MLB ROUNDUP: Max Scherzer has a rough return from suspension as Mets lose both legs of doubleheader

Eric Haase homered in both games of a doubleheader, driving in six runs, and the Detroit Tigers tagged Max Scherzer in his return from a suspension to sweep the New York Mets with an 8-1 victory Wednesday night.

Haase had five RBIs in the first game, including a go-ahead single in the eighth inning of a 6-5 comeback win, and then added one of Detroit’s two homers off Scherzer in the nightcap.

‘I’ve watched him pitch a lot,’ said Haase, who grew up a Tigers fan in Detroit. ‘I want to say that was just another homer, but it was obviously pretty cool.’

The slumping Mets have lost eight of 10. They were playing their second doubleheader in three days after getting rained out three times in the previous four days.

‘We’ve got to be a lot better than this, and it isn’t just about Max,’ manager Buck Showalter said. ‘We only scored one run in the second game, which isn’t going to beat many teams.’

Mets manager Buck Showalter takes the ball from Max Scherzer against the Detroit Tigers 

New York had gone 25 doubleheaders without getting swept, since Washington took both games from the visiting Mets on Sept. 26, 2020. That was the second-longest such streak of the expansion era. The New York Yankees went 30 doubleheaders without losing both games between 1996-2006.

The Tigers were hosting the Mets for the first time in seven years. The series opener was rained out Tuesday and rescheduled as part of a day-night doubleheader.

In the second game, Scherzer struggled against his former team. Detroit scored twice in the first inning, Haase homered in the second and Matt Vierling hit a two-run homer in the fourth.

‘It’s always a good feeling when you can knock any starter out early,’ Vierling said. ‘It doesn’t matter who it is – that’s going to give you some momentum.’

Scherzer (2-2) allowed six runs and eight hits in 3 1/3 innings. He was suspended for 10 games by Major League Baseball on April 20 after getting ejected for having a foreign substance on his pitching hand during his April 19 start against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

‘I was spraying the ball around, and I wasn’t good from the stretch,’ Scherzer said. ‘That’s what you expect after a layoff.’

Michael Lorenzen (1-1) allowed one run in seven innings to get his first win with Detroit, which is 2-14 against the AL East and 10-3 versus everyone else.

‘It’s just random,’ manager A.J. Hinch said. ‘That’s just baseball.’

Matt Vierling hit a two-run homer in the fourth and he said it was ‘always a good feeling’

The Tigers trailed 5-4 in the eighth inning of the first game, but Vierling blooped a single with one out and Adam Ottavino (0-2) hit Javier Báez with a pitch. Riley Greene grounded to first for the second out, advancing both runners, and Haase hit a two-run single to right-center.

Tyler Alexander (1-0) got the win by retiring the last batter in the eighth. Alex Lange pitched the ninth for his fourth save.

With a strong wind blowing out to left field, the hitters had the advantage in the early innings. Detroit took a 3-0 lead on Haase’s first homer of the season in the first, but the Mets came back in the second with solo home runs from Tommy Pham and Mark Canha.

Báez made it 4-2 in the third with a long homer over the first section of seats above the Tigers bullpen in left – his first of the season – but the Mets took the lead in the fifth. Brett Baty singled, went to second on Greene’s error in center and then scored when Tomás Nido singled and left fielder Andy Ibanez threw wildly to the plate.

Starting pitcher Joey Wentz retired the next two hitters, but Francisco Lindor made it 5-4 with a long homer to left-center.

Detroit Tigers DH Eric Haase watches his two-run RBI to center during the eighth inning 

RAYS 8, PIRATES 1

Shane McClanahan became baseball´s first six-game winner and Tampa Bay routed Pittsburgh.

McClanahan (6-0) gave up one run on five hits over six innings, striking out nine and lowering his ERA to 2.03. Josh Lowe and Wander Franco homered off Pittsburgh relievers as the Rays improved to 25-6.

Since 1961, only the World Series-winning 1984 Detroit Tigers (26-5) had more wins through 31 games. Tampa Bay has outscored its opponents 207-94. The Rays lead the majors with 64 home runs.

Andrew McCutchen homered for the Pirates (20-11), who have their first three-game losing streak of the season.

Yandy Díaz got the first Rays hit off Mitch Keller (3-1) with two outs in a three-run third with a single and later scored when shortstop Rodolfo Castro was charged with an error after misplaying Harold Ramírez´s grounder. Brandon Lowe made it 3-1 with a two-run double. McCutchen had hit a solo homer in the top of the third.

