The Atlanta Braves will send left-hander Joey Wentz to the mound on Sunday when they try to take four of five games in the series against the visiting Miami Marlins.

The Braves swept a doubleheader from the Marlins on Saturday, winning the opener 7-1 and taking the nightcap 8-6. The losses knocked Miami back to three games under .500 and leave them six games behind in the chase for the final National League wild-card playoff spot.

Wentz (2-3, 5.34 ERA) will be matched against Miami right-hander Cal Quantrill (4-9, 5.21) in the series finale.

Wentz has provided some emergency assistance for the decimated Atlanta starting rotation since he was picked up on July 11 after being waived by Minnesota. In five games with the Braves, the left-hander is 0-2 with a 3.09 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 23 1/3 innings.

He is coming off his worst start when he took the loss against visiting Milwaukee on Tuesday. He worked 5 1/3 innings and allowed five runs on seven hits and one walk with three strikeouts.

“Joey did a lot better,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. “We missed some balls (in the field) and there were a lot of things that he couldn’t control. I thought he threw the ball really well again.”

Wentz has made three career appearances against the Marlins, all out of the bullpen, going 2-1 with a 0.96 ERA in 9 1/3 innings. He faced Miami on March 29 while still playing for Pittsburgh and took the loss, allowing two unearned runs in two innings.

“It’s your job to keep executing and keep going,” Wentz said.

Quantrill will be making his 23rd start this season. He was roughed up in his last outing after three consecutive starts that saw him allow one run in 16 innings. On Tuesday against visiting Houston, Quantrill gave up seven runs on nine hits and three walks with two strikeouts.

“It wasn’t the same kind of rhythm, wasn’t in the same flow that he has been,” Miami manager Clayton McCullough said. “One of those nights where you just don’t execute at the same level that he has been going for a while. I expect Cal to wash this one away and come back ready for his next one.”

Quantrill said, “I just didn’t locate; I wasn’t ahead in as many counts as I usually am and I paid the price. It’s been a good two months. So put this one in the past and keep going.”

Quantrill has made four career starts against the Braves, going 1-2 with a 3.00 ERA in 21 innings. He faced the Braves on April 5 and earned the victory when he fired five scoreless innings, allowing four hits, no walks and four strikeouts.

Quantrill will need to find a way to slow down Atlanta’s Drake Baldwin, who has driven in 10 runs in the first four games of the series, and Michael Harris II, who had four hits in the doubleheader and is batting .354 (35-for-99) in his last 25 games.

Atlanta will need to stop Miami second baseman Xavier Edwards. He had three hits in the doubleheader and is 8-for-19 in the series.

–Field Level Media

The Kansas City Royals remain steadfast in their goal to pursue a wild-card playoff berth.

First, the Royals will have to climb back to .500. They have a chance to do so Sunday afternoon when they play the Minnesota Twins in the rubber match of a three-game series in Minneapolis.

The Twins won the series opener 9-4 on Friday night before the Royals evened the series with a 2-0 victory on Saturday evening.

Sunday’s matchup marks the end of a grueling nine-game road trip for the Royals, who traveled to face the Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox and Twins for three games apiece. Kansas City is 4-4 on the trip heading into the series finale against Minnesota.

A win on Sunday could give the Royals positive momentum before they start a 10-game homestand. They will face the Washington Nationals for three games, the Chicago White Sox for three games and the Texas Rangers for four games as they look to gain ground in the standings.

Meanwhile, the Twins are aiming for their second series win in a row. Minnesota is 4-4 since its front office conducted a fire sale at the trade deadline, and the new-look Twins are eager to show what they can do with extended playing time down the stretch.

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said he remained confident in his young hitters despite Saturday’s shutout loss. Before scoring zero runs on Saturday, the Twins scored 24 runs over their previous three games.

The difference, Baldelli said, was how the Twins performed with runners in scoring position.

“It’ll frustrate you a little bit,” Baldelli said. “We did a heck of a job finding our way on, especially early on in the game. We did that perfectly. That’s exactly what you want to see. We had a lot of good at-bats. …

“And then we didn’t get any hits (with runners in scoring position). That’s it. That’s really it.”

Rookie right-hander Ryan Bergert (1-1, 2.83 ERA) will make his ninth start of the season and his second since joining Kansas City. The Royals acquired him from San Diego before the deadline in a trade that sent catcher Freddy Fermin to the Padres.

In his Royals debut, Bergert gave up two runs on two hits in 5 2/3 innings in a 6-2 loss to the host Red Sox. He walked two and struck out two.

Bergert never has faced the Twins.

Minnesota will counter with right-hander Jose Urena (0-0, 5.24), who will make his fourth start of the season and his second with the Twins. He gave up two runs on five hits in four innings in his first start for Minnesota against the host Cleveland Guardians last weekend.

The 33-year-old Urena has appeared in four games with one start against the Royals. He is 1-0 with a 4.97 ERA in 12 2/3 innings in those games.

