SEATTLE -- Cole Hamels became the seventh active pitcher to reach 2,000 strikeouts and Mitch Moreland homered to lead the Texas Rangers to a 6-4 win against the Seattle Mariners on Sunday.
The AL West-leading Rangers took two out of three games in the series against second-place Seattle to open up a season-high five-game division lead. The Rangers have won seven straight series and 12 of their last 15 games.
Hamels (6-1) picked up strikeout No. 2,000 in the third inning when he got Leonys Martin swinging. It was one of five strikeouts for Hamels, who allowed one run on four hits in seven innings.
Hamels has now lasted seven innings in each of his last three starts, although he ended up with no-decisions in the previous two. Hamels has won nine straight decisions against AL West opponents, and has won four straight against Seattle. (See full recap)
Trout leaves Angels' loss to Indians after getting hit in hand
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Francisco Lindor homered and drove in three runs in the first two innings, and the Cleveland Indians pounded another Angels starter in an 8-3 victory over Los Angeles on Sunday.
Carlos Santana hit two homers and drove in three more runs for the AL Central leaders, who took two of three at the Big A.
Mike Trout left the game in the eighth inning with a bruised right thumb after getting hit by a pitch from Cleveland reliever Tommy Hunter. X-rays showed no broken bones for the 2014 AL MVP.
MLB
Lindor's three hits included a solo shot in the first and a bases-loaded single during Cleveland's four-run second, chasing David Huff (0-2).
Danny Salazar (7-3) pitched three-hit ball into the sixth with eight strikeouts, earning his third victory in four starts. (See full recap)
Lester stays hot as Cubs rout Braves
ATLANTA -- Jon Lester earned his fourth straight victory after allowing no earned runs in seven innings as the Chicago Cubs beat the Atlanta Braves 13-2 on Sunday to win their final series at Turner Field.
Lester (8-3) has allowed only one earned run with no walks in three wins this month, lowering his ERA to 1.89. He gave up five hits to the Braves, his high mark of the month, with seven strikeouts.
Chicago outscored Atlanta 21-4 in winning the final two games of the three-game series.
Javier Baez hit a three-run homer off Chris Withrow to cap the Cubs' six-run eighth inning.
Anthony Rizzo drove in three runs with three hits. David Ross had two hits and also drove in two runs, one on a base-loaded walk from Alexi Ogando in Chicago's three-run seventh. (See full recap)
Jays survive Orioles' rally
TORONTO -- Russell Martin hit a three-run homer, Kevin Pillar had a solo shot and the Toronto Blue Jays used a five-run first inning to beat the Baltimore Orioles 10-9 on Sunday.
Edwin Encarnacion scored three runs and extended his streak of reaching base safely to nine plate appearances before grounding into a fielder's choice in the sixth as the Blue Jays took three of four from the AL East leaders.
Encarnacion hit three home runs in that span, including a game-ending blast Friday night.
The Blue Jays hit a season-high seven doubles, including four in the first inning.
Toronto has won eight of 10 at home and nine of 13 overall.
Adam Jones hit two of Baltimore five home runs, four of which came off Aaron Sanchez (6-1), but the Orioles lost their third straight after winning the previous five. (See full recap)
Ventura pitches Royals past White Sox in first game since brawl
CHICAGO -- Yordano Ventura pitched seven sharp innings for Kansas City in his first start since he brawled with Manny Machado in Baltimore, and the Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 3-1 on Sunday for their second straight win following an eight-game losing streak.
Ventura (5-4) struck out a season-high 10 and walked one in his first win since May 17 against Boston, making the most of Kansas City's run-scoring singles in the first and second. Salvador Perez added a leadoff homer down the left-field line in the ninth.
The 25-year-old Ventura had been 0-2 with a 6.17 ERA in his previous four starts. The right-hander was suspended for nine games by Major League Baseball after he hit Machado in the back with a 99 mph fastball in the fifth inning of a 9-1 loss Tuesday, leading to a benches-clearing fight. But he appealed the punishment and is allowed to pitch until the process is complete. (See full recap)