Josh Bell homered in back-to-back innings and the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks won 5-3 on Wednesday to complete a doubleheader and three-game series sweep of the Cleveland Guardians, who have lost a season-high five straight.
Bell connected for an opposite-field solo homer against Carlos Carrasco (3-10) in the second. An inning later, he went deep with a man on for his ninth homer in 13 games. Eduardo Rodriguez (1-0) allowed three runs over 5 2/3 innings in his season debut as Arizona won for the 12th time in 14 games.
The surging Diamondbacks became the first team this season to sweep a series from the American League Central-leading Guardians.
Jose Ramirez hit his 30th homer of the year and David Fry also went deep for Cleveland, which has allowed 35 runs during its five-game rut. Carrasco yielded four runs in 4 1/3 innings for the Guardians, who are 16-21 since June 26.
Diamondbacks 7, Guardians 3 (Game 1)
Geraldo Perdomo, Corbin Carroll and Ketel Marte each hit two-run homers as surging Arizona beat host Cleveland in the opener of a doubleheader.
Eugenio Suarez added a run-scoring double for the Diamondbacks, who have won the first two of this three-game set and 11 of their last 13. Arizona starting pitcher Brandon Pfaadt (6-6) retired the first 12 batters and allowed two runs while striking out six over 6 1/3 innings.
Guardians starter Ben Lively (10-7) allowed two homers among four hits and walked four in five innings. Josh Naylor homered for Cleveland, which leads the American League Central but lost its season-high fourth straight game and just its third series at home.
Diamondbacks 5, Guardians 3 (Game 2)
Josh Bell homered in back-to-back innings and visiting Arizona won to complete a doubleheader and three-game series sweep of Cleveland, which has lost a season-high five straight.
Randal Grichuk homered for one of his two hits, Adrian Del Castillo had an RBI double in his first career at-bat and Eduardo Rodriguez (1-0) allowed three runs over 5 2/3 innings in his season debut as Arizona won for the 12th time in 14 games.
Jose Ramirez hit his 30th homer of the year and David Fry also went deep for the Guardians. Cleveland starter Carlos Carrasco (3-10) yielded four runs in 4 1/3 innings.
Astros 6, Rangers 4
Victor Caratini and Yordan Alvarez each homered as Houston beat Texas in the rubber match of a three-game series in Arlington, Texas.
Houston’s Yusei Kikuchi (5-9) allowed two runs on four hits over 5 1/3 innings. Josh Hader retired the Rangers in order in the ninth inning to convert his 24th consecutive save opportunity, matching Brad Lidge’s single-season franchise record from 2005.
Marcus Semien hit a solo homer for Texas, which has lost nine of its past 12 games.
Giants 7, Nationals 4
Matt Chapman, Heliot Ramos and Mike Yastrzemski smashed solo homers for visiting San Francisco.
Chapman finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs and was a triple short of the cycle.
Giants starter Blake Snell (2-3), in his first outing since throwing a 114-pitch no-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds on Friday, went six innings. He allowed three runs on four hits and one walk while striking out eight.
Jake Irvin (8-10) was the loser.
Cubs 8, Twins 2
Ian Happ clubbed a two-run homer and four Chicago relievers combined for five shutout frames as the Cubs beat visiting Minnesota in the rubber match of a three-game series.
Michael Busch went 2-for-3 with a solo home run for Chicago, which won for the sixth time in its past eight games. Drew Smyly worked the fifth inning for the Cubs in relief of starter Javier Assad before Jorge Lopez (2-2) pitched two frames. Porter Hodge and Julian Merryweather each pitched one inning.
Twins starter Joe Ryan exited with right triceps tightness in the bottom of the third. Trevor Richards (2-2) entered in relief and walked five batters while giving up three runs in two-thirds of an inning. Minnesota has lost two straight following a five-game win streak.
Athletics 3, White Sox 2
Lawrence Butler capped a three-run seventh inning with a go-ahead sacrifice fly to rally Oakland past visiting Chicago in the rubber match of a three-game series.
A’s All-Star Mason Miller pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to secure the save in his return from a broken left pinky. The Oakland closer had not pitched since July 22. Armando Alvarez and Zach Gelof had RBIs for the A’s before Butler’s sacrifice hit. T.J. McFarland (2-1) pitched a scoreless seventh to earn the win.
