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The Cleveland Guardians have rebounded nicely from getting thumped by the visiting Minnesota Twins to open the current four-game series. On Thursday, the Guardians will look to take the series from the Twins with a third consecutive victory. Cleveland dropped the final two contests of a three-game home series against the Boston Red Sox before falling 11-1 versus the Twins on Monday. However, after Kyle Manzardo's ninth-inning, walk-off homer sent the Guardians to a much-needed 2-1 victory on Tuesday, Bo Naylor's second home run in as many nights, a three-run shot well over the right field wall, highlighted their four-run seventh in 4-2 win on Wednesday. "We're gonna have our ups and downs," said Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt, whose team is 5-4 on a season-high, 10-game homestand. "(But) I really like the direction this team is going." Minnesota, meanwhile, totaled 32 runs during its season-high four-game winning streak prior to Tuesday. However, the Twins' bats were held in check while recording just 13 combined hits over the last two nights after pounding out a season-high 17 on Monday. The Twins, just 4-12 on the road this season, also struck out 13 times on Wednesday. Despite the Twins cooling off at the plate, Minnesota's Trevor Larnach had two hits on Wednesday, and he is batting .324 (11-for-34) with nine RBIs in his past nine games. Scheduled Minnesota starter Simeon Woods Richardson (2-2, 4.07 ERA) has earned a winning decision in two of his past three starts. On Saturday against the Los Angeles Angels, the right-hander allowed one run, four hits and no walks while striking out a season-high seven batters over 5 1/3 innings of the Twins' 5-1 victory. "I just have to go with the game plan and execute," Woods Richardson said. "It's still 60 feet, 6 inches, and you've still got to go about your game plan." Woods Richardson was solid against the Guardians last season, posting a 2.12 ERA in three starts despite Minnesota losing all three matchups. Those were the only times he has opposed the Twins in his career. Cleveland star Jose Ramirez is 0-for-8 versus Woods Richardson, but he had two hits on Wednesday after going 1-for-7 in the first two games of the series. Naylor, Steven Kwan and Manzardo have all homered against Woods Richardson. Scheduled Cleveland starter Ben Lively (1-2, 4.40 ERA) looks to be more efficient than on Game 1 of a Saturday doubleheader against Boston, when he allowed four runs -- on a three-run homer and solo shot -- four other hits and three walks over five innings during a no-decision. Though the right-hander has yet to record a quality start in any of his six outings this year, the Guardians are 4-2 in those contests. "I just got to get aggressive and throw competitive pitches no matter what," Lively said. "You just got to dig. Of course I want to go deeper. ... Just got to bear down and get as much as you can." Lively has never made a start vs. Minnesota, but owns a 9.00 ERA in two relief appearances against the Twins. Minnesota's Edouard Julien and Christian Vazquez are a combined 4-for-5 against Lively. --Field Level Media

It can be tough for second-year players to match a strong rookie season. However, for Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes, it's been business as usual. The right-hander looks to continue his effective sophomore campaign when he faces the visiting Chicago Cubs in the rubber match of a three-game set on Thursday. Skenes sparkled last season, going 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA in 23 starts, and was selected the National League Rookie of the Year. This year, he is 3-2 with a 2.39 ERA and an NL-leading 0.796 WHIP. Opponents are batting .190 against him through six starts. Still, the 22-year-old LSU product knows there is more to learn. "They've all kind of seen my stuff, so at this point, it's just more of a cat-and-mouse game," Skenes said. "Over the course of last season, we probably saw every approach that could happen. Now it's just a matter of recognizing it when we get into a game." A diverse arsenal of pitches has helped Skenes find success again this season. In his latest outing, against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday, he opted for his curveball 17 times despite using it only 5.5 percent of the time previously. He struck out nine Los Angeles batters and allowed only five hits and no walks while going 6 1/3 innings in a 3-0 Pittsburgh victory. "That's where he's elite," manager