SPORTS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2015 Rangers thrash Astros, Angels win ARLINGTON: Mitch Moreland hit a three-run homer and Colby Lewis pitched six innings for his 16th victory as the American League West-leading Texas Rangers beat the Houston Astros 8-2 Thursday to complete a four-game sweep. South Korea’s Shin Soo-Choo matched his career high with four hits, scored twice and drove in two runs for the Rangers, who entered the series trailing the Astros by 1-1/2 games. Texas now leads the division by 2-1/2 games with 16 remain- ing, including three at Houston from Sept. 25-27. The Astros finished a 2-8 trip and have a 1-1/2- game lead for the second AL playoff wild card over Minnesota. Rookie right-hander Lance McCullers (5-6) took the loss. Lewis (16-8) allowed two runs and seven hits, adding to his career high for wins. ANGELS 11, TWINS 8 Mike Trout hit a grand slam and a solo shot to set a career high for home runs in a season with 38, and Los Angeles beat Minnesota. The reigning AL Most Valuable Player’s grand slam in the second inning erased most of an early 5-0 deficit, and he led off the fourth with his sec- ond homer of the game. Taylor Featherston and Chris Iannetta also homered and Huston Street earned his 36th save for the Angels, who pulled within 2-1/2 games of Houston in the race for the second AL wild card. Torii Hunter and Aaron Hicks went deep for the Twins. Tommy Milone lasted just 1-1-3 innings despite being staked to that five-run lead. He gave up five runs, four hits and three walks. CUBS 9, PIRATES 6 Anthony Rizzo started a six-run fifth inning with his 30th homer, and Chicago defeated Pittsburgh to take three of four in an important series ARLINGTON: Texas Rangers catcher Chris Gimenez (left) watches as Houston Astros Mitch Moreland follows through on a single to cen- between National League playoff contenders. ter during the seventh inning of a baseball game. —AP Pirates rookie shortstop Jung Ho Kang is out six to eight months after breaking his left leg and Cliff Pennington, Edwin Encarnacion and Josh making his first start in 11 days, hit a three run MARLINS 6, NATIONALS 4 injuring his knee in the first inning when Chris Donaldson homered for the Blue Jays, who lead homer in the second inning off Corey Kluber (8- Justin Bour and Martin Prado homered for the Coghlan slid into him while trying to break up a the New York Yankees by 3-1/2 games. Toronto 14), added a two-run double in the fifth after the second straight game, and Miami dented double play. won two of three for its first series win over the Indians pulled their ace and a two-run single in Washington’s fading playoff hopes. The Nationals, The Cubs moved within two games of Braves since 2008. Estrada (13-8) allowed three the seventh. opening their 11-game final homestand, fell eight Pittsburgh for the top wild card spot in the play- hits in eight innings. Yordana Ventura (12-8) went five innings, retir- games behind the first-place New York Mets in offs. The Pirates trail first-place St. Louis by five He did not allow a runner to reach second ing struggling All-Star Jason Kipnis with the bases the NL East. games in the NL Central division. base. Encarnacion connected off Matt Wisler (5-8). loaded to end the fifth as the AL Central-leading Ian Desmond homered, singled and drove in Chicago turned a 4-3 deficit into a 9-4 lead Pennington hit a three-run shot later in the Royals, who had three errors in the first three four runs for Washington, which had won four with the fifth-inning outburst that included a two- inning. The three homers boosted Toronto’s sea- innings and four overall, split the four-game straight. Tanner Roark (4-6) took the loss, allowing run double by reliever Clayton Richard (4-2) and son total to 207, most in the majors. Wisler has series. Kansas City won for just the fourth time in six runs and eight hits over five innings. Jarred RBI singles by Addison Russell and Tommy La lost seven straight decisions. 