Milwaukee >> Tarik Skubal struck out nine while allowing four hits and no walks in seven shutout innings as the Detroit Tigers trounced the Milwaukee Brewers 9-1 on Monday night.

The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner didn’t allow a baserunner until Rhys Hoskins singled to start the fifth. The Tigers already led 9-0 by that point.

Kerry Carpenter homered and went 2 for 4. Gleyber Torres drove in three runs and scored twice. Andy Ibáñez was 2 for 5 with one run and two RBIs. Javier Báez scored twice.

The Tigers handed Milwaukee its third straight loss by jumping all over Tyler Alexander, who pitched for Detroit from 2019-23. Alexander (1-1) gave up eight runs — four earned — and six walks in four innings while striking out two and walking three.

Cardinals 8, Astros 3 >> Nolan Arenado homered and Brendan Donovan went 4 for 4, helping Sonny Gray and St. Louis beat Houston.

Arenado also doubled twice and scored two runs in the opener of a three-game series. Donovan extended his hitting streak to 10 games.

Gray (3-0) pitched seven scoreless innings. He allowed three hits, struck out four and walked one.

The Cardinals have won Gray’s last eight home starts dating to last season.

Braves 8, Blue Jays 4 >> Austin Riley had two home runs and five RBIs, Sean Murphy also connected and Atlanta beat Toronto for their second road win of the season.

Braves right-hander Grant Holmes didn’t allow a hit until Myles Straw homered to begin the bottom of the sixth.

Holmes (1-1) pitched a career-best 7 2/3 innings. He allowed three runs and two hits.

Yankees 4, Royals 1 >> Trent Grisham, Ben Rice and Austin Wells each hit a solo home run off Seth Lugo in the fifth inning, and New York beat Kansas City in their first meeting since last year’s AL Division Series.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. tied the score in the fourth with his sixth homer, an inning after Bobby Witt Jr.’s home run against Carlos Carrasco (2-1) on the 10th pitch of his at-bat put Kansas City ahead.

Carrasco and four relievers combined on a two-hitter for the Yankees, whose starters entered with a 5.40 ERA.

Rays 16, Red Sox 1 >> Rookie Kameron Misner homered twice and drove in three runs, Shane Baz threw six strong innings, and Tampa Bay beat Boston.

Yandy Diaz and Junior Caminero also homered and each drove in a pair for Tampa Bay. Six Rays registered multiple hits.

Misner finished 3 for 4 with homers off Tanner Houck and Brennan Bernardino, his first home runs since a historic walk-off shot on Opening Day.

Pirates 10, Nationals 3 >> Paul Skenes bounced back from the worst start of his career and teamed up with catcher Henry Davis to make a little history as Pittsburgh beat Washington.

Skenes and Davis became the first pitcher/catcher battery in Major League history, comprised of players selected first overall in the draft. Skenes (2-1), the top pick in 2023, allowed two runs, one earned, while striking out six in six innings as the Pirates ended a three-game losing streak.

Davis, taken first in 2021, singled after replacing injured starter Endy Rodriguez in the first inning. Rodriguez lacerated the index finger on his right hand after a Skenes pitch hit James Wood’s foot and then deflected toward Rodriguez.

Mets 5, Twins 1 >> Juan Soto hit his first home run since the opening weekend of the season and New York beat Minnesota.

Pete Alonso and Luisangel Acuña had two hits apiece for the Mets, who have won nine of 11. Alonso delivered an early RBI single, and Acuña stole a base and scored twice while reaching safely three times from the No. 9 spot in the batting order.

Minnesota finished with three hits on a damp and chilly evening and tied a season high with 13 strikeouts.

With the Mets up 3-1 in the seventh inning and a runner on, Soto drilled a changeup from Jorge Alcala into the front row of seats in right-center for his first home run since March 28 in Houston.