NEW YORK — Ozzie Albies homered and drove in six runs, and the Atlanta Braves pounded the New York Mets 21-3 on Saturday in the opening game of a doubleheader.

Atlanta connected six times in its fourth win in five games, running its major league-leading total to 224 homers. Matt Olson went deep twice in his seventh multihomer game of the season and No. 20 for his career. Sean Murphy, Austin Riley and Nicky Lopez also homered for the NL East leaders.

Riley hit a two-run homer and Lopez added a three-run shot during an eight-run ninth inning against Mets infielder Danny Mendick.

Lopez, making his first start since he was acquired in a trade with Kansas City on July 30, finished with four hits and five RBI. He also pitched a scoreless ninth inning.

Allan Winans (1-0), who was drafted by the Mets in 2018 before the Braves selected him in the minor league portion of the 2021 Rule 5 draft, got the win with seven scoreless innings.

The Mets avoided being shut out for the second straight game and 13th time this season when Daniel Vogelbach hit a three-run homer in the eighth.

CUBS 5, BLUE JAYS 4: Christopher Morel hit a tiebreaking double in the ninth inning and Chicago won at Toronto.

Dansby Swanson added a three-run home run as the Cubs (61-56) improved to 8-3 in August and won for the 18th time in 24 games – a stretch that has moved them into the final NL wild-card position.

Whit Merrifield hit a two-run home run, but Toronto (65-54) lost for the fourth time in five games. The Blue Jays were only a half game ahead of Seattle for the last AL wild-card spot going into Saturday’s games.

RAYS 6, GUARDIANS 5: Randy Arozarena lined an RBI single to complete a three-run ninth inning off Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase as Tampa won at home.

Clase (1-7) allowed Yandy Díaz’s one-out double. Díaz advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored to tie it at 5 on Brandon Lowe’s infield single. Lowe stole second and scored on Arozarena’s hit.

Cleveland wasted an impressive start by rookie Gavin Williams, who struck out 10 over five innings.

MARLINS 5, YANKEES 1: Sandy Alcantara threw a five-hitter, Luis Arraez homered and Miami won at home.

Alcantara (5-10) struck out 10 in his major league-leading third complete game, and first home win since going the distance against Minnesota on April 4. The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner induced 10 groundouts before a season-best crowd of 33,986.

Arraez’s two-run blast in the first inning staked Miami to an early lead. The 409-foot shot against Yankees starter Michael King bounced off the first row of upper deck seats in right-center.

NOTES

GUARDIANS: All-Star third baseman José Ramírez had his MLB suspension for fighting with Tim Anderson of the White Sox reduced from three games to two.

Ramírez, who knocked Anderson to the ground with a wild, well-placed punch, will serve the suspension this weekend during Cleveland’s series in Tampa Bay. He won’t play Saturday or Sunday.

Anderson was suspended six games for fighting with Ramirez near second base and triggering a benches-clearing melee on Aug. 5 between the Guardians and White Sox that went on for several minutes and included several other flareups. Anderson has continued to play while appealing the suspension.

RAYS: All-Star Shane McClanahan is done for the regular season because of a left arm injury.

The Rays moved the left-handed ace from the 15- to 60-day injured list before Saturday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians. He was placed on the 15-day IL on Aug, 4.

McClanahan is scheduled to see Dr. Keith Meister on Monday. Options under consideration include Tommy John surgery. He missed the 2016 collegiate season at the University of South Florida following Tommy John surgery.

PHILLIES: Two-time MVP Bryce Harper was back in the lineup for Saturday’s game against the Minnesota Twins after sitting out one game because of mid-back spasms.

Harper left Thursday’s game against the Washington Nationals in the top of the fifth inning with spasms that were unrelated to the back pain that kept him out of games in 2021.

ASTROS: First baseman José Abreu and reliever Phil Maton were placed on the injured list.

Abreu has lumbar spine inflammation, and Maton was hit on the right elbow by a line drive off the bat of Angels third baseman Eduardo Escobar on Friday night.

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