Derek Shelton said. "It's his ability, especially at 22, to be able to disseminate how he's going to break down a game, and then also realize what's working that day, and he's fortunate that he's got multiple weapons to actually attack people." Skenes is 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA and 30 strikeouts in four career starts against the Cubs. The Pirates enter the Thursday tilt having rallied for a 4-3 win against the Cubs on Wednesday. Ke'Bryan Hayes went 2-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 10 games. He is batting .333 (13-for-39) in that stretch. The Cubs, meanwhile, will look to avoid dropping consecutive series for the first time this season. Chicago, which has lost three of its past four games, has dropped only three series so far, including a three-game set against the Philadelphia Phillies last weekend. "We have a bit of a target on our back. We're the Chicago Cubs," right-hander Jameson Taillon said. "Teams like it when we come to town; they want to beat us. There's no time to step off the gas." Dansby Swanson is one who is looking to put the pedal to the metal offense. The shortstop produced his first three-hit game of the season on Wednesday, but it merely improved his slash line to .203/.256/.382 through 31 games. "It's always good to get hits," he said. "Those are something that you never obviously take for granted. But being able to get solidified just in the work that I'm doing and get some clarity in what I'm doing, sometimes that can go a long way, just to be able to take that into a game and be able to just go compete with confidence and whatever happens, happens." Right-hander Colin Rea (1-0, 0.96 ERA) will get the nod for Chicago, coming off a six-inning scoreless effort in a win over the Phillies on Friday. He is 2-3 with a 6.52 ERA in seven career appearances (five starts) against Pittsburgh. The teams will return to action in the wake of a scary scene during Wednesday's contest. In the seventh inning, a fan tumbled out of the right field stands and onto the warning track. The man was tended to by medical personnel and transported to a hospital in critical condition. Pittsburgh's Andrew McCutchen was running out a double at the time of the incident. McCutchen later tweeted, "Truly hate what happened tonight. Can't help but think about that guy, his family and friends. I pray tonight for him. Let us think about his loved ones and hug our families a little tighter tonight. I hope he pulls thru. May God Bless you all. Good night" --Field Level Media

After winning consecutive road games for the first time this season, the St. Louis Cardinals will try to capture their first road series victory Thursday when they finish a four-game set with the Cincinnati Reds. The Cardinals entered a day-night doubleheader on Wednesday with a 2-12 mark away from Busch Stadium following a 3-1 loss in Cincinnati on Monday. They broke out for six homers and 15 runs and swept the twin bill by scores of 6-0 and 9-1 to double their season road win total. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol, who provided some fire to his team by getting ejected in the eighth inning of the first game, rearranged his batting order for the doubleheader. Marmol slotted Masyn Winn into the second spot in the batting order for the first time in his career, and the shortstop responded with two solo home runs in the first game and two more hits in the second game. Willson Contreras was dropped to the middle of the lineup for both games in a search for power. He socked a three-run homer in the first inning of the second contest. "We want to inject some speed into that No. 2 spot with Masyn, who has been getting closer to doing what he wants with the bat," Marmol said. "Not having (injured catcher Ivan Herrera) has been a factor (in the team's lack of power), but I really do believe that Contreras and (Nolan Arenado) will turn it on. I truly believe that Contreras will look very different than what we've seen, and we'll get some real production out of them." The Cardinals will send Matthew Liberatore (2-2, 3.19 ERA) to the mound in the series finale. The left-hander allowed two runs -- one earned -- and five hits over six-plus innings in his latest start, earning a 3-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday. Liberatore, who has thrown at least six innings in all five of his starts, has shown outstanding control, striking out 28 and walking just two in 31 innings. Liberatore will be making his first career start against Cincinnati. He