Hamels hits 2,000 Ks in win over Mariners
SEATTLE >> Cole Hamels became the seventh active pitcher to reach 2,000 strikeouts and Mitch Moreland homered to lead the Texas Rangers past the Seattle Mariners 6-4 on Sunday.
The AL West-leading Rangers took two out of three games in the series against second-place Seattle to open up a season-high five-game division lead. The Rangers have won seven straight series and 12 of their last 15 games.
Hamels (6-1) picked up strikeout No. 2,000 in the third inning when he got Leonys Martin swinging. It was one of five strikeouts for Hamels, who allowed one run on four hits in seven innings. INDIANS 8, ANGELS 3 >> Francisco Lindor homered and drove in three runs in the first two innings, and the Cleveland Indians pounded another David Huff in a victory over Los Angeles.
Carlos Santana hit two homers and drove in three more runs for the AL Central leaders, who took two of three at the Big A.
Mike Trout left the game in the eighth inning with a bruised right thumb after getting hit by a pitch from Cleveland reliever Tommy Hunter. X-rays showed no broken bones for the 2014 AL MVP. BLUE JAYS 10, ORIOLES 9 >> Russell Martin hit a threerun homer, Kevin Pillar had a solo shot and the Toronto Blue Jays used a five-run first inning to beat the Baltimore Orioles.
Edwin Encarnacion scored three runs and extended his streak of reaching base safely to nine plate appearances before grounding into a fielder’s choice in the sixth as the Blue Jays took three of four from the AL East leaders. TIGERS 4, YANKEES 1 >> Detroit rookie Michael Fulmer dominated on Old-Timers’ Day at Yankee Stadium, winning his fifth straight start while extending his scoreless streak to 28 1/3 innings to lead the Tigers over New York.
With Whitey Ford, Reggie Jackson and several more Hall of Famers and World Series MVPs on hand for the pregame festivities, the 23-yearold Fulmer by far was the biggest star of the afternoon. RAYS 5, ASTROS 0 >> Reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel became the first major league pitcher to lose nine games this season when Matt Moore pitched two-hit ball over seven innings to lead the Tampa Bay Rays over the Houston Astros.
After going 20-8 with a 2.48 ERA last season, Keuchel (3-9) has a 5.54 ERA this year. He is 1-8 with a 6.58 ERA in his last 11 starts, allowing 83 hits in 67 innings, and he is 0-4 in six career starts against Tampa Bay. ATHLETICS 6, REDS 1 >> Marcus Semien and Jake Smolinski each hit a two-run homer in Oakland’s four-run second inning, and the Athletics snapped their seven-game losing streak.
Danny Valencia added a solo homer and Billy Butler had three hits — one short of his combined total in eight previous June games — as Oakland also ended a ninegame road losing streak, the team’s longest since an 11game slide in 2005. CUBS 13, BRAVES 2 >> Jon Lester earned his fourth straight victory after allowing no earned runs in seven innings as the Chicago Cubs beat the Atlanta Braves to win their final series at Turner Field. BREWERS 5, METS 3 >> Zach Davies tossed six-plus strong innings of three-hit ball before the Milwaukee Brewers held on against the mistakeprone New York Mets, who played without ill manager Terry Collins. ROYALS 3, WHITE SOX 1 >> Yordano Ventura pitched seven sharp innings for Kansas City in his first start since he brawled with Manny Machado in Baltimore, and the Royals beat the Chicago White Sox for their second straight win following an eight-game losing streak. TWINS 7, RED SOX 4, 10 INNINGS >> Max Kepler’s first major league homer was a three-run shot in the bottom of the 10th inning that gave the Minnesota Twins a victory over the Boston Red Sox. DIAMONDBACKS 6, MARLINS 0>> Robbie Ray threw sevenplus scoreless innings and Peter O’Brien homered to help the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Miami Marlins. ROCKIES 2, PADRES 1 >> Tyler Anderson pitched into the seventh inning in his impressive major league debut, Mark Reynolds homered and the Colorado Rockies beat the San Diego Padres. CARDINALS 8, PIRATES 3 >> Matt Holliday and Randal Grichuk homered, and the surging St. Louis Cardinals completed a three-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates.