. Pete Alonso hit his majors-best 13th home run for the Mets. It came against Reds starter Hunter Greene (0-3), who surrendered both runs on six hits over 5 1/3 innings, walking four and striking out four.

Yankees 11, Athletics 3

Harrison Bader belted a three-run homer in the first inning that was upheld via replay and host New York cruised past Oakland.

The Yankees won a third straight game for the first time this season and completed their first series sweep. New York had lost 10 of 16 games prior to its series versus the Athletics.

New York held a 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly by Gleyber Torres before Bader hit a 1-1 pitch off Oakland starter Kyle Muller (1-3) that just cleared the video board in right field. Right fielder JJ Bleday tried to make a leaping catch on the play. A fan sitting in the front row appeared to reach over and make the catch. Replay appeared to show the fan’s glove was over the padding off the fence, but the homer stood after umpires initiated a crew chief review.

Tigers 5, Guardians 0

Eduardo Rodriguez scattered four hits across seven innings as Detroit defeated host Cleveland in the rubber match of a three-game series.

Rodriguez (4-2) walked two batters and struck out eight while improving to 4-0 over his last six starts. He has not lost since April 5 at Houston.

Tyler Freeman recorded two of the four hits for Cleveland, which has not been able to score more than four runs in each of its last 10 games. The Guardians are 4-6 during that stretch.

Dodgers 8, Brewers 1

Freddie Freeman hit a home run, Clayton Kershaw went seven strong innings and Los Angeles completed a six-game road trip with a victory over Milwaukee.

Freeman, who finished with three RBIs, joined Will Smith in belting back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning. Miguel Vargas also went deep as the Dodgers won for the 10th time in their last 12 games and went 4-2 on a trip that also included a stop at San Diego.

Kershaw (6-2) rebounded from a rocky start against the Padres on Friday by allowing one run on five hits with no walks and eight strikeouts. It was Kershaw’s third start of at least seven innings.

Marlins 5, Diamondbacks 4

Jesus Sanchez hit a three-run homer and Joey Wendle singled in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning as Miami beat Arizona in the rubber match of a three-game series in Phoenix.

Miami is 12-0 in one-run games, the best record in major league history to start a season. The 1972 New York Mets won their first 11 such games. Sanchez doubled against Andrew Chafin (2-1) to begin the ninth and was replaced by pinch-runner Bryan De La Cruz. After Miguel Castro relieved Chafin, De La Cruz eventually scored on Wendle’s double to left field.

Sanchez and Peyton Burdick had two hits apiece for Miami, which concluded its six-game road trip with a 3-3 mark. Dylan Floro (2-1) pitched a scoreless eighth inning for the win, and A.J. Puk worked around a two-out single in the ninth for his sixth save.

Rangers 4, Mariners 3

Dane Dunning pitched six quality innings as Texas defeated host Seattle, taking two of three games in the series between the American League West rivals.

Marcus Semien homered and drove in two runs for division-leading Texas, which has won eight of its past 11 games. Dunning (3-0) allowed two runs on six hits. The right-hander walked one and struck out five. Will Smith pitched a perfect ninth for his sixth save of the season.

Texas handed Mariners ace Luis Castillo (2-1) just his third regular-season loss since being acquired at last year’s trade deadline. The right-hander gave up three runs on eight hits in five innings, with no walks and nine strikeouts. J.P. Crawford and Jarred Kelenic had RBIs for Seattle.

Nationals 11, Giants 6

Riley Adams smacked a three-run home run, and visiting Washington scorched Sean Manaea for eight runs in the first three innings en route to a romp over San Francisco to break even on a six-game road trip.

Lane Thomas also homered for the Nationals, who lost the first two games of their trip in Arizona before winning three of the last four, including two of three in San Francisco. As they did in Monday’s 5-1 win, the Nationals wasted no time building a commanding lead, putting up four runs in both the second and third innings to go up 8-0.

Adams’ homer came after Dominic Smith opened the scoring against Manaea (1-2) with an RBI single. Manaea was charged with eight runs (four earned) in 2 2/3 innings. He allowed five hits and three walks while striking out four. Michael Conforto and LaMonte Wade Jr. each hit two-run homers for the Giants.

