OAKLAND, California : Derek Holland gave up four hits in eight stellar innings, Nelson Cruz and Mitch Moreland each hit a home run and Ron Washington became the winningest manager in Rangers history as Texas beat the Oakland Athletics 4-0 on Sunday.
Adrian Beltre had two hits and drove in a run for the Rangers, who have won six of seven to move within 2 1-2 games of the AL West-leading Athletics.
Nate Freiman had two hits for the A’s, who have lost four of five.
Holland (9-6) walked two and matched his season high with 10 strikeouts to end a personal two-game losing streak.
A.J. Griffith (10-8) lasted 6 2-3 innings, allowing four runs — three earned — on five hits. He walked one and struck out seven. Griffin has allowed a majors-leading 28 home runs in 2013 and became the first Oakland pitcher to give up two or more in four straight starts since Mark Redman in 2007.
Tigers 3 White Sox 2, 12 innings: In Detroit, Torii Hunter hit an RBI single in the 12th inning as Detroit extended Chicago’s losing streak to 10 games.
Miguel Cabrera, who has been dealing with hip and abdominal problems, led off the 12th with a pinch-hit single. Matt Tuiasosopo ran for him and went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Austin Jackson. Hunter, who came on as replacement, lined a single to left-center off Dylan Axelrod (3-8).
Mariners 3 Orioles 2: In Baltimore, seldom-used Henry Blanco hit a two-run homer in the seventh off Wei-Yin Chen, and Seattle beat Baltimore behind left-hander Joe Saunders.
Batting ninth in the lineup, the 41-year-old Blanco sent an 0-2 pitch into the left-field seats to erase a 2-1 deficit. The backup catcher was playing in his 32nd game of the season, the 17th with Seattle after being signed as a free agent.
Blue Jays 6 Angels 5: In Anaheim, California, Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion drove in the tying and go-ahead runs with two-out singles in the ninth as Toronto beat Los Angeles to avoid a four-game sweep.
Mark Trumbo hit a three-run homer and Mike Trout also went deep against Mark Buehrle, helping the Angels build a 5-2 lead for C.J. Wilson. But the Blue Jays rallied with two in the eighth, as Angels manager Mike Scioscia used five pitchers to get out of the inning.
Twins 3 Astros 2: Minneapolis: Justin Morneau and Oswaldo Arcia homered, and four relievers combined for four scoreless innings to lead Minnesota to a three-game sweep of Houston.
Arcia led off the seventh with a home run that broke a 2-all tie. He connected against Brad Peacock (1-4), who was promoted from Triple-A to make the start and struck out 10.
Caleb Thielbar (2-1) got two outs for the win and Glen Perkins earned his 27th save.
Interleague
Indians 2 Marlins 0: In Miami, Scott Kazmir and three relievers combined on a four-hitter and Cleveland beat Miami for its 10th win in 11 games.
The shutout was the 15th for the Indians, most in the American League. They took two of three games in the series despite scoring a total of only six runs. The Indians, who are chasing AL Central-leading Detroit, begin a four-game series at home Monday against the Tigers.
Lonnie Chisenhall and Michael Brantley drove in the Indians’ runs, and that was enough for Kazmir (7-4).
Royals 6 Mets 2: In New York, Ervin Santana scattered five hits and allowed one run in six innings, and surging Kansas City beat New York.
The Royals won for the 11th time in 12 games, helped by a pair of flyballs that right fielder Marlon Byrd lost in the sun. Both came during a three-run fifth, with one falling for a double and the other glancing off his glove for an error.
Padres 6 Yankees 3: In San Diego: Ian Kennedy won his San Diego debut, his first victory in more than two months, and Everth Cabrera, facing a 50-game suspension in baseball’s latest drug scandal, had two hits and two RBIS as the Padres beat New York.
The Padres took two of three from the Yankees, who got only 2 2-3 innings out of Phil Hughes.
Red Sox 4 Diamondbacks 0: In Boston, Felix Doubront pitched seven shutout innings to continue his run of strong starts and Jacoby Ellsbury drove in two runs to lift Boston over Arizona.
It was Boston’s seventh win in nine games, completing a 5-2 homestand. The AL East leaders play 16 of the next 19 away from Fenway Park, beginning Monday night in Houston.
Doubront (8-5) allowed five singles, struck out five, didn’t walk a batter and allowed just one runner to reach second base in holding an opponent to three runs or fewer for the 15th straight start.
Rays 4 Giants 3: In St. Petersburg, Florida, Wil Myers homered and four relievers allowed one hit over 4 1-3 scoreless innings to help Tampa Bay beat San Francisco.
Alex Torres (4-0) started the bullpen parade by replacing Roberto Hernandez with two outs in the fifth and struck out two over 1 1-3 innings. Jake McGee worked a perfect seventh and Joel Peralta left Hunter Pence stranded at second after a two-out double in the eighth before Fernando Rodney pitched the ninth for his 27th save.
Rangers triumph to gain ground on Athletics
