AROUND THE HORN
Rays: The Rays placed designated hitter Nelson Cruz on the COVID-19 injured list Sunday. The move was announced about one hour before the Rays’ 9-0 victory over the visiting White Sox in a matchup of AL division leaders. “Woke up not feeling good,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “Opted to keep him away. Certainly will test and all that.” The Rays also lost starting pitcher Chris Archer and 1B Ji-man Choi during the first two innings of the victory. The AL Eastleading Rays started the day with 16 players, including 15 pitchers, on the IL. The 41-year-old Cruz, acquired from the Twins last month, is hitting .198 with seven HRS and 18 RBIS in 24 games with the Rays. The slugger has a .270 batting average with 26 HRS and 68 RBIS for the season. Cruz is 42nd on the career HR list with 443. Archer was pulled because of left hip tightness in his first start since since April 10, when he left a game against the Yankees due to right lateral forearm tightness. He allowed one hit, struck out four and walked one in two innings against the White Sox. “With the little bit of rest that I’ve had, the treatment that we’ve done, I feel a lot better,” said Archer, who doesn’t believe the injury is serious. Choi doubled in the first and scored on Austin Meadows’ single, but left after the inning with left hamstring tightness. “He said he felt it when he hit the double,” Cash said. “Getting to second base felt it grab him and then probably just continued to tighten up.”
Braves, Orioles: Jorge Soler homered, Touki Toussaint pitched effectively into the sixth, and the surging Braves beat the Orioles 3-1, extending the Orioles’ losing streak to 18 games. The Orioles’ skid is the longest in the major leagues since the Royals dropped 19 in a row in 2005. This was only the third time during this streak that the Orioles lost by two runs or fewer. Adam Duvall added a two-run double for the
Braves, who have won nine in a row and 16 of their last 18. The Braves have also won a franchise-record 13 consecutive road games. Toussaint (3-2) allowed a run and five hits in 5 ⅓ innings. He walked three and struck out five. The Braves used five relievers. Luke Jackson struck out the side in the eighth and Will Smith finished for his 28th save in 32 chances.
Brewers: Kolten Wong homered and drove in three runs, leading the Brewers to a 7-3 victory over the visiting Nationals. Lorenzo Cain also connected as the Brewers took the rubber game of the weekend series. The NL Central leaders have won 10 of 13 overall. Hunter Strickland (2-1) got two outs for the win, and Josh Hader recorded the last out for his 26th save. The Nationals allowed a season-high 11 walks.
Reds: Tyler Naquin hit two solo HRS and Vladimir Gutierrez pitched seven effective innings, helping the host Reds beat the Marlins 3-1 for a sweep of their four-game series. Naquin’s leadoff shot extended his hitting streak to 12 games. He added his 18th HR in the eighth, making it 3-1 when he drove an 0-2 fastball from Anthony Bass into the seats in right-center. The Reds won for the sixth time in eight games. Gutierrez (9-4) allowed three hits, struck out eight and walked one. Lucas Sims got three outs before Michael Lorenzen pitched a scoreless ninth for his third save.
Extra innings: Ty France tied the game with a solo HR in the ninth and put the Mariners on top with an RBI single in the 11th before Kyle Seager belted a threerun HR in a 6-3 road win over the Astros . ... Andrew Benintendi drove in three runs, and the Royals beat the sliding Cubs 9-1 for a sweep of their weekend series. It was Cubs’ franchise-record 13th consecutive loss at Wrigley Field. Benintendi and Carlos Santana each had three hits in the Royals’ sixth win in seven games.