Rays’ McKay nearly perfect in first start

Baez, Quintana boost Cubs; Orioles crush Indians again

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Brendan McKay took a perfect game into the sixth inning of his major league debut and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Texas Rangers 5-2 on Saturday.

McKay (1-0), a two-way prospect taken fourth overall in the 2017 draft, didn’t allow a baserunner until Danny Santana flared an opposite-field single to right with one out in the sixth. The lefthander allowed one hit, a walk and struck out three in six innings.

After walking Shin-Soo Choo with two outs in the sixth, McKay ended his 81-pitch outing by striking out Delino Deshields on three pitches. He walked off the field to a standing ovation.

Avisail Garcia homered for the Rays, who won for the fourth time in 12 games.

CUBS 6, REDS 0: In Cincinnati, Javier Baez hit his first grand slam of the season, and Jose Quintana went six innings for his first victory since May 5, leading Chicago over Cincinnati.

The NL Central leaders are 14-14 in June. They need to win the final game of the series to avoid their first losing month since May of 2017. They’ve had 12 straight winning months in the regular season.

The benches and bullpens cleared after Pedro Strop hit Yasiel Puig in the thigh with a pitch in the eighth. Puig slammed his batting helmet to the ground and walked toward Strop while yelling and gesturing, but players intervened. Puig had taunted Cubs baserunner Albert Almora Jr. from right field during the series opener.

ORIOLES 13, INDIANS 0: In Baltimore, Andrew Cashner threw seven innings of three-hit ball, Renato Núñez had two of Baltimore’s four home runs and the Orioles clinched their first series win since April with a victory over Cleveland.

Anthony Santander etched his way into Camden Yards’ history when he hit the 100th home run, and 45th by an Oriole, to land on Eutaw Street since the stadium opened on April 6, 1992.

Chance Sisco also homered for Baltimore, which has outscored Cleveland 26-0 over the first two games. The Orioles will go for their first threegame sweep of the season today.

BRAVES 5, METS 4: In New York, Nick Markakis and Austin Riley hit consecutive solo homers to give Atlanta the lead in the eighth inning, and the Braves spoiled New York’s feel-good Saturday by rallying for a win.

Braves closer Luke Jackson stranded runners at second and third in the ninth for his 13th save, handing New York its seventh straight loss.

The 1969 World Series champion Mets were honored on the field before the game.

ROCKIES 5, DODGERS 3: In Denver, Jon Gray pitched effectively into the seventh inning and Charlie Blackmon homered to lead Colorado past Los Angeles.

Gray (9-5) allowed three runs, two earned, and struck out eight over 6⅔ innings to give Colorado’s tired bullpen some rest. He outdueled Los Angeles lefty Clayton Kershaw, who was cruising until an error started a three-run rally in the sixth.

Nolan Arenado tied the game with a single and Mark Reynolds’ two-out, two-run single put the Rockies up by two after six. The Dodgers threatened in the seventh but Jairo Diaz struck out Justin Turner with two on to end the inning.

TWINS 10, WHITE SOX 3: In Chicago, Nelson Cruz and Max Kepler each hit two home runs, Miguel Sano went deep, and Michael Pineda threw six solid innings to lead Minnesota over Chicago.

Cruz hit a pair of two-run homers, connecting against Ivan Nova (3-7) in the first and launching a 469-foot shot to center off Jose Ruiz in the ninth.

BLUE JAYS 7, ROYALS 5: In Toronto, Danny Jansen hit a game-winning home run in the bottom of the ninth inning, Cavan Biggio launched his first career grand slam and Toronto beat Kansas City after starter Marcus Stroman exited early with a cramp in his non-pitching shoulder.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. added a solo home run for the Blue Jays, who recovered after blowing a one-run lead in the top of the ninth.

With closer Ken Giles apparently unavailable after finishing Friday’s game, Toronto gave righthander Daniel Hudson (5-2) his third save opportunity of the season.

ASTROS 6, MARINERS 5 (10): In Houston, Yuli Gurriel doubled in the 10th inning for his second straight last at-bat game winner, lifting Houston to a win over Seattle.

The Astros hadn’t scored since putting up five runs in the second when Michael Brantley singled to start Houston’s 10th, ending a streak of nine hitless innings over eight appearances for Seattle closer Roenis Elias (2-1).

MARLINS 9, PHILLIES 6: In Miami, Neil Walker homered and drove in three runs to help Miami rally from a five-run deficit and beat Philadelphia for the fifth consecutive time.

The Marlins fell behind 6-1 before starting their comeback when Walker snapped an 0-for-15 skid with a two-run homer in the sixth inning. He contributed an RBI single in Miami’s six-run seventh, and JT Riddle delivered a tiebreaking two-run double off Adam Morgan (2-3).

BREWERS 3, PIRATES 1: In Milwaukee, Brandon Woodruff cruised to his 10th win of the season, Eric Thames homered and tripled, and Milwaukee beat Pittsburgh.

Woodruff (10-2) allowed one earned run and six hits with six strikeouts in 7⅔ innings, helping the Brewers improve to 4-5 on their current 10-game homestand.

TIGERS 7, NATIONALS 5: In Detroit, Miguel Cabrera had three hits and three RBIs as Detroit rallied twice and snapped an eight-game losing streak with a victory over Washington.

The Tigers rebounded from a three-run deficit in the fourth inning and erased a two-run deficit in the seventh when Niko Goodrum singled to cap a three-run rally.