NEW YORK (AP) — Juan Soto hit a three-run double that snapped a seventh-inning tie and the New York Yankees beat the Detroit Tigers 5-2 on Sunday to finish a weekend sweep with a rain-shortened win.

Aaron Judge homered early for the Yankees off Tarik Skubal, who struck out a career-best 12 in six innings. The game was called following a 56-minute delay in the middle of the eighth after the teams played through steady showers much of the day.

Completing a 17-day stretch without a break in the schedule, the Yankees (23-13) improved to a season-high 10 games over .500.

New York loaded the bases against reliever Shelby Miller (3-4) in the seventh before Soto lined Andrew Chafin’s sinker down the right-field line to break a 2-all tie.

The Yankees loaded the bases again but were unable to capitalize in a half-inning that took more than 30 minutes. Soto has 28 RBIs, most on the team.

Victor González (2-1) retired the final batter in the top of the seventh for the win. Dennis Santana pitched a scoreless eighth for his second save.

With players dodging raindrops for most of the afternoon, a tight pitchers’ duel between left-handers lasted until the seventh, when Skubal and counterpart Nestor Cortes were both lifted.

Cortes left with two on and one out before Spencer Torkelson greeted Ian Hamilton with an RBI double, cutting New York’s lead to 2-1. Javier Báez followed a walk to Colt Keith with an RBI groundout.

Cortes was charged with two runs on three hits and a walk in 6 1/3 innings, striking out nine.

After being ejected Saturday for the first time in his career, Yankees captain Aaron Judge came back strong with a solo shot into the right-field seats in his first at-bat. His seventh home run of the year was the first given up by Skubal in a month.

Judge finished the series 5 for 10, raising his batting average from .197 to .220.

The Yankees scored again in the second on Oswaldo Cabrera’s run-scoring double.

Skubal permitted two runs and six hits with no walks.

EXTRA EFFORT

The grounds crew at Yankee Stadium was especially busy between most half-innings, scrambling to keep the infield dirt, batter’s box and pitcher’s mound relatively dry.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: 3B Gio Urshela (right hamstring strain) is with the team and working out but has yet to run the bases. Detroit manager A.J. Hinch hopes Urshela will do that at some point this week in Cleveland. … Wenceel Pérez was scratched from the original lineup due to illness.

Yankees: 1B Anthony Rizzo was given a planned day off. … INF DJ LeMahieu (bruised right foot) hit a little bit Saturday and Sunday, manager Aaron Boone said. … RHP Gerrit Cole (right elbow inflammation) felt good the morning after throwing off a mound for the first time since he got injured in spring training.

UP NEXT

Tigers: RHP Jack Flaherty (0-1, 4.00 ERA) faces Guardians RHP Triston McKenzie (2-2, 4.34) in the opener of a three-game series Monday night.

Yankees: Following their first off day since April 18, the Yankees host Houston in the opener of a three-game series Tuesday night. RHP Luis Gil (2-1, 3.19 ERA) pitches for New York.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Randy Arozarena hit a tying homer off Edwin Díaz with two outs in the ninth inning, Jonny DeLuca lined a two-run triple in the 10th and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the New York Mets 7-6 on Sunday for a three-game sweep.

Automatic runner José Caballero stole third as Jake Diekman (1-1) walked Ben Rortvedt leading off the 10th. Both runners scored when DeLuca’s line drive got past a diving Harrison Bader in center field.

New York took a 6-5 lead in the top of the 10th when Bader scored on an error by first baseman Yandy Díaz, who was unable to make a clean catch on a low throw after Brandon Nimmo’s grounder was deflected by reliever Erasmo Ramírez (1-0).

A slumping Arozarena pulled the Rays even at 5 with a two-out solo homer to left field on a full-count pitch from Edwin Díaz, who had converted 26 consecutive save chances dating to 2022 — the longest active streak in the majors.

Arozarena, a 2023 All-Star, is hitting .143. He struck out three times in his first four at-bats.

New York has lost eight straight games at Tropicana Field.

Francisco Lindor connected on a two-run homer in the first for the Mets and leads the majors with six multi-RBI games since April 19.

