AROUND THE HORN | Thursday's MLB games

Cubs 5, Nationals 2

CHICAGO

Kyle Hendricks pitched six scoreless innings, Ben Zobrist drove in four runs and the Chicago Cubs beat the Washington Nationals in the opener of a four-game series between two of baseball’s hottest teams. Hendricks (2-2) allowed two hits, struck out four and walked two as Chicago began a 10-game homestand with its fourth consecutive win and eighth in nine games. Zobrist hit a two-run single in the fourth and a two-run homer in the eighth.

Cardinals 4, Phillies 0

ST. LOUIS

Jaime Garcia pitched seven sharp innings, Brandon Moss hit a long home run and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Philadelphia Phillies. Stephen Piscotty drove in two runs and also made an outstanding catch in right field to help preserve the shutout. St. Louis won three of four in the series. Garcia (2-2) gave up two hits, didn’t walk a batter and struck out five. Moss launched a drive estimated at 462 feet to right field in the first off Jerad Eickhoff (1-4).

Blue Jays 12, Rangers 2

TORONTO

Edwin Encarnacion homered, doubled twice and drove in six runs, powering the Toronto Blue Jays past the Texas Rangers. Toronto set season highs for runs and hits (15). The Blue Jays were the top-scoring team in the majors last year, reaching double figures in runs 27 times. Kevin Pillar doubled twice, singled and had two RBIs for Toronto. The Blue Jays have won three in a row. They wrapped up their seventh consecutive series win against the Rangers.

Orioles 1, Yankees 0, 10 innings

BALTIMORE

Pedro Alvarez drove in the winning run with a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning and Baltimore finally broke through, beating New York. A day after getting shut out by the Yankees, the Orioles managed only five hits in eight innings against Masahiro Tanaka. Baltimore starter Kevin Gausman did even better, limiting New York to three hits through eight. Hyun Soo Kim began the Baltimore 10th with an infield hit off Johnny Barbato (1-2).

Reds 9, Brewers 5

CINCINNATI

Jay Bruce hit a three-run homer during his latest big game against Milwaukee, and Cincinnati beat the Brewers even though their bullpen extended its historically bad streak of allowing runs. Alfredo Simon (1-3) made it easy on the major leagues’ worst bullpen, becoming only the second Reds starter to last seven innings. He allowed three runs in 72/3 innings, including Alex Presley’s two-run homer. The bullpen couldn’t close it out smoothly.

Marlins 4, Diamondbacks 0

MIAMI

Adam Conley pitched shutout ball for the second start in a row and Miami completed a three-game sweep of Arizona. Christian Yelich hit a two-run homer, and Derek Dietrich and Chris Johnson had two-out RBI hits. Conley (2-1) gave up two hits in 51/3 innings and departed after throwing 88 pitches. The left-hander allowed no hits in 72/3 shutout innings last Friday against Milwaukee. A.J. Ramos completed the five-hitter by pitching the ninth, lowering his ERA to 0.73.

Mariners 6, Astros 3

HOUSTON

Robinson Cano had three hits and his tiebreaking three-run double in the ninth inning lifted the Seattle Mariners to their fourth straight win over the Houston Astros. The bases were loaded with one out in the ninth when Cano cleared them with his double off Luke Gregerson (0-1) that sailed just out of reach of center fielder Carlos Gomez. Cano, who has at least two hits in five straight games, also drove in a run in the third inning to give him four RBIs and an American League-leading 30 this season.

Associated Press