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CLEVELAND -- Miguel Sano hit a two-run homer and Nelson Cruz connected for a solo shot to lead the injury-riddled Minnesota Twins to a 3-2 win over the Cleveland Indians on Monday night in the opener of a three-game series between the AL Central's top teams.
Sano homered in the sixth inning off Aaron Civale (3-3) as the Twins hit the halfway point of this 60-game season in the same place they ended 2019. Minnesota stopped Cleveland's three-year reign atop the division last year.
The Twins, who have several regulars and two starting pitchers on the injured list, lead the Indians by 2 1/2 games.
Kenta Maeda (4-0) gave up a leadoff homer in the first to Cesar Hernandez and then dodged trouble for the next four before turning it over to Minnesota's bullpen.
Carlos Santana's two-out RBI single in the seventh off Trevor May cut the Twins lead to lead to 3-2. But the right-hander shook it off and struck out slugger Franmil Reyes with runners at the corners to end the threat.
Rangers 3, Athletics 2
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Lance Lynn struck out eight in another workhorse start, Isiah-Kiner Falefa hit a go-ahead homer and the Texas Rangers ended their eight-game losing streak with a win over the American League-leading Oakland Athletics.
Kiner-Falefa, the primary shortstop with Elvis Andrus on the injured list, hit a solo shot in the second inning off Jesus Luzardo (2-1), snapping a 2-2 tie to put the Rangers ahead to stay
Blue Jays 6, Rays 4
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Randal Grichuk hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Tampa Bay Rays.
Reliever Aaron Loup (3-2) replaced Edgar Garcia with one on and one out. After Cavan Biggio reached on catcher's interference, Grichuk gave Toronto a 5-3 lead with his seventh home run.
Brewers 4, Reds 2
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Justin Smoak homered and drove in three runs as the Milwaukee Brewers cooled off Trevor Bauer and snapped a four-game skid with a victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
Omar Narvaez added a solo shot to help the Brewers win their opener of a 10-game homestand.
Marlins 11, Nationals 8
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Jesus Aguilar drove in three runs and the Miami Marlins defeated the Washington Nationals, taking three of the five games in the series.
Miami entered the series on a five-game losing streak. They now exit Nationals Park just above .500 at 12-11.
Cubs 9, Tigers 3
DETROIT (AP) -- Javier Baez hit two home runs and the Chicago Cubs became the second franchise in major league history to post 11,000 wins, beating the Detroit Tigers .
Only the Giants have won more, with 11,179 victories after starting in New York in 1883 and later moving to San Francisco.