Rays starter Ryan Pepiot exited in the third with a bruised lower left leg after getting hit by Starling Marte’s 107.5 mph line drive. The right-hander, who was 2-0 with 1.00 ERA in his previous three starts, gave up three runs and three hits in two-plus innings. The team said X-rays were negative.

Mets starter Luis Severino allowed four runs, four hits and a career-high six walks in five innings. He struck out six during a 98-pitch outing. The right-hander took a no-hitter into the eighth in his previous start last Monday against the Cubs.

Yandy Díaz drove in two run for the Rays.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: RHP Kodai Senga (right shoulder strain) threw 32 pitches Saturday over two simulated innings in his second session of live batting practice. New York manager Carlos Mendoza said the reports on Senga were good. “He said he felt great,” Mendoza said. “Everything’s moving in the right direction.” Senga could be back in late May or early June.

Rays: RHP Taj Bradley (right pectoral strain) will likely rejoin the rotation this week.

UP NEXT

Mets: LHP Sean Manaea (1-1, 3.07 ERA) faces Cardinals RHP Kyle Gibson (2-2, 3.79) on Monday night in St. Louis.

Rays: LHP Tyler Alexander (1-1. 5.02 ERA) will start or follow an opener Monday night against the Chicago White Sox. The AL-worst White Sox swept a three-game series from Tampa Bay last month.

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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Ceddanne Rafaela hit the first Red Sox home run in seven games, Rafael Devers added another, and Boston ended Minnesota’s 12-game winning streak by beating the Twins 9-2 on Sunday.

Vaughn Grissom and Dominic Smith had two-run doubles, and Boston ended a three-game slide in which it scored just four runs.

“Losing two out of three here (stinks), but winning this one is very gratifying. It took a total team effort,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora.

Ryan Jeffers homered and Trevor Larnach had an RBI single for Minnesota.

The Twins’ 12-game winning streak was tied for the second-longest in team history behind a 15-win run in June 1991, the last season Minnesota won the World Series.

“It did feel like every time an opportunity arose in the past 12 games, it felt like we were always coming through,” said Carlos Correa. “Today was just one of the days that we’re not able to do that. But at the same time, looking at the big picture, it’s been a couple of good weeks. We’ve just got to keep going. It’s a fun team.”

With one out in the fifth, Rafaela hit a full count offering from Joe Ryan into the first row of the left center field seats for a two-run home run and a 3-1 lead. Rafaela hit the team’s previous round-tripper in last Saturday’s 17-0 win over the Cubs.

“I was just focusing to hit the ball and then good things happen,” said Rafaela, who played some old-school pepper before the game with hitting coach Pete Fatse to better get the barrel on the ball.

“He’s such a good athlete that he will,” Cora said.

Grissom had a two-run double for a 5-1 eighth-inning lead. Smith, the next batter, added a two-run double with the ball going off the glove of Manuel Margot who was battling the sun on a cloudless 69-degree afternoon.

It was Grissom’s first hit with Boston. Acquired in the offseason Chris Sale trade with Atlanta, Grissom started the year on the injured list and made his team debut Friday.

Devers hit a two-run shot in the ninth.

Boston starter Cooper Criswell, who threw five shutout innings in each of his last two starts, allowed one earned run and struck out five in 4 1/3 innings, but needed 80 pitches to do so.

Brennan Bernardino (1-1), the first of five Red Sox relievers, earned the win.

Tossing his team-high fifth quality start of the season, Ryan (1-2) allowed four hits and three earned runs while striking out five.

With the season’s second-largest home crowd of 29,638 in attendance, Jeffers hit a solo home run in the third inning for a 1-0 lead, a frame after Minnesota had a golden opportunity for some early damage.

Max Kepler, Correa and Larnach each singled to start the Minnesota second, but Criswell struck out Willi Castro and Carlos Santana before Jose Miranda hit a harmless bouncer back to Criswell.

“There are moments where if you’re able to do something, they really are tipping points, turning points. We’ve been doing it, today we just didn’t do it,” said Twins manager Rocco Baldelli.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: LF Rob Refsnyder left the game in the fifth inning with left hamstring tightness. Cora said he doesn’t think it will result in a stint on the injured list.

UP NEXT

Red Sox: RHP Kutter Crawford (2-1, 1.56 ERA) gets the start Tuesday in Atlanta. The Braves plan to start RHP Reynaldo Lopez (2-1, 1.50).

Twins: Start a four-game home series Monday with the Mariners. RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (1-0, 2.45) is the scheduled Twins starter against Seattle RHP Luis Castillo (3-4, 3.46).

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HOUSTON (AP) — Cal Raleigh hit a tiebreaking solo home run in the ninth to give the Seattle Mariners a 5-4 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.

Raleigh sent an 0-2 pitch from Josh Hader (1-3) into the Crawford Boxes in left field with one out in the ninth. Luis Urías tied it at four in the eighth on an RBI single.

Andrés Muñoz (2-2) pitched the final 1 1/3 innings for the win.

Jon Singleton launched a two-run homer to right to give Houston a 4-3 lead in the seventh. Kyle Tucker cut the lead to 3-2 with a two-run homer to right in the sixth.

Luke Raley hit a solo home run into the second deck in right field to lead off the sixth, and the Mariners got two in the second on an Urías bases loaded walk and Josh Rojas RBI single. Rojas finished with three hits.

Seattle starter Bryce Miller allowed four runs on six hits with three strikeouts in six innings.

Houston starter Hunter Brown gave up two runs on five hits with four walks and five strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: José Urquidy (right forearm strain) had his live batting practice pushed back from Sunday to Tuesday in Houston to “give him an extra day,” manager Joe Espada said. … INF Grae Kessinger (right shoulder) started a rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Sugar Land on Sunday. … RHP Cristian Javier (neck discomfort) came out of his rehab start Saturday with Double-A Corpus Christi feeling “good,” Espada said, adding that the plan is for Javier to rejoin the team on the upcoming road trip.

UP NEXT

Mariners: RHP Luis Castillo (3-4, 3.46 ERA) will open a four-game series Monday at the Twins, who will start RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (1-0, 2.45 ERA).

Astros: After a day off Monday, RHP Justin Verlander (1-0, 2.08 ERA) will start Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series at the Yankees, who will start RHP Luis Gil (2-1, 3.19 ERA).

CHICAGO (AP) — Javier Assad pitched six sparkling innings, and the Chicago Cubs beat Freddy Peralta and the Milwaukee Brewers 5-0 on Sunday in the rubber game of their weekend set.

Assad (3-0) allowed four hits, struck out four and walked three, lowering his ERA to 1.66. The right-hander has permitted two or fewer runs in each of his seven starts this season.

“He’s just got weapons that just don’t let the hitter get comfortable ever,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said.

Chicago posted two straight wins against Milwaukee after losing 3-1 on Friday. The starting pitchers for the Cubs combined for 18 1/3 scoreless innings in the series, allowing a total of nine hits.

“We have a great group of pitchers in the rotation. In the bullpen as well,” Assad said through a translator. “So it’s really great just to go out there and see them pitch and feed off each other.”

Peralta (3-1) matched his career high with six walks in five innings. He allowed three hits and struck out five on a sunny, cool day at Wrigley Field.

It was the right-hander’s first start since he was suspended five games for his role in a brawl with the Rays on Tuesday. He is appealing the punishment by Major League Baseball.

The Cubs (21-14) grabbed control with three runs in Peralta’s final inning. Nico Hoerner hit a two-run double, advanced on a groundout and scored on a two-out wild pitch.

Dansby Swanson added a leadoff homer in the sixth against Thyago Vieira, and Christopher Morel singled home Mike Tauchman in the seventh. Morel went 1 for 1 with three walks.

Milwaukee (20-13) put runners on first and second in the fourth and fifth, and Assad escaped each time. Oliver Dunn bounced to first for the final out of the fourth, and Tyler Black struck out looking in the fifth.

Assad also got some help from Swanson in the first when the Gold Glove shortstop made a sliding play on Willy Adames’ grounder for the final out, stranding a runner on third.

“Today was just kind of like a be aggressive, go get it kind of mentality,” said Swanson, who entered in a 3-for-25 slump at the plate. “And obviously that carries over offensively and defensively.”