Rockies 4, Pirates 3

Jurickson Profar hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh as Colorado erased a three-run deficit to top host Pittsburgh in the rubber match of a three-game series.

Randal Grichuk added an RBI double, and Austin Wynns and Alan Trejo each had an RBI single for the Rockies, who have won eight of 10. Colorado starter Antonio Senzatela, in his second game back after knee surgery last year, left in the third because of forearm tightness. Brad Hand (2-1) pitched 1 2/3 scoreless, hitless innings.

Andrew McCutchen and Tucupita Marcano homered for the Pirates, who have lost nine of 10. Robert Stephenson (0-1) gave up one run and two hits in the seventh.

Astros 5, Angels 4

Cristian Javier struck out a season-high 11 batters in six innings, leading Houston to a victory over Los Angeles in Anaheim, Calif.

Javier (3-1), who struck out Mike Trout three times and Shohei Ohtani twice, gave up a two-run homer to Hunter Renfroe, but was otherwise stellar before handing the ball to the bullpen with a 5-2 lead. Closer Ryan Pressly gave up a two-run homer to Ohtani in the ninth that brought the Angels within one run, then retired three in a row for his sixth save.

Jeremy Pena led Houston’s offense with two hits, including a two-out, two-run single in a pivotal four-run fourth inning. Yordan Alvarez hit a solo shot in the first, his eighth of the year.

Cubs 10, Cardinals 4

Yan Gomes came off the injured list to club a two-run home run, Patrick Wisdom also hit a two-run bomb and Justin Steele went six innings to stay unbeaten as Chicago routed visiting St. Louis.

Out since May 1 with a concussion, Gomes belted his sixth homer in the fourth inning and followed with two more hits as the Cubs capped a 3-3 homestand. Wisdom’s 12th of the season came with a man on in the third and erased a 2-1 St. Louis edge.

Dansby Swanson and Christopher Morel each had two hits with two RBIs, and Steele (6-0) surrendered three runs — ending his run of 14 straight starts allowing two or fewer earned runs — with seven hits and three walks. The Cardinals’ season-high three-game win streak ended as Jordan Montgomery (2-5) was tagged for six runs on seven hits.

Phillies 2, Blue Jays 1 (10 innings)

Bo Bichette committed a throwing error in the bottom of the 10th inning, allowing Edmundo Sosa to score the winning run for host Philadelphia in a victory over Toronto.

Bryce Harper hit a sharp grounder to pitcher Tim Mayza, who threw to Bichette, who was covering second base. But Bichette’s throw to first was wide of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., giving the Phillies their third straight win. Phillies starter Zack Wheeler allowed three hits and one run with seven strikeouts and one walk in seven innings.

Brandon Belt hit a solo home run for the Blue Jays, who lost both games of the interleague series. Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman tossed six shutout innings and gave up three hits with nine strikeouts and no walks.

Orioles 2, Rays 1

Dean Kremer pitched six scoreless innings and Baltimore defeated visiting Tampa Bay.

Austin Hays had two hits and drove in what proved to be the winning run for Baltimore, which took two of three games from division-leading Tampa Bay. Kremer (4-1) allowed four hits and walked two while striking out four. Yennier Cano pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his third save and has pitched 18 2/3 innings this season without allowing a run.

The Orioles took a 2-0 lead in the sixth. Adley Rutschman singled, Anthony Santander doubled and Ryan Mountcastle walked on a pitch-clock violation by Yonny Chirinos (1-1) to load the bases with no outs. Adam Frazier grounded into a force play at second to score Rutschman and Hays singled to left, scoring Santander.

Twins 4, Padres 3 (11 innings)

Alex Kirilloff singled to drive in Max Kepler from second in the bottom of the 11th inning to give Minnesota a walk-off win over San Diego in Saint Paul, Minn.

