David Bote, Taylor Davis helps Chicago Cubs defeat Washington Nationals

David Bote lined a tiebreaking double to right-center in the top of the 10th inning, and Taylor Davis added an RBI single later as the Chicago Cubs defeated the Washington Nationals 6-4 in the opener of a four-game series Thursday night at Nationals Park.

Albert Almora Jr. started the game-winning rally with a one-out double off Jimmy Cordero (1-2) in the top of the frame. Bote followed with his double, and even though Almora held up for a moment to make sure the ball wasn't caught, he scored easily from second base with the go-ahead run.

Davis collected his first RBI of the season as a pinch hitter for closer Pedro Strop (5-1), who earned the victory for the Cubs thanks to a scoreless ninth. Jesse Chavez closed it in the 10th and came away with his fourth save.

Cubs second baseman Daniel Murphy went 1-for-5 in his first game in Washington since being traded by the Nationals last month.

Indians 9, Blue Jays 4

Francisco Lindor hit two home runs and had four RBIs in a four-hit game, Jason Kipnis hit a three-run homer and visiting Cleveland defeated Toronto.

Lindor hit solo home runs in his first two at-bats and then capped a three-run fifth inning with a two-run, go-ahead single in the opener of a four-game series. Edwin Encarnacion added three hits.

Rowdy Tellez, making his first major league start, had three doubles for Toronto. Having doubled as a pinch hitter on Wednesday, he became the first player in the live ball era with extra-base hits in his first three big league at-bats, according to STATS.

Padres 6, Reds 2

Rookie catcher Francisco Mejia became the first San Diego hitter to homer in the first two at-bats of his first start for the team in a win at Cincinnati.

Mejia hit a solo home run leading off the third and a three-run blast off Reds starter Luis Castillo (8-12) with two out in the fourth to give him four RBIs. Hunter Renfroe also homered off Castillo earlier in the fourth.

Padres pitchers Eric Lauer, Robert Stock and Jose Castillo (2-2) held Cincinnati scoreless on three hits over the first six innings.