Jac Caglianone powers the Royals past Chicago 6-3 as Clay Holmes makes a shaky debut for the Cubs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals made Clay Holmes' debut with the Chicago Cubs a forgettable affair Saturday night, hammering him for four runs in his return from the injured list, while Jac Calgianone helped to power Kansas City to a 6-3 victory.

Caglianone hit two homers, two doubles and finished with four RBIs for the Royals. Josh Rojas also had a pair of RBIs.

Seth Lugo (5-7) out-shined Holmes with his eight-pitch repertoire, which included a looping 65 mph curve that fanned MVP candidate Pete Crow-Armstrong. Lugo wound up allowing three runs on five hits and a walk over six innings, striking out five.

Nate Pearson handled the ninth against his former team to pick up his second save of the season.

Holmes (4-5) last started a big league game May 15, when he was still with the Mets, and a 111 mph liner from the Yankees’ Spencer Jones fractured his right fibula. He was in the midst of making rehab starts when the Cubs traded for him earlier this week.

Holmes needed 70 pitches to go four innings, allowing six hits and two walks while striking out one.

Caglianone gave the Royals to a 1-0 lead with his first-inning homer, a shot to right-center that went an estimated 448 feet. Rojas added a two-run single in the second, after a sacrifice bunt by Nick Loftin had advanced the runners, and Caglianone's double in the third was enough to score Bobby Witt Jr. from first base and make it 4-0.

Carson Kelly halved the lead with a two-out double in the fourth, and Ian Happ's two-out homer made it 4-3 in the sixth. But the Cubs squandered a chance when the Royals' John Schreiber struck out Seiya Suzuki with two aboard in the seventh.

Caglianone added his second homer in the bottom half of the inning to give the Royals some breathing room.

LHP Matthew Boyd (7-1, 3.59) tries to win his eighth consecutive decision Sunday when he takes the mound for the Cubs in the series finale. RHP Randy Dobnak (2-0, 1.16) tries to continue his resurgence when he makes the start for Kansas City.

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Kansas City Royals' John Rave dives home past Chicago Cubs catcher Carson Kelly to score on a two-run single by Josh Rojas during the second inning of a baseball game Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Seth Lugo throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Clay Holmes throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kansas City Royals' Jac Caglianone, right, celebrates as he runs the bases past Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Clay Holmes, left, after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Andrés Chaparro drove in three runs and the Washington Nationals snapped Cincinnati ace Chase Burns’ 12-game winning streak, beating the Reds 8-2 on Saturday night.

Rookie Abimelec Ortiz drove in two for Washington. The Nationals have won three of four after dropping a season-worst seven in a row.

Eugenio Suárez homered for Cincinnati as the Reds dropped consecutive games for the first time since July 11-12.

Washington took a 3-2 lead when Dylan Crews opened the sixth with a double and scored on Daylen Lile’s double. Burns (13-2) then loaded the bases before yielding to Sam Moll, who was greeted by Chaparro’s pinch double. Chaparro advanced on a wild pitch and scored when Jacob Young singled.

Burns, who built the fifth-longest winning streak in club history, lost for the first time since April 10. He allowed five runs in 5 1/3 innings while striking out six.

Chaparro and CJ Abrams added RBI singles in the eighth.

Clayton Beeter (5-3) worked a scoreless eighth for Washington.

José Tena led off the third with a single to center, then moved up two batters later when Abrams slapped a first-pitch slider down the right-field line for a double. Both scored when Ortiz poked Burns’ 0-2 fastball the opposite way to left.

Nationals starter Andrew Alvarez surrendered a run on three hits and a walk in 5 1/3 innings, and was pulled after Sal Stewart’s infield single dribbled off third base. Max Kranick relieved him, and two batters later Suárez ripped a fastball into the visitor’s bullpen in left.

Alvarez has not allowed a home run in his last 51 1/3 innings, the franchise’s seventh-longest streak since moving to Washington in 2005.

Cincinnati RHP Brady Singer (5-10, 4.67 ERA) was set to start Sunday in the series finale. Washington manager Blake Butera said the Nationals are planning a bullpen game.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Chase Burns throws during the third inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Nationals pitcher Andrew Alvarez throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Nationals second baseman Nasim Nunez throws to first base but cannot get Cincinnati Reds' Noelvi Marte during the second inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Nationals pitcher Andrew Alvarez throws during the third inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Nationals' CJ Abrams dives towards second base for a double during the third inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)