Kepler, who also homered, doubled and scored three runs, began the inning at second as the designated runner. Reliever Domingo Tapia (0-1) intentionally walked Carlos Correa, who earlier had an RBI double, to start the inning. Kirilloff then grounded a 2-0 fastball down the right field line to drive in Kepler for the game-winning RBI.

Griffin Jax (2-4) pitched a scoreless inning of relief to pick up the win for Minnesota, which snapped a three-game losing streak. Juan Soto homered for San Diego, which suffered its third loss in four games. Jake Cronenworth reached base four times with three walks and a hit by a pitch and he also stole a base.

Royals 9, White Sox 1

Kansas City struck for four runs in the first inning and never looked back as it cruised to a victory over visiting Chicago.

Kansas City starter Brad Keller (3-3) pitched five innings, giving up one run on three hits with four walks and four strikeouts. Vinnie Pasquantino began his 3-for-5 night at the plate with a double that set in motion Kansas City’s big opening frame.

Chicago’s lone run came in the second, when Hanser Alberto drove in Gavin Sheets with a single. Chicago starter Lance Lynn (1-5) allowed seven runs on nine hits while walking two and striking out four through five innings.

–Field Level Media

The San Francisco Giants will see a familiar face when they begin a four-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday in Phoenix.

Evan Longoria spent the previous five seasons with the Giants before joining the D-backs as a free agent in January. The 37-year-old is off to a slow start with his new team, which is 3-3 during its current 10-game homestand.

Longoria is hitting .225 with four home runs and seven RBIs in 71 at-bats. After being an everyday player throughout his career, Longoria is adjusting to a platoon role at third base with Josh Rojas.

“The role is what it is; I knew what I signed up for,” Longoria said. “I’m just trying to find that routine so I can be ready when I’m needed. I figured there was going to be a learning curve. I believe I still have a lot to give and it will turn around.”

The D-backs have been starting Rojas mostly against right-handed pitchers with Longoria taking the other end of the platoon. Rojas is hitting .355 (22-for-62) with one homer, nine RBIs and seven stolen bases in his last 19 games against San Francisco.

While Arizona is off to a surprising 20-17 record, the Giants are four games under .500 after losing two of three to the Washington Nationals.

One bright spot for San Francisco was the major league debut of infielder Casey Schmitt, who went 4-for-8 with a home run in his first two games.

“He’s one of those guys that there’s always something, whether it be a play at third base or shortstop, hitting a home run like that — I think he’s a very exciting player,” Giants pitcher Logan Webb said. “Every night he has a chance to do something cool.”

San Francisco is expected to send right-hander Alex Cobb (2-1, 2.01 ERA) to the mound in the series opener. He tossed seven scoreless innings in a 4-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers last Saturday.

Cobb, 35, has given up a total of four runs with a 24-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio over his last four starts covering 26 innings.

“He really understands pitching,” Giants manager Gabe Kapler said. “He’s got a full arsenal that he can get in the zone with at any time. I find Alex to be as entertaining to watch as any pitcher in baseball because of his level of competitiveness.”

Cobb is 2-2 with a 6.10 ERA in six career starts against Arizona, including 0-1 with an 8.36 mark in three outings at Chase Field.

Arizona will counter with left-hander Tommy Henry (1-0, 5.17), who is making his fourth start since being recalled from Triple-A Reno on April 24.

Henry, 25, allowed two runs on six hits over six innings in a no-decision against the Washington Nationals last Saturday.

Henry is facing the Giants for the second time after allowing five runs over 4 2/3 innings in a no-decision on Sept. 23, 2022.

The Diamondbacks are exercising patience with struggling center fielder Alek Thomas, who is batting .196 with two homers and 10 RBIs. He has two extra-base hits in his past nine games.

“It’s hard to stay positive sometimes because you obviously want to see the numbers on the board,” Thomas said. “But I don’t know. You’ve just really gotta trust the process, trust that it’s gonna show up one day and that you can’t be pressing too much about it.”

–Field Level Media

The Kansas City Royals can secure their first series win in more than a month when they host American League Central rival Chicago White Sox on Thursday in the finale of their four-game set.