is 1-0 with a 1.17 ERA in seven career relief appearances vs. the Reds. The Reds will counter with lefty Andrew Abbott (2-0, 3.60 ERA), making his fourth start of the season. Abbott was roughed up for four runs on five hits over just four innings on Friday and received a no-decision in Cincinnati's 8-7 road win over the Colorado Rockies. Abbott did not have his command in Denver, walking five and striking out four in his shortest outing of the season. Abbott is 3-2 with a 4.94 ERA in five lifetime starts against St. Louis. The Reds are trying to figure out how best to use Alexis Diaz after the one-time closer endured an ugly start to the season. Diaz, a 2023 All-Star, was clobbered for three consecutive home runs in the ninth inning of Cincinnati's Game 1 loss on Wednesday. He yielded five runs in the frame as the Reds lost any chance at a rally. "It was tough," Reds manager Terry Francona said. "You'd like to keep it 1-0 and give yourself a chance to make them use their closer." In six appearances, Diaz has allowed eight hits, eight runs, four homers and five walks while striking out three. He has a 12.00 ERA, and opponents are batting .308 against him. "He said he loves to pitch," Francona said. --Field Level Media

Alejandro Kirk singled home the winning run in the 10th inning and the Toronto Blue Jays rallied from a 6-0 deficit to defeat the visiting Boston Red Sox 7-6 on Wednesday night. Anthony Santander had tied the game with a three-run home run in the seventh. Daulton Varsho added a two-run blast and Kirk hit a solo shot to help Toronto square the three-game series up at 1-1. Toronto's Jeff Hoffman (3-0) pitched clean ninth and 10th innings to earn the win. Carlos Narvaez hit a two-run home run and Alex Bregman added a solo shot to extend his hit streak to 10 games for the Red Sox. Cardinals 6, Reds 0 (Game 1) Masyn Winn belted two homers and Miles Mikolas allowed just three hits over 5 1/3 innings to lead St. Louis to a win over host in the opener of a day-night doubleheader. Mikolas (1-2) struck out four and walked none before being relieved with one out in the sixth. Kyle Leahy pitched out of a second-and-third jam in the sixth and followed with a scoreless seventh. With two outs in the ninth, Victor Scott II belted a three-run homer before Lars Nootbaar and Winn hit back-to-back blasts off Alexis Diaz in a five-run inning as the Cardinals won for just the third time in 15 road games. Cardinals 9, Reds 1 (Game 2) Willson Contreras belted a three-run homer and Pedro Pages added a solo shot to lead St. Louis to a sweep of a day-night doubleheader against Cincinnati. The Cardinals broke to a 9-0 lead in the first three innings of the nightcap. St. Louis gave a rude welcome to highly touted Reds right-hander Chase Petty in his major league debut. He was charged with nine runs on seven hits over 2 1/3 innings. Tigers 7, Astros 4 Javier Baez blasted a grand slam in the third inning as Detroit salvaged the finale of a three-game series with host Houston. Colt Keith smacked a two-run homer and Riley Greene went 4-for-4 with two runs for the Tigers. Brenan Hanifee (2-0) threw two scoreless innings in support of starter Jackson Jobe, who allowed three runs, four hits and four walks in four-plus innings. Jeremy Pena and Victor Caratini homered for the Astros. Starter AJ Blubaugh's major-league debut ended after four innings after allowing seven runs (two earned) and five hits. He fanned six and walked one. Rockies 2, Braves 1 Colorado snapped an eight-game losing streak as Chase Dollander and three relievers allowed visiting Atlanta just three hits and Brenton Doyle delivered the game-winning homer. Doyle stroked his fourth homer of the year in the third inning off reigning Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale (1-3), who struck out 10 while allowing two runs and five hits over seven innings. The Braves backed Sale with three singles. Dollander (2-3) allowed just one run and two hits over 5 ? innings, but he left with an apparent blister in the sixth after walking two Braves. Rookie Zach Agnos threw a scoreless ninth for his first save. Padres 5, Giants 3 Michael King (4-1) notched six strikeouts while allowing one run and three hits over 5 2/3 innings, and Elias Diaz homered to help host San Diego secure the two-game sweep against San Francisco. Fernando Tatis Jr. added three hits and a run, Luis Arraez had two hits, a run and an RBI, and Roberto Suarez secured his MLB-leading 12th save of the season for the Padres. The Giants countered with home runs