ARLINGTON, Texas - Lance Lynn pitched seven strong innings, Elvis Andrus homered and the Texas Rangers snapped a six-game losing streak with a 7-1 win Tuesday night over the Los Angeles Angels, who had won five in a row.
Lynn (5-2), the first major league pitcher to make 10 starts this season, struck out six, walked two and limited the Angels to one run on four hits. The right-hander had lost his previous two starts, allowing 10 runs (nine earned) - more than he had allowed combined his first seven starts.
Andrus put the Rangers ahead to stay with a solo shot in the second. They went ahead 3-0 with two unearned runs in the fourth on second baseman Matt Thaiss' two-out error.
ATHLETICS 4, ASTROS 2, 1st game
ASTROS 5, OAKLAND 4, 2nd game
OAKLAND, Calif. - Yuli Gurriel hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the seventh inning set up by an Oakland error, and Houston beat the Athletics to split a doubleheader and end a six-game losing streak.
In the opener, as ash from nearby wildfires fell inside the Coliseum, Khris Davis homered off previously unbeaten Zack Greinke to help the A's win.
The split kept the AL West-leading Athletics 4 1/2 games ahead of second-place Houston.
George Springer reached on rookie shortstop Vimael Machin's error to start the seventh and eventually scored on Gurriel's fly.
Oakland loaded the bases against Enoli Paredes (2-2) in the sixth but couldn't capitalize. Ryan Pressly earned his eighth save.
BLUE JAYS 2, YANKEES 1
BUFFALO, N.Y. - Gary Snchez and the slumping New York Yankees lost their fifth in a row and fell for the 15th time in 20 games, again failing to get clutch hits in a loss to Toronto.
At 21-21, the Yankees are at .500 or worse in September for the first time since 1995.
Jonathan Davis homered in his first at-bat of the season and the Blue Jays won their third straight game, a day after beating the Yankees 12-7.
Shun Yamaguchi (2-3) allowed one run in two innings of relief to earn the win. A.J. Cole and Anthony Kay each pitched one scoreless inning, and Rafael Dolis finished for his third save in as many opportunities.
TWINS 7, CARDINALS 3, 1st game
CARDINALS 6, TWINS 4, 2nd game
ST. LOUIS - Matt Wieters hit 14 foul balls during a 19-pitch at-bat that finished with a flyout during a wild rally that sent St. Louis over Minnesota for a doubleheader split.
Josh Donaldson, Nelson Cruz and Miguel San all homered, leading the Twins to a victory over the Cardinals in the first game. Cruz also homered in the second game to tie him for the MLB lead with 15.
The Twins led 2-0 in the third inning of the nightcap before combining two singles, three walks and two hitters to score five runs.
PHILLIES 6, RED SOX 5, 1st game
RED SOX 5, PHILLIES 2, 2nd game
PHILADELPHIA - Bobby Dalbec homered for his fourth straight game, his two-run shot in the sixth inning enough to help Boston beat Philadelphia and split a doubleheader.
Alec Bohm hit a two-out, two-run single in the seventh inning to rally the Phillies in the opener.
Dalbec homered in both games of the doubleheader, and the rookie first baseman has homered in five of his first nine career games. He's the first Red Sox rookie to homer in four straight games.
GIANTS 6, MARINERS 5
SAN FRANCISCO - Pinch-hitter Darin Ruf homered with one out in the seventh inning and San Francisco ended Seattle's winning streak at six games.
Alex Dickerson and Mauricio Dubn also went deep for the Giants, who erased a 5-1 deficit to win for the seventh time in nine games.
First-year San Francisco manager Gabe Kapler had to use five pitchers to keep his club on a roll and got another big night from the offense.
ROYALS 8, INDIANS 6
CLEVELAND - Maikel Franco drove in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning and had an RBI single in the ninth as Kansas City beat Cleveland to snap a seven-game losing streak.
Whit Merrifield hit a three-run homer and Cam Gallagher had an RBI double for Kansas City.
Adalberto Mondes led off the eighth with a single off Adam Cimber (0-1) and scored on Franco's fly to center, putting the Royals up 6-5. Later in the inning, Nicky Lopez was hit by a pitch from Oliver Perez with the bases loaded to score Hunter Dozier.
NATIONALS 5, RAYS 3
WASHINGTON - Juan Soto drove in a run in his return to the lineup and Washington used strong relief pitching to beat Tampa Bay and sweep the two-game series.