Kansas City scored four first-inning runs Wednesday and never looked back en route to a 9-1 win. The offensive outpouring, which included home runs by Edward Olivares, Michael Massey and Nick Pratto, was the second from the Royals in the series.

They opened Monday scoring 12 in a seven-run defeat of Chicago. Kansas City heads into Thursday’s contest having scored six runs or more in six of its nine games in May, including four games of at least eight runs over the last seven.

“Hitting is contagious,” Massey said to Bally Sports Kansas City in his postgame interview. “You see some guys in the lineup start to heat up, it makes you want to get going a little bit more.”

With his 3-for-4 performance Wednesday, Massey extended his hitting streak to six games. MJ Melendez has had a hit in every game of the series and Vinnie Pasquantino delivered his third straight multiple-hit performance with a 3-for-5 showing after going 2-for-5 Monday and 2-for-4 Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Chicago will look for a series split with a starter who has flourished in his career against Kansas City.

Mike Clevinger (2-3, 4.84 ERA) takes the mound, undefeated in 14 career appearances against the Royals with 13 starts, posting a 9-0 record and 1.98 ERA.

He last faced Kansas City in a no-decision on July 25, 2020, when he struck out six and surrendered two earned runs over seven innings.

After beginning the season with wins in each of his first two starts, Clevinger has lost three and pitched a pair of no-decisions.

In his last appearance Saturday at Cincinnati, Clevinger struck out seven and gave up four earned runs over six innings in his third loss of the season.

Lance Lynn, Chicago’s starter credited with the loss Wednesday, noted the significance of the White Sox scoring a split when speaking with reporters postgame.

“We’ve won our last two series. We win (Thursday), we push this one. That’s called chipping away,” Lynn said.

Chicago lost seven straight series before taking two of three from Minnesota and Cincinnati before arriving in Kansas City. A win Thursday would improve the White Sox to 6-4 in May.

Brady Singer (2-4, 8.82) makes the start for the Royals in Thursday’s matchup, looking to bounce back after losses in each of his last two starts, and four of five overall.

Singer last appeared Saturday, giving up five earned runs in four innings in a loss to Oakland. The four innings were the second-fewest Singer worked in his seven starts of the season, save only his prior appearance April 30 at Minnesota.

Thursday marks Singer’s 10th appearance against the White Sox and ninth start, the last coming Aug. 30, 2022, when he struck out four and gave up four earned runs in a no-decision. He recorded a win over Chicago the same month, allowing just one earned run over 7 1/3 innings.

Singer is 3-2 all-time against the White Sox with a 3.35 ERA and 46 strikeouts.

–Field Level Media

Boston Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen recorded his 400th career save on Wednesday night, becoming the seventh pitcher in major league history to accomplish the feat.

Jansen worked around a one-out double to put the finishing touches on Boston’s 5-2 victory over the host Atlanta Braves. He now has nine saves on the season, his first with the Red Sox.

The only other pitchers to reach the 400-save plateau are Mariano Rivera (652 saves), Trevor Hoffman (601), Lee Smith (478), Francisco Rodriguez (437), John Franco (424) and Billy Wagner (422). Jansen currently has the most saves among active pitchers, but Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Craig Kimbrel is only three saves away from notching his 400th.

Jansen, 35, is 43-28 with a 2.43 ERA in 778 relief appearances across 14 major league seasons. He spent the first 12 years of his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers before signing with the Atlanta Braves ahead of the 2022 campaign.

In 780 2/3 innings, Jansen has racked up 1,124 strikeouts in his career.

–Field Level Media

After exiting Wednesday’s start against the host Pittsburgh Pirates after just 2 2/3 innings, Colorado Rockies right-hander Antonio Senzatela told reporters after the game that he is dealing with forearm tightness.

Senzatela left Wednesday’s game after allowing a two-run homer to Andrew McCutchen. He threw 51 pitches before walking off the field with a trainer and will undergo further examination on Thursday.

The injury is an unwelcome sight for Senzatela, who tore his left anterior cruciate ligament during a game against the St. Louis Cardinals last August and had to have season-ending surgery.