The Brewers went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position and left eight runners on base.

“We ran into three guys that pitched very, very well,” Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy said, looking back on the series. “And offensively we didn’t hit with runners in scoring position. But, like I said, a great experience for our guys.”

After Assad departed, Yency Almonte pitched two innings and Daniel Palencia finished the five-hitter.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Brewers: Murphy offered a loose timetable for OF Joey Wiemer (left knee discomfort) of two to three weeks. Wiemer was placed on the 10-day injured list Saturday. “Just thankful he doesn’t need surgery,” Murphy said. … OF Christian Yelich (back) is running and swinging the bat. “It seemed to be progressing the last couple days,” Murphy said. Yelich was placed on the 10-day IL on April 16.

Cubs: OF Seiya Suzuki (right oblique strain) ran the bases and took batting practice before the game. OF Cody Bellinger (right rib fracture) also ran the bases and was scheduled for some swings. … RHP Kyle Hendricks (low back strain) was expected to throw a bullpen.

UP NEXT

Brewers: RHP Bryse Wilson (2-1, 3.00 ERA) faces Royals LHP Cole Ragans (2-2, 3.44) on Monday night in the opener of a three-game set at Kansas City.

Cubs: LHP Justin Steele (0-0, 1.93 ERA) is slated to return for the opener of a three-game series against San Diego on Monday night. Steele has been sidelined with a left hamstring strain. RHP Yu Darvish (1-1, 3.45) starts for the visiting Padres.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Eloy Jimenez homered and Garrett Crochet tossed six effective innings to help the Chicago White Sox to a 5-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday.

Chicago had lost 14 of its first 16 road games this season, Paul DeJong added a run-scoring double for the White Sox, who won their first road series of the season. He spent seven seasons in St. Louis from 2017-2023.

Willson Contreras homered for St. Louis, which has lost four of five.

Jimenez hit his fourth of the season off reliever Giovanny Gallegos (2-1) to snap a 1-1 tie leading off the seventh inning. The drive kick-started a four-run outburst.

“We’ve had a tough start at the beginning, but right now we’ve been playing better baseball,” Jimenez said. “Now, we’re showing what we can do.”

Crochet (2-4) allowed one run on three hits. He had given up 16 earned runs in 16 2/3 innings over his previous four starts. He struck out six and did not walk a batter.

“My slider shape was back,” Crochet said. “Today, I was able to compete in the zone with my heater. I was getting it away, getting it up and in. That helped them, not sit on one pitch.”

Crotchet got hit on the ankle by a line drive off the bat on Lars Nootbaar in the third inning. He shook it off and after a couple warmup tosses, he was good to go.

“His performance today was gutty,” Chicago manager Pedro Grifol said. “He got smoked on that line drive. For him to stay in, and do what he did and finish off the way he finished off, was tremendous,”

Crotchet, who missed the entire 2022 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, has 53 strikeouts on the season and is the first Chicago pitcher to pass the 50-strikeout mark over his first eight starts.

“Let’s keep it rolling,” Crochet said.

Bryan Ramos recorded his first RBI with a sacrifice fly in the second in his first major league at-bat. He added a single in the big seventh inning.

DeJong, Robbie Grossman and Gavin Sheets had two hits each for the White Sox.

St. Louis fell to 5-14 in day games this season.

The Cardinals dropped to a season-low four games below .500 at 15-19.

“You’ve got to keep working,” St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol said. “The bottom line. I know you don’t want to hear it, but that’s all we can do is continue to work.”

TRAINER’S ROOM:

Chicago: Placed INF Danny Mendick on the 10-day injury list due to lower back tightness. The move is retroactive to to Thursday.

St. Louis: OF Dylan Carlson made his first start of the year after suffering a shoulder strain late in spring training.

UP NEXT

White Sox: Have yet to announce a starter for the first of a three game series Monday night in Tampa.

Cardinals: RHP Kyle Gibson (2-2, 3.79) will face New York Mets LHP Sean Manaea (1-1, 3.07) in the first of a three-game series in St. Louis. Gibson struck out a season-high nine over seven innings in a 2-1 win over Detroit on Tuesday.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Ceddanne Rafaela and Rafael Devers each hit two-run home runs, and the Boston Red Sox pulled away for a 9-2 win over the Minnesota Twins on Sunday afternoon in Minneapolis.