Andrew Benintendi hit a two-run homer for the White Sox, who ended their American League record-tying 21-game losing streak the night before. Chicago reliever Touki Toussaint (0-2) was charged with all three Oakland runs.
Marlins 6, Reds 4
Derek Hill slugged his first career grand slam and rookie Valente Bellozo earned his first major league win as Miami beat visiting Cincinnati.
The Marlins’ Jake Burger homered twice to complement Hill’s blast.
The Reds, who lead this four-game series 2-1, were powered by TJ Friedl, who hit the game’s second grand slam.
Orioles 7, Blue Jays 3
Anthony Santander had two home runs, three RBIs and made a spectacular catch as visiting Baltimore defeated Toronto.
Jackson Holliday added a two-run homer as the Orioles split the first two games of a three-game series. Baltimore’s 20-year-old rookie infielder became the youngest player in American League history to hit a home run in three straight games.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singled in the first inning to extend his hitting streak to 19 games for the Blue Jays. Leo Jimenez added three doubles.
Brewers 8, Braves 5
Blake Perkins had three hits, including a go-ahead two-run single, to lead visiting Milwaukee over Atlanta.
The Brewers have won the first two games of the three-game series. Atlanta has lost four in a row.
Braves starter Chris Sale went 4 2/3 innings, surrendering three runs (two earned) on nine hits and two walks, striking out 10. It marked Sale’s fourth double-digit strikeout game this season and the 85th of his career, moving him past Steve Carlton and into eighth place on the all-time list.
Cardinals 5, Rays 2
Nolan Arenado and Alec Burleson drove in two runs each as St. Louis defeated visiting Tampa Bay.
Masyn Winn went 2-for-4 with two runs for the Cardinals, who have won the first two games in this three-game series.
The Rays went 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base.
Yankees 5, Angels 2 (Game 1)
Rookie Luis Gil survived five walks in five scoreless innings to win his third straight decision for host New York, which won for the eighth time in nine games.
Gil (12-5) allowed just two hits, with both coming in the second. Aaron Judge reached base four times and had an RBI single in the fourth for the Yankees. He has a major-league-best 104 RBIs on the season.
Los Angeles’ Zach Neto hit a two-run homer in the seventh off Jake Cousins. Angels starter Davis Daniel (1-3) allowed five runs on seven hits in 3 1/3 innings.
Angels 8, Yankees 2 (Game 2)
Zach Neto hit a grand slam to cap a six-run second inning and had a career-high six RBIs for visiting Los Angeles.
Neto added a two-run double in the fourth. The shortstop surpassed his previous career high of four RBIs that he set against the New York Mets on Saturday.
Hunter Strickland (3-1) pitched two scoreless innings and was awarded the win.
Royals 8, Red Sox 4
Bobby Witt Jr. homered twice and drove in four runs, leading Kansas City past visiting Boston to salvage the finale of a three-game series.
Cole Ragans (9-7) allowed four runs (one earned) on six hits and two walks over 6 1/3 innings for the Royals. The left-hander struck out seven and collected his fourth win over his past five starts.
Red Sox starter Kutter Crawford (7-9) tossed 3 2/3 innings, allowing six runs on five hits and four walks with three strikeouts. He allowed Witt’s first home run, a one-out solo shot in the first to open the scoring.
Padres 9, Pirates 8 (10 innings)
Xander Bogaerts broke a 10th-inning tie with an RBI single and San Diego scored three times in the frame before holding on for a win over host Pittsburgh.
Facing reliever Colin Holderman (3-5), Bogaerts brought in automatic runner Luis Arraez with a hit to left for a 7-6 lead. Manny Machado lined out to score Ha-Seong Kim, and Bogaerts came home on an error by Pirates catcher Yasmani Grandal at the plate. The Padres went on to record their fourth straight win and their 13th victory in the past 15 games.
In the bottom of the 10th, Oneil Cruz started as the automatic runner and scored after reliever Tanner Scott (7-5) walked Michael A. Taylor, Andrew McCutchen and Bryan Reynolds in succession. Taylor came in on a wild pitch from reliever Adrian Morejon, who replaced Scott. Pittsburgh has lost three straight and five of its past six.