NEW YORK: Collin McHugh tossed five scoreless innings and, after the Los Angeles Angels fashioned a mini fightback, the Houston Astros turned on the power en route to a win.
Angels outfielders Collin Cowgill and Josh Hamilton smacked solo home runs in the eighth inning, their fourth and third, respectively, to reduce Houston’s lead to 5-2.
However, the Astros answered in their half of the frame with first baseman Jon Singleton and designated hitter Chris Carter drilling back-to-back homers that rebuilt the five-run lead.
Home runs by Josh Willingham and Brian Dozier proved to be enough offense for right-hander Sam Deduno as the Minnesota Twins beat the Milwaukee Brewers.
Deduno (2-3) went five innings and held the Brewers (35-24) to two runs on six hits and four walks while striking out two.
Devin Mesoraco hit a two-run home run and right-hander Homer Bailey pitched six solid innings, lifting the Cincinnati Reds to a victory over the San Francisco Giants.
Cincinnati (27-29) has won four straight games overall and 11 of its past 12 against San Francisco.
Right fielder Hunter Pence went 3-for-4, including his eight home run, for San Francisco (37-21).
Jose Bautista’s RBI single in the ninth broke a scoreless deadlock and Brett Lawrie capped the five-run outburst with a three-run homer as the Toronto Blue Jays topped the Detroit Tigers.
Red-hot Toronto (35-24) has won 12 of its last 14 games.
J.D. Martinez hit a three-run homer off Steve Delabar with two out in the ninth for Detroit (31-23), which has lost 11 of its last 15.
John Buck’s first home run of the season put Seattle ahead in the seventh inning as they came from behind to beat Atlanta.
The Mariners fought back from a four-run first-inning deficit, tied the game 5-5 in the fifth and used Buck’s two-run blast to extend their winning streak to four games.
Jordan Zimmermann pitched eight shutout innings, and Ryan Zimmerman returned to the lineup as a left fielder and hit two doubles as the Washington Nationals beat the Philadelphia Phillies.
Ryan Zimmerman missed 44 games because of a broken thumb, and sparked the Nationals (28-28) in his debut in left field moving from his regular post of third base.
Nelson Cruz punctuated his Texas homecoming with a three-run home run in Baltimore’s six-run eighth inning of the Orioles’ victory over the Texas Rangers.
Cruz’s only hit in four at-bats in his first game at Texas (29-29) since leaving the team as a free agent in the offseason helped make a winner of the Orioles.
Adam Jones also went 4-for-5 for Baltimore (29-27).
The Kansas City Royals overcame deficits of 4-0 and 7-6, winning in the ninth inning due to Eric Hosmer’s heroics. REUTERS
