Home runs, Flaherty’s arm give Cards a sweep

NATIONAL LEAGUE CARDINALS 7, MARLINS 0

MIAMI — Yadier Molina hit a two-run home run and Dylan Carlson added a grand slam, leading the St. Louis Cardinals over Miami 7-0 Wednesday for a three-game sweep that dropped the Marlins to 1-5 for the first time since 2015.

Jack Flaherty (1-0) allowed one hit in six innings, a leadoff single by Corey Dickerson, who advanced on a walk before he was caught stealing. After another walk, Flaherty settled down. He allowed only two more runners, both on walks, and struck out six.

Flaherty had given up six runs over 41/3 innings at Cincinnati on opening day.

“Early on I wasn’t locating my fastball,” Flaherty said. “The last game was the same thing. As the innings went on, I was able to attack more, establish my fastball and pitch off of that. I got to a lot better counts.”

Genesis Cabrera and Jordan Hicks finished the three-hitter.

Pablo Lopez (0-1) allowed 2 runs and 3 hits in 62/3 innings for the Marlins.

St. Louis had advanced just one runner to scoring position before the seventh. Molina homered for a 2-0 lead in the inning, and he drove in the go-ahead run in each game of the series. Matt Carpenter had drawn a two-out walk, ending a string of 10 batters in a row retired by Lopez.

BRAVES 7-2, NATIONALS 6-0 Atlanta pinch-hitter Pablo Sandoval drove a two-run home run to the deepest part of the ballpark off a Washington reliever who took over after Stephen Strasburg’s six scoreless innings, lifting the Braves to a victory over the Nationals and a doubleheader sweep. Sandoval drove a 96 mph fastball from Tanner Rainey (0-1) more than 400 feet after Dansby Swanson’s two-out single in the seventh and final inning. Ronald Acuna Jr. doubled and had two singles as Atlanta won the opener. BREWERS 4, CUBS 2 (10) Lorenzo Cain hit his second home run of the game, a three-run shot in the 10th off Brandon Workman (0-1) as Milwaukee beat Chicago.

REDS 11, PIRATES 4 Tyler Naquin hit a leadoff home run off Chad Kuhl (0-1), Kyle Farmer added a two-run double in the first, and host Cincinnati won its fifth in a row.

GIANTS 3, PADRES 2 Alex Dickerson scored on Donovan Solano’s sacrifice fly in the 10th off Tim Hill (0-1).

PHILLIES 8, METS 2 Alec Bohm and J.T. Realmuto each hit a three-run home run, Rhys Hoskins had a home run and Philadelphia took two of three from New York.

ROCKIES 8. DIAMONDBACKS 0 Antonio Senzatela allowed only four hits in eight innings, Chris Owings had three extra-base hits and Colorado snapped a four-game skid.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

ORIOLES 4, YANKEES 3 (11) Orioles right fielder Anthony Santander threw out Gio Urshela trying to score on a fly ball in the 11th, moments after pinch-hitter Chance Sisco’s go-ahead single in the top of the inning, as Baltimore beat New York. RED SOX 9 RAYS 2 Christian Vazquez homered, Xander Bogaerts had three hits and J.D. Martinez went for extra bases for the seventh game in a row as Boston completed a three-game sweep.

INDIANS 4, ROYALS 2 Jose Ramirez’s second two-run home run of the game snapped a tie in the eighth against Greg Holland (0-1). Shane Bieber struck out 12 for the second consecutive game, allowing 2 runs and 3 hits in 61/3 innings for Cleveland.

MARINERS 8, WHITE SOX 4 Kyle Seager slapped an opposite-field, bases-clearing double for the big blow in Seattle’s seven-run sixth inning, and the Mariners avoided a sweep.

TWINS 3, TIGERS 2 Jorge Polanco hit a two-run double in the sixth as Minnesota beat Detroit.

RANGERS 2, BLUE JAYS 1 Kyle Gibson (10) struck out 8 and allowed 6 hits over 6 scoreless innings as Texas beat Toronto.

INTERLEAGUE

ATHLETICS 4, DODGERS 3 Mitch Moreland hit an RBI single off Jimmy Nelson (0-1) with one out in the 10th, and Oakland got its first win after coming within one loss of what would have been its first 0-7 start.