A’s overpower Rangers, share AL West lead
OAKLAND: Mike Fiers pitched well for the third consecutive game, and the Oakland Athletics supported their new pitcher with a four-homer, four-double assault on Texas Rangers pitching in an 9-0 romp on Monday night in the opener on a threegame series.
Ramon Laureano hit his first two career home runs, and Khris Davis belted his 38th, propelling the A’s to the 15th win in their past 19 games. Davis tied Boston’s JD Martinez for the major league home run lead.
The Athletics’ win coupled with the Astros’ road loss to the Seattle Mariners allowed Oakland to move back into a tie with Houston for first place in the American League West.
Fiers (9-6), acquired from the Detroit Tigers in a waiver deal after the July 31 deadline, allowed a leadoff double in the second inning by Nomar Mazara and no other hits over seven shut-out innings. He struck out eight and walked one while improving to 2-0 with a 1.47 ERA in three starts for the A’s.
Robinson Cano hit a three-run homer to break an eighth-inning tie, giving Seattle a 7-4 victory against visiting Houston.
Cano’s home run was his fifth of the season and first since returning last week from an 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs. It came off Houston right-hander Collin McHugh (5-2). Cano finished 3-for-5 with two doubles.
Alex Colome (4-5) got the win and Edwin Diaz pitched the ninth for his major-leagueleading 48th save. The Mariners’ rally from a 4-2 deficit spoiled a big night by Houston’s Marwin Gonzalez, who went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and three RBIs.
Jedd Gyorko and Matt Carpenter hit back-to-back home runs to open the ninth inning as St Louis continued their hot August with a 5-3 victory at Los Angeles.
Jose Martinez drove in a pair of runs as the Cardinals improved to a National League-best 15-4 in August.