MLB - Rangers hit five dingers, Jones has three

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Andruw Jones homered in his first three at-bats and Texas routed Los Angeles 8-1 on Wednesday night.

The Rangers got to Angels starter Ervin Santana (1-5) early, with Jones hitting home runs in the first and third innings, the latter giving Texas a 4-0 lead.

Jones added a solo shot in the fifth off Rich Thompson.

With a chance to tie the major league record for home runs in a game, Jones popped out in the sixth and struck out in the ninth.

The Rangers hit five homers as Tyler Teagarden and Marlon Byrd also connected. That matched their season high as the Rangers regained the AL West lead for the first time since June 26.

It was the second three-homer game for Jones, who did it on Sept. 25, 2007, against Philadelphia.

Vicente Padilla (7-4) gave up seven hits, struck out four and gave up one run in six-plus innings before leaving the game because of a bruised right palm.

Rays 10, Blue Jays 9

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — All-Star Ben Zobrist hit a three-run homer and had an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning for Tampa Bay.

Zobrist homered off starter Brian Tallet in the fourth inning. His winning hit off Scott Downs with two outs drove in Carl Crawford, who singled off Jason Frasor (5-2) before stealing second and third.

B.J. Upton stole home in the first inning and had an RBI single in the second for the Rays, who built two three-run leads that Scott Kazmir and Tampa Bay’s bullpen couldn’t hold. Toronto wiped out deficits of 5-2 and 9-6 before wasting an opportunity to go ahead when it stranded two runners in the eighth.

J.P. Howell (5-2) pitched the ninth to get the victory.

Scott Rolen had three hits and drove in a run, extending his career-best hitting streak to 25 games for Toronto, which has lost nine of 11 games to fall to .500 (43-43) for the first time this year.

Tigers 3, Royals 1

DETROIT (AP) — Detroit rookie Lucas French, making his second major-league start, outdueled Zack Greinke.

French (1-0) held the Royals to one run and six hits in 6 1-3 innings. Three Tigers relievers finished, with Fernando Rodney pitching the ninth for his 19th save in as many tries.

Greinke (10-5) gave up three runs, all in the first two innings, and seven hits in six innings. He struck out nine and walked two.

Billy Butler had three doubles for the Royals.

The Tigers took a 2-0 lead in the first on a groundout by Marcus Thames and an RBI single by Clete Thomas.

Detroit added a third run in the second when Josh Anderson doubled and scored on Ramon Santiago’s sacrifice fly.

Red Sox 5, Athletics 4

BOSTON (AP) — First-time All-Star Tim Wakefield earned his AL-leading 11th victory, and David Ortiz homered and drove in four runs for Boston.

Wakefield (11-3) left to a standing ovation in the seventh inning in his final scheduled start before the break. The 42-year-old knuckleballer is 9-0 in his last 11 starts at Fenway Park.

J.D. Drew led off the Boston sixth with a home run that made it 1-all. Ortiz connected for a three-run shot off rookie Trevor Cahill (5-8) later in the inning.

Wakefield gave up three earned runs and 10 hits. He struck out eight and walked one.

Jonathan Papelbon gave up a run in the ninth, but got his 22nd save.

Jack Cust had three hits, including an RBI single, but struck out with two runners on to end the game.

Kurt Suzuki had three hits and drove in two runs for Oakland.

Yankees 4, Twins 3

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A.J. Burnett won his third straight start, and Brett Gardner’s two-run single helped New York build an early lead.

Joe Mauer drove in runs for the Twins with a double and a homer.

Burnett (8-4) walked four, gave up seven hits and got the first out of the seventh inning, before Phil Coke gave up Mauer’s 15th homer. Mariano Rivera relieved with two outs in the eighth to notch his 22nd save.

Twins rookie Anthony Swarzak (2-3), back up from the minors after a decent debut in May and June, was moved up one day in the rotation when Glen Perkins woke up sick. Swarzak gave up three runs in the second inning and Alex Rodriguez’s RBI single with one out in the fifth. He allowed eight hits and failed to record a strikeout for the first time in six major league starts.

White Sox 5, Indians 1

CHICAGO (AP) — Jose Contreras allowed one run over 6 1-3 innings and Jermaine Dye had three RBIs for Chicago, which won for 16th time in 22 games.

Contreras (4-7) allowed six hits, walked one and struck out nine.

Jhonny Peralta’s sixth homer of the season ended Contreras’ shutout bid in the seventh. After Travis Hafner and Ryan Garko followed Peralta’s homer with consecutive singles, Matt Thornton relieved and got pinch-hitter Jamey Carroll to hit into a double play.

Dye had an RBI double in the first inning and a run-scoring single in the third off Aaron Laffey (3-2) and singled home another run in the seventh off Jose Veras.

Laffey, who strained his right oblique on May 22, was activated from the disabled list before the game. He allowed seven hits and four runs in six innings.

Orioles 5, Mariners 3

SEATTLE (AP) — Baltimore took advantage of two errors by second baseman Jose Lopez to rally for five runs in the ninth inning.

Entering the ninth with a 3-0 lead, closer David Aardsma (2-3) blew just his second save in 19 chances. Melvin Mora doubled, Gregg Zaun walked and Oscar Salazar singled to load the bases.