Vaughn Grissom and Dominic Smith added two-run doubles for Boston, which avoided a three-game sweep in the series finale. Rob Refsnyder added an RBI double.

Ryan Jeffers hit a solo home run for Minnesota, whose 12-game winning streak ended. Trevor Larnach went 2-for-4 with an RBI.

The Twins lost for the first time since April 21 at home against the Detroit Tigers. The 12-game winning streak was Minnesota’s longest since a franchise-best 15-game streak in 1991.

Red Sox left-hander Brennan Bernardino (1-1) earned the win out of the bullpen after recording the final two outs of the fifth inning. Bernardino followed starter Cooper Criswell, who allowed one run on five hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Twins right-hander Joe Ryan (1-2) gave up three runs on four hits in six innings. He walked one and struck out five.

Minnesota opened the scoring in the bottom of the third. Jeffers hit a solo shot to left-center field for his sixth homer of the season.

The Red Sox evened the score at 1-1 in the top of the fourth. Jarren Duran hit a leadoff double, advanced to third base on a groundout and scored moments later on a double by Refsnyder.

In the fifth, Boston pulled ahead 3-1. Rafaela hit a 398-foot shot to left-center field for his third homer.

The Red Sox broke the game open with four runs in the eighth.

Grissom notched his first hit with Boston when he ripped a double to center field to drive in Devers and Tyler O’Neill. The Red Sox acquired Grissom from the Atlanta Braves during the offseason but he started the season on the injured list and did not make his team debut until Saturday.

Moments after Grissom’s first hit, Smith belted a two-run double to left field. Smith’s hit scored Wilyer Abreu and Grissom.

Larnach hit a run-scoring single for the Twins in the bottom of the eighth.

Devers finished the scoring with a two-run shot in the top of the ninth.

–Field Level Media

CLEVELAND (AP) — Jose Ramirez broke an 0-for-19 skid and finished a 10-pitch at-bat with a two-run home run and Josh Naylor also hit a two-run shot to lift the Cleveland Guardians to a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday.

Ramirez, a five-time All-Star, had been hitless in six consecutive games before connecting on a full-count fastball from Griffin Canning (1-4) in the sixth inning to wipe out a 1-0 deficit. Andres Gimenez singled and Ramirez followed with his sixth home run of the season into the stands in right-center.

“The at-bat with Josey didn’t start very great, but he battled and battled and battled, got some information then got a mistake and didn’t miss it,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “That’s what elite players do.”

Ramirez has homered four times in his career plate appearances in at-bats of 10 or more pitches and Naylor was not surprised to see his teammate grind out the at-bat.

“Jose is always focused whether it’s offensively or defensively,” Naylor said.

Naylor added insurance with his team-leading eighth homer with two outs in the eighth inning off Matt Moore. Naylor’s shot came after Ramirez drew a two-out walk.

Vogt gave Naylor, who was in a 2-for-19 slump, the night off Saturday when the Guardians beat the Angels 7-1. The first baseman then went 2 for 4 on Sunday.

“I don’t like getting days off,” Naylor said. “It is what it is. I love to play every single day. I really don’t believe in slumps, to be honest. I don’t chase results. I just try to have good at-bats to help the team win and get on base any way I can.”

Carlos Carrasco (2-2) allowed one run and six hits over six innings. He had given up 13 runs and five home runs over nine innings in his previous two starts.

“That’s the best stuff he’s had all year,” Vogt said. “His sinker, his slider, they were electric.”

Emmanuel Clase pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 10th save in 12 chances.

Canning (1-4) pitched a season-high six innings, giving up just two runs while striking out five and walking one.

“Canning did a heck of a job,” Angels manager Ron Washington said. “Even the pitch to Ramirez was up and away and he yanked it out to right field so you’ve got to give him credit because he’s a hell of a hitter.”

The AL Central-leading Guardians (22-12) moved 10 games over .500 by taking two of three in the series. The Angels (12-22) dropped 10 games under.

