CLEVELAND — Kyle Isbel hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the eighth inning that scored Adam Frazier and the Kansas City Royals beat the AL Central-leading Cleveland Guardians 4-3 on Thursday.

“I had a lot of opportunities today, late in the game with a chance to take the lead,” Isbel said.

“I put a good swing on a ball and got a good pitch to hit.”

Frazier doubled off Hunter Gaddis (3-2) with two outs and Isbel followed with a liner to right, giving Kansas City a split of the two-game series. The clubs were rained out Wednesday.

The Royals pulled within four games of Cleveland in the division, winning for the third time in 10 games since May 25. Sam Long (1-1) pitched a scoreless seventh and James McArthur picked up his 12th save in 16 chances.

José Ramírez hit a solo homer and drove in two runs for the Guardians, who have the third-best record in baseball at 40-21, trailing the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees. Cleveland entered the day an MLB-best 21-7 at home.

BLUE JAYS 6, ORIOLES 5: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a three-run home run, Yusei Kikuchi pitched six innings to snap a seven-start winless streak and Toronto won at home to split a four-game series.

Adley Rutschman homered from both sides of the plate, but the Orioles lost their second straight game.

Baltimore scored 19 runs in the first 20 innings of this series but only five over the final 16.

Rutschman hit a solo homer off the left-handed Kikuchi (3-5) in the sixth inning and added a two-run blast off right-hander Zach Pop in the eighth. The homers were his 11th and 12th this season.

MARINERS 2, ATHLETICS 0: Bryan Woo and three relievers combined on a two-hit shutout, and Seattle won at Oakland, California.

Woo, who grew up 10 minutes from the Coliseum in Alameda, California, allowed two hits and struck out six in six innings. He threw a season-high 85 pitches and didn’t walk a batter while being cheered by friends and family.

Mitch Garver homered and had an RBI single for the AL West-leading Mariners, who have won 9 of 11.

The A’s (25-39) were shut out for the fifth time this season in their sixth loss in eight games.

notes

PIRATES: Left-handed reliever Justin Bruihl joined the team, less than a week after opting out of his minor league deal with Cincinnati.

Bruihl, 26, was 4-0 with a 2.31 ERA in 19 appearances with Triple-A Louisville.

BRAVES: Ronald Acuña Jr. had surgery Wednesday to repair the torn ACL in his left knee.

Dr. Neal ElAttrache performed the procedure in Los Angeles. Acuña will stay in Los Angeles for “a month or more” as he begins his rehabilitation process, Braves Manager Brian Snitker said ahead of Thursday’s series opener with the Nationals.

ElAttrache performed Acuña’s first ACL surgery – the one on his right knee – in 2021.

Snitker said he wasn’t able to talk to Acuña after the operation, with “the time (difference) and everything.” But head athletic trainer George Poulis sent Snitker a text saying everything went well with the procedure.

On May 26 in Pittsburgh, Acuña, who was on second base, bolted toward third after a pitch before changing his mind and quickly turning back. He suffered a complete tear of his left ACL on the play. He’s out for the season.