Adam Jones beat out a slow infield single to score the first run. Nick Markakis hit a potential double-play ball to Lopez, who dropped it, allowing a second run to score. Ty Wigginton followed with a two-run single for a 4-3 lead.

Lopez had a throwing error later in the inning that let the last run score.

Lopez gave the Mariners a 2-0 lead in the first with his 12th homer.

Brian Bass (5-2) worked two innings for the victory, while George Sherrill earned his 19th save.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Mets 5, Dodgers 4

NEW YORK (AP) — Oliver Perez won despite a wild return from the disabled list and New York finally mustered some offense Wednesday night, overcoming Manny Ramirez’s homer in a 5-4 victory over Los Angeles.

David Wright snapped an 0-for-17 slump with his first RBI this month. Daniel Murphy doubled twice, and the Mets ended a four-game losing streak with their third victory in 12 games.

Ramirez hit a leadoff shot to right in the ninth inning off Francisco Rodriguez, making it 5-4. The All-Star closer walked his next batter, but got Andre Ethier to ground into a game-ending double play for his 22nd save.

Ramirez’s 535th homer broke a tie with Jimmie Foxx for 16th place on the career list, one behind Mickey Mantle.

Perez (2-2) walked a season-high seven in five innings, then left for a pinch hitter with a 5-2 lead. He allowed four hits and struck out two.

Jeremy Reed doubled in the second off Hiroki Kuroda (3-5) and scored on Castillo’s two-out infield single for New York’s first run in 24 innings.

Phillies 3, Reds 2

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Shane Victorino’s RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning lifted Philadelphia.

Jayson Werth hit a solo homer for the NL East-leading Phillies, who are 5-1 since losing 14 of 18.

Reliever Ryan Madson (3-4) tossed two scoreless innings to earn the win in his longest outing this season. The pitching-starved Phillies may have lost another starter because Rodrigo Lopez left with right shoulder inflammation after five solid innings.

Pedro Feliz led off the bottom of the ninth with a single off David Weathers (1-2). After two outs and a walk, Victorino’s liner to left-center scored Feliz.

The Phillies beat the Reds 22-1 on Monday night, but they have managed just six runs since handing Cincinnati the most lopsided loss in franchise history.

Lopez gave up two runs and five hits in his second start since having elbow ligament replacement surgery in July 2007.

Astros 5, Pirates 0

HOUSTON (AP) — Wandy Rodriguez pitched a five-hitter for Houston and tied his career high by striking out 11.

The 30-year-old Rodriguez threw his second career complete game, having shut out the New York Mets two years ago.

Rodriguez (8-6) won his third straight decision. The lefty is only one victory behind his total from last season.

Lance Berkman doubled twice and drove in a pair of runs. The Astros won two of three, leaving the Pirates without a road series victory since May 18-21.

Charlie Morton (1-2), traded last month in the deal that sent Nate McLouth to Atlanta, struggled in giving up five runs and 10 hits in four innings.

Marlins 7, Giants 0

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Chris Volstad pitched a five-hitter for his first career complete game, Dan Uggla hit a three-run homer and Florida beat the Giants to avoid a sweep.

Volstad (6-8) struck out six and didn’t walk a batter to win for just the second time in eight starts, finishing the 2-hour, 22-minute game on an efficient 105 pitches.

Giants rookie Ryan Sadowski (2-1) allowed his first runs in his third big league start after pitching 16 scoreless innings to begin his career.

Sadowski’s scoreless streak was the longest by a Giants pitcher to start his career since Al Worthington began with 19 in 1953.

Braves 4, Cubs 1

CHICAGO (AP) — Kenshin Kawakami shut down the Cubs for six innings and shortstop Yunel Escobar made a run-saving defensive play in the eighth.

Casey Kotchman homered for the Braves, who won a road series for the first time in nearly two months.

Kawakami (5-6) allowed one run — Kosuke Fukudome’s sixth-inning homer — on four hits, walked two and struck out two to earn his second victory since May 23.

Kevin Hart (0-1), making his first big league start as a fill-in for injured Ryan Dempster, Hart allowed only one run on four hits over five innings.

Rockies 10, Nationals 4

DENVER (AP) — Jorge De La Rosa pitched effectively into the seventh inning, Ryan Spilborghs hit a bases-loaded triple to key a four-run fifth and Colorado beat Washington to complete a three-game sweep.

Troy Tulowitzki had a two-run homer among his three hits and Carlos Gonzalez added three more hits for the Rockies, who have beaten the Nationals six straight times since August.

De La Rosa (6-7) has won four straight and six of his last seven starts after going 0-6 with four no decisions in his first 10. He gave up three runs in 6 1-3 innings.

Rookie Ross Detwiler (0-5) allowed six runs on eight hits in four innings.

Diamondbacks 6, Padres 2

PHOENIX (AP) — Felipe Lopez hit a three-run homer to cap a five-run rally in the eighth, Max Scherzer pitched seven sharp innings and Arizona won its season-high fifth straight game.

Lopez’s shot came after pinch-hitter Alex Romero gave the Diamondbacks a 3-2 lead with an RBI single.

Clay Zavada (2-2) pitched a scoreless eighth. Gary Burke (1-1) got the loss.