CLEVELAND — Michael Harris homered twice and Bryce Elder, one of Atlanta’s eight All-Stars, pitched 6 2/3 solid innings to lead the Braves to their season-high ninth straight win, 4-2 over the Cleveland Guardians on Monday night.

Harris connected for solo shots in the third and fifth innings off Guardians rookie Gavin Williams (0-1), who in his third career start had to face a lineup featuring six All-Stars and no detectable weaknesses.

Harris may be Atlanta’s No. 9 hitter, but he’s batting .416 (37 of 89) with seven homers and 16 RBI in his last 24 games.

Marcell Ozuna also homered for the Braves, who have won 17 of 18 and 24 of 27.

Atlanta, which has had three winning streaks of at least eight games, improved MLB’s best record to 57-27.

ASTROS 12, BRAVES 11: José Abreu and Chas McCormick had back-to-back RBI doubles in the ninth inning and second-place Houston, after blowing an eight-run lead, closed out a series victory with a wild 12-11 win over the AL West-leading Texas at Arlington, Texas.

Abreu and McCormick also homered earlier for Houston, which took 3 of 4 against their instate rival to move within three games of the division lead. It is the closest the Astros have been in a month after trailing by as many as 6 1/2 games.

Kyle Tucker, who hit Houston’s majors-best eighth grand slam in the second for a 6-0 lead, led off the ninth with a single against Rangers closer Will Smith (1-3), who had only his second blown save in 16 chances. Abreu and McCormack, who had a three-run triple in the eighth inning of Sunday’s 5-3 win, then followed Alex Bregman’s deep flyout with their doubles.

The Rangers had taken their only lead on Corey Seager’s sacrifice fly that made it 11-10 in the eighth, right after newly acquired reliever Aroldis Chapman pitched a perfect top of the inning for them.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

YANKEES 6, ORIOLES 3: Harrison Bader hit a tie-breaking three-run homer in the eighth inning and New York rallied to beat visiting Baltimore in the opener of a four-game series between AL East playoff contenders.

Anthony Volpe scored the tying run in the seventh on a wild pitch by All-Star reliever Yennier Cano (1-1) before the Yankees completed the comeback ahead of a postgame fireworks show.

Giancarlo Stanton opened the eighth with a hard single off Cano before Anthony Rizzo followed with a single against Danny Coulombe.

After showing bunt on the first pitch, Bader drove a 1-1 sweeper into the left-field seats for his seventh homer. Bader lifted his arms to celebrate the 415-foot drive as he rounded first base.

Bader’s clutch homer came after he popped out on the first pitch with two on in the sixth against Baltimore starter Tyler Wells.

Volpe and Kyle Higashioka hit back-to-back homers in the fifth to start the comeback before Volpe scored on a headfirst slide in the seventh.

The second-place Orioles lost for the fifth time in six games and are three games ahead of third-place New York in the division standings.

Coming off the fourth perfect game in team history at Oakland last week, Domingo Germán allowed three runs — two earned — and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

BREWERS 8, CUBS 6: Newly signed Jahmai Jones hit a pinch-hit, three-run double in his first big league appearance since 2021, helping Milwaukee rally to beat visiting Chicago.

With the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh inning, Jones hit a line drive on the first pitch from reliever Anthony Kay that one-hopped off the center-field wall and scored Raimel Tapia, Christian Yelich and Owen Mill, tying the game at 6.

Milwaukee signed the 25-year-old Jones as a free agent before the game. His last appearance was with the Baltimore Orioles on Oct. 2, 2021. He also played for the Los Angeles Angels in 2020.

REDS 3, NATIONALS 2: Joey Votto hit a two-run home run to end an 0-for-21 slump, Ian Gibaut pitched out of a jam in the sixth inning and Cincinnati won at Washington

The Reds have won 5 of 6 since a three-game losing streak to keep pace with Milwaukee atop the NL Central.

MARLINS 5, CARDINALS 4: Nick Fortes hit a go-ahead RBI single in the seventh inning and Miami rallied to beat visiting St. Louis.

Miami’s Luis Arraez was 1 for 4 dropping his batting average to .388.

NOTES

DODGERS: Clayton Kershaw was placed on the 15-day injured list due to left shoulder soreness.

The Dodgers recalled right-handers Michael Grove and Gavin Stone, and optioned left-hander Victor González to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Kershaw was selected to his 10th All-Star team Sunday, which tied him for the most in franchise history. He said he was planning to attend next week’s game in Seattle despite being unable to pitch.

ASTROS: All-Star slugger Yordan Alvarez went through some outfield drills before the Astros played their series finale against the Texas Rangers, a day after he took swings in the batting cage for the first time since being sidelined by a right oblique strain nearly a month ago.

Shortstop Jeremy Peña (stiff neck) took some groundballs and was set to hit in the cage, though he missed the entire series against the AL West-leading Rangers because of neck stiffness.

When the Astros get home Tuesday after their season-long 10-game trip, right-hander José Urquidy (right shoulder inflammation) is set to throw live batting practice before their series opener against Colorado. But Manager Dusty Baker said Urquidy won’t be throwing to injured outfielder Michael Brantley (right shoulder surgery) as had been the original plan.

METS: The New York Mets have acquired right-handed reliever Trevor Gott from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for lefty Zach Muckenhirn.

New York also picked up righty Chris Flexen in the deal and immediately designated him for assignment, the team announced. Flexen, who was due $8 million this season, was designated for assignment by Seattle last week. The Mets are responsible for the $3.9 million left on his deal.

HOME RUN DERBY: Adley Rutschman of the Baltimore Orioles said he will participate in the Home Run Derby on July 10 in Seattle as he attempts to become the first catcher to win the event.

Rutschman joins a field that includes New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, Dodgers’ star Mookie Betts, Tampa Bay’s Randy Arozarena, Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Seattle’s Julio Rodríguez.

CARDINALS: The St. Louis Cardinals signed right-handed pitcher Chen-Wei Lin, the franchise’s first player signed out of Taiwan.

The 21-year-old Lin is a native of Tainan City, Taiwan, and played college baseball at Chinese Culture University in Taipei. He pitched in nine games for the Kenosha, Wisconsin, Kingfish last summer in the collegiate league in his United States debut.

GUARDIANS: After getting a second opinion on his sprained right elbow, starter Triston McKenzie will continue his rehab program with the hope he can avoid surgery and return to the mound this season.

McKenzie was shut down recently after just his second start with discomfort in his elbow. He was diagnosed with a strained ulnar collateral ligament, an injury that often requires Tommy John surgery.

The 25-year-old was examined last week by Guardians team physician Dr. Mark Schickendantz, who recommended rest and rehab. The team encouraged McKenzie to see other specialists, and it’s been decided that he will be shut down for three more weeks.