Best of MLB: Tigers beat Rays but lose Cabrera, Zimmermann

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DETROIT -- Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez homered, and the Detroit Tigers beat the Tampa Bay Rays 9-4 on Sunday despite losing starter Jordan Zimmermann to a strained groin in the sixth inning.

Detroit has won six of seven, but Zimmermann's injury is a concern. He has been the team's best pitcher after signing with the Tigers in the offseason. Zimmermann (7-2) allowed two runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings -- this was the first start all year in which he didn't make it through six.

Cabrera also left early. with a left knee bruise after being hit by a pitch in the seventh.

Logan Morrison and Tim Beckham homered for Tampa Bay, but that wasn't enough to overcome a poor outing by Chris Archer (3-5) (see full recap).

Hamels strikes out 11 in win over Astros
HOUSTON -- Cole Hamels fanned a season-high 11 in eight sparkling innings and the Texas Rangers jumped on Dallas Keuchel early, cruising to an easy 9-2 win over the Houston Astros to complete a three-game sweep Sunday.

The Rangers have taken six in row from Houston and 14 of 16. The Astros have lost four straight overall.

Hamels (5-0) has won a career-best 12 straight decisions dating to last year. He allowed five hits and two runs -- one earned -- in his longest start this season to lower his ERA to 2.83.

Nomar Mazara hit an RBI single during a five-run third against Keuchel (2-6) and added a two-run homer to pad the lead in the seventh.

Keuchel (2-6) continues to struggle in the follow-up to his 20-win season. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner allowed nine hits and seven runs in six innings, extending his skid to five games (see full recap).

Syndergaard fans 11, Mets sweep Brewers
NEW YORK -- Noah Syndergaard struck out 11 in seven overpowering innings and Michael Conforto homered to help the New York Mets beat the Milwaukee Brewers 3-1 Sunday for a three-game sweep.

Asdrubal Cabrera broke a fourth-inning tie with a two-run single that sent the Mets to their 12th victory in the last 16 home games. Next up, they visit NL East rival Washington for a rematch after the Nationals took two of three at Citi Field last week.

Conforto connected early off Chase Anderson (2-6), who took a no-hit bid into the eighth inning of his previous start against the Chicago Cubs and came within one out of a shutout. This time, he lasted five innings and was hurt by Ryan Braun's misplay in left field.

Back in the lineup after missing four games with a stiff back, Braun singled once in four at-bats. He got a bad break on Yoenis Cespedes' shallow looper in the fourth and let it bounce past him for a double that put runners at second and third (see full recap).

Scherzer, Nationals crush Marlins, 8-2
MIAMI -- Max Scherzer eased up on the strikeouts but allowed only two runs in eight innings Sunday to help the Washington Nationals beat the Miami Marlins 8-2.

Scherzer (5-3) struck out eight, gave up six hits, walked none and threw 103 pitches. He has 38 strikeouts in his past three starts, including a record-tying 20 against Detroit.

Justin Bour ended Scherzer's shutout bid with a two-run homer in the seventh, his ninth home run this season and his second in as many games. Scherzer has allowed 14 homers this year, including nine in his past four starts.

Washington won the three-game series and took a 7-6 edge in the season series. The NL East foes don't meet again until Sept. 19.

Nationals leadoff batter Ben Revere had three hits, two runs, two RBIs and his first two stolen bases of the year, and hiked his average to .185 (see full recap).

Dodgers top Padres in 17-inning marathon
SAN DIEGO -- Yasiel Puig hit a tiebreaking, two-run single with the bases loaded and one out in the 17th inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the San Diego Padres 9-5 on Sunday to snap a four-game losing streak.

The game started in afternoon sunshine and ended at dusk, taking 5 hours, 47 minutes.

The Dodgers started the four-run rally off rookie Luis Perdomo when Howie Kendrick hit a leadoff double that bounced over the wall in right-center field. Adrian Gonzalez was intentionally walked and reliever Ross Stripling advanced them with a groundout. Joc Pederson was intentionally walked to load the bases, and then Puig singled up the middle. Pederson scored on a wild pitch and Carl Crawford hit an RBI grounder.

Stripling (2-3) pitched three innings for the win. Perdomo (1-1) was the hard-luck loser after pitching five innings (see full recap).

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