Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim tags out Tampa Bay’s Josh Lowe, who was attempting to score on a Manuel Margot double, as umpire Brock Ballou and Taylor Walls of the Rays look on in the second inning Wednesday in Arlington, Texas. Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press
ARLINGTON, Texas — Leody Taveras and Jonah Heim homered as the AL West-leading Texas Rangers stretched their winning streak to six games with a 5-1 victory over the slumping Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday.
Taveras snapped an 0-for-12 slide when he homered on the first pitch of the third inning against Zack Littell (0-2). Along with his 11th homer, the Rangers’ No. 9 batter had an RBI single in the seventh.
Heim’s 14th homer was a three-run shot in the eighth.
The Rays (60-39) are 3-11 in July, and not alone atop the AL East for the first time since being tied after winning on Opening Day as part of their 13-0 start. Baltimore (58-37) is ahead by percentage points after an 8-5 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
PIRATES 7, GUARDIANS 5: Ji Man Choi and Jared Triolo hit two-run singles in a five-run seventh inning helped by an overturned call, and Pittsburgh rallied from a four-run deficit to beat visiting Cleveland and stop a five-game losing streak.
INTERLEAGUE
ORIOLES 8, DODGERS 5: Ramón Urías drove in three runs with a pair of doubles, Gunnar Henderson homered and scored three runs, and Baltimore won at home to avoid what would have been its first time getting swept in 14 months.
Baltimore (58-37), which has not been swept in a series since May 2022, moved percentage points ahead of Tampa Bay for first place in the AL East. Tampa Bay hosts Baltimore in the opener of a four-game series on Thursday night.
Dodgers starter Julio Urías (7-6) gave eight runs, matching his career high.
ASTROS 4, ROCKIES 1: Brandon Bielak pitched one-hit ball into the sixth inning, and Houston won at Denver.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
CARDINALS 6, MARLINS 4: Nolan Gorman hit a three-run homer and had four RBI to help the St. Louis win at home for just its second series sweep this season.
Nolan Arenado’s RBI single and Gorman’s 19th homer built a 4-0 lead in the first inning off NL Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara.
The Marlins’ losing streak reached a season-high six games.
NOTES
BRAVES: Atlanta placed outfielder Sam Hilliard on the 10-day injured list because of a bruised right heel and returned left fielder Eddie Rosario to the starting lineup.
DIAMONDBACKS: Right-hander Zach Davies was placed on the 15-day injured list because of lower back inflammation.
Davies gave up nine runs in 3 2/3 innings Tuesday night in a 16-13 win over the Atlanta Braves and was sent back to Arizona for evaluation.
MARLINS: Third-base coach Jody Reed fractured his lower right leg when struck by a foul ball off the bat of Jesús Sánchez during Wednesday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals.
GIANTS: Shortstop Brandon Crawford was placed on the 10-day injured list because of left knee inflammation.
PHILLIES: Philadelphia’s medical staff has recommended right-handed pitching prospect Andrew Painter have surgery on his right elbow.
The team said that a UCL reconstruction on Painter’s elbow was advised, along with ulnar nerve transposition surgery. The 20-year-old sprained the ulnar collateral ligament during spring training in March.
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