TORONTO (AP) — Double-A callup Angel Zerpa pitched five innings to win for the first time as a big league starter, Bobby Witt Jr. hit a tiebreaking home run and the depleted Kansas City Royals overcame the absence of 10 unvaccinated players to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 on Thursday night.

Fellow callup Nate Eaton hit his first career homer as the Royals won for the fifth time in six games.

Foreign nationals who aren’t vaccinated against COVID-19 are not allowed to enter Canada, save for limited exceptions that require a 14-day quarantine. Unvaccinated baseball players are placed on the restricted list, which means they are not paid and do not accrue major league service time.

Jackson Kowar pitched two relief innings, Taylor Clarke handled the eighth and Scott Barlow finished for his 16th save.

Matt Chapman homered for Toronto. Kevin Gausman (6-7) started for the first time since taking a line drive off his ankle in a July 2 start against Tampa Bay. He allowed two runs and seven hits in six innings.

BRAVES 5, NATIONALS 4

WASHINGTON (AP) — Kyle Wright earned his 11th victory to tie for the major league lead and Atlanta beat Washington in the opener of a four-game series.

Michael Harris II, Matt Olson and Dansby Swanson homered for Atlanta, which has won five of its last seven. The Braves improved to 8-2 against the Nationals this season.

Juan Soto extended his hitting streak to 16 games for Washington, which has dropped seven in a row and 13 of 14. The Nationals have the worst record in the majors and fell to 7-34 against the NL East.

Wright (11-4), who gave up a solo homer to Josh Bell in the first, set down 17 of his last 21 batters in his seven-inning outing, allowing two runs while striking out four. He’s tied with the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Tony Gonsolin and Houston’s Justin Verlander for the most victories in baseball.

Kenley Jansen gave up Maikel Franco’s solo homer in the ninth, but earned his 21st save.

Washington starter Anibal Sanchez (0-1) made his first appearance since 2020 after missing Washington’s first 90 games with a cervical nerve impingement.

RAYS 5, RED SOX 4

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Taylor Walls and Yandy Diaz had two-run singles during a five-run outburst in the seventh inning, helping Tampa Bay beat Boston to complete a four-game sweep.

After rookie Kutter Crawford took a three-hitter into the seventh and Boston leading 3-0, John Schreiber (2-1) came in and gave up Walls’ tying hit and Diaz’s go-ahead single. Crawford ended up allowing three runs and six hits along with six strikeouts.

Tommy Romero (1-0) worked a scoreless seventh to get his first major league win. Jalen Beeks got his first save since Aug, 19, 2020, despite allowing Alex Verdugo’s RBI double with no outs.

Boston All-Star Rafael Devers opened the scoring with a solo homer in the fourth off Drew Rasmussen.

MARLINS 3, PIRATES 2 (11 INNINGS)

MIAMI (AP) — Brian Anderson atoned for a costly error with a two-run triple in the 11th and Miami edged Pittsburgh.

Anderson originally was ruled to have been hit by a pitch from Wil Crowe (3-6), but the Pirates successfully challenged, saying it hit his bat first. Anderson then sent a drive to deep right center that scored Jesus Aguilar and Avisail Garcia.

Joey Wendle doubled, singled and walked for the Marlins, who had their second straight walk-off against Pittsburgh and split the four-game series.

Ben Gamel’s RBI double against Richard Bleier (2-1) in the top of the 11th put the Pirates ahead 2-1. Pittsburgh tied it at 1 in the eighth on third baseman Anderson’s fielding error that scored Yoshi Tsutsugo from first.

Miami lost second baseman Jon Berti, the majors’ stolen base leader, after the first because of a mild left groin strain. Marlins shortstop Miguel Rojas left in the ninth after he was hit in the mouth by the helmet of Oneil Cruz on an unsuccessful steal attempt of second.

DODGERS 4, CARDINALS 0

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Tyler Anderson pitched six shutout innings, Gavin Lux hit a two-run homer and Los Angeles blanked St. Louis.

Anderson (10-1) scattered three hits, struck out four and walked two while needing just 88 pitches to get through six innings. Yency Almonte, Evan Phillips and Craig Kimbrel each pitched an inning of scoreless relief to finish the combined five-hitter.

The Dodgers won for the 13th time in their last 15 games. They improved to 9 1/2 games ahead of San Diego for first place in the National League West after being tied with the Padres on June 22.

Dakota Hudson (6-6) gave up four runs in 6 2/3 innings for St. Louis, which has dropped eight of 12.

ROCKIES 8, PADRES 5

DENVER (AP) — Randal Grichuk doubled twice and drove in three runs, C.J. Cron had two hits in his return to the starting lineup, and Colorado Rockies beat San Diego.

Cron, the Rockies’ lone All-Star selection, missed three of the last five games with a wrist injury suffered Friday night at Arizona. He had a pinch-hit single Wednesday night.

The Rockies took three of four from San Diego and have won 13 of 16 against the Padres at Coors Field since the start of last season.

Jhoulys Chacin (4-2) worked two scoreless innings in relief of Kyle Freeland. Carlos Estevez pitched a flawless ninth for his first save. Kris Bryant was activated from the paternity list and went 0 for 4 with a walk.

Reliever Nabil Crismatt (5-2) took the loss for San Diego.