AMERICAN LEAGUE
The Texas Rangers capped a three-game series of lopsided results with an 11-4 win over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday.
The win cemented the Rangers’ (80-61) lead in the AL West, but left Boston one-and-a-half games behind New York in the AL East.
“Doesn’t it seem like when we play each other somebody wears the other out?” Texas AL MVP Josh Hamilton told reporters. “It seems like it’s always a blow-out. I don’t think I’ve seen a close game against them this year.”
The Rangers crushed the Red Sox 10-0 on Friday, before Boston came back to win 12-7 on Saturday.
The Rangers ran away in the decider with a seven-run sixth inning.
Hamilton blasted a three-run triple in the sixth, as the visitors stormed to a 9-0 lead, with teammate Adrian Beltre singling for the 2,000th hit of his career.
Texas chased pitcher John Lackey (12-11) who was charged with six runs in five innings.
Boston got on the scoreboard with two runs each in the seventh and eighth innings, while the Rangers added the final two runs in the ninth on solo homers from Mike Napoli and Ian Kinsler.
Texas starter Matt Harrison enjoyed a strong seven-inning outing to get a measure of revenge against the Red Sox.
Harrison had been pounded during his team’s 13-2 defeat by Boston in his last start on Aug. 24, but he allowed just two runs and struck out five this time to earn his first win in nearly a month.
YANKEES 9, BLUE JAYS 3
In New York, Derek Jeter tied a career high with five RBIs as New York completed a three-game sweep of Toronto.
Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Nick Swisher all homered for the AL East leaders, while C.C. Sabathia (19-7) struck out 10 in 7-1/3 innings to win his seventh consecutive start against Toronto.
One big reason for that success: Sabathia has dominated Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista. The major league home run leader is 0-for-18 with eight strikeouts against the lefty after going hitless in three tries on Sunday.
Bautista did hit a colossal homer off Rafael Soriano in the eighth.
Brett Cecil (4-8) went six innings for the Blue Jays.
In other AL action, it was:
‧ Tigers 18, White Sox 2
‧ Angels 4, Twins 1
‧ Rays 8, Orioles 1
‧ Indians 9, Royals 6
‧ Athletics 8, Mariners 5
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, SAN FRANCISCO
The Arizona Diamondbacks extended their NL West division cushion to a season-best seven games with a 4-1 win over the San Francisco Giants on Sunday.
Willie Bloomquist hit a go-ahead two-run triple after Ryan Roberts’ solo homer tied it in the eighth, giving the D-backs a win that all but ended the divisional race with only 22 games remaining.
Arizona starter Daniel Hudson (15-9) allowed one run in seven innings and won his third straight start.
The Giants looked like getting a crucial win, leading until the eighth, when Ryan Vogelsong (10-6) gave up two runs. He has lost four consecutive starts.
METS 6, NATIONALS 3
In Washington, New York rallied with four runs in the sixth inning to overcome Washington.
Lucas Duda hit a long home run to tie it 3-3 and Willie Harris then had a two-run single as the Mets denied Washington pitcher Livan Hernandez a victory in what was likely his final game with the Nationals.
Hernandez, who started the Nationals’ home opener in 2005, made his final start of this season, and though he’s indicated a willingness to return as a reliever, Washington haven’t indicated they want him back.
The fans gave Hernandez (8-13) a warm ovation as he walked in to start the game and a longer thank you when he left during the four-run inning.
New York reliever Ryota Igarashi (3-1) got the win.
In other NL action, it was:
‧ Braves 4, Dodgers 3
‧ Marlins 5, Phillies 4 (14)
‧ Reds 3, Cardinals 2 (10)
‧ Brewers 4, Astros 0
‧ Padres 7, Rockies 2
‧ Cubs 6, Pirates 3
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