Gomez drives in five runs as Rangers rout Blue Jays

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 left-field foul pole and put Texas up 6-0, then he added a two-run home run in the seventh off reliever Cesar Valdez.

Texas (36-36) won for the ninth time in 13 games to get back to .500 before playing 20 of its next 26 games on the road.

The Blue Jays (35-37), who beat Texas in the AL Division Series each of the past two seasons, lost for the ninth consecutive time when they had a chance to reach .500 for the first time this season. They have been outscored 73-24 in those nine losses.

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.

Beltre added another double in the seventh, his 2,962nd hit, one behind Sam Crawford for 33rd all-time. He had a sacrifice fly in the eighth for his 1,587th RBI.

Stroman allowed a season-high seven runs over four innings, with five strikeouts. The right-hander has lost consecutive starts after going 6-0 in his 10 games before that.

All of Toronto’s runs came with two outs in the fifth. Dwight Smith Jr. was hit by a pitch, then scored on a double by Luke Maile. Russell

Martin and Kendrys Morales had RBI singles, and another run scored on an error.

ASTROS 12, ATHLETICS 9 Josh Reddick homered and scored four runs, Jake Marisnick and Marwin Gonzalez each went deep, and Houston beat host Oakland. The major league-leading Astros completed a four-game sweep with their 10th consecutive victory in Oakland and their 15th victory in 16 games against the A’s overall. They’ve won 12 of their last 14 road games. Their 27-8 record away from home is the best in the majors. 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.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

PHILLIES 5, CARDINALS 1 Aaron Nola pitched shutout ball into the eighth inning, Freddy Galvis and Tommy Joseph homered, and host Philadelphia beat St. Louis to stop a five-game losing streak. Joseph drove in three runs as Philadelphia, a major league-worst 23-48, won for just the second time in 15 games. Nola (4-5) allowed 1 run, 4 hits and 2 walks in 71/ innings and struck out 3 8. Paul DeJong homered on a hanging curveball leading off the eighth, pulling the Cardinals to

3-1, and Matt Carpenter walked with one out. Pat Neshek relieved and got Tommy Pham to ground into an inning-ending double play, and Luis Garcia followed with a perfect ninth. BREWERS 4, PIRATES 2 Corey Knebel broke Aroldis Chapman’s modern-era record for most consecutive games by a reliever with a strikeout at a season’s start, striking out a batter for the 38th consecutive game and closing out Milwaukee’s victory over visiting Pittsburgh. Knebel struck out Josh Bell on a foul tip leading off the ninth. The 25-year-old right-hander retired Elias Diaz and Andrew McCutchen on popouts, finishing a four-hitter for his 12th save in 15 chances. Chase Anderson (6-2) allowed 2 runs and 2 hits in 6 innings.

DIAMONDBACKS 10, ROCKIES 3 Paul Goldschmidt and Chris Owings hit three-run home runs, Zack Godley threw well into the eighth inning, and Arizona beat host Colorado. Goldschmidt finished with 3 hits and 4 RBI to increase his season total to 64, tops in the majors. Godley gave up a home run to Charlie Blackmon to lead off the first inning, but shut down the Rockies from there. Godley (3-1) allowed 3 runs on 4 hits and struck out 8 in 7-plus innings. He also helped himself with an RBI single in the eighth.