MLB Roundup: Guardians blast Orioles in series opener between AL leaders

CLEVELAND — David Fry hit a three-run homer, José Ramírez had a two-run shot and the Cleveland Guardians hammered the Baltimore Orioles 10-3 on Thursday night in a matchup of two of the AL’s division leaders.

Bo Naylor added a three-run blast as the Guardians outhomered the Orioles, who lead the majors with 172 homers.

Fry homered in the third off Trevor Rogers (2-10), who went 4 1/3 innings in his debut for the Orioles after being acquired in a trade Tuesday from Miami. The left-hander allowed five runs and six hits.

Ramírez hit his 28th homer in the seventh, giving him homers in three straight games for the first time since 2021.

Naylor’s eighth homer capped a five-run seventh when the Guardians blew it open.

Ben Lively (10-6) gave up two runs and four hits in six innings to become Cleveland’s first 10-game winner. He’s the first Guardians pitcher to reach 10 wins in his first 19 games with the club since Shane Bieber in 2018.

ROYALS 7, TIGERS 1

[brightcove videoID=6359775133112 playerID=JCdte3tMv height=360 width=640]

DETROIT (AP) — Vinnie Pasquantino homered twice, Seth Lugo gave up just four hits over eight strong innings and Kansas City beat Detroit.

Bobby Witt Jr. also homered for the Royals, who are 4-0 on their current road trip. Detroit has lost four in a row and been outscored 25-5 in those games.

Lugo (13-5) gave up one run, struck out three and walked one after going 1-3 in July. He is 7-0 with a 1.31 ERA in nine starts against the AL Central this season.

Keider Montero (1-5) allowed four runs on six hits in a career-high seven innings. The rookie, one of Detroit’s only two healthy starting pitchers, allowed three runs before he got an out, but settled down.

Maikel Garcia started the game with a single and stole second and third without throws. Witt walked and Pasquantino lined his 13th homer into the right-field stands for a 3-0 lead.

BRAVES 4, MARLINS 2

[brightcove videoID=6359773815112 playerID=JCdte3tMv height=360 width=640]

ATLANTA (AP) — Austin Riley and Matt Olson hit first-inning home runs, Orlando Arcia added a shot in the third and Atlanta beat Miami.

The Braves have won five of their last six games.

Charlie Morton (6-6) allowed just one run on five hits in six innings. He had six strikeouts and two walks. Morton allowed the leadoff batter to reach five times in six innings, but kept the Marlins off the scoreboard with the exception of an unearned run in the fifth.

Marcell Ozuna was 2 for 4 with a run, and Olson was 1 for 4 with two RBIs. Leadoff man Jorge Soler was 0 for 3 with a walk in his first home appearance after rejoining the Braves on Tuesday after a trade with the Giants. Soler was the MVP of the 2021 World Series for Atlanta.

Braves closer Raisel Iglesias picked up his 23rd save after A.J. Minter pitched a perfect eighth.

CUBS 5, CARDINALS 4

[brightcove videoID=6359774742112 playerID=JCdte3tMv height=360 width=640]

CHICAGO (AP) — Pinch-hitter Mike Tauchman doubled in Dansby Swanson with the winning run as Chicago scored three times in the ninth inning to rally for a win over St. Louis.

With Chicago down 4-2, Cody Bellinger hit a solo homer with one out. After Nico Hoerner singled and stole second, Swanson followed with his second RBI single of the night to tie it. Tauchman lined St. Louis closer Ryan Helsley’s 2-2 fastball down the left field line for the win.

Helsley (4-4) blew a save for the third time in 36 chances. Reliever Nate Pearson (1-1) tossed two scoreless innings for the win.

Rookie Masyn Winn hit a two-run homer, then Nolan Arenado added an RBI single in a three-run seventh inning to put St. Louis ahead 4-2.

Paul Goldschmidt hit his 17th homer in the first, then added a single and double. The veteran first baseman has nine hits in his last 20 at bats (.450) over five games.

ROCKIES 5, ANGELS 4, 10 INNINGS

[brightcove videoID=6359777774112 playerID=JCdte3tMv height=360 width=640]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Jake Cave hit a tying two-run home run with two outs in the ninth inning and Colorado scored on an error in the 10th to beat Los Angeles.

Cave homered off Hunter Strickland, the right-hander who is being used to finish off games after closer Carlos Estevez was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday.

Michael Toglia added a two-run home run for the Rockies, who have won consecutive games following a five-game losing streak. Colorado won a series for the third time in four tries since the All-Star break.

With Jacob Stallings at second base to open the 10th inning for Colorado, Sam Hilliard attempted a sacrifice bunt. Angels right-hander Hans Crouse (4-3) threw the ball wide of first base, allowing Hillard to score the go-ahead run.

Logan O’Hoppe and Mickey Moniak hit home runs for the Angels, who have lost five of their past seven games. Right-hander Carson Fulmer gave up two runs on three hits over six innings for Los Angeles in his fourth start of the season.

Stickland has one save and one blown save since taking over as closer.