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Shane McClanahan delivers a pitch to the Pittsburgh Pirates 

YANKEES 4, GUARDIANS 3, 10 INNINGS

Willie Calhoun hit a tying single in the ninth inning and pinch-hitter Jose Trevino came through with a game-ending single in the 10th, lifting New York to a win in a game it had two more players get hurt.

Yankees center fielder Harrison Bader, back from the injured list just a day earlier, left after a ninth-inning collision with Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and Oswald Peraza limped off after hurting an ankle as a pinch runner.

Calhoun and Jake Bauers homered in the fifth off Shane Bieber as the Yankees erased an early 2-0 deficit.

Pinch-hitter Oscar Gonzalez had an RBI single in the top of the ninth to put Cleveland ahead 3-2, but Calhoun’s singe in the bottom half of the inning tied the score.

Albert Abreu (1-0) got Josh Naylor to ground into an inning-ending double play in the 10th to get the win.

With the automatic runner on second, Trevor Stephan (1-1) walked Bauers leading off the bottom of the 10th and Kiner-Falefa sacrificed. Trevino then blooped a single to center over the drawn-in infield, boosting the Yankees to 17-15.

Cleveland has lost five straight series and 11 of its last 16 games.

Yankees’ Jake Bauers, right, celebrates with teammate Isiah Kiner-Falefa after hitting a homer 

MARINERS 7, ATHLETICS 2, 10 INNINGS

Eugenio Suárez hit a three-run homer in the 10th inning after AJ Pollock tied the game with a solo home run in the ninth, and the Seattle Mariners defeated the Oakland Athletics 7-2 on Wednesday night.

The start was delayed 65 minutes by rain, contributing to a paltry crowd of 2,685 one night after the A’s drew 2,583.

With two outs in the 10th, Suárez drove a fastball from Adam Oller (1-1) over the wall in right-center field to give the Mariners their first lead. Seattle then loaded the bases and J.P. Crawford added a two-run single to make it 7-2.

Pollock homered off Zach Jackson with one out in the ninth to even it at 2, his second straight game with a tying home run in the late innings.

Oakland´s bullpen was charged with a blown save for the fourth consecutive game. The A´s fell to 0-4 when leading after seven innings and have lost their first 10 series for the first time in franchise history.

The Mariners’ rally took a win away from Oakland starter JP Sears, who pitched six shutout innings with seven strikeouts. A´s starting pitchers have yet to earn a victory through 31 games, the longest streak to start a season in MLB history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Eugenio Suárez hit a three-run homer in the 10th inning to see the Mariners beat the A’s

GIANTS 4, ASTROS 2

Wilmer Flores homered and Joey Bart and Austin Slater had two hits each to lead San Francisco.

Slater drove in a run to put the Giants up in a two-run sixth, and an RBI double by Bart extended the lead to 3-0 in the seventh.

Alex Bregman got Houston within a run with a two-run home run in the eighth before Flores added some insurance for the Giants with a solo shot in the ninth.

San Francisco starter Logan Webb (2-5) yielded five hits and two runs in 7 2/3 innings, and Camilo Doval pitched a scoreless ninth for his fifth save.

Houston´s Framber Valdez (2-4) allowed five hits and two runs with eight strikeouts in six innings.

 Giants’ Wilmer Flores, center, celebrates with Michael Conforto (8) after hitting a home run 

WHITE SOX 6, TWINS 4

Eloy Jiménez hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh inning to lead Chicago to its third straight victory.

Luis Robert Jr. homered as the White Sox secured their first series win of the season. Tim Anderson and Yasmani Grandal each had three hits, and Keynan Middleton worked the ninth for his first save of the season.

Carlos Correa had two RBIs for Minnesota, and Nick Gordon homered for the second straight day.

Jiménez drove in Andrew Benintendi with his single to left against Griffin Jax (1-3). The White Sox added an insurance run in the eighth when pinch-runner Billy Hamilton scored from second on Elvis Andrus´ grounder to second.

Aaron Bummer, Gregory Santos (1-0), Kendall Graveman and Middleton combined for four scoreless innings in relief of Dylan Cease. Santos earned his first major league win after working out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the top of the seventh.

Gregory Santos reacts after pitching out of a jam by striking out Twins’ Trevor Larnach 

DODGERS 10, PHILLIES 6

 Max Muncy hit a game-ending grand slam and Los Angeles rallied from an early five-run deficit for a season-high sixth straight win.

