Mike Trout of the Angels reacts after flying out in the eighth inning against the Guardians at Cleveland on Tuesday night. David Dermer/Associated Press
CLEVELAND — Angels star Mike Trout’s streak of consecutive games hitting a home run ended at seven, one shy of the major league record, and the AL Central-leading Cleveland Guardians beat Los Angeles 3-1 on Tuesday night.
Trout went 0 for 3 with three routine flyballs and a walk. The three-time AL MVP was chasing the mark of eight straight games with a home run, set by Pittsburgh’s Dale Long in 1956 and matched by Don Mattingly of the Yankees in 1987 and Seattle’s Ken Griffey Jr. in 1993.
Oscar Gonzalez’s two-run homer in the sixth broke a 1-all tie and gave Cleveland its fifth straight win. Jose Ramirez started the inning with a double and Gonzalez lined an 0-2 pitch from Jose Suarez (6-7) off the railing atop the wall in left field.
Gonzalez, one of several rookies who have made a major contribution in Cleveland’s surprising season, has eight home runs. Rookie Kirk McCarty (3-2) held Los Angeles to one hit in 3 2/3 innings for Cleveland, which has won 7 of 8.
RAYS-BLUE JAYS SPLIT: Pinch-hitter Whit Merrifield drove in two runs with a seventh-inning double, George Springer added a two-run homer and host Toronto beat Tampa Bay 7-2 to gain a doubleheader split betwen AL wild-card contenders.
Toronto (80-62) remained a half-game ahead of the Rays (79-62) in a race for the three AL wild cards that also includes Seattle (79-61), which played later Tuesday.
Toronto trailed 2-1 before rallying with a four-run seventh against left-hander Colin Poche (4-2). Pinch-hitter Santiago Espinal walked and advanced to third on two wild pitches. Pinch-hitter Danny Jansen drew a one-out walk and was replaced by pinch- runner Bradley Zimmer. Merrifield followed with a double down the third-base line.
Springer homered to reach 20 for the seventh time.
After being scratched from the opener because of a stomach illness, Alek Manoah allowed two runs and five hits over 6 2/3 innings in the nightcap. He struck out five and walked two, leaving to a standing ovation.
In the opener, Tampa Bay left-hander Jeffrey Springs (8-4) pitched six shutout innings to win for the fifth time in six decisions, Randy Arozarena drove in two runs and Diaz had three hits and scored twice as the Rays won 4-2 to snap a three-game losing streak.
ASTROS 6, TIGERS 3: Rookie Hunter Brown returned to his hometown to pitch six strong innings, leading Houston to a win at Detroit.
Yordan Alvarez homered and scored three times for the Astros, who are 6-0 against the Tigers this season.
Brown (2-0), who allowed two runs on five hits, was making his second career start in front of a loud group of friends and family. He grew up in suburban Detroit and attended Wayne State, about a mile from Comerica Park.
TWINS 6, ROYALS 3: Minnesota rookie Joe Ryan and reliever Jovani Moran combined to pitch no-hit ball until Bobby Witt Jr. doubled with one out in the ninth inning as the Twins won at home.
Ryan was pulled after seven innings and 106 pitches, four shy of his big-league high. There has never been a no-hitter at Target Field, and the crowd of 19,005 booed when Twins manager Rocco Baldelli sent Moran to the mound to start the eighth.
Moran worked a perfect eighth. He struck out Drew Waters to begin the ninth before walking pinch-hitter Hunter Dozier and MJ Melendez.
The Royals hadn’t come close to a hit until Witt lined a 1-2 fastball for a clean drive to deep left for an RBI double, setting off more boos from the fans.
Sebastian Rivero followed with an infield hit that drove in another run and Vinnie Pasquantino had a sacrifice fly.
The Twins’ last no-hitter was by Francisco Liriano against the White Sox on May 3, 2011 in Chicago.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
PIRATES SWEEP REDS 1: Kevin Newman hit an RBI single in the seventh inning and four pitchers combined on a one-hitter that led visiting Pittsburgh over Cincinnati 1-0 for a day-night doubleheader sweep.
Bryan Reynolds homered for the second straight game and drove in two runs as Pittsburgh hit three home runs for the second game in a row and won the opener 6-1.
Cincinnati has lost five in a row and was held to one hit for the second time during the skid. The Reds got one run and six hits in the doubleheader.
Pittsburgh is (54-88) assured of its fourth straight losing season and the Reds (56-85) of their seventh in nine years but first since 2019.
PHILLIES 2, MARLINS 1: Nick Maton hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the seventh inning off Sandy Alcantara, leading visiting Philadelphia past Miami.
Philadelphia won its fourth in a row. Alcantara fell to 1-3 in six starts against the Phillies this season.
CUBS 4, METS 1: Jacob deGrom was outpitched by journeyman Adrian Sampson, and frustrated New York mustered little on offense again in losing at home.
Ian Happ homered deep into the second deck on a 99 mph heater from deGrom (5-2), and No. 9 batter David Bote added his second home run of the season for the Cubs (60-82), who won the series opener 5-2 on Monday.
New York is 5-6 in a 16-game stretch against Washington, Pittsburgh, Miami and Chicago – all more than 20 games under .500 this season.
BREWERS 8, CARDINALS 4: Andrew McCutchen homered and drove in three and Milwaukee used eight pitchers to win in St. Louis.
Down three starters to injuries, the taxed Brewers’ staff was stretched even further when starter Matt Bush left after just 15 pitches because of right groin discomfort. Bush was the starter in what the club had already designated as a bullpen game.
Luis Perdomo (2-0) was the winner, allowing one run in three innings. Perdomo, Brad Boxberger, Hoby Milner, Justin Topa, Taylor Rogers and Brent Suter combined to retire 20 of 22 batters from the third inning on.
INTERLEAGUE
WHITE SOX 4, ROCKIES 2: Eloy Jimenez hit a three-run homer and Miguel Cairo directed Chicago to another victory, topping visiting Colorado.
The White Sox improved to 10-4 since Cairo stepped in for Manager Tony La Russa, who is awaiting clearance to return to the dugout after dealing with a heart issue. The 77-year-old La Russa was at the ballpark before the game, but it was Cairo’s lineup card once again.
ORIOLES 4, NATIONALS 3: Ryan Mountcastle hit a tying homer and Baltimore won at Washington.
The Nationals have lost four in a row and 6 of 7 to fall a season-high 44 games under .500 at a majors-worst 49-93.
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