Cam Smith hit a three-run home run in Houston’s five-run first inning and the Astros salvaged a split of Thursday’s doubleheader by winning 11-5 in the second game against the host Baltimore Orioles.

Yordan Alvarez drilled his 12th homer among his three hits and three runs scored, Dustin Harris drove in three runs and Yainer Diaz collected three hits as the Astros avoided being swept in the three-game series. Isaac Paredes had two hits and scored two runs, and Christian Walker tacked on two hits.

Houston won for the first time in starter Lance McCullers Jr.’s five April starts. McCullers (2-2) held the Orioles to three runs on two hits with nine strikeouts and four walks across six innings before three relievers finished with one inning apiece.

Baltimore won 10-3 in the first game with grand slams from Adley Rutschman and Jeremiah Jackson, but that production wasn’t repeated. They had six hits, including a two-run triple from Leody Taveras and RBI doubles from Pete Alonso and Gunnar Henderson, in Thursday’s second game.

After winning his first two starts this season, Orioles right-hander Brandon Young (2-1) was dinged for 10 runs (seven earned) on 10 hits in four innings.

Every batter in Houston’s lineup had at least one hit by the fifth inning, finishing with 15 hits.

The Astros, who won for only the fourth time in 16 road games, got off to a better start in the second game with Harris’ two-out, two-run single in the first inning followed two batters later by Smith’s three-run blast. It was Smith’s fourth homer of the season.

Houston pushed its lead to 6-0 in the second inning on Alvarez’s solo homer with one out.

The Orioles closed within 11-4 with a run in the seventh inning but they left the bases loaded on their way to falling to 9-9 in home games this year. They added a run in the ninth on Coby Mayo’s sacrifice fly.

–Field Level Media

Alec Bohm’s sacrifice fly plated automatic runner Adolis Garcia in the 10th inning Thursday night, giving the Philadelphia Phillies a 6-5 victory over the visiting San Francisco Giants and their second walk-off win of a day-night doubleheader that ended about nine hours after it started.

The Phillies scored twice in the ninth inning to pull out a 3-2 win in the opener.

The doubleheader was necessitated by a rainout Wednesday night. The clubs also sat out a brief storm that prompted a 24-minute delay in the top of the sixth of the Thursday nightcap.

After the Giants stranded runners at first and third in the top of the 10th inning, the Phillies went the fundamental route to give new manager Don Mattingly his third straight win. Bryson Stott sacrificed Garcia to third, setting up Bohm’s fly to medium-deep center field.

Chase Shugart (2-0), who escaped the jam in the top of the 10th, was credited with the win — his second of the day. He is the first major league pitcher to win both games of a doubleheader since 2013 and the first Philadelphia pitcher to do so since Terry Adams in 2002.

Matt Gage (2-1), who entered the game to start the last of the 10th, took the loss.

Each team scored a two-out run in the ninth to send the game into extra innings. Jung Hoo Lee’s RBI single gave the Giants a 5-4 lead in the top of the inning before the Phillies got even on a Kyle Schwarber run-scoring double.

Down to his final strike, Schwarber capped a 4-for-4 game with the clutch hit. In the doubleheader, he went 5-for-6, drove in three runs, scored three times and collected two home runs, two doubles and three walks.

After blowing a lead in the opener, the Giants rallied from behind in the second game, twice erasing two-run deficits. A two-out, two-run single by Luis Arraez in the sixth created the 4-4 tie that stood until the ninth.

Philadelphia’s first two-run lead was the product of back-to-back solo home runs by Trea Turner, his fourth, and Schwarber, his 11th, to begin the bottom of the first. Turner connected on Adrian Houser’s first pitch, Schwarber on his fifth.

Houser was pulled after 5 2/3 innings, charged with three runs on four hits. He struck out two and walked two.

The Phillies used Tim Mayza as an opener. He threw two shutout innings, allowing two hits and one walk. He struck out two.

Turner, who had two hits, and Schwarber scored twice apiece, while Garcia had a two-RBI single.

Drew Gilbert piled up three hits while Lee, Arraez and Casey Schmitt had two apiece for the Giants, who were swept in the three-game series despite out-hitting the hosts 13-9 in the finale.

–Field Level Media

Bryson Stott delivered a game-tying triple in the ninth inning and scored on Justin Crawford’s infield single as the Philadelphia Phillies rallied to nip the visiting San Francisco Giants 3-2 in the opener of a day-night doubleheader.

Kyle Schwarber hit his 350th career home run while Phillies starter Cristopher Sanchez allowed two runs and struck out seven in 6 2/3 innings.

With Philadelphia trailing 2-1 in the ninth, Adolis Garcia led off with a single and scored easily on Stott’s one-out hit into the right field corner. After Edmundo Sosa was retired, Crawford followed with a grounder to the left side and beat out shortstop Willy Adames’ one-hop throw to first.

Giants starter Logan Webb allowed one run and struck out six in seven innings. He was in line for the victory before Ryan Walker (0-1) blew the save in the ninth.

Phillies 6, Giants 5 (10 innings, Game 2)

Alec Bohm’s 10th-inning sacrifice fly drove in the winning run, giving Philadelphia its second walk-off win in the doubleheader.

Kyle Schwarber capped a 4-for-4 game with a two-out, game-tying hit in the ninth inning. Trea Turner and Schwarber homered to open the first inning. Chase Shugart (2-0) became the first Phillies pitcher since 2022 to win both games of a doubleheader.

Drew Gilbert piled up three hits for the Giants, who were swept in the three-game series. Matt Gage (2-1) lost despite retiring both batters he faced.

