MLB scores: Jays close series against Nationals with 8-0 win

Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Jose Reyes, center, celebrates with starting pitcher Mark Buehrle (56) after a baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, Wednesday, June 3, 2015, in Washington. Buehrle pitched a six-hitter as the Blue Jays won 8-0. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

WASHINGTON -- Mark Buehrle threw a six-hitter for his 11th career shutout and the Toronto Blue Jays scored four runs in the first inning to close the interleague series against the Washington Nationals with an 8-0 victory Wednesday night.

Buehrle (7-4) worked fast and effectively against the NL East leaders, needing only 93 pitches for his first shutout since 2013.

The first four batters reached against Taylor Jordan (0-2), who made his first start this season for the Nationals this season with Stephen Strasburg sidelined.

Jose Bautista, Chris Colabello and Kevin Pillar had RBI singles in the first inning. Bautista hit a solo home run in the eighth. Jose Reyes had three hits and drove in two runs.

Bryce Harper went 2 for 4 with a double.

YANKEES 3, MARINERS 1

SEATTLE (AP) -- Garrett Jones and Mark Teixeira homered, Masahiro Tanaka gave up one run over seven innings in his return from the disabled list, and the Yankees completed a three-game sweep.

Jones homered for the second straight day, hitting a two-run shot in the fourth inning off Seattle starter Taijuan Walker (2-6). Jones hit a three-run home run in the 11th inning of the Yankees' 5-3 victory Tuesday night.

Teixeira added his second home run of the series and his 16th of the season, hitting a solo shot in the second inning that just eluded leaping right fielder Seth Smith at the wall.

Tanaka (3-1) made his first start in more than a month and did not miss a beat. Despite being on an 80-pitch limit in his return, Tanaka got through seven innings without even reaching the 80-pitch mark, throwing just 78 pitches in handing the Mariners their fifth straight loss.

RED SOX 6, TWINS 3, 1st game; TWINS 2, RED SOX 0, 2nd game

BOSTON (AP) -- Trevor May allowed two hits over seven innings to lift the Minnesota to a split of a day-night doubleheader.

In the first game, Boston's Eduardo Rodriguez followed up his brilliant major league debut by allowing one run and two hits in seven innings.

May (4-3) only allowed runners in the third inning. With two outs, Carlos Peguero singled and took third on a double by Dustin Pedroia, his fifth hit of the doubleheader. But Brock Holt grounded out.

May struck out nine and allowed no walks. Glen Perkins pitched the ninth for his major league-leading 20th save in as many chances.

Boston's Rick Porcello (4-5) rebounded from two starts in which he gave up 13 runs in 11 1/3 innings. Against the Twins, he allowed two runs and five hits with five strikeouts and no walks in eight innings.

Rodriguez (2-0) allowed just a solo homer by Brian Dozier in the third and an infield single by Danny Santana in the sixth. Rodriguez struck out seven and walked two before Alexi Ogando gave up a two-run homer to Eduardo Escobar in the ninth.

The Red Sox scored five runs in 4 1/3 innings against Phil Hughes (4-5). Mike Napoli added a solo homer, his ninth of the season, in the seventh against Michael Tonkin, making it 6-1.

PHILLIES 5, REDS 4, 11 INNINGS

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Cody Asche scored from second base on a fielding error by pitcher Ryan Mattheus in the 11th inning, lifting Philadelphia to the win after Maikel Franco hit a tying, three-run homer off Aroldis Chapman in the ninth.

Mike Leake took a no-hitter into the seventh before Franco lined a single up the middle with two outs.

In the 11th, Asche hit a double down the left-field line off Mattheus (0-1) with one out. Freddy Galvis then hit a grounder to first baseman Joey Votto. Mattheus covered the bag, but couldn't catch the toss and Asche came around to score.

The Phillies have two straight walk-off wins after losing seven games in a row.

Seeking his first career shutout in 153 starts, Leake started the ninth with a 4-0 lead. But he left after consecutive singles by pinch-hitter Ben Revere and Jeff Francoeur.

ASTROS 3, ORIOLES 1

HOUSTON (AP) -- Rookie Lance McCullers allowed one run in a complete game, Chris Carter provided the offence with two homers and Houston picked up another win.

They are off to the best start in franchise history with an American League-best 34-20 record.

Carter homered in the second and fifth innings and George Springer added a solo shot in the sixth inning as the Astros improved to 21-0 when hitting multiple homers this season.

In his fourth career start, McCullers (2-0) yielded four hits and struck out a career-best 11 to lower his ERA to 1.88. McCullers hadn't lasted more than six innings entering the game. He retired 15 in a row before a single by Adam Jones with two outs in the ninth, but he struck out Chris Davis to end the game.

Baltimore starter Miguel Gonzalez (5-4) struck out eight and allowed just four hits.

CARDINALS 7, BREWERS 4

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- John Lackey pitched seven innings and Matt Carpenter had two hits and drove in two runs, helping St. Louis improve the best home record in the majors to 22-7.

The 36-year-old Lackey (4-3) scattered 10 hits while striking out five and walking one. He is 4-1 in four career starts against Milwaukee.

Lackey has gone 7-1 in 11 regular-season starts and one playoff outing at Busch Stadium since joining the Cardinals after a trade with Boston. Lackey is 4-1 in six starts at home this season.

