Atlanta Braves star Acuna tears ACL

Kyle Bradish struck out 11 in seven hitless innings during a dominant start that propelled the Baltimore Orioles to a 4-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday and a sweep of the four-game series.

Bradish walked four before being pulled to start the bottom of the eighth inning after throwing 103 pitches. The right-hander was making his fifth start since returning from an elbow injury that sidelined him for just over a month to start the season.

Danny Coloumbe relieved Bradish and gave up a leadoff homer to Danny Mendick, Chicago’s only hit of the game.

Adley Rutschman went 2 for 4 for Baltimore and broke a scoreless tie with a two-run homer off Chicago starter Garrett Crochet in the sixth inning.

Crochet also recorded 11 strikeouts and gave up just one hit before Jordan Westburg singled in front of Rutschman’s sixth homer of the season.

Colton Cowser extended the lead to 3-0 with a solo homer in the top of the eighth inning, and the Orioles scored another run in the ninth. Anthony Santander drew a walk before being pulled out for pinch runner Cedric Mullins, who stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error before crossing home plate on James McCann’s sacrifice fly.

Craig Kimbrel retired the side in the bottom of the ninth to earn his 12th save and cap the White Sox’s fifth straight loss and ninth in 10 games.

Guardians complete sweep of Angels, ride win streak to nine

Ben Lively pitched seven strong innings and the Cleveland Guardians held off a late comeback attempt by the Los Angeles Angels to earn a 5-4 victory and extend their winning streak to nine games.

Johnathan Rodriguez went 2 for 4 with a two-run double to help Cleveland snap its longest winning streak since an American League record 22 games in 2017. The AL Central-leading Guardians also tied the best 53-game start in franchise history. at 36-17, a feat they last accomplished in their last World Series appearance in 1995.

Lively (4-2) held the Angels to two runs on four hits while striking out five to win her third straight start. Emmanuel Clase completed a scoreless ninth to record his 17th save, the most in major tournaments this season.

Rodriguez also started a three-run sixth inning with a leadoff single that chased Los Angeles starter Reid Detmers with the game tied at 2-2. Adam Cimber replaced Detmers and issued two walks to load the bases before hitting Tyler Freeman with a pitch to force the go-ahead run.

Andres Gimenez followed with a run-scoring single before Jose Ramirez drew a loaded walk against Matt Moore to extend the lead to 5-2.

The Angels, however, engineered a two-out rally with Lively out of the game in the eighth. Nolan Schanuel started the comeback try with a double against Sam Hentges and scored on Luis Rengifo’s single to cut the lead to 5-3. Taylor Ward then greeted reliever Scott Barlow with a single that brought in Rengifo and cut the margin to one run.

Barlow avoided further damage, however, before Clase protected the lead in the ninth to complete the Guardians’ sweep of the three-game series.

Rodriguez gave Cleveland a 2-0 advantage with a two-out double against Detmers in the third inning. The Guardians had two runners on when Detmers hit Gimenez with a pitch and walked Ramirez.

Detmers (3-5) was charged with three runs in five-plus innings and finished with eight strikeouts.

Rays rally to end Royals’ eight-game winning streak

Pinch hitter Brandon Lowe hit a three-run triple in the seventh inning as the Tampa Bay Rays rallied to a 4-1 victory over Kansas City that ended the Royals’ eight-game winning streak.

The Rays trailed 1-0 before scoring four times in the seventh to end a six-game skid and prevent the up-and-coming Royals from sweeping the three-game series.

Tampa Bay appeared to be on track for another loss when former Ray Michael Wacha retired the first 15 batters of the game before having his perfect game bid cut short in the sixth.

Wacha (4-5), however, ran into trouble in the seventh, as Harold Ramirez led off the Rays’ half of the inning with a single and Isaac Paredes followed with a double to chase down the Kansas City starter.

John Schreiber relieved Wacha and hit Randy Arozarena with a pitch to load the bases. Two batters later, Lowe threw a throw to the right field corner to drive in all three runners and give the Rays the lead.

Lowe then scored Tampa Bay’s final run on a Jose Siri single.

Bobby Witt went 2 for 5 and accounted for the Royals’ only run with a solo homer in the sixth inning. The star shortstop, however, was thrown out at the plate by Arozarena while attempting to score on a Salvador Perez single to help stop a Kansas City rally attempt in the eighth.

The Royals also threatened in the ninth by loading the bases with two outs, but Pete Fairbanks retired Witt on a groundout to end the game and make his fifth save.

Wacha was charged with two runs on three hits in six-plus innings. Rays starter Taj Bradley allowed just one hit and struck out six in five scoreless innings.