NEW YORK (AP) — Sonny Gray was chased in the third inning by the team with worst record in the majors, big league-loss leader Alex Cobb ended a nine-start winless streak and the Baltimore Orioles beat the New York Yankees 7-5 on Wednesday.

Despite what appeared to be a midgame lecture in the dugout by third base coach Phil Nevin during a rain delay, New York (68-38) dropped 5 1/2 games behind Boston (75-34) heading into a four-game series at Fenway Park starting Thursday.

Gray (8-8) allowed seven runs, eight hits and two walks in 2 2/3 innings, raising his ERA to 5.56. He was booed as he walked off the mound and was replaced by Lance Lynn.

Cobb (3-14) had been 0-7 since winning at the New York Mets on June 5, losing his last five outings. He breezed against the Yankees with an early 7-1 lead, allowing one run and seven hits in six innings and stopping Baltimore’s streak of 11 consecutive road losses.

ASTROS 8, MARINERS 3

SEATTLE (AP) — Marwin Gonzalez hit two of Houston’s four home runs, and the Astros knocked Seattle Mariners from the lead for the second wild card in the American League.

After a five-game losing streak, the Astros rebounded to win the final two games of the series. Houston has a five-game cushion over Seattle in the AL West and dropped the Mariners into a tie with surging Oakland for the second AL wild-card spot. Seattle led the A’s by 11 games in the middle of June, but has seen the entire lead disappear over the past six weeks.

Gonzalez hit a solo home run off Wade LeBlanc (6-2) with two outs in the second inning and added a two-run shot in the fourth. Jake Marisnick, recalled from the minors before the game, added a two-run shot off LeBlanc and Max Stassi greeted reliever Nick Vincent with a three-run homer in the fifth.

CUBS 9, PIRATES 2

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Cole Hamels had little trouble in his return to the National League, keeping Pittsburgh in check over five innings to lead Chicago.

Hamels (6-9), acquired in a trade with Texas last week, gave up one unearned run on three hits. The four-time All-Star struck out nine and walked two to pick up his first win for a National League team in more than three years.

Willson Contreras went 3 for 4 with a home run and three RBIs for the Cubs. Jason Heyward and Ben Zobrist had three hits apiece while Kyle Schwarber and Javy Baez each added two hits and an RBI for Chicago.

The Cubs wasted little time jumping on Pittsburgh rookie Nick Kingham (5-6), touching him for four runs in the first inning to give Hamels plenty of breathing room. Kingham needed 51 pitches to get through the first and didn’t come out for the second.

NATIONALS 5, METS 3

WASHINGTON (AP) — Tommy Milone worked seven strong innings to get his first win in more than a year, Anthony Rendon homered and Washington beat New York to move back above .500.

The Nationals followed their 25-4 blowout of the Mets on Tuesday night by jumping on Noah Syndergaard (6-2) early. Bryce Harper singled in the first inning to drive in Trea Turner, who had stolen second. In the third, Rendon got hold of a hanging curveball for his 16th homer this season, scoring Turner.

Rendon has six RBIs in two games since returning after the birth of his first child.

INDIANS 2, TWINS 0

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Carlos Carrasco struck out 10 in 7 1/3 innings, winning his fourth straight start since returning from the disabled list to carry Cleveland past Minnesota.

Brad Hand got the last five outs for his 26th save of the season and second for Cleveland. The Indians stretched their lead over the Twins in the AL Central to 10 games.

Carrasco (13-5), who missed three weeks with a bruised elbow before his reinstatement July 6, has 63 strikeouts in his last eight starts.

ATHLETICS 8, BLUE JAYS 3

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Sean Manaea pitched effectively into the seventh inning, Jonathan Lucroy drove in four runs and Oakland completed a season sweep of Toronto.

Manaea (10-7) allowed five hits, struck out five and walked two. The A’s won all seven games between the two teams for their first season sweep of the Blue Jays.

Franklin Barreto homered and had three RBIs for the Athletics. Lucroy added three hits.

TIGERS 7, REDS 4

DETROIT (AP) — Jose Iglesias drove in three runs, Jim Adduci homered and Detroit survived the loss of pitcher Mike Fiers to an early injury to beat Cincinnati.

Fiers left after the second with a bruised left shin, sustained on Mason Williams’ comebacker. X-rays on Fiers’ shin were negative, and it was unclear whether he will make his next scheduled start.

RAYS 7, ANGELS 2

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Willy Adames homered and drove in two on the day Tampa Bay gave him the regular shortstop job.

Adames drove in a run with a two-out single off starter Nick Tropeano (4-6) in the fourth inning, then scored on Mallex Smith’s triple. Adames led off the sixth with his fourth home run to make it 4-2.

MARLINS-BRAVES, PPD.

The game between the Miami Marlins and Braves in Atlanta on Wednesday night was postponed by rain.

ROYALS 10, WHITE SOX 5

CHICAGO (AP) — Alex Gordon hit a two-run homer and drove in four, helping Kansas City pound sloppy Chicago.

Jakob Junis (6-11) pitched 5 2/3 innings of four-run ball in his first win since May 18. The 24-year-old right-hander was 0-8 with a 6.67 ERA in his previous 10 starts.

Chicago lost for the sixth time in seven games. Yoan Moncada broke out of a slump with his fifth career leadoff homer, two hits and two walks, but he also committed one of two costly errors for the White Sox.

Dylan Covey (4-7) was charged with seven runs, four earned, and five hits in 4 1/3 innings, dropping to 1-5 with an 8.89 ERA in his last six starts.

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