Run the Sho! Ohtani triple carries Halos

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Shohei Ohtani hit a bases-loaded triple in a five-run seventh inning to help the streaking Los Angeles Angels beat the Kansas City Royals 7-1 on Thursday night for their fifth straight victory.

Ian Kinsler homered on his first swing in his return to the Angels’ lineup, and Nick Tropeano (1-0) pitched shutout ball into the seventh for his first major league win since 2016. Los Angeles has won eight of nine. The Royals walked Ohtani intentionally in the sixth with first base open.

ROCKIES 5, NATIONALS 1 :DJ LeMahieu hit two home runs and drove in a career-high four runs to lead Colorado to a victory over host Washington.

Chad Bettis (2-0) allowed one run and three hits over seven innings as Colorado took the opener of a fourgame series. LeMahieu’s four-hit game matched a career high.

He provided most of the offense, starting with the game’s first at-bat.

TWINS 4, WHITE SOX 0: Joe Mauer reached 2,000 career hits and Jose Berrios struck out 11 in seven innings and host Minnesota beat Chicago. Mauer had two hits and three RBI for Minnesota, which has won three in a row.

PIRATES 6, CUBS 1: Gregory Polanco and the Pittsburgh Pirates wasted no time in bouncing back from a rout to make an early statement in the National League Central.

Polanco homered twice to help back a third straight solid start by Trevor Williams, and Pittsburgh pulled away from Chicago at Wrigley Field.

CARDINALS 13, REDS 4: Jose Martinez drove in six runs Thursday night and Yadier Molina homered in his return from a one-game suspension, powering visiting St. Louis to a victory that left Cincinnati mired in its worst start since 1955. The Cardinals homered a season-high four times while piling up a season high in runs. The Reds helped by walking 11 batters, three of them with the bases loaded.

INDIANS 9, TIGERS 3: Francisco Lindor hit a leadoff homer and drove in three runs, helping host Cleveland beat Detroit for their 11th consecutive victory against the Tigers. The Indians completed a four-game series sweep and improved to 31-10 against their AL Central rival since 2016.

ANDRUS FRACTURES ELBOW: Texas Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus will miss six to eight weeks after additional tests Thursday confirmed the fracture in his right elbow.

ZIMMERMANN OK AFTER SCARE: Detroit Tigers pitcher Jordan Zimmermann is expected to make his next start after being hit on the jaw by a line drive against the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday night.