AMERICAN LEAGUE
Jarrod Parker held Texas hitless until the eighth inning and Brandon Inge drove in four runs in Oakland’s eight-run second inning as the Athletics beat the Rangers 12-1 on Monday.
Rookie Parker (2-2) easily worked his way through baseball’s highest-scoring offense in his ninth career start, before Michael Young grounded a single through the middle for Texas’ first hit leading off the eighth.
Parker got a warm ovation from the crowd of 10,120 and then recovered to get out of the inning on two more pitches — a pop-up by Nelson Cruz and an inning-ending double play from David Murphy. That ended the night for Parker, who allowed one hit, walked three and struck out six.
Inge started the scoring in the big inning with a three-run homer off Scott Feldman (0-4) and capped it with an RBI single as the Athletics’ normally meek bats broke through with a big night.
Kila Ka’aihue added a two-run homer for the Athletics.
Monday’s other results:
‧ Twins 10, Royals 7
‧ Mariners 8, Angels 6
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, NEW YORK
Allen Craig hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the eighth inning as the St Louis Cardinals beat the New York Mets 5-4 on Monday, ending their season-worst losing streak at five games.
The Cardinals have never been swept in a four-game series in New York. The World Series champions had been outscored 19-1 by the Mets and no-hit by Johan Santana, before salvaging the finale at Citi Field.
Craig connected one out after Matt Holliday hit a leadoff single against Jon Rauch (3-5) for a 5-3 lead.
Marc Rzepczynski (1-3) wound up with the win, despite allowing Scott Hairston’s eighth career pinch-hit homer in the seventh.
GIANTS 3, CUBS 2
In San Francisco, Ryan Vogelsong won his fourth straight decision and Buster Posey scored the go-ahead run on a double-play grounder in the seventh inning as San Francisco beat Chicago for a four-game sweep.
Brandon Crawford hit an RBI double and drove in another run on a fielder’s choice to back Vogelsong (4-2).
Cubs reliever Carlos Marmol (0-2) was hit with a line drive on Angel Pagan’s infield single in the seventh, but he stayed in the game after being checked out, then walked Brandon Belt on four pitches to load the bases for Joaquin Arias, who hit into a double play that scored a run.
Monday’s other results:
‧ Dodgers 4, Phillies 3
‧ Rockies 4, Diamondbacks 0
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