Around the Horn Monday’s other Major League Baseball games

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Blue Jays 7, Royals 3

KANSAS CITY, MO.

Cavan Biggio hit the go-ahead homer in the eighth inning, Randal Grichuk and Teoscar Hernandez also went deep, and the Toronto Blue Jays rallied past the Kansas City Royals. Top prospect Bo Bichette singled in the first at-bat of his big league career, and the Blue Jays got a strong spot start from Thomas Pannone in the opener of a 10-game trip. Tim Mayza (1-1) earned the victory with a scoreless inning of relief. Brad Keller (7-10) let just three balls out of the infield until Hernandez’s tying home run in the fifth inning. The right-hander allowed four runs in seven-plus innings. Pannone, who was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo before the game, gave the Blue Jays six competitive innings. The left-hander allowed three runs and five hits.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Nationals 6, Braves 3

WASHINGTON

Anthony Rendon hit a tiebreaking grand slam in the sixth inning, and the Washington Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves in the opener of a three-game series to close within 41/2 games of the NL East leader. With the score 2-2, Rendon connected of Chad Sobotka for his 23rd home run this season and third career slam, raising his career RBIs total to 500. Patrick Corbin (9-5) allowed two runs and five hits in six innings, striking out eight and walking one. Sean Doolittle gave up a home run to pinch-hitter Charlie Culberson in the ninth. Dallas Keuchel (3-4) gave up four runs, six hits and four walks in 51/3 innings in his eighth start for the Braves since signing in June. He is 0-2 in his last three starts. Yan Gomes walked with one out in the sixth, Adrian Sanchez singled and Sobotka relieved. Turner struck out, but Adam Eaton walked to load the bases for Rendon, who connected on a 2-0 fastball. Juan Soto hit an RBI single for the first and Turner had an RBI double in the second. Atlanta scored in the fourth when Duvall hit a sharp two-out grounder to Rendon. The third baseman made a diving backhand stop, but his throw attempting to prevent an infield single sailed past first for an error as Freddie Freeman, who had been on second, came home. Duvall hit a tying sacrifice fly in the sixth. Atlanta’s Ronald Acuna Jr. went 0 for 4. Josh Donaldson singled of the glove of second baseman Brian Dozier in the sixth for his 1,000th hit.

Marlins 11, Diamondbacks 6

MIAMI

Caleb Smith endured a bad stretch after a baserunning adventure but recovered to pitch seven innings and help the Miami Marlins beat the Arizona Diamondbacks. Smith laid down a bunt in the second inning and wound up at third base thanks to two errors on the play. The jaunt may have taken a toll, because in the next inning he gave up three hits, including a three-run homer by Ketel Marte. Smith (7-4) allowed only one other run, struck out nine and retired his final 10 batters. The Diamondbacks (53-54) are below .500 for the first time since July 5, even though they’ve outscored opponents by 61 runs. Miami’s Miguel Rojas homered for the third game in a row. Teammate Brian Anderson added his 15th homer and his second in two games. Both homers came off Merrill Kelly (7-11), who allowed seven runs in six innings. He has lost his past five decisions, and his ERA has climbed to 4.52. Carson Kelly hit his 13th homer for Arizona, which totaled 24 hits in the series.

Associated Press