Trevor Rosenthal recorded his 17th save by getting the final two outs on a double play.

Milwaukee's Jimmy Nelson (2-6) lasted five innings, giving up seven hits and seven runs (six earned).

PIRATES 5, GIANTS 2

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Jordy Mercer broke a fifth-inning when he homered for the second day in a row, Francisco Liriano struck out six to win his second straight decision and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the San Francisco Giants 5-2 on Wednesday for a three-game sweep.

Liriano (3-4) allowed four hits while outdueling Tim Hudson (3-5), who also struck out six over seven innings but lost his fourth straight outing against the Pirates.

The two pitchers had the first hits of the game after each retired the initial eight batters in order, Liriano with a single in the top of the third and Hudson on a double in the bottom half.

Pirates left fielder Jose Tabata fell backward after crashing hard into the wall trying to catch Hudson's ball but stayed in the game.

DIAMONDBACKS 9, BRAVES 8

PHOENIX (AP) -- A.J. Pollock homered for the second consecutive game, and Arizona rallied to beat Atlanta.

The Braves jumped to a 6-0 lead in the second inning, but the Diamondbacks chased Mike Foltynewicz in the sixth and grabbed the lead for good with three runs in the seventh. Yasmany Tomas and Chris Owings each had an RBI single, and Jarrod Saltalamacchia made it 8-7 with a tiebreaking sacrifice fly. David Peralta's slide at home plate beat Cameron Maybin's throw from mid-centre field.

Tomas had three hits, and four relievers combined for four innings of four-hit ball. Andrew Chafin (4-0) got the win, and Brad Ziegler allowed A.J. Pierzynski's pinch-hit homer in the ninth before finishing for his fifth save in six tries.

Atlanta reliever Jim Johnson (1-3) was charged with two runs and two hits in one inning of work.

ATHLETICS 6, TIGERS 1

DETROIT (AP) -- Sonny Gray pitched eight shutout innings and Billy Burns hit a bases-loaded triple as Oakland handed Detroit its sixth straight loss.

Grey (7-2) had the Tigers beating the ball into the ground all game, with Oakland's outfielders only making one putout while he was on the mound. He struck out seven and allowed two singles and a walk.

Anibal Sanchez (3-7) allowed four runs, five hits and four walks in seven innings. After striking out 20 batters in his previous two starts, he only had one against Oakland.

In the second inning, Oakland loaded the bases on a double and two walks, and Burns took an inside pitch the other way for a three-run triple.

MARLINS 7, CUBS 3

MIAMI (AP) -- Giancarlo Stanton and Jeff Baker hit back-to-back homers for the second time in five days, and the Marlins showed lots of life after two months of often desultory play.

A bench-clearing confrontation led by injured Miami Marlins ace Jose Fernandez and Chicago Cubs outfielder Junior Lake ended in a standoff.

The Marlins won their second series in a row after a stretch in which they lost 11 of 13 games and fired manager Mike Redmond. New manager Dan Jennings was ejected in the eighth inning for arguing a call on a checked swing.

The Marlins' Dan Haren (6-2) took a shutout into the inning but got only one out after the confrontation. He allowed three runs in 5 2/3 innings.

Jon Lester (4-4) had his worst outing of the year, allowing six runs in five innings for the Cubs. He also went 0 for 2 at the plate and is 0 for 61 in his career.

ROYALS 4, INDIANS 2

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Jason Vargas tossed six sharp innings, the Kansas City offence came through against AL Cy Young winner Corey Kluber.

Mike Moustakas drove in a run in the first inning, and Lorenzo Cain, Eric Hosmer and Kendrys Morales hit consecutive RBI doubles off Kluber (3-6) in the third to give the Royals the lead.

Vargas (4-2) made it stand up in his second start back from the disabled list. The left-hander used a pair of double plays to wiggle out of jams, and limited the streaking Indians to two runs on eight hits while striking out three without a walk.

Greg Holland pitched a perfect ninth for his eighth save.

WHITE SOX 9, RANGERS 2

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Jose Abreu homered in a six-run second after missing three games with an injured finger, Chris Sale struck out a season-high 13 in seven shutout innings and Chicago beat Texas.

Tyler Flowers added three hits, including a home run, as the White Sox bounced back from a 15-2 loss in the series opener.

Sale (5-2) retired the final 14 hitters he faced and struck out Joey Gallo three times before Texas' top prospect homered again a night after his record-setting debut.

Nick Martinez (4-2) allowed nine hits and seven earned runs in 3 1/3 innings -- his shortest outing of the season -- as the Rangers' four-game winning streak ended.

Texas announced after the game that Josh Hamilton will be out four weeks with a strained left hamstring, sidelining him just seven games into his return to the Rangers.

PADRES 7, METS 3

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- James Shields threw seven strong innings to remain unbeaten and Will Middlebrooks drove in three runs to help the Padres win a home series for the first time in a month.

Shields (7-0) cruised through five innings, permitting just one runner to reach second base. The right-hander allowed two runs and six hits overall. He struck out four, walked two and used three double plays to avoid major damage.

Shields set his personal best for consecutive wins to start the season. He began 6-0 with Tampa Bay in 2006.

The Mets were hurt by three errors -- two by third baseman Ruben Tejada -- that led to three unearned runs. Dillon Gee (0-3), just off the disabled list, also hit a batter with a pitch with the bases loaded.