AROUND THE HORN
■ Astros: 2B Jose Altuve, 3B Alex Bregman, DH Yordan Álvarez, C Martín Maldonado and INF Robel Garcia were placed on the injured list Wednesday because of COVID-19 health and safety protocols. GM James Click said he couldn’t say if a player had tested positive for COVID-19 or been exposed to someone who had and that the length of each player’s absence would be determined by contract testing that is being performed. Click also said the moves weren’t a function of the players breaking league protocols.
■ Red Sox: Alex Verdugo had three hits, including a two-run single in a six-run fifth, and the Red Sox extended their winning streak to nine games, beating the host Twins 7-1 to sweep a doubleheader. Eduardo Rodríguez (2-0) pitched five innings and gave up one run on five hits for the Red Sox, who have come from behind in six of their nine wins. The Red Sox are the first team in MLB history to open the season with at least three straight losses and immediately follow that by winning at least nine straight. Verdugo had five hits in the doubleheader and capped the day with his second HR of the season in the seventh. The Red Sox won the first game 3-2. The Twins have lost five in a row.
■ Giants: Johnny Cueto pitched neatly into the sixth before exiting with a tight lat muscle, and the Giants finished off the visiting Reds 3-0. Cueto (2-0) showed no signs of physical duress before his injury occurred. He surrendered three hits and walked none while striking out four. Nationals, Cardinals: Joe Ross pitched six sharp innings and the Nationals threw their first regular-season shutout at Busch Stadium, blanking the Cardinals 6-0. Ross (1-0) improved to 3-0 in four career starts against the Cards. He allowed four hits, struck out five and walked one. He also singled and scored a run. Four relievers combined to hold the Cards hitless the rest of the way. Ryan Zimmerman hit his first HR of the season, a two-run drive in the third. ... The Cards’ Yadier Molina caught his 2,000th game. Molina, 38, a nine-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner, became just the sixth catcher in MLB history to catch 2,000 career games, and the only one to do so exclusively with one team.
■ Extra innings: Corbin Burnes struck out 10 in six dominant innings and also delivered a two-run single for his first career RBIs as the host Brewers beat the Cubs 7-0. Burnes allowed just two hits. This marked the franchise-record eighth straight game in which a Brewers starter worked at least five innings while allowing no more than one run. The Brewers took two of three in the series. ... Bo Bichette homered twice, including a game-ending drive leading off the ninth that lifted the Blue Jays over the Yankees 5-4. The Jays, who are playing their first three homestands in Florida because of COVID-19 restrictions in Canada, took two of three. ... Salvador Pérez homered and doubled, leading the Royals over the visiting Angels 6-1. The All-Star catcher went 8-for-12 with four RBIs in the series as the Royals took two of three. ... The Braves placed LHP Max Fried on the 10-day IL with a strained right hamstring. He injured himself running the bases Tuesday. ... Reds RHPSonny Gray is set to make his first start of the season Saturday against the Indians. Gray, 31, experienced back spasms after just one Cactus League start.