from Heliot Ramos and Mike Yastrzemski, and Landen Roupp (2-2) struck out four and walked three over 4 /3 innings. He gave up four runs and seven hits in the loss. Guardians 4, Twins 2 Bo Naylor's three-run homer capped off a four-run seventh inning, and Luis Ortiz tossed a season-high 6 1/3 shutout innings to lead Cleveland to a victory over Minnesota. Naylor homered for a second straight night and provided needed insurance runs for his team. Meanwhile, Ortiz yielded three hits with two walks and struck out five as his team won their second straight after losing the series opener, 11-1, on Monday. Brooks Lee clubbed an eighth-inning homer off Hunter Gaddis for the Twins, who also recorded a pair of singles and scored on a wild pitch by Emmanuel Clase in the ninth. Minnesota batters struck out 13 times and have been held to three runs over the last two contests. Orioles 5, Yankees 4 Six Baltimore relievers kept New York mostly in check in the rubber match of a three-game series Wednesday night. Ryan Mountcastle and Ramon Urias homered for the Orioles while Adley Rutschman and Heston Kjerstad each rapped two hits as Baltimore picked up its third victory in a 10-game stretch. Aaron Judge, with three hits and three RBIs, and Paul Goldschmidt had home runs for the Yankees. Mariners 9, Angels 3 J.P. Crawford's two-run single broke a tie in the seventh inning and Seattle went on to defeat Los Angeles to sweep a two-game set. Randy Arozarena homered for the division-leading Mariners, who have won four games in a row and 15 of their past 20. Jorge Soler went deep for the last-place Angels, who lost their fifth consecutive game and for the 13th time in their past 17. Trout was lifted for a pinch hitter in the fourth inning due to left knee soreness, Angels manager Ron Washington told reporters after the game. Trout said he believes he'll be able to play Thursday against Detroit. Dodgers 12, Marlins 7 Tony Gonsolin, pitching in the majors for the first time since August 2023, struck out nine as host Los Angeles defeated Miami to complete a three-game sweep. Mookie Betts went 2-for-4 with four RBIs to lead Los Angeles' offense. Freddie Freeman hit a two-run homer, Max Muncy added a solo shot and Enrique Hernandez drove in two runs for the Dodgers. Gonsolin (1-0), who had elbow surgery on Sept. 1, 2023, allowed three runs on six hits and didn't issue a walk in six innings. Kyle Stowers went 4-for-4 with a pair of homers and four RBIs for Miami. He had a two-run homer, a solo shot, an RBI double and a single. Marlins starter Cal Quantrill (2-3) gave up four runs on six hits and one walk in 3 2/3 innings. Pirates 4, Cubs 3 Andrew McCutchen drove in two runs with his lone hit to help Pittsburgh snap a three-game slide with a win against Chicago Cubs. With Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Bryan Reynolds on base with two outs in the seventh, McCutchen delivered a double into center field to drive in the tying and game-winning runs. Reliever Caleb Ferguson (1-0) was perfect in 1 1/3 innings and closer David Bednar gave up one hit and fanned one for the save. Royals 3, Rays 0 Noah Cameron took a no-hitter into the seventh inning of his major league debut, propelling visiting Kansas City to a shutout victory over Tampa Bay. In the seventh, Curtis Mead singled to left, ending Cameron's no-hit bid and his outing. Three relievers followed, closing out a four-hit shutout. Cameron (1-0) allowed just one hit while walking five and striking out three after being called up from Triple-A Omaha before the game. Vinnie Pasquantino launched a two-run homer and Bobby Witt Jr. tallied two hits and an RBI for the Royals, who clinched the three-game series and won their eighth game in nine tries. Drew Rasmussen (1-2) allowed three runs on six hits over five innings for Tampa Bay. The Rays dropped their second game in a row after a five-game winning streak. Phillies 7, Nationals 2 Kyle Schwarber hit a three-run home run and J.T. Realmuto and Max Kepler socked solo shots as Philadelphia won its fourth straight game, beating visiting Washington. Realmuto, Bryson Stott and Johan Rojas each had two hits for Philadelphia in support of Cristopher Sanchez (3-1), who combined with three relievers to pitch a five-hitter. Nathaniel Lowe and Amed Rosario each drove in a run for Washington, which has dropped three in a row. The Nationals will look to avoid a three-game sweep when the teams reconvene Thursday evening. Diamondbacks 4, Mets 3 Pinch hitter Geraldo Perdomo's two-run single in the seventh