Tigers 5, Braves 2

Gleyber Torres had three hits and capped a two-run eighth-inning rally with a sacrifice fly to help visiting Detroit score a comeback win over Atlanta.

Matt Vierling had a double, three hits, two runs and two RBIs for the Tigers, who snapped a 10-game losing streak against the Braves. Rookie sensation Kevin McGonigle walked three times to stretch his on-base streak to 26 games but saw his hit streak halted at 13.

Atlanta jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third inning on RBI singles from Eli White and Mauricio Dubon in consecutive innings. Atlanta right-hander Bryce Elder allowed one run on six hits over six innings, maintaining a stellar 1.88 ERA.

Orioles 10, Astros 3 (Game 1)

Adley Rutschman and Jeremiah Jackson slugged grand slams Baltimore’s victory against visiting Houston in the first game of a doubleheader.

Orioles starter Chris Bassitt pitched 6 2/3 strong innings and Jackson drove in five runs.

Rutschman’s blast came in the fifth to break open the game. Jackson’s slam came in the seventh. It’s the first time the Orioles have smacked multiple grand slams in the same game since Sept. 11, 2015, when they hit two in one inning of a 14-8 home win over the Kansas City Royals.

Astros 11, Orioles 5 (Game 2)

Cam Smith hit a three-run home run during a five-run first inning as Houston and Baltimore exchanged blowout wins to split the doubleheader.

Yordan Alvarez drilled his 12th homer among his three hits and three runs scored, Dustin Harris drove in three runs and Yainer Diaz collected three hits as the Astros avoided being swept in the three-game series.

Houston won for the first time in starter Lance McCullers Jr.’s five April starts. McCullers (2-2) held the Orioles to three runs on two hits with nine strikeouts and four walks across six innings before three relievers finished with one inning apiece.

Cardinals 10, Pirates 5

JJ Wetherholt and Jordan Walker both homered during a three-run first inning off Paul Skenes and Alec Burleson went 3-for-5 with three RBIs as visiting St. Louis completed a four-game series sweep of Pittsburgh.

Pedro Pages and Nolan Gorman also had two hits for the Cardinals, who finished with 14 hits. Gordon Graceffo (2-0) picked up the win with 1 1/3 innings of hitless relief.

Skenes (4-2) took the loss, allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits over five innings. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out a season-high nine batters.

Nationals 5, Mets 4

CJ Abrams hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning and drove in three runs as visiting Washington rallied for a victory over New York.

After Luis Garcia Jr. opened the inning with a single and Daylen Lile avoided hitting into a double play on a fielder’s choice, Abrams gave Washington a 5-4 lead by driving a 2-1 changeup from Luke Weaver (2-1) over the right field fence. Right fielder James Wood robbed Juan Soto of a home run as the Nationals won for the fourth time in five games.

The Mets’ MJ Melendez hit a tying three-run homer and Mark Vientos had an RBI double to make it 4-3 in the sixth, but New York still lost for the 17th time in 20 games.

Reds 6, Rockies 4

TJ Friedl belted a go-ahead two-run home run and Andrew Abbott allowed two runs over six innings to lead host Cincinnati past Colorado.

Nathaniel Lowe homered, doubled and scored twice and Spencer Steer went 2-for-3 with two RBIs for the Reds, who captured the rubber game of the series and won for the ninth time in 12 games to reach the 20-win plateau before May 1 for the first time in team history.

Cincinnati has its best 31-game start (20-11) since the 2006 team also began the season 20-11.

Brewers 13, Diamondbacks 1

William Contreras had four hits with a home run and four RBIs as Milwaukee hammered visiting Arizona to win the rubber game of the series.

Sal Frelick homered, Brice Turang and Garrett Mitchell each had two hits and scored three runs, and Tyler Black and Luis Rengifo had three RBIs for the Brewers. Contreras reached base five times, scored three runs and finished a triple short of the cycle.

Ildemaro Vargas of the Diamondbacks had two hits and extended his season-opening hitting streak to 23 games. Brewers right-hander Brandon Woodruff left the game in the second inning due to low velocity on his fastball and is scheduled to undergo an MRI exam.

Athletics 6, Royals 3

Nick Kurtz highlighted a four-run second inning with a two-RBI double, four relievers combined for six strong innings and the Athletics finished off a series win over visiting Kansas City in Sacramento, Calif.

Jacob Wilson and Shea Langeliers combined for five hits and four runs atop the lineup, helping the A’s capture their third consecutive 2-1 series win.

A’s starter Jeffrey Springs threw a scoreless third inning before handing the ball off to the bullpen, which allowed just one run and five hits the rest of the way. Luis Medina (1-1), who threw 2 2/3 innings of shutout ball, was credited with the win.

Royals starter Noah Cameron (2-2) took the loss, charged with five runs (four earned) on nine hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Twins 7, Blue Jays 1

Byron Buxton went 3-for-4 with a double, a homer and an RBI, and Minnesota pulled away from visiting Toronto to take the opener of a four-game set in Minneapolis.

Ryan Jeffers hit a two-run homer for Minnesota while Austin Martin, Josh Bell and Luke Keaschall drove in one run apiece for the Twins. Daulton Varsho hit a solo homer for Toronto’s lone run.

Twins right-hander Bailey Ober (3-1) limited the Blue Jays to one run on four hits in six innings. He walked two and struck out two. Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman (2-2) allowed four runs on four hits in 5 2/3 innings. He also walked two and struck out two.

–Field Level Media