Rays lose ace McClanahan, and to Royals

The major league-leading Rays lost ace Shane McClanahan to mid-back tightness in a 6-5 loss to the lowly Royals at St. Petersburg, Fla., on Thursday night.

McClanahan was looking to become the majors' first 12-game winner of the year before leaving with two outs in the fourth. The lefthander, 11-1 this season, gave up two runs, four hits and two walks in a 66-pitch outing.

Maikel Garcia drew a walk from Pete Fairbanks (0-2) to start the ninth, then stole second and third. After Fairbanks got a pair of strikeouts, Garcia scored on MJ Melendez’s infield single down the first-base line to put the Royals ahead, 6-5. The Royals stole seven bases overall.

Aroldis Chapman (3-2) struck out the side during a perfect eighth, topping out at 102.6 miles per hour. Scott Barlow got three outs for his ninth save.

The Rays (52-26) dropped to 32-9 at home. Kansas City has the second-worst record in the majors at 21-54.

Rays manager Kevin Cash announced before the game that shortstop Wander Franco would not play Thursday and Friday games because of how he has handled frustrating situations this season.

Germán, Yankees hammered

Teoscar Hernández hit one of Seattle’s four early homers and the Mariners teed off against a suddenly inept Domingo Germán in blowing out the sloppy Yankees, 10-2, at New York to prevent a three-game sweep.

Touted rookie Bryan Woo (1-1) breezed into the sixth inning with a no-hit bid to earn his first major league victory. Kolten Wong hit his first home run for the Mariners before Ty France and Cal Raleigh also went deep against Germán (4-5).

Germán gave up a career-high 10 runs and eight hits. He threw 93 pitches in 3‚ innings as his ERA soared to 5.10.

It was the second consecutive horrendous outing for the righthander, who had a respectable 3.49 ERA before giving up seven runs in two innings last Friday at Boston.

Braves win eighth straight

Marcell Ozuna hit a two-run homer to cap a five-run 10th inning, and the Braves beat the Phillies, 5-1, at Philadelphia Thursday for their eighth straight win.

The Braves swept the rain-shortened twogame series in their first appearance in Philadelphia since falling to the Phillies in four games during last year’s NL Divisional Series.

Ozuna’s 14th homer of the season — a shot to deep left-center off righthander Yunior Marte — followed a two-run single by Austin Riley after Philadelphia left fielder Kyle Schwarber misplayed a ball that would have been the third out of the inning.

Elder and Philadelphia’s Aaron Nola both dominated. Nola pitched six innings, allowing two hits and two walks, striking out five. In his career, the righthander has a 3.41 ERA in 32 career starts against the Braves.

Elder went seven innings, allowing three hits while walking two and striking out five.

HR sign for Guardians’ Bell

Josh Bell nearly dotted the “i.”

Bell homered off an “Ohio” sign beyond the left-field wall and Myles Straw hit an RBI triple, leading the Guardians to a 6-1 win at Cleveland and a three-game sweep of the Athletics, who lost their eighth straight.

Bell’s shot helped the Guardians complete their first sweep of 2023 and extend their winning streak to four games.