White Sox, Cubs collide at Wrigley Field.

CHICAGO (AP) — John Lackey hit four batters, including three in one inning.

Carlos Rodon matched a career high with 11 strikeouts, and was gone after four innings.

Javier Baez struck out five times, and Kris Bryant was handed his first career ejection.

On a very strange day, Willson Contreras delivered — again.

Contreras drove in four runs and Carl Edwards Jr. provided some timely relief, helping the Chicago Cubs beat the Chicago White Sox 7-2 on Tuesday.

Ben Zobrist reached four times from the leadoff spot as the North Siders won for the ninth time in 11 games since the All-Star break. Lackey (7-9) became the first Cubs pitcher to plunk four guys since Moe Drabowsky on June 2, 1957, at Cincinnati, but managed to get into the sixth inning for his second straight victory.

"It was a day of awkward record-making or breaking today," manager Joe Maddon said.

The AL-worst White Sox were unable to overcome a strange performance by Rodon (1-4) in their 10th loss in 11 games. The left-hander struck out the side three times and smacked a two-run double for his first career hit, but struggled with his command in his third straight loss.

"I'd probably trade those 11 strikeouts in for six or seven innings," he said. "Just not tax the bullpen and go out there and go that long."

Contreras helped the Cubs get off to a fast start with a three-run drive onto Waveland Avenue for his 16th homer in the first. He singled in the third and drove in Jon Jay with another base hit in Chicago's two-run sixth.

Contreras' three-hit day was a nice rebound performance after he struck out looking with two runners on for the final out in the Cubs' 3-1 loss in the series opener on Monday. He is batting .347 (25 for 72) with seven homers and 18 RBIs in 18 July games.

"Just trying to do simple better like Maddon says," a grinning Contreras said.

The Cubs carried a 4-2 lead into the sixth, but Lackey was pulled after the White Sox put runners on second and third with no outs.

Edwards came in and struck out Tyler Saladino before making an athletic play on Melky Cabrera's comebacker for the second out. With the Wrigley Field crowd of 40,717 standing and cheering, Edwards then struck out Jose Abreu to end the inning.

The wiry reliever held his arms out and yelled as he left the mound after escaping the jam.

"That's the game-changer," Maddon said. "That was the linchpin to victory right there."

Omar Narvaez went 2 for 2 with two walks for the White Sox, who went 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position. Rodon, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2014 draft, was charged with four runs and seven hits.

"Today they were able to drive in some runs in a timely fashion," manager Rick Renteria said. "Today we had some opportunities and just weren't able to get them in."

Both benches were warned by home plate umpire Lance Barksdale after White Sox reliever Chris Beck plunked Ian Happ in the fifth. Lackey hit three batters in the top half of the inning, including Abreu for the second time, but Tim Anderson bounced into a fielder's choice for the final out.

"I wasn't trying to hit anybody, but I totally get the other side, too," Lackey said. "Tell Happy, my bad, apologize for that, have to buy him something nice for getting hit. But the game polices itself. Whether I intentionally did it or not, I get it on the other side. You've got to take care of your guys too." YANKEES 4, REDS 2

NEW YORK (AP) — Todd Frazier had an unforgettable first at-bat in his home debut at Yankee Stadium, grounding into a rare run-scoring triple play as New York beat the Reds.

Rookie Jordan Montgomery took a no-hit try into the sixth inning, and Didi Gregorius homered to boost the AL East contenders, his third in two games.

Last-place Cincinnati lost for the 10th time in 12 games. Billy Hamilton's bid for a tying extra-base hit in the eighth was thwarted when pinch-runner Zack Cozart, out of the starting lineup to rest his tender quadriceps, hobbled into third.

Back in the Bronx for the first time since the All-Star break, the Yankees brought along Frazier and relievers David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle, all acquired last week in a trade with the Chicago White Sox. ASTROS 5, PHILLIES 0

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Derek Fisher drove in two runs just hours after arriving in Philadelphia and Charlie Morton pitched seven innings to lead the Astros to a victory over the Phillies.

Jose Altuve extended his hitting streak to 17 straight games with a sixth-inning double to help the AL Westleading Astros improve to an American Leaguebest 67-33. Houston is 9-0 in interleague play.

Houston suffered an injury for the second straight day, as Alex Bregman left with discomfort in his right hamstring after tripling and scoring in the third. On Monday, outfielder George Springer departed with a left quadriceps injury that resulted in Fisher's call-up.

