Rangers gain split
Carlos Gomez (above) homered twice and drove in five runs as Texas blew past Toronto 11-4 on Thursday for a split of the fourgame series. Mike Napoli and Robinson Chirinos also homered for the Rangers, who won for the ninth time in their past 13 games to .500 before playing 20 of its next 26 games on the road.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Carlos Gomez homered twice to drive in five runs and the Texas Rangers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 11-4 on Thursday for a split of their fourgame series.
Mike Napoli and Robinson Chirinos also homered for the Rangers off Marcus Stroman (7-4).
Gomez has five home runs in his six games since returning from the disabled list last week after missing a month with a right hamstring strain. His three-run shot in the third ricocheted off the leftfield foul pole and put Texas up 6-0, then he added a two-run home run in the seventh off reliever Cesar Valdez.
Martin Perez (4-6) went six innings, and all four runs he allowed came in the fifth. The lefty gave up 9 hits, at least 1 in each inning, with 3 strikeouts, 2 walks and 1 hit batter.
Adrian Beltre put the Rangers ahead to stay with an RBI double in the first, and Napoli’s 14th home run was a two-run shot in the second. Chirinos made it 7-0 when he homered in the fourth.
Stroman allowed a season-high 7 runs over 4 innings, with 5 strikeouts. The right-hander has lost consecutive starts after going 6-0 in his 10 games before that.
ASTROS 12, ATHLETICS 9 Josh Reddick homered and scored four runs, Jake Marisnick and Marwin Gonzalez each went deep, and Houston beat host Oakland. Reddick also doubled, tripled and drew a walk, and Marisnick and Gonzalez each drove in three runs. David Paulino (2-0) struck out 6 and gave up 3 runs, 7 hits and 2 walks.
INDIANS 6, ORIOLES 3 Austin Jackson had three hits and three RBIs, Erik Gonzalez homered and visiting Cleveland put on another offensive