MAJOR LEAGUES
Mike Trout hit his career-high 31st homer and drove in three runs as the Los Angeles Angels finished off a four-game sweep, beating the Oakland Athletics 8-1 on Sunday.
Rookie Matt Shoemaker allowed five hits over seven shutout innings as the Angels won their sixth in a row for the best record in the majors at 83-53. They shut out the A’s for the 29 consecutive innings while opening a five-game lead atop the AL West heading into this month.
Trout had a two-run single during a six-run second inning. Chris Iannetta homered and had three hits for Los Angeles, who have won 15 of 19. The A’s have lost 14 of 20.
Shoemaker (14-4) won for the sixth time last month and extended his scoreless streak to 23-1/3 innings.
Scott Kazmir (14-7) got just four outs. A’s manager Bob Melvin was ejected for arguing balls and strikes after pulling Kazmir.
The Athletics acquired slugger Adam Dunn from the Chicago White Sox before the game.
MARINERS 5, NATIONALS 3
In Seattle, Dustin Ackley homered and drove in four runs as the Seattle Mariners averted a three-game sweep, overcoming a pair of home runs by Bryce Harper to beat Washington.
Nate Schierholz also homered for Washington. The NL East-leading Nationals hit 10 home runs in the series, one short of the Safeco Field record for a three-game set established by Cleveland in 2009.
Washington have lost four of six. Seattle had lost three in a row, and had been 0-11 against the Nationals since the franchise moved from Montreal to Washington for the 2005 season.
The Mariners trailed 3-1 in the fifth when Ackley hit a three-run homer off Tanner Roark (12-9).
Hisashi Iwakuma (13-6) went six innings. In his last 11 starts, he is 8-2 with 72 strikeouts and five walks.
Fernando Rodney gave up a leadoff single to Harper in the ninth before getting his 39th save in 42 chances.
ORIOLES 12, TWINS 8
In Baltimore, J.J. Hardy hit his fourth career grand slam during a seven-run sixth inning, Nelson Cruz connected for his major league-leading 35th home run and Ryan Flaherty also homered, leading Baltimore over Minnesota.
Caleb Joseph had a career-high four hits for the Orioles, who lead the AL East lead by nine games over the Yankees.
Chen Wei-yin (14-4) allowed four runs and eight hits in 6-2/3 innings. Minnesota scored three times in the ninth before Zach Britton served up a double-play ball for his 31st save.
Trevor Plouffe and Danny Santana hit two-run homers for the Twins, who have lost seven of eight.
Ricky Nolasco (5-10) gave up eight runs and 12 hits over five-plus innings.
WHITE SOX 6, TIGERS 2
In Chicago, Jose Quintana allowed two runs over seven innings to earn his first win in more than a month as the Chicago White Sox beat Detroit after trading Adam Dunn.
The White Sox sent Dunn to Oakland before the game, ending a disappointing four-year run in Chicago for the veteran slugger.
Adam Eaton doubled twice and scored two runs. Jose Abreu extended his hitting streak to 12 games.
The Tigers held star Miguel Cabrera out of the lineup because of a sore right foot. He left the second game of Saturday’s day-night doubleheader and is day to day.
Quintana (7-10) won for the first time since a victory at Detroit on July 29.
In other MLB action, it was:
‧ Blue Jays 4, Yankees 3
‧ Rays 3, Red Sox 0
‧ Astros 3, Rangers 2
‧ Braves 1, Marlins 0
‧ Giants 15, Brewers 5
‧ Cardinals 9, Cubs 6
‧ Dodgers 7, Padres 1
‧ Diamondbacks 6, Rockies 2
‧ Reds 3, Pirates 2
‧ Mets 6, Phillies 5
‧ Indians-Royals: suspended
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