Max Scherzer pitched seven strong innings, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a two-run home run and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting Chicago Cubs 2-1 on Thursday afternoon.

Scherzer (3-2) allowed one run, five hits and one walk with three strikeouts to help the Blue Jays take the rubber match of a three-game series. Michael Busch hit a solo home run for the Cubs, who were 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

With one out in the sixth, Busch homered to right-center on a first-pitch curveball, his 24th of the season. Ian Happ followed with a double before Scherzer worked out of the inning on two popups.

In the seventh, Davis Schneider walked and took second on Ernie Clement's sacrifice bunt before Guerrero followed with his 20th homer of the season on a 0-2 curveball. That was one of only two hits surrendered by Matthew Boyd (11-6) over seven innings.

Orioles 5, Mariners 3

Tomoyuki Sugano threw 5 1/3 strong innings before a rain delay and Baltimore held off visiting Seattle, handing the Mariners their second straight loss after their eight-game winning streak.

Sugano (10-5), who was charged with one run that scored after he departed, allowed three hits and one walk with two strikeouts as the Orioles have won six straight series against the Mariners.

Julio Rodriguez homered and Josh Naylor and Dominic Canzone each had two hits for Seattle, which brought league-leading home run hitter Cal Ralegh up to bat as a pinch hitter and the possible tying run in the ninth. After he walked, Dietrich Enns got Randy Arozarena to ground into a fielder's choice before Naylor grounded out to end the game, giving Enns his first save since 2021.

Braves 4, Mets 3

Ozzie Albies capped a big game with the tie-breaking RBI double in the eighth inning for visiting Atlanta, which edged New York Mets in the rubber game of a three-game series.

Albies was 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs for the Braves, who have won six of eight. Michael Harris II was also 3-for-4 with a run-scoring double in the eighth. The eighth-inning rally made a winner of Bryce Elder (5-9), who gave up three runs (two earned) on five hits over seven innings.

Francisco Lindor was 3-for-4 with a solo homer and two runs scored for the Mets, who fell to 2-10 this month. Brandon Nimmo lofted a game-tying sacrifice fly in the sixth, and Pete Alonso followed with a go-ahead RBI single.

Tigers 4, Twins 3 (11 innings)

Gleyber Torres delivered a sacrifice fly in the 11th inning and Riley Greene hit a two-run homer to lead Detroit over Minnesota in Minneapolis.

Tigers reliever Rafael Montero (1-1) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Kerry Carpenter and Javier Baez each had two hits as Detroit won for the fourth time in five games.

Edouard Julien homered and singled for the Twins, who have lost three out of four. Erasmo Ramirez (0-1) gave up the decisive unearned run in the 11th.

Nationals 3, Phillies 2

Jose Tena connected for a two-run single in the seventh to help Washington rally to beat visiting Philadelphia.

Nationals starter Brad Lord gave up two runs on seven hits in six innings. Reliever Shinnosuke Ogasawa (1-1) got the final out of the seventh, the lone batter he faced, to earn the win. Cole Henry threw a scoreless ninth for his first save.

The Phillies have lost three in a row. Starter Jesus Luzardo (11-6) allowed three runs on four hits in six innings. He started the seventh, issuing two walks and a hit before he was replaced by Orion Kerkering, who got one out before Tena's hit.

Guardians 9, Marlins 4

Gabriel Arias drove in two runs, Jose Ramirez scored three times and had three hits, and Tanner Bibee won his fifth straight as Cleveland rallied to beat visiting Miami.

Arias' go-ahead sacrifice fly in the fifth brought home Ramirez with the go-ahead run, three innings after he brought him home with a groundout after Miami took a 3-0 lead. Ramirez also scored in the seventh and moved past Kenny Lofton into third place in Cleveland history with 977 runs. The Guardians moved within one-half game of the New York Yankees for the third and final American League wild-card spot. Bibee (9-9) worked 5 2/3 innings, giving up four runs (two earned) on five hits.

Marlins starter Edward Cabrera (6-6) allowed five runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. The right-hander had been 3-1 with a 1.40 ERA in his previous four starts.

Diamondbacks 8, Rockies 2

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Jose Herrera homered, Eduardo Rodriguez tossed a season-high seven innings, and Arizona beat Colorado in Denver.

Geraldo Perdomo and Alek Thomas had two hits each for Arizona, which has won six of its last seven and is 9-4 in August. Rodriguez (5-7) kept Colorado hitters off balance for most of his outing, permitting one run on six hits. His only mistake was a changeup to Kyle Farmer leading off the fifth inning that ended up in the left field stands.

Farmer finished with three hits, Brenton Doyle also went deep among his two hits and Tyler Freeman also had two hits for Colorado. The Rockies, who had their two-game winning streak snapped, have lost eight of their 10 games against the D-backs this season.