AROUND THE HORN
Astros: 2B Jose Altuve, 3B Alex Bregman, DH Yordan Álvarez, C Martín Maldonado and INF Robel Garcia were placed on the injured list Wednesday because of COVID-19 health and safety protocols. GM James Click said he couldn’t say if a player had tested positive for COVID-19 or been exposed to someone who had and that the length of each player’s absence would be determined by contract testing that is being performed. Click also said the moves weren’t a function of the players breaking league protocols.
Giants: Johnny Cueto pitched neatly into the sixth before exiting with a tight lat muscle, and the Giants finished off the visiting Reds 3-0. Cueto (2-0) removed himself from the game after fanning Nick Castellanos for the second out in the sixth. Showing no signs of physical duress before his injury occurred, the 35-year-old Cueto surrendered three hits and walked none while striking out four.
Nationals, Cardinals: Joe Ross pitched six sharp innings and the Nationals threw their first regular-season shutout at Busch Stadium, blanking the Cardinals 6-0. Ross (1-0) improved to 3-0 in four career starts against the Cards. He allowed four hits, struck out five and walked one. He also singled and scored a run. Four relievers combined to hold the Cards hitless the rest of the way. Ryan Zimmerman hit his first HR of the season, a two-run drive in the third off Adam Wainwright (0-2). ... The Cardinals’ Yadier Molina caught his 2,000th game. Molina, 38, a ninetime All-Star and Gold Glove winner, became just the sixth catcher in MLB history to catch 2,000 career games, and the only backstop to do so exclusively with one team. After he caught the first pitch, Wainwright stepped off the mound and the fans gave Molina standing ovation. He took off his mask and waved to the fans. A “Yadi” chant broke out. Molina caught his first game June 3, 2004.
Royals: Salvador Pérez homered and doubled to cap off an impressive series, leading Brad Keller and the Royals over the visiting Angels 6-1. A day after picking off David Fletcher at third base to end a 3-2 win, Pérez drove in two runs. The All-Star catcher went 8-for-12 with four RBIs in the series as the Royals took two of three.
Extra innings: Corbin Burnes struck out 10 in six dominant innings and also delivered a two-run single for his first career RBIs as the host Brewers beat the Cubs 7-0. Burnes allowed just two hits — the 26-year-old right-hander has knocked home twice as many runs (two) as he has allowed (one) through his first three outings of the year. This marked the franchise-record eighth straight game in which a Brewers starter worked at least five innings while allowing no more than one run. The Brewers took two of three in the series . ... Bo Bichette homered twice, including a game-ending drive leading off the ninth that lifted the Blue Jays over the Yankees 5-4. The Jays, who are playing their first three homestands in Florida because of COVID-19 restrictions in Canada, took two of three . ... The Braves placed LHP Max Fried on the 10-day IL with a strained right hamstring. He injured himself running the bases Tuesday . ... Reds RHP Sonny Gray is set to make his first start of the season Saturday against the Indians. Gray, 31, experienced back spasms after just one Cactus League start.