Colorado’s pitching staff has been ravaged by injuries during the young season, as German Marquez is set to have Tommy John surgery and will likely miss the remainder of the season and Noah Davis is on the 15-day injured list due to an elbow injury.

Senzatela is 0-1 with a 4.70 ERA in two starts this season. He has struck out four and walked two in 7 2/3 innings while allowing three homers.

–Field Level Media

The Kansas City Royals struck for four runs in the first inning and never looked back as they cruised to a 9-1 victory over the visiting Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night.

Vinnie Pasquantino began his 3-for-5 night at the plate with a double that set in motion Kansas City’s big opening frame. He scored when Salvador Perez doubled during the following at-bat.

Chicago starter Lance Lynn (1-5) almost escaped the first with just the one run allowed, as Perez, who moved to third base on an MJ Melendez single, was tagged at the plate for the Royals’ second out of the inning when Edward Olivares hit into a fielder’s choice.

But after Nick Pratto drove in the first of his three RBIs with a two-out single, Matt Duffy hit a popup to right field, and miscommunication in the White Sox outfield caused it to drop, extending the inning and sending Olivares home.

A Michael Massey single scored Pratto, and by inning’s end, the Royals had six hits and four runs. Lynn went on to allow seven runs on nine hits while walking two and striking out four through five innings.

Lynn gave up a solo home run to Massey in the fourth and surrendered a two-run homer to Pratto in the fifth. Massey finished the game 3-for-4, while Pratto went 2-for-4.

The additional runs gave Kansas City starter Brad Keller (3-3) even more of a cushion, though he had all the support he needed in the first.

Keller pitched five innings, giving up one run on three hits with four walks and four strikeouts. Chicago’s lone run came in the second, when Hanser Alberto drove in Gavin Sheets with a single.

Alberto went 1-for-3 and Sheets was 1-for-2 with two walks.

The Royals bullpen took over in the sixth and combined for four scoreless innings between Jose Cuas, Amir Garrett, Josh Staumont and Taylor Clarke. Each reliever logged one inning.

Kansas City has won three of its last four games and can claim the four-game series with a victory on Thursday.

–Field Level Media

Alex Kirilloff singled to drive in Max Kepler from second in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the Minnesota Twins a 4-3 walk-off win over the San Diego Padres on Wednesday night in Saint Paul, Minn.

Kepler, who also homered, doubled and scored three runs, began the inning at second as the designated runner. Reliever Domingo Tapia (0-1), making his first appearance since earning a save on May 1 against Cincinnati, intentionally walked Carlos Correa, who earlier had an RBI double, to start the inning. Kirilloff then grounded a 2-0 fastball down the right field line to drive in Kepler for the game-winning RBI.

Griffin Jax (2-4) pitched a scoreless inning of relief to pick up the win for Minnesota, which snapped a three-game losing streak.

Juan Soto homered for San Diego, which suffered its third loss in four games. Jake Cronenworth reached base four times with three walks and a hit by a pitch and he also stole a base.

Minnesota took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on Kepler’s sixth home run of the season, a 415-foot drive into the second deck in right.

The Twins extended the lead to 2-0 in the third when Kepler lined a double over the glove of Soto in left and then scored on Correa’s towering double off the fence in left-center.

Soto cut it to 2-1 in the seventh when he led off with his sixth home run of the season, a 417-foot drive to dead center.

The Padres tied it, 2-2, in the eighth when Trent Grisham led off with a single off reliever Jorge Lopez, advanced to third on a single by Fernando Tatis Jr. and scored on a sacrifice fly by Manny Machado.

San Diego then took its first lead of the game in the 10th when designated runner Rougned Odor tagged and went to third on a flyout by Grisham and then scored on a suicide squeeze up the third base line by Austin Nola.

The Twins tied it in the bottom half against closer Josh Hader when pinch-hitter Donovan Solano singled down the right field line to drive in designated runner Willi Castro. Solano then advanced to second on a wild pitch but Hader, despite blowing his second straight save opportunity, rebounded to strike out Christian Vazquez and Nick Gordon. After Byron Buxton was intentionally walked, Hader struck out Kepler.