inning put visiting Arizona ahead, and it withstood a furious ninth-inning rally by New York. Still leading 2-1 in the ninth, the Diamondbacks' Jorge Barrosa and Perdomo lofted back-to-back sacrifice flies to provide pivotal insurance runs. Corbin Burnes (1-1), who signed a six-year deal with Arizona in December, allowed one run on four hits over six innings. Arizona won for just the second time in seven games. Mark Vientos gave the Mets an early 1-0 lead with a solo homer in the third inning, and Tyrone Taylor went deep leading off the ninth against Justin Martinez. New York had its eight-game home winning streak snapped and lost for only the second time in 15 games at Citi Field this season. Athletics 7, Rangers 1 Brent Rooker lined a two-run tiebreaking homer in the ninth inning and Lawrence Butler followed with a grand slam as the Athletics turned it on late to beat Texas in Arlington, Texas. The Athletics won for the second time in the first three games of a four-game series. Grant Holman (3-0), the third pitcher for the visitors, allowed one hit over two scoreless innings. Tyler Ferguson finished up with a 1-2-3 ninth. Butler, Rooker, Jacob Wilson and Shea Langeliers had two hits each to lead the Athletics. Adolis Garcia and Josh Jung each had a pair of hits for Texas. The Rangers left 11 runners on base and finished 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position. Neither starter figured in the decision. Texas' Nathan Eovaldi left after allowing a run on six hits over six innings. The Athletics' Luis Severino yielded one run on eight hits in five-plus innings. Brewers 6, White Sox 4 Jake Bauers ripped a two-run tiebreaking double during a three-run eighth inning to help Milwaukee win at Chicago. William Contreras singled twice and walked twice as the Brewers defeated the White Sox for the second straight night and the eighth consecutive meeting. Sal Frelick also had two hits as Milwaukee won its third straight overall game. Miguel Vargas had three hits for the White Sox, who have lost three straight games and 13 of their past 16. Luis Robert Jr. and Lenyn Sosa added two hits apiece. --Field Level Media

Jake Bauers ripped a two-run tiebreaking double during a three-run eighth inning to help the Milwaukee Brewers post a 6-4 victory over the host Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night. William Contreras singled twice and walked twice as the Brewers defeated the White Sox for the second straight night and the eighth consecutive meeting. Sal Frelick also had two hits as Milwaukee won its third straight overall game. Miguel Vargas had three hits for the White Sox, who have lost three straight games and 13 of their past 16. Luis Robert Jr. and Lenyn Sosa added two hits apiece. Milwaukee's Trevor Megill worked around a bunt single and a walk in the ninth while recording his third save of the season. The contest was tied at 3 prior to Milwaukee's eighth-inning uprising. Contreras walked against Cam Booser (0-2) and Frelick followed with a bunt midway between first and second. Frelick reached for a single, and Chicago second baseman Sosa threw wildly to first base to place runners on the corners. Rhys Hoskins then drew a walk to complete a 10-pitch plate appearance, loading the bases. Bauers jumped on the second pitch from Booser and laced it into the gap in right center to score Contreras and Frelick and give the Brewers the lead. Bauers scored later in the inning on Caleb Durbin's sacrifice fly to right. Jared Koenig (2-0) pitched a scoreless seventh before giving up a lead single in the eighth to Andrew Benintendi and being removed. Benintendi scored later in the inning on Vargas' RBI single off Abner Uribe. Milwaukee scored twice in the first inning. Contreras drove in the first with a single and scored the other when White Sox third baseman Gage Workman committed a two-out error. Sosa hit an RBI single in the second inning and Chicago added another run when Joshua Palacios was hit on his left elbow by a pitch from Tobias Myers with the bases loaded. The Brewers moved ahead 3-2 in the fourth after singles by Joey Ortiz and Durbin put runners on the corners. Vinny Capra followed with a sacrifice fly to score Ortiz. Andrew Vaughn's two-out RBI single in the fifth allowed Chicago to tie the score. Chicago's Shane Smith gave up three runs (one earned) and six hits in five innings. He struck out four and walked three. Myers pitched two innings for Milwaukee and allowed two runs and two hits. He struck out three and walked three. --Field Level Media