Alvarez leads red-hot Astros' homer barrage in win

Yordan Alvarez had a grand slam among his two homers and the visiting Houston Astros routed the Milwaukee Brewers 12-2 on Monday night for their eighth win in a row.

Alvarez hit a solo shot off Corbin Burnes in the fifth inning and capped a fiverun outburst in the sixth with a grand slam off Hoby Milner. Alvarez has 12 homers this season.

Corey Julks, Martín Maldonado and Mauricio Dubón also homered against Burnes (4-4), who allowed four homers in a game for the first time in his career.

The Astros had season highs with 12 runs, 15 hits and five homers. Julks was 3 of 5 with three RBIS.

Astros starter Cristian Javier (4-1) struck out five and allowed four hits, one run and one walk in six innings. RAYS 6, BLUE JAYS 4 >> Jose Siri, Randy Arozaena and Luke Raley homered, and host Tampa Bay defeated sliding Toronto.

The Rays (35-14), who lead the major leagues with 94 home runs, opened a three-game lead over Baltimore in the AL East.

After opener Trevor Kelley pitched two scoreless innings, Josh Fleming (1-0) allowed two runs and five hits over the next six as the Rays improved to 22-4 at home.

The announced crowd at Tropicana Field was a season-low 8,857. Tampa Bay started the day averaging 18,045, 10th in the AL.

Toronto’s Chris Bassitt (5-3) had pitched 28 consecutive scoreless innings before the Rays scored three times in the second. He allowed six runs — two earned — and seven hits over 6 1/3 innings.

Whit Merrifield and Daulton Varsho homered for the Blue Jays (25-23), who have lost seven of eight.

Varsho hit a solo homer in the ninth against Zack Littell, who was replaced by Pete Fairbanks with two on and one out. Fairbanks allowed a two-out RBI single to Brandon Belt and loaded the bases with a walk to George Springer before getting a comebacker from Bo Bichette for his fifth save. REDS 6, CARDINALS 5, 10 INNINGS >> Nick Senzel hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th and

host Cincinnati snapped a four-game losing streak while cooling off St. Louis.

Spencer Steer launched an early two-run homer and scored the winning run for the Reds.

Paul Dejong homered and drove in four runs for the Cardinals, who had won 11 of 14 since a 10-24 start.

St. Louis had the bases loaded in the ninth and two runners aboard in the 10th, but failed to score.

Steer began the bottom of the 10th as the automatic

runner. He advanced to third on a wild pitch by Ryan Helsley (2-3) and scored on Senzel’s deep fly. DIAMONDBACKS 6, PHILLIES 3 >> Lourdes Gurriel Jr. had a homer, double and two RBIS as Arizona won at Philadelphia.

Pavin Smith also homered for the Diamondbacks, who have won eight of their last 10 games.

Kyle Schwarber and Bryson Stott hit solo homers for the Phillies, who have lost six of their last eight.

Gurriel went 4 for 4 and improved his average to .321. During his 15-game hitting streak, Gurriel has a .416 average (25 for 60) with six doubles, seven homers and 14 RBIS.

PIRATES 6, RANGERS 4 >> Tucupita Marcano hit his first career grand slam, rookie Luis Ortiz pitched into the eighth inning and earned his first major league victory and host Pittsburgh beat AL West-leading Texas.

Ortiz (1-2) allowed two runs and five hits in 7 2/3 innings in his eighth career start.

Marcano’s slam to straightaway center field off Joe Barlow capped a fiverun seventh inning and put the Pirates ahead 6-1. GIANTS 4, TWINS 1 >> Michael Conforto hit a three-run homer and the first four San Francisco batters scored in a road win over Minnesota.

The Giants have won six of seven and at 23-24 are one game under .500 for the first time since they were 5-6.

Lamonte Wade Jr. walked on eight pitches and Mike Yastrzemski on five, and J.D. Davis doubled on the 15th pitch from Bailey Ober (3-1) for the go-ahead run. Conforto then hit a belthigh 1-0 fastball into the visitors bullpen in left-center for his ninth home run this season.

Sean Manaea (2-2) struck out eight in 3 2/3 scoreless innings in relief of opener John Brebbia, allowing three hits and three walks. Tristan Beck relieved with runners on second and third and induced Byron Buxton’s inning-ending groundout in the fifth.

Minnesota struck out 16 times. Twins batters lead the major leagues with 474 strikeouts,

Ober settled down after the first with four scoreless innings.

GUARDIANS 3, WHITE SOX 0>> Rookie Hunter Gaddis pitched six strong innings for his first major league win and Mike Zunino connected for a two-run homer, sending Cleveland over visiting Chicago.

Gaddis (1-1) gave the Guardians a badly needed quality start after they were swept over the weekend in New York, losing all three to the Mets by one run.

The right-hander gave up just two hits, combining with four relievers on a three-hitter.

MORRY GASH – THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Yordan Alvarez of the Astros is fired up after hittng his second homer of the game, a grand slam in the sixth inning.