Flaherty outduels Burnes, Cards beat Brewers 2-0

MILWAUKEE (AP) – St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jack Flaherty became the major leagues’ first seven-game winner this year with a 2-0 victory over Milwaukee on Thursday as the Brewers’ Corbin Burnes extended his streak to 58 consecutive strikeouts before his first walk. Flaherty (7-0) allowed four hits in six innings, struck out six and walked two to help the Cardinals win a three-game series that featured dominant starting pitching. Burnes (2-3) returned from the injured list after a positive test for coronavirus, which he said left him asymptomatic. He opted against getting vaccinated for what he said were personal reasons. In his first appearance since April 26, Burnes struck out nine among his first 14 outs, giving him 58 strikeouts and no walks this year before he walked Tommy Edman with two outs in the fifth. Alex Reyes remained perfect in 11 save chances by striking out Tyrone Taylor to strand two runners. Nolan Arenado’s two-out single in the first scored Edman. That marked the only time in this series that either team scored before the sixth inning. INDIANS 4, MARINERS 2 SEATTLE (AP) – Zach Plesac came within six outs of ending Cleveland’s 40-year no-hitter drought, keeping Seattle hitless into the eighth inning to spoil the anticipated debuts of Seattle prospects Jarred Kelenic and Logan Gilbert. Plesac’s bid ended when J.P. Crawford led off the eighth inning with a line-drive single that just cleared the glove of leaping shortstop Amed Rosario. Plesac (3-3) lost the shutout moments later when Dylan Moore hit a two-run homer. That sent the Indians’ bullpen into a frenzy to get ready. Emmanuel Clase walked three straight batters with two outs in the ninth to load the bases. Cleveland manager Terry Francona brought in Bryan Shaw, who struck out Luis Torrens for his first save. Gilbert (0-1) lasted four innings, throwing 71 pitches and struck out five. RAYS 9, YANKEES 0 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – Rich Hill joined Cy Young and Nolan Ryan as the only pitchers to strike out nine against New York at age 41 or older, and Tampa Bay avoided getting swept in a three-game series. Yandy Díaz hit a two-run single in the first inning off Jameson Taillon (1-3), Austin Meadows doubled the lead with a two-run homer in the fourth and Randy Arozarena added a three-run homer in the sixth for the first runs off Michael King this season. Hill (2-1), who became the oldest player in the major leagues when the Los Angeles Angels cut Albert Pujols last week, allowed three hits and three walks in 6 2/3 scoreless innings. New York announced before the game that shortstop Gleyber Torres tested positive for COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated and having previously contracted the coronavirus during the offseason. The Yankees also have three coaches and four traveling staffers who have tested positive. BLUE JAYS 8, BRAVES 4 ATLANTA (AP) – Bo Bichette hit a go-ahead, two-run double in the ninth inning and the Toronto Blue Jays rallied yet again to beat Atlanta 8-4 on Thursday and sweep six games from the Braves this season. Atlanta outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. left in the seventh inning after jamming his left ankle. X-rays were negative and he has not been ruled out of the Braves’ game at Milwaukee on Friday night. Toronto trailed 2-0 and 4-3 before its 10th comeback win this season and third of the series completed a three-game series sweep. Danny Jansen, hitting .095, led off the ninth with a single off Will Smith (0-3). Marcus Semien singled, and Bichette doubled to the gap in right-center for a 6-4 lead. Bichette drove in three runs on two hits. Cavan Biggio knocked out Smith with his second double of the game to drive in another run. Travis Bergen (1-0) pitched a scoreless eighth. Jordan Romano struck out the side in the ninth.