TIGERS 5, RAYS 1

Keider Montero and three relievers combined on a five-hitter and the Detroit Tigers beat the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night. The Tigers (58-34) have won four straight games while only allowing four runs, improving to 24 games over .500 for the first time since 2013.

Montero (4-1) allowed one run and four hits and a walk in six innings while striking out four. After losing his first start, Montero is 4-0 with a 3.31 ERA in 11 outings as a starter and bulk reliever. Tyler Holton, Brenan Hanifee and Will Vest each pitched a scoreless inning to complete the win.

Shane Baz (8-4) gave up three runs and seven hits with two walks and seven strikeouts in six innings for the Rays, who have lost seven of their last 10 games.

BLUE JAYS 8, WHITE SOX 4

Joey Loperfido homered and drove in three runs, and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Chicago White Sox for their ninth consecutive win.

Addison Barger and Nathan Lukes also connected as AL Eastleading Toronto improved to 27-10 in its last 37 games. Bo Bichette had two hits and All-Star slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. walked three times.

At 53-38, the Blue Jays matched the franchise record for most victories before the All-Star break. It’s the longest win streak for the team since an 11-game run in August 2015.

José Berríos (5-3) pitched six innings of one-run ball, bouncing back nicely after he struggled in a no-decision against the New York Yankees on Wednesday.

ROYALS 9, PIRATES 3

Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez hit two of Kansas City’s four home runs to back a strong start by rookie Noah Cameron, and the Royals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Cameron (3-4) struck out seven in a season-high seven innings. The left-hander allowed three hits, a walk, and two runs — on Tommy Pham’s two-run shot in the third.

Witt went 2 for 3 and scored twice to extend his hitting streak to 11 games. Witt hit his 13th homer, a two-run shot the opposite way to right-center field off reliever Chase Shugart to give the Royals a 6-2 lead in the fourth. He added a sacrifice fly in the sixth.

BREWERS 9, DODGERS 1

Andrew Vaughn hit a three-run homer in his first plate appearance with his new team, Freddy Peralta threw six shutout innings and the Milwaukee Brewers trounced the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Peralta (10-4) struck out seven while allowing five hits and one walk, lowering his ERA to 2.74. Christian Yelich added a two-run homer for Milwaukee.

Los Angeles starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto (8-7) got just two outs before leaving the shortest start of his career as the Dodgers lost their fourth straight. His quick exit spoiled a starting pitching matchup featuring two NL All-Stars in Peralta and Yamamoto.

GUARDIANS 7, ASTROS 5

José Ramírez and David Fry homered and Brayan Rocchio added a two-run double as the Cleveland Guardians beat the Houston Astros to snap a 10-game skid.

The victory is Cleveland’s first since June 25th and comes a day after losing to Detroit in 10 innings Sunday.

The score was tied with two outs in the sixth and the Guardians had two on when Rocchio doubled to left field off Steven Okert to put them on top 6-4.

MARLINS 5, REDS 1

Janson Junk allowed one hit in six innings and Agustín Ramírez homered to lead the Miami Marlins over the Cincinnati Reds in the opener of a four-game series.

Spencer Steer had a leadoff single in the fifth for the lone hit off Junk, who made his fourth straight start after five appearances in long relief.

Lake Bachar retired eight batters in relief before exiting with two on in the ninth. Anthony Bender struck out Austin Hays on three pitches to earn his second save.