The Padres loaded the bases with two outs in the 11th on back-to-back walks to Soto and Xander Bogaerts after designated runner Tatis took third on a groundout by Machado. But Jax got out of the jam by striking out Matt Carpenter on three pitches.

–Field Level Media

Yan Gomes came off the injured list to club a two-run home run, Patrick Wisdom also hit a two-run bomb and Justin Steele went six innings to stay unbeaten as the Chicago Cubs routed the visiting St. Louis Cardinals 10-4 on Wednesday night.

Out since May 1 with a concussion, Gomes belted his sixth homer in the fourth inning and followed with two more hits as the Cubs capped a 3-3 homestand. Wisdom’s 12th of the season came with a man on in the third and erased a 2-1 St. Louis edge.

Dansby Swanson and Christopher Morel each had two hits with two RBIs, and Steele (6-0) surrendered three runs — ending his run of 14 straight starts allowing two or fewer earned runs — with seven hits and three walks.

The Cardinals’ season-high three-game win streak ended as Jordan Montgomery (2-5) was tagged for six runs on seven hits and three walks in five innings. St. Louis’ two biggest stars got to Steele in the first when Paul Goldschmidt singled with one out and scored on Nolan Arenado’s two-out triple. Ex-Cub Willson Contreras hit an RBI single in the third to make it 2-0.

After stranding the bases loaded in the second, Chicago came through in the third. Swanson delivered a ground-rule double and scored on Seiya Suzuki’s own double. Wisdom followed with his drive into the left-center field bleachers off Montgomery, who had thrown 24 consecutive scoreless innings against the Cubs.

Gomes’ long ball followed a leadoff walk to Trey Mancini in the fourth. Gomes had just eight homers in 86 games last season for Chicago.

The Cubs made it 6-2 in the fifth when Ian Happ (two hits) doubled and scored on Wisdom’s double play grounder.

St. Louis got a run in the sixth on Lars Nootbaar’s RBI single. However, in the bottom of the frame, Morel sent an RBI double off the right-center field ivy, then Swanson’s second double plated two for a 9-3 Cubs’ advantage.

Paul DeJong, who had two hits for the Cardinals, scored on Tommy Edman’s single in the ninth.

–Field Level Media

Raimel Tapia’s pinch-hit double drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning and Kenley Jansen pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn his 400th career save as the visiting Boston Red Sox beat the Atlanta Braves 5-2 on Wednesday to earn a split of their two-game series.

Jarren Duran walked to start the seventh against reliever A.J. Minter (2-4) and came around to score when Tapia lined a two-out double off reliever Nick Anderson into right field. It was Tapia’s major-league-leading fourth pinch hit of the season.

The Red Sox got insurance in the ninth on Triston Casas’ 442-foot two-run homer, his fifth, off Raisel Iglesias.

Jansen pitched one inning and allowed one hit, striking out Travis d’Arnaud to end the game and earn his ninth save. Jansen, who pitched for the Braves last season and led the National League in saves with 41, is the seventh player to record 400 saves and trails No. 6 Billy Wagner, who has 422.

Boston starter Brayan Bello (2-1) pitched six innings and allowed two runs on six hits, with one walk and five strikeouts. He has allowed only five earned runs over 16 innings in his last three starts.

Atlanta went with a bullpen game since Max Fried, whose turn it was to start, had to be placed on the injured list with left forearm soreness. Opener Dylan Lee, making the first regular-season start of his career, worked the first 2 2/3 innings without allowing a run.

The Red Sox broke the scoreless tie by scoring two runs in the fourth off Collin McHugh, the second pitcher used by Atlanta. Enrique Hernandez drove in a run with a single to left and Duran added an RBI single to center field.

The Braves tied the game in the sixth inning after Ronald Acuna Jr. crushed a solo homer 470 feet to left field. It was the seventh homer for Acuna, his first since May 3. Austin Riley singled with one out, took second on a ground ball and scored on Eddie Rosario’s single to right field.

–Field Level Media