DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) – Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit three home runs, including a grand slam and solo shot off Washington ace Max Scherzer, and had seven RBIs as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Nationals 9-5 on Tuesday night. Guerrero’s slam in the third put the Blue Jays ahead 4-3 and ended Scherzer’s scoreless streak at 19 innings. Guerrero made it 7-3 with his drive in the fifth and added a two-run, seventh-inning shot off Kyle Finnegan to complete his first three-homer game. Scherzer (1-2) joined Ivan Nova as the only pitcher to have allowed a homer to Guerrero Jr. and his father, Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero. Scherzer allowed seven runs – five earned – and eight hits over five innings.
Tommy Milone (1-0) was the winner.
RAYS 4, ATHLETICS 3
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – Brett Phillips hit a two-run homer in the sixth, helping send Oakland to its second loss in 16 games.
In the seventh, Joey Wendle’s two-out single tacked on another run for the Rays, ending Tampa Bay’s 0-for-26 stretch with runners in scoring position.
Phillips’ first homer of the season came off Frankie Montas (2-2). Jeffrey Springs (1-0) got the win in relief. Diego Castillo gave up a home run to Sean Murphy in the ninth before earning his fifth save.playing time from Gary Sánchez.
Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton also homered – the Yankees are 9-0 when they go deep in the same game, including the playoffs. New York stopped a four-game skid at Camden Yards and, at 10-13, moved into a tie with the Orioles for last in the AL East.
Kluber allowed one run and six hits with five strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings.
Rookie Bruce Zimmermann (1-3) gave up nine hits in 3 2/3 innings.
RED SOX 2, METS 1
NEW YORK (AP) – Garrett Richards finally found the strike zone and punched out 10, and Bobby Dalbec hit his first homer this season.
Richards (1-2) allowed a run and seven hits over seven innings, issuing no free passes one start after walking six.
Boston improved to an AL East-leading 15-9, including a significant league-most 12 comeback victories. Matt Barnes fanned Pete Alonso and J.D. Davis during a 1-2-3 ninth for his fifth save. David Peterson (1-3) was the loser.
INDIANS 7, TWINS 4
CLEVELAND (AP) – Franmil Reyes homered twice, including a 452-foot drive that landed in the left-field bleachers about six rows before the scoreboard.
José Ramírez drove in two runs, including a first-inning homer that helped Cleveland win over its AL Central rival for the second straight night.
Byron Buxton homered with two outs in the eighth to chase Aaron Civale (4-0), but James Karinchak struck out Nelson Cruz and then worked the ninth for his second save.
Kenta Maeda (1-2) was charged with five runs, including three homers, in 5 2/3 innings.
PIRATES 2, ROYALS 1
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Pinch-hitter Wilmer Difo delivered the go-ahead single off Scott Barlow in the seventh, and Pittsburgh stopped Kansa City’s five-game winning streak.
Pittsburgh (12-11) has won three straight games and 11 of 16 since a 1-6 start, moving back above .500 for the first time since it was 1-0 in the opening week.
Jacob Stallings singled off Jakob Junis (1-1), leading off the seventh.
Duane Underwood (1-0) won in his second big league decision.
BRAVES 5, CUBS 0
ATLANTA (AP) – Ian Anderson (2-0) allowed one hit in seven innings, lowering his ERA to 2.48, and Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a long home run off Trevor Williams (2-2) as Chicago lost its fourth straight.
A.J. Minter pitched a perfect eighth. In the ninth, Nico Hoerner’s one-out single off Jacob Webb ias Chicago’s second hit, but Webb struck out Willson Contreras and David Bote to end the game.