The Angels lost for the 13th time in their past 16 games overall and have lost 27 of their past 32 at Progressive Field. Los Angeles has only one series win this year.

The Angels got their run in the second inning when Willie Calhoun hit a leadoff double and scored on Jo Adell’s sacrifice fly. Cole Tucker had two hits for the Angels and is 5 for 12 since being called up from Triple-A Salt Lake.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Angels: Catcher Logan O’Hoppe (right hand contusion) was out of the lineup after being injured Saturday night but expects to play Monday. … Infielder Luis Rengifo (illness) sat out for a second straight day but said he was feeling better.

Guardians: Left fielder Steven Kwan underwent an MRI on his left hamstring after feeling tightness and leaving the game Saturday night. He entered the day leading the AL with a .353 batting average. … LHP Sam Hentges (left middle finger inflammation) and RHP Eli Morgan (right shoulder inflammation) both pitched for Triple-A Columbus on Saturday. Hentges, who could be activated on Monday, worked one scoreless inning and Morgan struck out all three batters he faced in his first outing. … Double-A Akron outfielder Chase DeLauter, considered the organization’s top prospect, has a broken bone in his left foot and will be evaluated Wednesday. He had surgery on the same foot prior to last season.

UP NEXT

Angels: Open a three-game series Monday night in Pittsburgh with LHP Tyler Anderson (2-3, 2.23 ERA) facing Pirates RHP Mitch Keller (2-3, 5.18).

Guardians: Begin a three-game home series Monday night with Detroit as RHP Triston McKenzie (2-2, 4.34) will oppose Tigers RHP Jack Flaherty (0-1, 4.00). Flaherty tied an AL record by striking out the first seven batters he faced on Tuesday against St. Louis.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Oneil Cruz hit a two-run homer to highlight a four-run sixth inning, powering the Pittsburgh Pirates past the Colorado Rockies 5-3 on Sunday for a series win.

Cruz sent a slider from Ryan Feltner (1-3) 429 feet to right-center, bouncing his fifth of the season off the roof of a bar beyond the stands to put Pittsburgh ahead 4-3. He also had a double for his first game with multiple extra-base hits in 35 games this season.

Before hitting a ball into the Allegheny River in the ninth inning of a 3-2 series-opening loss Friday, Cruz had two doubles in 17 games between homers.

“I think the one thing we have to realize with Oneil is he does a lot of things that look easy,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “So, at times, he gets the moniker of, like, ‘The body language is bad.’ He cares. I mean, he’s locked in. But I do think getting a couple of hits, having a couple of good games, your confidence will definitely tick back up.”

After the homer, Rowdy Tellez hit a double to right before scoring on a single from Jack Suwinski. Feltner, who gave up five runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings, began the inning by allowing a single to Connor Joe and a double to Bryan Reynolds in the first four pitches. Joe scored on a grounder from Ke’Bryan Hayes.

The Pirates took the final two of the three-game set, their first series victory since winning two of three against Baltimore from April 5-7. The Rockies, who have lost seven of eight, have yet to win a series.

“Unable to get the big hit throughout the course of the game a couple of times,” Colorado manager Bud Black said. “That’s been a killer for our offense. Somewhere along the line, we’ve got to get a couple of guys hot.”

Luis Ortiz (2-1) was perfect in 1 2/3 innings after replacing Pittsburgh starter Bailey Falter with one out in the sixth. David Bednar picked up his sixth save, allowing a two-out double from Sean Bouchard before striking out Jake Cave in the ninth.

Jacob Stallings and Bouchard put Colorado ahead 3-0 on back-to-back home runs off Falter in the second inning. Stallings drove in two runs by taking a sinker 414 feet into the bushes in center; Bouchard sent a fastball 400 feet into the left-field bleachers.

Falter gave up three runs on six hits.

“Would like to have a couple pitches back,” Falter said. “These guys are good hitters. They’re all here for a reason, just like us. … After the third, settled down pretty well and felt like we did a pretty good job.”

Cruz doubled off the top of the Clemente Wall in right with one out in the fourth and Hayes scored the Pirates’ first run when Tellez grounded back to Feltner, who had allowed one hit through three innings.

