AMERICAN LEAGUE
Toronto’s Edwin Encarnacion hit a three-run homer and Kelly Johnson added a two-run drive to power the Blue Jays to an 11-5 win over Texas on Wednesday, giving the Rangers consecutive losses for the first time this season.
Toronto piled on six runs in the fourth inning, chasing Texas starter Matt Harrison (3-2) who allowed eight runs — tying his career worst — in just 3-1/3 innings.
Photo: Reuters
He has given up 15 runs over 8-1/3 innings in his past two outings.
Blue Jays starter Ricky Romero (4-0) gave up six hits in eight innings and struck out a season-high six.
ORIOLES 5, YANKEES 0
In New York, Jake Arrieta pitched eight scoreless innings to steer Baltimore past New York.
Arrieta (2-2) tied a career best with nine strikeouts and did not issue a single walk as the Orioles earned a rare series win in New York with a team pitching effort not seen since the days of Jim Palmer and Mike Flanagan.
The Yankees were held to two runs or fewer in three straight home games for the first time since 1978.
New York starter Ivan Nova (3-1) was aiming to match Roger Clemens’ team record of 16 straight winning decisions, but took the loss.
RAYS 5, MARINERS 4
In St Petersburg, Florida, James Shields became the first pitcher in the American League to notch five victories this season, guiding Tampa Bay to a narrow win over Seattle.
Shields (5-0) allowed five hits and struck out 11 over six innings to win his sixth straight decision over two seasons — matching the longest winning streak of his career.
Sean Rodriguez hit a two-run homer for the Rays off Blake Beavan (1-4) in the third and Luke Scott added a solo shot in the sixth that glanced off the center fielder’s glove and put the hosts up 5-4.
ATHLETICS 4, RED SOX 2
In Boston, Massachusetts, Brandon McCarthy held Boston to one run over 6-2/3 innings, leading Oakland to victory.
McCarthy (2-3) improved to 8-0 against AL East clubs dating back to 2009.
Daniel Bard (2-3) took the loss, allowing four runs over 5-1/3 innings for the Red Sox, who have lost seven of their past eight in Fenway Park.
INDIANS 6, WHITE SOX 3
In Chicago, Illinois, Carlos Santana and Travis Hafner homered to lead Cleveland over Chicago.
Santana hit a three-run shot in the fifth inning that landed well behind the Indians’ bullpen beyond right field. Hafner added a two-run shot in the ninth.
Four Cleveland relievers combined for three scoreless innings, extending the bullpen’s shutout streak to 15-2/3 innings.
Joe Smith (1-0) picked up the win and Chris Perez pitched the ninth inning for his eighth save in nine chances.
Chicago reliever Will Ohman (0-1) took the loss.
ROYALS 3, TIGERS 2
In Detroit, Michigan, Chris Getz’s infield single in the ninth inning lifted Kansas City over Detroit.
Tigers pitcher Joaquin Benoit (0-1) gave up a double to Mike Moustakas, who advanced to third on a groundout and scored when Getz hit a grounder that was too deep into the hole for the shortstop to make a strong enough throw to home.
Kansas City’s Tim Collins (1-0) got two outs in the bottom of the eighth for the win.
Royals closer Jonathan Broxton gave up a one-out single in the bottom of the ninth, but induced a game-ending double play to take the save.
ANGELS 9, TWINS 0
In Anaheim, California, Jered Weaver pitched the second no-hitter in the majors in less than two weeks, as Los Angeles routed Minnesota.
Weaver struck out nine and walked only one, with the Twins never coming close to getting a hit against the All-Star.
Weaver (4-0) got his final out when Alexi Casilla hit a long fly ball that was caught at the right-field warning track.
The Angels completed a three-game sweep of a Twins team that has not had a hit for 15 innings.
Minnesota’s Liam Hendriks (0-2) took the loss.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, DENVER, COLORADO
Colorado’s Jason Giambi launched a three-run homer in the ninth inning, lifting the Rockies to an 8-5 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday.
The Dodgers had scored twice in the eighth, but Colorado bounced back for three in the bottom half for a 5-3 lead. Los Angeles tied it with two runs in the ninth.
LA reliever Jamey Wright (1-1) walked the first two batters he faced in Colorado’s ninth, and they were bunted over to second and third base.
With first base open, the Dodgers elected not to walk Giambi, who hit Scott Elbert’s pitch long over the center field fence.
Carlos Gonzalez earlier hit two home runs for the Rockies.
NATIONALS 5, DIAMONDBACKS 4
In Washington, Ian Desmond hit a game-ending two-out homer to give Washington victory over Arizona.
In the sixth inning, Bryce Harper stumbled as he tried to catch a fly ball, but managed to take the catch in his ungloved right hand.
Harper, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft, had his first multi-hit game with two doubles, including one leading off the ninth inning that set the stage for Desmond’s winning shot.
The Nationals snapped their own five-game losing streak and ended the three-game winning streak of the Diamondbacks.
Washington’s Henry Rodriguez (1-1) struck out two in the top of the ninth to earn the win. Arizona’s J.J. Putz (0-2) blew the save and took the loss.
ASTROS 8, METS 1
In Houston, Texas, Wandy Rodriguez gave up only one run in seven innings as Houston completed a three-game sweep of New York.
Rodriguez (3-2) lowered his season ERA to 1.64.
Chris Johnson had four hits, homered twice and drove in a career-high six runs for the Astros, who had their first series win since the season-opener.
Johnson’s first homer of the season off Chris Schwinden (0-1) was a three-run shot that put Houston up 3-0 in the second inning.
Johnson went deep again in his next at-bat, this one a two-run homer that pushed the lead to 5-0. It was the first career multi-homer game for Johnson and first by an Astro this year.
CUBS 3, REDS 1
In Cincinnati, Ohio, Jeff Samardzija (3-1) gave up only three hits in 7-2/3 innings to lead Chicago over Cincinnati.
Bryan LaHair and Ian Stewart hit solo homers — a major outburst for the power-challenged Cubs — as Chicago opened the rain-shortened series with only their third multi-homer game of the season. They managed only nine home runs last month, the fewest in the majors. LaHair’s shot off Bronson Arroyo (1-1) gave him six for the season.
PADRES 5, BREWERS 0
In San Diego, California, Jeff Suppan pitched five scoreless innings to win his first game since 2010, guiding San Diego past Milwaukee.
Suppan (1-0), called up from the minors to start in place of the injured Cory Luebke, did not pitch in the majors last year. The 37-year-old combined with three relievers for the shutout.
The Padres won their first series of the season by taking two of three from Milwaukee.
In other NL action, it was:
‧ Braves 15, Phillies 13, 11 inns
‧ Cardinals 12, Pirates 3
‧ Marlins 3, Giants 2, 10 inns
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