Machado’s homer in 9th lifts Tigers over Orioles

DETROIT » Dixon Machado led off the bottom of the ninth with a home run, capping a wild final two innings and lifting the Detroit Tigers over the Baltimore Orioles 6-5 on Wednesday.

Detroit led 2-1 before each team scored three runs in the eighth and one in the ninth. Baltimore’s Luis Sardinas tied it with a solo shot off Shane Greene (1-0) in the top of the ninth, but then Machado hit a line drive off Pedro Araujo (1-2) that cleared the fence in left field for only the second homer of the infielder’s big league career.

The game was moved from 6:40 p.m. to 1:10 p.m. in anticipation of bad weather. Although it was a sparse crowd, to say the least, the sun did come out, and those fans in attendance were treated to quite a few homers.

Miguel Cabrera went deep on his 35th birthday, and Jeimer Candelario and John Hicks also homered for Detroit. Hicks hit a three-run shot in the eighth that put the Tigers up 5-4.

Blue Jays 15, Royals 5

TORONTO » Teoscar Hernandez had four hits, including a two-run home run, Curtis Granderson hit his ninth career grand slam and the Toronto Blue Jays routed Kansas City to complete a three-game sweep of the Royals, losers of eight straight.

Hernandez singled and scored in the first, homered in the third, flied out in the fourth, singled in the sixth and hit a two-run triple in the seventh. It was the first four-hit game of his career.

Needing a double for the cycle, Hernandez struck out swinging in the eighth against reliever Brian Flynn.

Granderson’s slam, which came off Justin Grimm, was the big blow in a six-run eighth. Toronto set season highs with 15 runs and 15 hits.

Rays 4, Rangers 2

ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. » Jake Faria won for the first time since last July 25, allowing one run over six innings to lead the Tampa Bay Rays over the Cole Hamels and the Texas Rangers.

Faria (1-1) struck out six and walked one. He had been 0-4 in eight starts and two relief appearances since beating Baltimore.

Hamels (1-3) gave up two hits through five scoreless innings before the Rays rallied to take a 3-1 in the sixth on Daniel Robertson’s RBI double, C.J Cron’s run-scoring single and Adeiny Hechavarria’s sacrifice fly.

Denard Span’s RBI double with one out in the seventh chased Hamels, who allowed four runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Brewers 2, Reds 0

MILWAUKEE » Milwaukee center fielder Christian Yelich returned from the disabled list and made a snazzy sliding catch on a fly ball that deflected off the glove of left fielder Hernan Perez, and the Brewers beat the Cincinnati Reds.

Zach Davies allowed three hits over 6 1/3 innings to win for the first time in four starts this season, and Eric Thames hit a two-run homer.

Pirates 10, Rockies 2

PITTSBURGH » Sean Rodriguez hit a two-run home run that backed Chad Kuhl and helped the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Colorado Rockies to avoid a three-game sweep.

PAUL SANCYA — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Detroit’s Dixon Machado, center, is congratulated for his walk-off solo home run in the ninth inning against the Orioles in Detroit Wednesday.