ATLANTA (AP) — Jason Heyward, Justin Upton and Dan Uggla homered in the eighth inning, and Juan Francisco hit a pair of solo shots earlier in the game to help the Atlanta Braves win their 10th straight with a 6-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals in an interleague matchup Tuesday night.

Atlanta’s 10-game winning streak is its longest since the club won 15 in a row from April 15 to May 2, 2000. The Braves are 12-1 and off to their best start since they began the 1994 season 13-1.

Eric O’Flaherty (3-0) struck out two in a scoreless eighth.

Heyward’s second homer, Upton’s eighth and Uggla’s third were solo shots off Kelvin Herrera (1-1). The Braves have outhomered opponents 25-7 and outscored them 68-25 for the best run differential in the majors.

Heyward hit the go-ahead shot before Upton and Uggla followed to make it 5-2.

Craig Kimbrel finished off the Royals in a non-save situation after an injury to Luis Avilan.



RANGERS 4, CUBS 2

CHICAGO (AP) — Derek Holland pitched seven shutout innings, Adrian Beltre hit a two-run homer and Craig Gentry made a diving catch for the final out to preserve Texas’ interleague victory over Chicago on a 39-degree night at Wrigley Field.

Holland (1-1) at one point retired nine straight against the Cubs, who have lost three games in a row. The left-hander struck out six and allowed two hits.

Beltre’s home run off reliever Shawn Camp gave the Rangers a 4-0 lead in the eighth. Chicago starter Travis Wood (1-1) gave up two runs and five hits in 7 1-3 innings.

The Cubs scored twice with two outs in the ninth, but Gentry made a diving grab on Darwin Barney’s bases-loaded liner to give Joe Nathan his fifth save in five tries.



MARLINS 8, NATIONALS 2

MIAMI (AP) — Adeiny Hechavarria ended Miami’s nine-game home run drought with a three-run shot against Washington.

A throwing error by Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman — his fourth in five games — preceded the homer and led to four unearned runs.

The Marlins (3-11) began the game with the worst record in the majors but broke out of an offensive slump in the fourth inning with four runs, more than they had scored in all but one game.

Hechavarria sent the Marlins Park home run sculpture swinging into action for the first time this season and ended a homer drought that had tied the 20-year-old franchise record.

Justin Ruggiano had two hits and three RBIs, and Juan Pierre finished with three hits. Alex Sanabia (2-1) allowed two runs in six innings, and two relievers completed an eight-hitter.

Dan Haren (1-2) gave up seven runs, three earned, in 4 1-3 innings and lowered his ERA to 8.10.

The Nationals played without three regulars. Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton sat out for the fifth consecutive game because of a bruised left shoulder.



ROCKIES 8, METS 4, 1ST GAME

DENVER (AP) — Carlos Gonzalez homered and tripled, Todd Helton hit a go-ahead single and Colorado beat New York in the opening game of a doubleheader that was delayed 2 hours as 8 inches of snow was cleared off the field.

One day after a spring storm postponed the first game of the series, the teams were scheduled to play two in frigid conditions. The temperature at first pitch was 39 degrees and dipped to 36 for the nightcap.

David Wright homered twice for the Mets, finally back on the field after cold weather postponed two straight games. Wintry conditions in Minneapolis on Sunday prompted their game against the Twins to be rescheduled in August.

Juan Nicasio (2-0) allowed four runs in five innings. Dillon Gee (0-3) had another rough outing for the Mets, going 4 2-3 innings and giving up five earned runs.

Early in the morning, Rockies owner Dick Monfort took the field with a shovel and helped clear the way for the game to be played. A crew of team employees lent a hand as well, as did Sandy Alderson, the general manager of the Mets.



PHILLIES 0, REDS 0, 9TH INNING, SUSPENDED

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds managed only two singles apiece, staying scoreless until their game was suspended because of heavy rain in the middle of the ninth inning.

The game will be picked up at the same point on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m., before the teams play the finale of their series no earlier than 7:10 p.m.

Phillies reliever Phillippe Aumont was warming up to start the bottom of the ninth when heavy rain prompted the umpires to call for the tarp. They decided to suspend the game after 43 minutes with more rain headed for the area.

Aroldis Chapman pitched the top of the ninth and retired the three Phillies he faced.

A storm moved through after both teams finished batting practice and delayed the start by 1 hour, 20 minutes. Rain returned intermittently and became steady in the fifth inning, then heavy in the ninth.

Philadelphia starter Kyle Kendrick and Cincinnati’s Homer Bailey were stingy, allowing a pair of singles apiece before leaving.



BREWERS 10, GIANTS 8

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Yuniesky Betancourt hit a grand slam, and Carlos Gomez and Norichika Aoki also homered as Milwaukee used an eight-run third inning to beat Barry Zito and San Francisco.

Betancourt’s fifth career slam highlighted the seven-hit inning that chased Zito, who hadn’t lost since Aug. 2 against the New York Mets. Rickie Weeks doubled home two runs and Jonathan Lucroy added a two-run single as the Brewers sent 12 batters to the plate. Zito faced 11 of them.

Zito (2-1) had opened the season with consecutive scoreless seven-inning outings. He lasted only 2 2-3 innings this time and his spotless ERA ballooned to 4.86. Dating to last season, the Giants had won the previous 13 regular-season games started by Zito.

Gomez’s home run off the foul pole in left snapped Zito’s scoreless streak to start the season at 15 2-3 innings. Zito is 0-5 in eight starts at Miller Park and has never lasted more than 5 2-3 innings.

Brandon Kintzler (2-0) got the win in relief. Jim Henderson pitched the ninth for his second save.

Ryan Braun struck out four times.