Baseball roundup\ Sunday’s other games

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Rangers 4, Rays 0

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Scott Feldman struck out a career-high 11 to win his fifth consecutive road start and the Rangers avoided a three-game sweep. Michael Young and Ivan Rodriguez each drove in two runs. Feldman (13-4) is the first Texas pitcher with victories in five straight starts away from home since Rick Helling accomplished the feat in 1998. The right-hander, 9-1 this season on the road, allowed four hits in seven scoreless innings. Darren O’Day struck out all three batters he faced in the eighth before closer Frank Francisco pitched the ninth in a non-save situation.

Blue Jays 8, Angels 3

TORONTO — Ricky Romero won for the first time in four starts, Travis Snider hit a solo homer and Toronto beat Los Angeles. Snider went 3 for 3 with a walk as the Blue Jays earned a split in their eight-game season series with the Angels. Toronto has lost the season series just once in the past seven years. The AL West-leading Angels have lost three of four following a five-game winning streak and are 10-18 in Toronto since the start of the 2003 season.

Athletics 9, Tigers 4

OAKLAND, Calif. — Jack Cust hit two homers and drove in four runs, Landon Powell added a three-run shot and Oakland beat Detroit. Brett Tomko (3-2) allowed three hits in six innings, striking out eight. He’s won both his starts for the Athletics after appearing in 15 games with the Yankees. Cliff Pennington also homered for the A’s. Miguel Cabrera had three hits, including his 200th home run, and drove in two as the Tigers lost their second straight. Curtis Granderson hit a leadoff homer and Marcus Thames added a pinch-hit RBI single.

Orioles 5, White Sox 4

CHICAGO — Brian Roberts had three hits and Nolan Reimold hit a two-run homer to help Baltimore beat Mark Buehrle. Jason Berken (3-11) won for the second time since May 26. The rookie right-hander allowed three runs, two earned, and five hits in 52‚Ñ3 innings.

Twins 10, Royals 3

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Michael Cuddyer homered twice in Minnesota’s eight-run seventh inning and Denard Span added a three-run triple, helping the Twins break open a close game against Kansas City. A pitching duel between Twins starter Carl Pavano (11-9) and Royals right-hander Brian Bannister (7-10) got messy in a hurry in the seventh, when Cuddyer hit the first pitch for a homer, then added a two-run shot that put Minnesota up 9-1. Playing his sixth straight game at first base in place of Justin Morneau (ear infection), Cuddyer became the first Twins player to hit two homers in an inning and the first in the majors since Boston’s David Ortiz did it last August.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Phillies 9, Mets 7

NEW YORK — Second baseman Eric Bruntlett turned an unassisted triple play to end the Phillies’ wild victory. It was the 15th unassisted triple play in major league history — the second that ended a game. Detroit Tigers first baseman Johnny Neun also accomplished the feat on May 31, 1927, completing a 1-0 victory over Cleveland, according to STATS LLC. Bruntlett’s triple play preserved a win for Pedro Martinez (2-0) in his return to New York and quashed a Mets rally against closer Brad Lidge.

Rockies 4, Giants 2

DENVER — Ubaldo Jimenez threw eight strong innings, outpitching Tim Lincecum, and Seth Smith hit a two-run homer in the seventh for Colorado. Held hitless by Lincecum for 51‚Ñ3 innings, the Rockies rallied to move three games ahead of San Francisco in the NL wild-card race. Jimenez (12-9) won his sixth straight decision for Colorado, which has taken two of three in a four-games series that concludes Monday night at Coors Field.

Cardinals 5, Padres 2

SAN DIEGO — John Smoltz had a brilliant debut with St. Louis, striking out a season-high nine — including seven straight — and holding San Diego to three hits over five scoreless innings. Smoltz also had a bunt single and scored the first run for the NL Central-leading Cardinals. Albert Pujols hit his 40th homer, a leadoff shot to right in the fourth. It was the fifth time he’s hit 40 homers and the first since 2006, when he hit a career-high 49.

Cubs 3, Dodgers 1

LOS ANGELES — Jake Fox went 4 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs, and the Cubs rallied to avert a four-game sweep. Fox had the first four-hit game of his career while starting in place of outfielder Alfonso Soriano, given his second consecutive day off because of a sore knee.

Braves 7, Marlins 5

ATLANTA — Brian McCann hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the eighth inning and matched a career high with five RBIs, leading the Braves to the win. McCann finished with three hits, including a three-run homer in the first.

Diamondbacks 7, Astros 5

HOUSTON — Ryan Roberts matched a career high with four hits, helping Arizona end a season-high seven-game skid. Augie Ojeda added two hits and a pair of RBIs for the Diamondbacks, who also ended a season-long nine-game road skid.

Nationals 8, Brewers 3

WASHINGTON — Ryan Zimmerman, Cristian Guzman and Adam Dunn homered to help Nationals end a five-game skid. Rookie right-hander Craig Stammen (4-6) allowed three runs and five hits over 61‚Ñ3 innings to win for the first time in six starts. Zimmerman drove in three runs and Ronnie Belliard had two RBIs.

Associated Press