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Indians Fall To Orioles

By DAVID GINSBURG

AP Sports Writer

BALTIMORE — In a duel between first-place teams, the most notable performances were turned in by Mark Trumbo, who hit his major league leading 30th home run, and Kevin Gausman, who pitched seven shutout innings.

Chris Davis was the difference-maker, however, in the Baltimore Orioles’ 5-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Saturday night.

Though Davis is known for his mammoth home runs, the hustle of the 230-pound slugger helped propel the Orioles past the AL Central leaders.

With runners at the corners and one out in the first inning, Davis hit a potential double-play grounder to second base. After the force at second, Davis beat the relay by a step to get an RBI and keep the inning alive.

“That’s a play that needs to be made,” Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis said. “Tip your hat to Chris Davis for running so hard down the line.”

Trumbo followed with a no-doubt shot to left off Josh Tomlin (10-3) for a 3-0 lead.

Davis has eight fewer homers than Trumbo and is batting just .228, but his 59th RBI was pivotal for the AL East-leading Orioles.

“Huge,” Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said. “Chris runs balls out.”

Pedro Alvarez also homered for the Orioles, who will seek to complete a three-game sweep Sunday. Cleveland has scored three runs in 18 innings thus far.

Trumbo has homered in each of the first two games. Playing in his first season with Baltimore, the 2016 All-Star already has eight more home runs than last year and is just four short of matching his career high, set in 2013 with the Angels.

“He’s been very valuable, a real consistent human being,” Showalter said.

After earning only one win in his first 16 starts, Gausman (2-7) struck out seven and allowed only one runner past first base. The right-hander gave up four hits and walked three but was backed by three double plays.

Brad Brach surrendered a two-out, two-run single to Lonnie Chisenhall in the ninth before Zach Britton got the final out for his 32nd save. Britton tied Willie Hernandez of the 1984 Detroit Tigers for the longest save streak to start a season by a left-hander, according to STATS.

The Orioles improved to 35-14 at home and 18-6 against the AL Central.

Although Tomlin settled down after the rocky first inning, Alvarez chased the right-hander with a leadoff homer in the seventh, and Jonathan Schoop added an RBI single off Jeff Manship for a 5-0 lead.

Tomlin struck out eight, walked none and allowed seven hits in falling to 6-1 on the road. He has given up 24 homers this season, matching his career high.

Were it not for Davis, his line would have been much better.

“I wish he’d have run slower,” Indians manager Terry Francona lamented.

MARINERS 14

BLUE JAYS 5

TORONTO (AP) — Nelson Cruz hit his ninth career grand slam and added a three-run shot, and Hisashi Iwakuma pitched six innings to win his fifth straight start in Seattle’s victory over Toronto.

Cruz hit his slam off R.A. Dickey (7-11) in the third, then added a three-run drive off Drew Storen in the eighth for his 20th career multi-homer game. He has 25 home runs this season.

It was the 13th time in team history a Mariners player has recorded seven RBIs. The team record is eight by Mike Blowers, Mike Cameron and Alvin Davis.

Kyle Seager hit a two-run homer and Nori Aoki had two RBIs and scored twice as the Mariners used a season-high 19 hits to win their third straight. Iwakuma (11-6) allowed two runs and four hits.

Wade LeBlanc pitched the final three innings for his first save.

RANGERS 7, ROYALS 4

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Cole Hamels allowed one unearned run in 5 1/3 innings, Nomar Mazara and Adrian Beltre homered and Texas beat Kansas City.

Hamels, who is 6-1 with a 2.24 ERA in his past nine starts, limited the Royals to five hits, struck out four and walked three. Hamels (11-2) lowered his ERA to 2.87.

The Rangers picked up only their fifth victory in 20 games.

Yordano Ventura (6-8) was the loser.

ASTROS 7, ANGELS 2

HOUSTON (AP) — Evan Gattis had two home runs and four RBIs in his return to the lineup, Collin McHugh threw six strong innings and Houston beat Los Angeles.

Gattis sat Friday with a bruised right hand after being hit by a pitch Wednesday. He came back Saturday and hit a three-run homer into the Crawford Boxes in left field in the second inning and added a solo shot off the facade in left-center in the fourth to give Houston a 5-0 lead.

Carlos Correa had a solo home run to right in the fifth.

McHugh (7-6) allowed two runs on six hits with six strikeouts in six innings.

Jered Weaver (8-8) was the loser. Ji-Man Choi had a solo home run to the upper deck in right in the fifth for the Angels.

TWINS 11, RED SOX 9

BOSTON (AP) — Miguel Sano homered and Eduardo Nunez drove in three runs, including two in a five-run seventh inning, and Minnesota rallied to beat Boston.

Eddie Rosario had four singles to help the Twins win their second straight over Boston after losing the series opener Thursday.

Hanley Ramirez hit a three-run homer and Xander Bogaerts had four hits for the Red Sox. They lost for just the third time in 12 games.

Red Sox starter David Price went 5 2/3 innings and gave up 11 hits for his second straight start.  Tommy Layne (0-1) was the loser. Ryan Pressly (4-5) got four outs for the win, and Brandon Kintzler worked the ninth for his eighth save.

ATHLETICS 4, RAYS 3

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Ryon Healy hit a game-ending home run in the ninth inning two batters after Jake Smolinski tied it with a two-run homer, and Oakland rallied past Tampa Bay.

Both home runs came off Rays closer Alex Colome (1-3), who had recorded 21 consecutive saves before giving up three runs to the A’s.

Khris Davis opened the ninth with a walk before pinch-hitter Yonder Alonso struck out swinging. Smolinski hit the first pitch he saw over the fence in left field to tie it at 3. Colome got Marcus Semien to fly out before Healy hammered a 3-2 pitch to left-center for the winner.

Kendall Graveman (7-6) pitched a complete game for his sixth consecutive win. The right-hander allowed three runs with four strikeouts and one walk, throwing 102 pitches.

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