Marlins win again, blank Orioles, 1-0, in doubleheader

BALTIMORE — Brian Anderson hit a fourth-inning homer off Alex Cobb and the Miami Marlins won their second straight since returning from a coronavirus-prompted layoff, beating the Baltimore Orioles 1-0 Wednesday in the opener of a doubleheader.

Doubleheaders this season are seven-inning games, one of many rules designed to get the 30 teams and their pitchers through a dense 60-game schedule. As a nod to the first game of its kind at Camden Yards, the public address system blared “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” after the top of the fourth instead of its usual slot during the seventh-inning stretch.

Miami improved to 4-1 with its second successive shutout win over the Orioles. After yielding three hits in a 4-0 victory on Tuesday night, the Marlins permitted only three hits in this one.

Mets 3, Nationals 1

WASHINGTON — Max Scherzer is the type who is going to try to play if he possibly can, even on a tweaked right hamstring that prevents him from driving his lower body into his pitches.

So the three-time Cy Young Award winner gave it a shot Wednesday night for the Washington Nationals against the New York Mets. It was clear right away — to him and his catcher, pitching coach, manager — that the usual power and command were missing.

Scherzer exited because of the leg issue after laboring through just one inning, overshadowing Juan Soto’s eventful 2020 debut for the World Series champs, and Rick Porcello collected his 150th career win in the New York Mets’ 3-1 victory over Washington.

Red Sox 5, Rays 0

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Martín Pérez pitched out of trouble all night, and Alex Verdugo and Michael Chavis homered to help the Boston Red Sox stop a four-game skid Wednesday with a 5-0 victory over the slumping Tampa Bay Rays.

Pérez (2-1) allowed four hits and three walks, wiggling out of jams for five innings. He struck out four.

The left-hander held Tampa Bay to 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position and induced two double-play grounders. The Rays had a man on second with no outs in both the first and fourth.

Colten Brewer, Austin Brice, Matt Barnes and Brandon Workman completed a four-hitter.

Tampa Bay has dropped six of seven, scoring 18 runs during that stretch. The Rays (5-7) have trailed in 11 of 12 games this season, including their last 10.