Maikel Garcia will try to stay hot for Kansas City after ripping an RBI double on Saturday. Garcia is hitting .299 with 11 homers, 51 RBIs and 21 stolen bases in 115 games.

“Just trying to look fastball,” Garcia told the Royals’ radio broadcast team after Saturday’s win. “He gave me a good fastball right on the outside corner, and I just went that way.”

–Field Level Media

Julio Rodriguez hit two home runs and Cal Raleigh added his major league-leading 44th long ball of the season as the Seattle Mariners defeated the visiting Tampa Bay Rays 7-4 Saturday night.

Josh Naylor added a pair of doubles and rookie right-hander Logan Evans (6-4) gave up three runs on three hits over 5 1/3 innings as the Mariners won their sixth in a row and improved to 8-1 on their 10-game homestand that concludes Sunday. Andres Munoz worked the ninth for his 27th save.

The Mariners, who retired Hall of Famer Ichiro Suzuki’s No. 51 in a pregame ceremony in front of a capacity crowd, pulled within a half-game of the division-leading Houston Astros in the American League West and tied Boston atop the league’s wild-card standings.

Brandon Lowe and Junior Caminero homered for the Rays.

Tampa Bay starter Joe Boyle (1-2) struggled with his command, giving up six runs on four hits in 3 1/3 innings. The right-hander walked five and fanned five.

Lowe homered in the top of the first for the second straight night to put the Rays ahead.

The lead didn’t last long as Randy Arozarena drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the inning and, one out later, Rodriguez went deep to right-center, hitting the ball into the J-Rod Squad of his fans.

The Mariners extended their lead to 6-1 in the third. Cole Young walked and Arozarena singled to center before Raleigh launched an opposite-field homer into the Mariners’ bullpen in left-center, helping him regain the majors’ RBIs lead with 96. Rodriguez lined the next pitch just inside the foul pole down the left-field line.

The Rays’ Yandy Diaz led off the sixth with a walk and, one out later, Josh Lowe grounded a single to right to end Evans’ night. Caminero greeted reliever Caleb Ferguson with a three-run shot to straightaway center to make it 6-4.

The Mariners responded in the bottom of the frame as Young drew a one-out walk and took third on Arozarena’s single to center. Young scored on a wild pitch by reliever Mason Englert for the game’s final run.

–Field Level Media

Blake Snell struck out 10 over five shutout innings and Shohei Ohtani blasted his 40th home run of the season to boost the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 9-1 win over the visiting Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday evening.

Max Muncy also homered and singled, and Andy Pages contributed two hits and two RBIs for Los Angeles, which will try for a three-game sweep of the American League East leaders on Sunday.

Snell (2-1) allowed three hits and walked three in his second game back following a four-month absence with an injury to his throwing shoulder.

After the two-time Cy Young Award winner was lifted after 90 pitches, Brock Stewart, Jack Dreyer and Alexis Diaz combined to allow one run over the final four innings.

Ernie Clement spoiled the shutout with a solo homer in the eighth for the Blue Jays, who had won three in a row heading into the series.

Toronto right-hander Chris Bassitt (11-6) allowed three runs on six hits over 4 2/3 innings, with two strikeouts and two walks.

Freddie Freeman walked to lead off the fourth and Muncy went the other way with a sinker, clearing the fence in the left-field corner for a two-run homer and a 2-0 lead.

Ohtani blasted his home run to straightaway center with one out in the fifth to stretch it to 3-0.

The Dodgers scored six runs in the sixth, loading the bases with no outs in the sixth before Dalton Rushing lined a two-run single up the middle for a 5-0 lead.

After an intentional walk to Ohtani, Mookie Betts lined a single off the glove of Toronto third baseman Buddy Kennedy, scoring two more runs for a 7-0 lead. Pages then came up with the bases full and two outs in the inning and doubled down the third-base line to make it 9-0.

Snell struck out the first two batters of the game on six pitches and needed just nine pitches to retire the side in order.

Kennedy hit a ground-rule double into the stands in the left-field corner to lead off the third and Davis Schneider walked with one out, but Snell struck out two batters in the inning to help him escape the jam.

Snell walked two batters in the fourth, but struck out two more to strand both.

–Field Level Media

Michael Busch hit a three-run home run and scored twice to lead the visiting Chicago Cubs past the St. Louis Cardinals 9-1 on Saturday night.

Busch came into the game 13-for-29 (.448 batting average) with five homers, 10 runs and eight RBIs against the Cardinals this season. Then he went 2-for-5 with a double and the homer to power this victory.

Matt Shaw (2-for-3, homer, two runs, two RBIs), Carson Kelly (3-for-4, RBI), Dansby Swanson (3-for-4, stolen base, two runs) and Kyle Tucker (1-for-4, walk, two runs, RBI) also had productive games for the Cubs.