“Everything was working today,” Feltner said. “Felt good with my stuff, overall. Just need to finish stronger.”

UP NEXT

Rockies: RHP Dakota Hudson (0-5, 5.93) will start Tuesday, returning home for a three-game series against San Francisco.

Pirates: RHP Mitch Keller (2-3, 5.18) will take the mound Monday to start a three-game series against the Angels.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

DENVER (AP) — The reigning NBA champions could be facing an early exit if they don’t bring more urgency and physicality into their series with Minnesota.

While Anthony Edwards was leading Minnesota’s efficient offense, the Timberwolves’ trio of towers hounded MVP favorite Nikola Jokic into 14 missed shots and seven turnovers in their 106-99 win in Game 1.

The rotation of Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid confounded Jokic and underscored the Wolves’ deeper bench, bigger lineup and more physical approach in the opener.

Jokic will have to figure out a way to counter that terrific trio in Game 2 on Monday night in order to send the series to Minneapolis knotted up.

Answers don’t come easily.

“To have a duplicate clone of myself,” Jokic cracked after pondering the riddle for several seconds. “And then I can … be fresh when they sub another guy.”

It’ll be a serious matter come tipoff Monday night.

“Well, there’s only one Nikola Jokic,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said Sunday. “Obviously, everything he brings to the table on both ends of the floor is pretty unique, so as far as asking someone else on our roster to go in there and do what Nikola does may be a stretch.

“But what’s not a stretch is for anybody to go into the game and play with a lot more physicality, play with a lot more urgency, play with a lot more discipline.”

All were lacking as the Nuggets lost a Game 1 for the first time in two years.

“Now it’s a new challenge,” Malone said. “So, let’s embrace that. We are down, didn’t want to be, but we are. So, let’s fight like hell tomorrow night and leave it all out there.”

If only the Nuggets could get a healthier version of point guard Jamal Murray, who was rusty and still bothered by his strained left calf Saturday night, going scoreless in the first half and getting targeted repeatedly after halftime by the Wolves’ pick-and-rolls that produced so many good looks.

Murray said everybody’s fighting through ailments this time of year and he’s no different, but he insisted he’ll be fine for Game 2 after logging 35 minutes in Game 1.

The Wolves shot 71% in the second half and snatched a page from Denver’s playbook by using an 8-0 spurt to break open the back-and-forth game in the closing minutes.

“Just watching the league the whole season, Denver is THE best team at executing down the stretch,” Wolves guard Kyle Anderson said Sunday. “They do such a good job. It’s like uncanny at times, they’re so good down the stretch. We were able to execute offensively and defensively. It was pretty impressive because you’re so used to watching Denver pull out the win.”

Also Monday night, the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks renew their storied rivalry as they open their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series at Madison Square Garden.

Timberwolves lead 1-0. Game 2, 10 p.m., TNT

— NEED TO KNOW: The Nuggets realize a faster start will be their best counter to the athletic and loaded Timberwolves lineup. They’ve trailed by big margins in the first quarter of all six of their playoff games and allowed Minnesota to get off to an 18-4 start in Game 1. No more cruising, no more pacing was the message during film review Sunday. “We have to do a better job, and our starters in particular have to do a better job of being ready to play and setting a tone early,” Malone said. “What are we waiting for?”

— KEEP AN EYE ON: Edwards’ supporting cast that came up so big in the second half, which was a bigger thorn in Malone’s side than Edwards’ 43 points. “This may sound strange but he’s going to get his,” Malone said. “But you look at the third quarter. Mike Conley had 11 points, did not miss a shot, Karl-Anthony Towns had 11 points, did not miss a shot. Fourth quarter, Naz Reid had 14 points, went 6 for 7. Those are the guys that we have to find a way to shut down.”

INJURY WATCH: Murray’s strained left calf robbed him of his usual burst to the basket and explosion off the dribble. His zero points at halftime marked his first scoreless half in 59 career playoff games.

PRESSURE IS ON: The Nuggets. They have to even things up before the series shifts to Minneapolis or this could indeed be an early exit for the defending champs, who would need to beat Edwards four times in five tries otherwise.

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