AROUND THE HORN THursday’s other MLB games

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Athletics 21, Angels 3

OAKLAND, CALIF.

Marcus Semien had three hits and a career-high five RBIs, Stephen Piscotty homered and drove in four runs and Oakland hammered the Los Angeles Angels. Catcher Francisco Arcia pitched the last two innings for the Angels. He also homered in the ninth. Piscotty was 2 for 3 with a three-run homer. Matt Chapman was 2 for 4 with a double and two RBI. Edwin Jackson (6-3) struck out seven, walked three and gave up two runs in 51/3 innings of three-hit ball. Mike Trout hit his 36th home run for the Angels. Matt Shoemaker (2-2) gave up five runs in 22/3 innings in his start since returning from a forearm strain. Oakland’s Nick Martini hit his first career home run, a two-run shot off Arcia.

Blue Jays 9, Rays 8

TORONTO

Justin Smoak homered with two outs in the ninth inning to give Toronto a victory over Tampa Bay, dealing a blow to the Rays’ wild-card playoff hopes. Smoak hit his 25th homer of the season and third career walk-off blast. Sergio Romo (3-4) blew his eighth save in 30 opportunities. Right-hander David Paulino (1-0) pitched an inning for the victory as Toronto won for the fourth time in its past five. Trailing 8-2 to begin the ninth, the Blue Jays roared back to snap Tampa Bay’s five-game winning streak.

Tigers 11, Royals 8

DETROIT

Christin Stewart hit his first two big-league homers and drove in six runs, leading Detroit past the Kansas City. Stewart, a September call-up playing in his 11th game, became the first Tigers rookie to drive in six runs in a game since Ryan Raburn had seven against the Chicago White Sox on July 25, 2007. Six Tigers had at least two hits and Detroit snapped a seven-game home losing streak. Kansas City has lost five in a row.

Red Sox 11, Yankees 6

NEW YORK

Mookie Betts and Boston won their third consecutive AL East championship with a victory over the rival New York Yankees. Betts homered, doubled twice and drove in five runs, finishing with four hits as the Red Sox overcame Giancarlo Stanton’s go-ahead grand slam in the fourth inning. Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a tying home run in the seventh and Xander Bogaerts put Boston ahead with a sacrifice fly.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Reds 4, Marlins 2

MIAMI

Cody Reed was a winner in his first major league star and Scooter Gennett homered and doubled to lead the Cincinnati Reds to a win over Miami. Reed (1-2) scattered five hits and struck out six in six shutout innings. Gennett’s two-run home run in the seventh gave Cincinnati a 4-0 lead. Gennett’s blast off Miami reliever Elieser Hernandez landed in the upper deck in right field and was his 23rd homer. Realmuto’s two-out RBI double off reliever Jared Hughes cut Cincinnati’s lead to 4-1.

Braves 8, Phillies 3

ATLANTA

Luca Duda’s pinch-hit double drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh, and Atlanta took an important step toward winning the NL East by beating Philadelphia. Freddie Freeman had two hits and scored two runs. Tommy Hunter (4-4), the Phillies’ fifth pitcher, gave up a leadoff double to Dansby Swanson in the seventh. The left-handed hitting Duda pulled the run-scoring double into the right-field corner, giving Atlanta the 4-3 lead. The Braves pulled away with four runs in the eighth.

Mets 5, Nationals 4, 12 innings

WASHINGTON

Jose Lobaton hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly against his former team in the 12th inning and the New York Mets beat Washington. Lobaton, who spent the previous four years in Washington before signing with the Mets in December, lofted a one-out fly ball off Jefry Rodriguez (3-3) with the bases loaded to score Amed Rosario. Jacob Rhame (1-2) worked two scoreless innings, and Paul Sewald pitched the 12th for his second save. Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper was ejected in the 12th for arguing home plate umpire D.J. Reyburn’s called third strike.

Associated Press