Chicago starter Colin Rea (9-5) limited St. Louis to one run on three hits in six innings. He struck out six and walked two.

Cardinals starter Andre Pallante (6-9) allowed six runs on seven hits in 1 2/3 innings.

After getting shut out Friday night, the Cubs quickly took a 2-0 first-inning lead in this game. Busch hit a leadoff double, advanced on a groundout and scored on Tucker’s single. After Tucker stole second base, Kelly hit a single into right field. Tucker stopped at third but scored when first baseman Willson Contreras mishandled his cutoff of the throw toward home, which resulted in a throwing error by right fielder Jordan Walker.

The Cubs built a 6-0 lead in the second inning. Swanson hit a single, stole second base and went to third on a throwing error. After Shaw walked, Busch hit his three-run homer.

Seiya Suzuki then hit a double and scored when Kelly hit another single.

Chicago increased its lead to 7-0 in the third inning on a single by Swanson and Shaw’s RBI triple.

The Cubs made it 8-0 in the fourth inning. Tucker drew a one-out walk, went to third on Kelly’s single and scored on an Ian Happ single.

Shaw’s homer in the fifth inning increased the margin to 9-0.

The Cardinals got on the board in the sixth inning when Lars Nootbaar hit a double and ultimately scored on Alec Burleson’s groundout.

–Field Level Media

Ramon Laureano’s RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning Saturday night lifted the San Diego Padres to a 5-4 win over the visiting Boston Red Sox.

Xander Bogaerts was placed on second to start the inning and reliever Garrett Whitlock (5-2) issued an intentional walk to Ryan O’Hearn. Laureano chopped the first pitch over the head of third baseman Alex Bregman and Bogaerts easily beat Roman Anthony’s throw home.

Jason Adam (7-3) stranded a pair of runners in the top of the 10th, inducing an inning-ending fielder’s choice grounder from Ceddanne Rafaela to earn the win.

Boston forced extra innings when Anthony slashed a ground-rule double to left-center off MLB saves leader Robert Suarez in the ninth that scored Rafaela. He legged out an infield hit to start the inning and swiped second.

San Diego went ahead in the fifth with two runs when Boston starter Lucas Giolito lost the strike zone, issuing four straight two-out walks after a leadoff single by Fernando Tatis Jr. Free passes to O’Hearn and Laureano drove in the tying and go-ahead runs.

Giolito allowed five hits and four runs in 4 2/3 innings, walking six and striking out one. San Diego starter Michael King lasted two-plus innings and 57 pitches, permitting two runs on four hits and two walks with a strikeout.

Making his first start since May 18 after a thoracic nerve issue sidelined him for nearly three months, King trailed 1-0 by the game’s third batter. Bregman lined the first of his two doubles and scored on Jarren Duran’s single to center.

Bogaerts evened the score in the second with his 10th homer, a liner into the seats in left that traveled an estimated 358 feet. The Red Sox regained the lead in the third with two runs as reliever Wandy Peralta balked home Bregman, who led off with his second double, and Masataka Yoshida’s fielder’s choice grounder scored Trevor Story.

The Padres got a run back in their half of the third as Bogaerts looped a two-out RBI single to center, scoring Luis Arraez.

–Field Level Media

Marcell Ozuna hit a pair of long home runs to power the Atlanta Braves to an 8-6 win over the visiting Miami Marlins on Saturday to sweep the day-night doubleheader.

The Braves won the first game 7-1 and have won three of four games in the five-game set.

Ozuna was 2-for-4 with four RBIs and two runs scored. It gives him 18 home runs this season.

Atlanta rookie Drake Baldwin went 2-for-5 with three RBIs and has driven in 10 runs in the series.

Atlanta starter Erick Fedde (4-12) earned his first win since joining the Braves. He pitched five innings and allowed four runs on five hits, four walks and four strikeouts. It was Fedde’s first victory since May 9 when he was with St. Louis.

Raisel Iglesias pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn his 16th save.

Miami starter Sandy Alcantara (6-11) worked five innings and allowed five runs on seven hits, four walks and four strikeouts. He gave up both of Ozuna’s home runs.

The Marlins scored four runs in the fourth inning. Jakob Marsee doubled in a run and scored on Eric Wagaman’s single. Xavier Edwards, celebrating his 26th birthday, drove in two runs with a single.

The Braves got a run back in bottom of the fourth when Ozuna crushed a fastball 433 feet to center field.

Atlanta took the lead in the fifth inning by scoring four runs. Baldwin drove in a run with a single and Ozuna followed with a three-run homer that carried 416 feet into the left field seats.

The Braves took an 8-4 lead by scoring three runs in the sixth off reliever Valente Bellozo. Matt Olson singled home a run and Baldwin drove in two runs with a single.

The Marlins trimmed the deficit to two runs on a two-run single by Heriberto Hernandez in the seventh.

–Field Level Media