Nationals knock off Cubs

WASHINGTON (AP) — Max Scherzer allowed one run and two hits as the Washington Nationals knocked Chicago Cubs starter Jake Arrieta out in the fifth inning on the way to a 6-1 victory Tuesday night in a showdown of the past two NL Cy Young Award winners.

Scherzer (9-5) was dominant in his six innings of work, striking out six with no walks and retiring 16 of the final 17 batters he faced. The right-hander allowed an earned run in the first inning for the first time since April and his streak of 10-plus strikeout games ended at six, but he was in control almost all night.

Arrieta (7-6), on the other hand, struggled with his control as he issued a season-high six walks and allowed five earned runs, getting the hook two batters into the fifth inning. The 2015 Cy Young winner hadn't walked more than three batters in a game this season.

He and catcher Miguel Montero allowed seven stolen bases, matching the Montreal Expos/ Nationals franchise record. Nationals shortstop Trea Turner had four of those.

Washington center fielder Michael Taylor went 2 for 4 with two RBIs, and Scherzer washed out the RBI triple he allowed to Kris Bryant in the first by driving in a run with an infield single in the fourth.

When Scherzer was lifted after 92 pitches through six with a comfortable 6-1 lead, the Nationals' beleaguered bullpen got three clean innings of relief from Enny Romero, Blake Treinen, Oliver Perez and Matt Albers.

Reds 8, Brewers 6. CINCINNATI (AP) — Joey Votto hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the fifth inning, helping the last-place Cincinnati Reds top the Milwaukee Brewers 8-6 on Tuesday night.

Billy Hamilton, Adam Duvall and Eugenio Suarez also connected for Cincinnati, which scored its most runs in 19 games since Scooter Gennett hit four homers in its 13-1 win over St. Louis on June 6.

Milwaukee slugger Ryan Braun returned after missing 31 games with a strained left calf, but the NL Centralleading Brewers lost for the third time in four games. Braun went 1 for 5 with a double.

Travis Shaw's threerun shot off Tim Adleman (5-4) gave Milwaukee a 5-4 lead in the third inning. But Suarez responded with his 12th homer in the bottom half, stopping a 0-for-13 slide.

Gennett led off the fifth with a base hit and Votto followed with a drive to right-center off Junior Guerra for his 21st homer.

Adleman (5-4) tied his career high by allowing three home runs in five innings. He allowed five hits, struck out seven and walked three.

Tony Cingrani and Michael Lorenzen combined for two scoreless innings before Raisel Iglesias pitched the ninth for his 13th save.

Guerra (1-2) set a career high by allowing eight runs in four innings. He also tied his career high by giving up eight hits.

Hamilton lined Guerra's third pitch into the first row of the seats in right for his second homer. Duvall hit a two-run shot and Devin Mesoraco added an RBI single as Cincinnati jumped out to a 4-0 lead.

Manny Pina and Orlando Arcia homered for Milwaukee in the second inning. Arcia added a run-scoring single off Drew Storen in the sixth.

Marlins 6,

Mets 3. MIAMI (AP) — Ichiro Suzuki had a pinch-hit RBI single in the seventh inning to put Miami ahead, Christian Yelich had three hits and the Marlins beat the New York Mets 6-3 Tuesday night.

Suzuki poked a pitch to the opposite field against Jerry Blevins for a 4-3 lead. The 43-year-old Suzuki leads the majors with 12 pinch-hits.

Yelich added a two-run single in the seventh, his third hit. Dan Straily allowed two runs in five innings, and A.J. Ramos pitched around a leadoff single in the ninth for his 13th save.

The Marlins have scored 18 runs in their past six games and won four of them.

New York's Robert Gsellman left the game with a strained left hamstring after he pulled up trying unsuccessfully to beat out a grounder in the third inning. The injury-plagued Mets have already had five starting pitchers on the disabled list this year.

Gsellman allowed three runs, hiking his ERA to 6.16. Neil Ramirez (0-1) faced two batters in the seventh, and both scored.

Curtis Granderson led off the game with his 11th homer of the year and his seventh this month. It was his 45th leadoff homer, most among active players.

Teammate Travis d'Arnaud tied the game in the seventh with his ninth homer off Kyle Barraclough ( 4-1). D'Arnaud also had an RBI single.

For the third consecutive game, the Marlins scored three in the first, all with two out. Justin Bour hit a two-run single on a 3-2 pitch, and then chugged home from first on Martin Prado's double.

The Marlins have won 15 of their past 20 home games. Tigers 5, Royals 3. DETROIT (AP) — J.D. Martinez and Miguel Cabrera homered and Justin Verlander pitched seven strong innings as the Detroit Tigers beat the Kansas City Royals 5-3 on Tuesday night.

Verlander (5-4) was down 3-0 before getting an out, but didn't allow another run as the Tigers won their second straight after an eightgame losing streak. He gave up three runs, nine hits and a walk, striking out six.

Three relievers finished for the Tigers, with Justin Wilson pitching the ninth for his seventh save.

Matt Strahm (2-5) gave up five runs and six hits in 3 2/3 innings for the Royals.

The Royals got off to a quick start against Verlander. Whit Merrifield started the game with a ground-rule double over the 420-foot sign in center and the next four batters singled to give Kansas City a three-run lead with no outs in the first.

Verlander, though, retired the next three batters to escape the inning without further damage. After the five hits to start the game, he got 21 outs while only allowing four singles.

Martinez led off the bottom of the second with his 12th homer, and Cabrera put the Tigers ahead 4-3 with a three-run, opposite-field homer in the third.

Peter Moylan replaced Strahm with runners on the corners and two outs in the fourth, but Ian Kinsler lined an RBI single up the middle to give the Tigers a 5-3 lead.