Bryce Harper doubled to start a four-run second inning and reached base five times in his second game of the season for the Phillies, who lost their fourth straight.

Los Angeles swept the three-game series, outscoring the defending NL champions 36-11 and reaching double digits in every game.

Pinch-hitter Austin Barnes gave the Dodgers a 6-5 lead with a two-run single in the eighth, but Philadelphia tied it in the ninth. Harper singled, Nick Castellanos walked and Bryson Stott delivered an RBI single against Brusdar Graterol (1-1).

Chris Taylor singled leading off the bottom half against former Dodgers reliever Craig Kimbrel (1-1) and stole second. Mookie Betts struck out before Freddie Freeman was walked intentionally. Will Smith drew a walk that loaded the bases, and Muncy launched the next pitch into the right-field seats for his major league-leading 12th home run.

 Max Muncy, right, is mobbed by teammates as he scores after hitting a walk-off grand slam 

RED SOX 8, BLUE JAYS 3

Enmanuel Valdez, Triston Casas and Masataka Yoshida each drove in two runs and Boston won its fifth straight.

Nick Pivetta (2-2) went six innings and gave up three runs, including solo home runs by Daulton Varsho and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. – whose shot in the third cleared the Green Monster and left Fenway Park.

Alek Manoah (1-2) allowed five runs, two earned, and eight hits in five innings for Toronto.

Manoah held Boston hitless until there were two outs in the third, but encountered a rough stretch after getting hit in his right calf by a sharp line drive off the bat of Rafael Devers with one out in the fourth. Devers took second when catcher Alejandro Kirk fielded the carom and threw the ball into right field. Devers advanced to third when Manoah´s pick-off attempt sailed into center and scored on Jarren Duran´s double. Casas´ single tied the game at 2.

Toronto took the lead in the fifth when Kevin Kiermaier led off with a double, took third on George Springer´s sacrifice fly and scored on a balk by Pivetta. But the Red Sox went ahead 5-3 in the bottom of the inning by scoring three unearned runs off Manoah with two outs, including a two-run single by Valdez.

Boston Red Sox’s Jarren Duran reacts after hitting an RBI double against the Toronto Blue Jays

PADRES 7, REDS 1

Rookie Brett Sullivan hit his first home run and had his first four RBIs, and Juan Soto hit a three-run double to make up for a baserunning blunder that cost Xander Bogaerts a club-record on-base streak as San Diego beat Cincinnati.

Seth Lugo (3-2) pitched six strong innings for the Padres, who have won seven of 10 heading into a home weekend series against the rival Los Angeles Dodgers. It´ll be the teams´ first meeting since the Padres eliminated the 111-win Dodgers in four games in the NL Division Series to reach their first NL Championship Series in 24 years.

The 29-year-old Sullivan, catching a day game after a night game, hit a two-run double down the right field line with one out in the second and then drove a two-run homer to right with two outs in the fourth. His two-run double, off Luis Cessa (1-4), snapped the Padres´ 0-for-15 skid with runners in scoring position.

Padres’ Manny Machado, left, puts a sombrero on Brett Sullivan, after Sullivan hit a two-run 

DIAMONDBACKS 12, RANGERS 7

Christian Walker homered twice before he drew a bases-loaded walk that put Arizona ahead to stay.

Walker put the Diamondbacks ahead 3-1 with his three-run homer in the third, added a solo shot in the fifth that chased Texas starter Andrew Heaney and walked on four pitches from Jose Leclerc in the seventh that drove in the run that snapped a 7-7 tie.

Each team hit four homers on the mostly sunny, 79-degee day with the roof open.

Ketel Marte and Emmanuel Rivera also homered for Arizona, which matched its season high for runs. Walker matched his career-best with five RBIs in his sixth career multihomer game.

Josh Jung hit two homers for the Rangers, who had a four-game win streak snapped. Jonah Heim and Leody Taveras also went deep.

Joe Mantiply (1-0), the third Arizona pitcher, threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Josh Sborz (0-1), the second of five Texas pitchers, allowed three runs over 1 1/3 innings.

Arizona Diamondbacks’ Christian Walker (53) hits a three run homer during the third inning

ROYALS 6, ORIOLES 0

Vinnie Pasquantino homered and drove in three runs, Zack Greinke won for the first time since last August and Kansas City snapped a 10-game home losing streak.

Greinke (1-4) won for the first time in 14 starts, allowing just three singles in five innings and striking out three. He threw only 44 pitches — his fewest in a start since tossing 43 for Arizona at Boston on Aug. 14, 2016.