Philadelphia had four hits — all doubles — while dropping its major-league worst record to 34-64.

Morton (8-4) gave up three hits and struck out nine. The 33-yearold was signed by the Phillies before last season but played in just four games before suffering a season-ending hamstring injury. BREWERS 8, NATIONALS 0

WASHINGTON (AP) — Travis Shaw, Eric Thames and Manny Pina homered, Zach Davies tossed 7 2/3 shutout innings and the Brewers beat the Nationals.

Shaw's three-run blast highlighted a four-run fourth inning. Thames and Pina went back-toback off Edwin Jackson (1-1) in the fifth for the NL Central-leading Brewers. Milwaukee, which had lost six of seven to open its 10-game road trip, maintained a half-game lead over the Chicago Cubs.

Davies (12-4) allowed three hits and struck out seven to win his fifth consecutive decision. He drove in the Brewers' first run when he bunted toward the mound with runners on first and third in the second inning and Pina raced home ahead of Jackson's throw.

Bryce Harper struck out twice, but his eighth-inning double off Oliver Drake extended his hitting streak to a career-high 17 games. RAYS 5, ORIOLES 4

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Tim Beckham's three-run homer capped a five-run inning for Tampa Bay and rookie Jake Faria pitched into the eighth inning Tuesday night to help the Rays snap a fivegame losing streak.

Faria (5-1) posted his eighth quality start in nine starts, giving up three runs and seven hits while striking out five in 7 1/3 innings.

Alex Colome pitched the ninth for his 29th save after the Orioles got the potential tying run in scoring position in each of the last two innings.

Beckham's 12th home run was the fifth hit of the second inning off Wade Miley (4-9). Steven Souza Jr., Brad Miller,

Adeiny Hechavarria and Mallex Smith all singled and scored in the Rays' big inning.

Trey Mancini homered for the Orioles.

BLUE JAYS 4, ATHLETICS 1

TORONTO (AP) — Cesar Valdez pitched a careerhigh six innings to win for the first time since his big league debut more than seven years ago, Ryan Goins had two RBIs, and the Blue Jays beat the Athletics.

Making his first start with Toronto and just the fourth of his career, Valdez (1-0) allowed one run and five hits, walked one and struck out four. He left to a standing ovation from the crowd of 40,624 after giving up a leadoff double to Khris Davis in the seventh.

Valdez was pitching for Arizona the only other time he won in the big leagues, pitching five innings to beat Houston in his major league debut on May 3, 2010. Following that season, Valdez did not pitch in the majors again before making four appearances with Oakland earlier this season.

Joe Smith and Ryan Tepera each worked one inning. Roberto Osuna finished for his 26th save in 30 chances.

With more than half a dozen scouts on hand to monitor his performance ahead of the July 31 trade deadline, Oakland starter Sonny Gray (6-5) allowed four runs, none earned, in six innings.

ROYALS 3,

TIGERS 1

DETROIT (AP) — Whit Merrifield homered on the first pitch of the game and the Royals led the rest of the way, beating the Tigers for their seventh consecutive victory.

Danny Duffy (7-6) pitched into the seventh inning for the Royals, who added two runs in the fourth to keep the pressure on in the AL Central race. Kansas City came into the night 1 ½ games behind firstplace Cleveland.

Merrifield homered to left-center off Michael Fulmer (10-8) to open the scoring. Fulmer struck out the next four hitters he faced, and the All-Star right-hander ended up allowing three runs and eight hits in eight sharp innings. He struck out six without a walk.

Duffy allowed a run and six hits in 6 1/3 innings. Three relievers finished, with Kelvin Herrera pitching a perfect ninth for his 21st save in 24 chances. RANGERS 10, MARLINS 4

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Joey Gallo homered twice, Mike Napoli and Rougned Odor also went deep, and the Rangers slugged past the Marlins.

When Gallo led off the third inning with a towering blast into the second deck of seats, Marlins right fielder and MLB home run co-leader Giancarlo Stanton never even moved. That broke a 1-all tie and put the Rangers ahead to stay.

Gallo then led off the fourth with a liner into the seats near the right field corner for his 25th homer, and Odor's 20th came leading off the fifth made it 7-4.

Adrian Beltre was 0-for-3 with the sacrifice fly and a walk to remain at 2,993 career hits with seven games left in the Rangers homestand.