Friday, September 25, 2009
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Athletics 12, Rangers 3
OAKLAND, Calif. — Jack Cust homered to help rookie Brett Anderson win his fourth straight start, Cliff Pennington hit a two-run triple and the Athletics salvaged a split of their four-game series against Texas. Anderson (11-10), who has struggled for run support much of the year, allowed three runs, one earned, and six hits in 52‚Ñ3 innings. He improved to 8-3 over his last 16 starts. Scott Feldman (17-6) lost to the A’s for the second time in three starts. He was done after 31‚Ñ3 innings, leaving after Cust’s solo homer.
Mariners 5, Blue Jays 4
TORONTO — Felix Hernandez had a season-high 11 strikeouts, Josh Wilson hit a tiebreaking two-run triple in the eighth inning for Seattle. Hernandez (17-5) allowed four runs, three earned, and seven hits in eight innings to improve to 5-0 with a 1.57 ERA in his last six starts. Franklin Gutierrez hit a two-run homer for Seattle, which has won six of eight. Wilson gave the Mariners a 5-3 lead with a two-out triple to right off left-hander Jesse Carlson (1-6), scoring Adrian Beltre and Bill Hall.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Dodgers 7, Nationals 6
WASHINGTON — Rafael Furcal hit a go-ahead homer in the eighth inning and Los Angeles handed Washington its 100th loss of the season. Furcal’s drive off Ron Villone (4-6) was his fourth hit of the game. Ramon Troncoso (5-4) got the win, and Jonathan Broxton finished for his 36th save. The win reduced the Dodgers’ magic number to one for clinching a playoff berth. The Nationals were 59-102 last season. They are the first NL franchise to lose 100 games in consecutive seasons since the San Diego Padres, who dropped 102 in 1973 and 1974. In five seasons in Washington, the Nationals have already matched the number of 100-loss seasons the franchise had during its 36 seasons as the Montreal Expos.
Phillies 9, Brewers 4
MILWAUKEE — Jimmy Rollins capped a six-run fifth inning with a three-run homer and Ryan Howard drove in two runs to help Philadelphia rookie J.A. Happ win his 11th game. Pedro Feliz had three hits, scored twice and drove in a run for Philadelphia, who amassed 14 hits and reduced their magic number to clinch the NL East to four.
Associated Press