After missing five games with left elbow soreness, Juan Soto was back in the lineup as the designated hitter. He drove in a run in his first at-bat with a groundout to third in the first. Soto finished 1 for 2 with two walks and a run.
TIGERS 8, BREWERS 3
DETROIT - Spencer Turnbull allowed three hits in six scoreless innings, and Detroit broke the game open with five runs in the fifth on their way to a victory over Milwaukee, the Brewers' third straight.
Turnbull (4-2) struck out three and walked three for the Tigers, who pulled within one game of the New York Yankees for the final postseason spot in the American League. Jeimer Candelario homered and drove in four runs.
MARLINS 8, BRAVES 0
ATLANTA - Sixto Snchez combined with four relievers on a four-hitter and Jorge Alfaro hit one of three homers for Miami in a victory over Atlanta.
Garrett Cooper had two hits, including a two-run homer, and drove in three runs. Alfaro drove in two runs with two hits, including his first homer. Matt Joyce also homered.
Miami trails Atlanta by 2 1/2 games in the division after winning the first two games of the three-game series.
CUBS 3, REDS 0
CHICAGO - Alec Mills pitched six sharp innings, David Bote drove in two runs and the Cubs beat Cincinnati.
Mills (4-3) permitted four hits, struck out six and walked three in his first win since Aug. 24.
Duane Underwood Jr. and Ryan Tepera each got three outs before Jeremy Jeffress finished the five-hitter for his sixth save.
Shogo Akiyama reached three times on two hits and a walk, but the fourth-place Reds lost for the third time in four games. They wasted another strong outing by Tyler Mahle (1-2), who struck out 10 in seven innings.
ORIOLES 11, METS 2
NEW YORK - Rookie Ryan Mountcastle hit a two-run homer, Rio Ruiz added a three-run shot as Baltimore hit four homers and cruised past the Mets.
The Orioles won their fourth straight and improved to 20-21, moving within a half-game of the slumping Yankees for the second wild-card spot.
D.J. Stewart also homered for the third straight game. Cedric Mullins had an RBI triple as the Orioles won for the sixth time in eight games. Pat Valaika hit a solo homer.
Baltimore tied season highs for homers and runs and scored double-digit runs for the third time this season.
Jake Marisnick and Jeff McNeil homered for the Mets, who lost for the eighth time in 12 games.
Baltimore left-hander John Means (1-3) allowed one run on three hits in a season-high six innings.
Michael Wacha (1-3) allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits in four innings.
PIRATES 5, WHITE SOX 4
PITTSBURGH - Pinch-runner Jason Martin scored the winning run on catcher Yasmani Grandal's error in the bottom of the ninth inning as Pittsburgh rallied against the White Sox.
With the score tied at 4-4, the Pirates loaded the bases with none out as Gregory Polanco and Josh Bell singled and Ke'Bryan Hayes walked.
Kevin Newman then laid down a bunt. Pitcher Jimmy Cordero fielded the ball and shoveled it to Grandal in attempt to get a force out at home plate, but Grandal dropped the toss and Martin, who ran for Polanco, scored.
Richard Rodriguez (2-2) pitched a scoreless ninth for the win. Ross Detwiler (1-1) took the loss, as he was charged with an unearned run in 1/3 inning.
Grandal hit a two-run home run and Jose Abreu extended his hitting streak to 21 games for the White Sox.
Making his second straight since being sidelined nearly a month by a strained right triceps, Pittsburgh's Joe Musgrove pitched four scoreless innings. He allowed three hits while striking out five and walking two.
PADRES 14, ROCKIES 5
SAN DIEGO - Wil Myers homered twice, including San Diego's seventh grand slam of the season, Austin Nola hit a three-run shot and Mike Clevinger was impressive in his home debut in a rout of Colorado.
The Padres, cruising toward their first postseason appearance since 2006, won their third straight and for the seventh time in nine games.
Myers hit his slam in the five-run first inning and then homered leading off the seventh to match his single-game high of five RBIs. His 11th homer gave him his eighth career multi-homer game.
Clevinger (2-2) settled down after allowing Nolan Arenado's three-run home run with one out in the third. The right-hander held the Rockies to four runs and five hits in five innings, struck out eight and walked one. After allowing Matt Kemp's two-out single in the first, Clevinger retired the next 11 batters.
Starter Chi Chi Gonzlez (0-1) lasted just five batters after walking the first three, striking out Mitch Moreland and then hitting Austin Nola to bring in a run.