MLB roundup | Wednesday’s other games

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Angels 6, Red Sox 4

BOSTON — Casey Kotchman’s solo home run put Los Angeles ahead in the sixth inning, Gary Matthews Jr. hit two solo homers of his own and the Angels snapped the Boston Red Sox’s six-game winning streak. Kotchman hit his sixth of the season off Craig Hansen, who was recalled before the game. Matthews hit solo shots in the first and fifth off emergency starter Jon Lester, giving him four homers for the season and 100 for his career. Lester, starting on three days’ rest for the first time in his career, pitched in place of Daisuke Matsuzaka, who was scratched with flulike symptoms. It was the second straight game in which a Boston starter was pulled from his scheduled start. Josh Beckett missed the 7-6 win over the Angels on Tuesday night with a stiff neck and flulike symptoms.

Rays 5, Blue Jays 3

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Jason Hammel allowed four hits in six innings and Evan Longoria drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single to help the Tampa Bay Rays rally against Roy Halladay and the Toronto Blue Jays. The Rays improved to 5-0 in games they’ve played here the past two seasons in home-away-home series designed to bolster fan support in the Orlando area, about 90 miles east of Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg.

Tigers 19, Rangers 6

DETROIT — Miguel Cabrera hit a three-run homer and Jacque Jones also connected in an 11-run sixth inning, and the Tigers routed the Rangers. Carlos Guillen had five RBIs as Detroit scored its most runs this season and handed Texas its sixth straight loss.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Mets 7, Nationals 2

WASHINGTON — Johan Santana hit two doubles and pitched seven solid innings, leading the Mets. Santana (3-2) allowed seven hits, none after the fourth inning, struck out four and walked one. As a batter, he had the second two-hit game of his career. The Mets improved to 4-0 against the Nationals this season. New York broke open a 2-all tie in the sixth with only one hit — Carlos Beltran’s leadoff single — leaving the infield. After Beltran’s hit, Ray King relieved Tim Redding (3-2) and Ryan Church hit a weak grounder to third. Washington’s Ryan Zimmerman charged, but his running throw to first was wide. Beltran scored and Church, credited with a single, wound up on third on Zimmerman’s throwing error. Church scored two batters later on an infield single by Angel Pagan. Pagan then stole second and third on consecutive pitches and scored on a groundout by Brian Schneider to give the Mets a 5-2 lead.

Marlins 7, Braves 2

ATLANTA — Mike Jacobs hit a two-run homer and Hanley Ramirez added a solo shot to power the Marlins. Florida’s Dan Uggla went 3-for-5, including a two-run triple in the ninth. The Marlins jumped on Atlanta starter Jeff Bennett (0-1) for three runs in the first inning on the leadoff home run by Ramirez and Jacobs followed with his two-run blast after a single by Josh Willingham as Florida won for the fourth time in five games. It was the seventh home run for each player.

Astros 9, Reds 3

CINCINNATI — Kazuo Matsui sparked Houston’s seven-run rally with a two-run single, and the Astros coasted to their fourth consecutive victory. Houston has won four in a row for the first time since last May, getting 36 runs out of a lineup producing top-to-bottom. Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 597th career homer off Chris Sampson (1-2), the only bright moment for the struggling Reds, who changed general managers before the game. Walt Jocketty took over for Wayne Krivsky, a show of impatience by team owner Bob Castellini.

Brewers 5, Phillies 4

MILWAUKEE — Prince Fielder hit a pair of two-run homers, including a go-ahead shot in the eighth, as the Brewers rallied past the Phillies. The homers snapped a relative power drought for Fielder, the defending National League home run champion who had 50 a year ago. Fielder went homerless in his first 14 games this season and hit just one in his first 68 at-bats before Wednesday. Both of Fielder’s homers came off Philadelphia ace Cole Hamels (2-3), who lost despite striking out a season-high 11. He gave up eight hits and five runs in seven innings. Mitch Stetter (1-0) pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth to get the win as the Brewers overcame Chase Utley’s major league-leading 10th homer.

Associated Press