The Royals won their second home game of the season to improve to 2-13 at Kauffman Stadium.

Pasquantino homered into the right-field bullpen to give Kansas City a fourth-inning lead in a game that lasted just 1 hour, 59 minutes. He doubled in another run in the sixth to put the Royals up 2-0.

The Royals knocked Kyle Gibson (4-1) out of the game with four runs in the seventh, highlighted by Pasquantino´s second RBI double.

KC Royals’ MJ Melendez (1) congratulates Vinnie Pasquantino (9) as he crosses home plate 

ROCKIES 7, BREWERS 1 

Kyle Freeland pitched five scoreless innings, Kris Bryant and Charlie Blackmon homered and the Colorado Rockies beat the Milwaukee Brewers 7-1 on Wednesday night for their season-best third straight win.

Alan Trejo hit a three-run double and Elías Díaz had an RBI single for Colorado, which improved to 9-3 in its last 12 games against the Brewers.

Already ahead 4-0, the Rockies added to their lead in the seventh when Jurickson Profar doubled off Tyson Miller and Bryant launched his fourth homer. Blackmon connected for a solo shot off Jake Cousins in the eighth.

 Rockies second baseman Alan Trejo is congratulated by teammates after the ninth inning

BRAVES 14, MARLINS 6

Marcell Ozuna hit a grand slam among his two home runs, Ronald Acuña Jr also homered and Atlanta went deep six times to roll past Miami.

Acuña´s three-run shot to center field in the fifth inning was his sixth home run of the season and made it 11-4 before Austin Riley homered to left-center to add two more runs.

Only the Tampa Bay Rays and Los Angeles Dodgers have recorded more home runs so far this season than the Braves (52). Acuña is hitting .358 and leads the majors with 43 hits and 14 stolen bases.

The Braves sent 12 batters to the plate against starter Braxton Garrett (1-1) in a seven-run second. Ozuna also had a solo homer in the third and was 3 of 5 with five RBIs.

Michael Harris II had a two-run homer in the second, and Ozzie Albies added an RBI double. Albies was 4 of 5 with two RBIs and had a solo shot in the eighth. He leads Atlanta with eight home runs this season.

Collin McHugh (1-0) pitched three scoreless innings of relief for the win.

Braves Ronald Acuna Jr. hits a three-run-home run in the fifth inning against the Miami Marlins

NATIONALS 2, CUBS 1

CJ Abrams had a tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh inning for the second consecutive game, and Washington beat Chicago.

After Marcus Stroman pitched six crisp innings for the Cubs, the Nationals went ahead on four pitches by Adbert Alzolay (1-1). Lane Thomas tripled down the left-field line, the first extra-base hit of the game, and Abrams lined the next pitch to center.

Jake Irvin held the Cubs to two hits over 4 1/3 innings in his major league debut, and five Washington pitchers limited Chicago to six singles. Carl Edwards Jr. (1-1) retired the side in the seventh, Hunter Harvey worked the eighth and Kyle Finnegan induced a game-ending double-play grounder from Patrick Wisdom for his seventh save.

The Cubs have lost five of six, all to NL East foes, and fell to .500 for the first time since April 9.

Nationals’ pitcher Jake Irvin (74) throws during the third inning against the Chicago Cubs

ANGELS 6, CARDINALS 4

Mike Trout and Jake Lamb hit solo homers in the ninth inning, Shohei Ohtani tied a career-high with 13 strikeouts and Los Angeles rallied to beat St. Louis.

Los Angeles has won six of its last eight games, while the Cardinals have lost five in a row.

Ohtani didn´t get the decision, but did become the second player in MLB history to record 500 career strikeouts and hit at least 100 home runs, joining Babe Ruth. Ohtani gave up four runs on five hits over five innings and allowed two home runs for the second straight outing.

The Angels trailed 4-3 heading into the top of the ninth before Lamb launched his second homer of the season to right-center off Giovanny Gallegos (1-1), tying the game at 4. With one out, Trout hit his eighth home run of the season to left for the eventual game-winning run. Anthony Rendon added a run-scoring hit.

Brandon Drury also homered for the Angels. Ryan Tepera (2-1) earned the win and Carlos Estevez picked up his seventh save of the season.

Dylan Carlson and Nolan Gorman homered for St. Louis, which at 10-21 is off to its worst start since the 1973 squad opened the season 8-23.

LA’s Shohei Ohtani, left, and teammate Mike Trout, right, celebrate 6-4 victory over St. Louis