13 games. Cosart (2-4) turned in his third straight productive Stella. Greg Holland got his 32nd save. Kluber started effort since being recalled from the minors. He Cubs rookie Kris Bryant had his second straight ROYALS 8, INDIANS 4 for the first time since Aug. 29 after being side- gave up two runs and three hits in six innings. AJ three-hit game. Travis Wood struck out five in two Omar Infante drove in a career-high seven runs lined with a hamstring injury. The reigning AL Cy Ramos got four outs for his 28th save. Miami has perfect innings for his second save. and Kansas City overcame some early sloppiness Young Award winner allowed two earned runs won 12 of 16. Charlie Morton (9-8) lost for the fourth time in against Cleveland. Infante, a veteran infielder and five hits in four innings. five starts. Gregory Polanco, Pedro Alvarez and ORIOLES 4, RAYS 3 Travis Snider homered for the Pirates. Adam Jones hit a go-ahead, two-run single MLB results/standings with two outs in a four-run eighth inning as CARDINALS 6, BREWERS 3 Chicago Cubs 9, Pittsburgh 6; Oakland 4, Chicago White Sox 2; Miami 6, Washington 4; Toronto 5, Baltimore topped Tampa Bay. Baltimore moved John Lackey pitched seven shutout innings Atlanta 0; Baltimore 4, Tampa Bay 3; Kansas City 8, Cleveland 4; Texas 8, Houston 2; St. Louis 6, within 4 1/2 games of Houston for the second AL and St. Louis beat Milwaukee in a game delayed Milwaukee 3; LA Angels 11, Minnesota 8. playoff wild card. Chaz Roe (4-2) pitched 1-1-3 hitless innings. after Brewers pitcher Jimmy Nelson was hit in the American League National League Darren O’Day retired three straight batters for his head by a line drive. Eastern Division Eastern Division third save, sending the Rays to their fifth defeat in The Cardinals swept the three-game series to W L PCT GB NY Mets 83 63 .568 - extend their winning streak to four. six games. Alex Colome (6-5) took the loss. Toronto 84 62 .575 - Washington 75 71 .514 8 Nelson (11-13) was struck in the back of the NY Yankees 80 65 .552 3.5 Miami 64 83 .435 19.5 head by a liner from Tommy Pham in the third Baltimore 72 74 .493 12 ATHLETICS 4, WHITE SOX 2 Atlanta 57 90 .388 26.5 inning. Nelson crumpled on the mound and Tampa Bay 70 76 .479 14 Billy Butler hit a three-run homer in the ninth remained prone face down for about a minute. He Boston 69 76 .476 14.5 Philadelphia 56 91 .381 27.5 inning off David Robertson as the Oakland later walked off the field and was hospitalized Central Division Central Division Athletics rallied to beat Chicago. after a CT scan showed a bruise. Kansas City 86 60 .589 - St. Louis 92 54 .630 - Robertson (6-4) blew his seventh save in 36 Lackey (12-9) scattered five hits and two walks Minnesota 75 71 .514 11 Pittsburgh 87 59 .596 5 chances when he allowed a double to Brett while striking out eight. He has a 2.23 ERA in his Cleveland 72 73 .497 13.5 Chicago Cubs 85 61 .582 7 Lawrie, a single to Danny Valencia and Butler’s last 17 starts. Pham tripled, doubled and singled, Chicago White Sox 69 76 .476 Milwaukee 62 84 .425 30 13th homer. driving in two runs and scoring twice. Matt 16.5 Cincinnati 61 84 .421 30.5 White Sox right fielder Avisail Garcia jumped at Detroit 67 78 .462 18.5 Carpenter had three hits, including a home run. Western Division the wall and appeared to catch Butler’s drive, but Western Division Milwaukee dropped its sixth in a row. LA Dodgers 84 61 .579 - the ball fell out of his glove and into the Oakland Texas 79 67 .541 - bullpen as he hit the fence. Houston 77 70 .524 2.5 San Francisco 77 69 .527 7 1/2 BLUE JAYS 5, BRAVES 0 Arizona 69 77 .473 15 1/2 Sean Doolittle (1-0) pitched two scoreless LA Angels 74 72 .507 5 innings. Chicago starter Jose Quintana tossed Marco Estrada combined with Roberto Osuna Seattle 71 76 .483 8.5 San Diego 69 78 .469 16 four-hit ball through seven innings and Mike Olt on a three-hitter, and Toronto blanked Atlanta to Oakland 63 84 .429 16.5 Colorado 61 85 .418 23 1/2 extend its lead in the AL East division. homered for the second consecutive day. —AP.