Cruz leads Rays past Phillies with bat and, yes, mitt

PHILADELPHIA >> Nelson Cruz returned from the COVID-19 list, played first base for the first time in his career and hit a tiebreaking two-run double in the eighth inning for the Tampa Bay Rays, who beat the Philadelphia Phillies 3-1 on Tuesday night.

The 41-year-old Cruz, Tampa Bay’s designated hitter who had never played first in the majors or the minors, handled all his chances cleanly in his first action anywhere on defense since he played right field for Seattle in 2018. With two on in the first, Didi Gregorius hit a grounder that shortstop Wander Franco threw from the outfield grass, and Cruz made a nifty pick of a short hop to end the inning.

RANGERS 7, INDIANS 3 >> Nathaniel Lowe was 5 for 5 with a three-run homer in the first inning, and Texas beat Cleveland after adding another player to the COVID-19 list.

Lowe homered in the first, singled in the third, seventh and ninth, and doubled in the fifth. DJ Peters also hit a three-run homer in the ninth and drove in four runs.

NATIONALS 5, MARLINS 1

Tres Barrera had three hits, including a homer, and Washington sent Miami to its eighth straight loss.

Yadiel Hernádez singled and tripled, while Ryan Zimmerman also went deep for the Nationals.

WHITE SOX 5, BLUE JAYS 2 >> Dylan Cease pitched seven effective innings, José Abreu hit a threerun homer and Chicago stopped a three-game slide.

PIRATES 4, DIAMONDBACKS 2>> JT Brubaker pitched five scoreless innings for his first win in nearly three months, and Pittsburgh beat Arizona.

ANGELS 14, ORIOLES 8 >> Baltimore staggered to its 19th consecutive loss, allowing 19 hits and falling behind Los Angeles by 11 runs early.

YANKEES 5, BRAVES 4 >> Wandy Peralta retired Freddie Freeman with the bases loaded for the final out, and New York held off Atlanta to extend their longest winning streak in 36 years to 11 games.

TIGERS 4, CARDINALS 3 >> Miguel Cabrera and Robbie Grossman hit back-toback home runs to lead Detroit to an interleague victory over St. Louis.

RED SOX 11, TWINS 9 >> Hunter Renfroe homered twice, the second during a five-run fifth inning that gave Boston a six-run advantage, and the Red Sox held onto the lead and their wild-card chances with a victory over lastplace Minnesota.

ASTROS 4, ROYALS 0 >> Luis Garcia pitched into the seventh inning and two relievers completed a fourhitter to lead Houston over Kansas City.