Best of MLB: J.A. Happ improves record to 16-3 in Blue Jays' win

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TORONTO -- J.A. Happ and three relievers combined on a four-hitter as Happ became the first 16-game winner in the majors, and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-0 on Wednesday night.

Troy Tulowitzki homered and had a season-high five RBIs and Justin Smoak also connected for the Blue Jays, whose 162 homers this season are second only to Baltimore. The Orioles entered play Wednesday with 170.

Happ (16-3) allowed four hits, all singles, to win his 10th consecutive decision.

Joe Biagini, Jason Grilli and Ryan Tepera worked one inning each to complete Toronto's seventh shutout.

Tulowitzki hit a two-out, three-run homer off Rays rookie Blake Snell in the first inning, his 19th. The drive snapped a streak of 17 straight solo home runs by Toronto, which hadn't gone deep with a man on base since Josh Donaldson's two-run homer in the first inning of a July 20 win at Arizona (see full recap).

Crawford's HR gives Giants shutout win
MIAMI -- Two days after Brandon Crawford battered the Miami Marlins with seven hits, he beat them with one swing.

Crawford homered in the fourth inning and the San Francisco Giants won a series for the first time since the All-Star break, defeating Miami 1-0 Wednesday.

Crawford tied an NL record with seven hits in the opener of the three-game set. In the finale he put San Francisco ahead with his 11th homer leading off the fourth.

The Giants went 4-5 on their trip and improved to 8-16 since the All-Star break. They began the day tied for the NL West lead with the surging Dodgers, who played later Wednesday.

Jeff Samardzija (10-8) pitched 5 2/3 innings to best his former Notre Dame teammate, David Phelps. Samardzija had lost his past three starts (see full recap).

Werth sparks Nationals' win over Indians
WASHINGTON -- Jayson Werth hit a three-run home run, Anthony Rendon had a two-run double and the Washington Nationals' offense awoke in a 7-4 victory against the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday.

Werth was 2 for 3 and scored three runs to lead the outburst. Rendon and Ben Revere each went 2 for 4.

Washington had scored three runs in its previous three games combined, a stretch of futility that manager Dusty Baker said was "a little bit past a blip" even without reigning National League MVP Bryce Harper.

It was a welcome output on a day that left-hander Gio Gonzalez (8-9) didn't have his best stuff. Gonzalez allowed four runs and seven hits, including a home run by Francisco Lindor, and struck out five in five-plus innings.

The Nationals knocked around Josh Tomlin (11-5), who allowed seven runs and eight hits and struck out four in four-plus innings.

Recently acquired closer Mark Melancon made quick work of Cleveland to pick up the save (see full recap).

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