A’s Maintain Lead In AL East – MLB Roundup

UNDATED (AP) — The Oakland Athletics have maintained their 3 ½-game lead over the second-place Angels in the American League West while putting an end to the Kansas City Royals' eight-game winning streak.

Josh Donaldson went 3-for-4 with a pair of solo homers, four RBIs and three runs scored in Oakland's 11-3 romp at Kansas City. Brandon Moss added four hits and two RBIs as the A's kept the AL Central-leading Royals just a half-game ahead of Detroit. Jon Lester won for the third time in as many starts since joining the A's, striking out nine and allowing three runs in six innings.

Los Angeles kept pace with Oakland by exploding for seven runs in the sixth inning of a 7-2 triumph against Philadelphia. Kole Calhoun ignited the big rally with a solo homer before adding an RBI single. C.J. Wilson held the Phillies to two runs over 6 2/3 innings.

The Pittsburgh Pirates did the Royals a favor by downing the slumping Detroit Tigers 4-2 as Edinson Volquez gave up two runs and five hits in seven innings. Gaby Sanchez, Travis Snider and Ike Davis laced RBI doubles in the Pirates' fifth victory in seven games.

The outcome puts the Pirates 1 ½ games behind NL Central-leading Milwaukee.

The Tigers lost for the sixth time in seven games.

The Brewers were 3-0 losers to the Cubs as Anthony Rizzo hit his 26th homer of the season, and first time in 19 games. Arismendy Alcantara (ehr-is-MEHN'-dee al KAHN'-tah-rah) and Justin Ruggiano each had two hits and an RBI to back Kyle Hendricks, who limited the Brewers to six hits in 7 1/3 innings.

The NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers won for the fifth time in seven games while helping Washington stretch its lead in the NL East.

Dan Haren allowed two runs and six hits while striking out seven over six innings of the Dodgers' 4-2 victory in Atlanta. Darwin Barney singled home the game's first run and scored on a wild pitch to give Los Angeles an insurance run in the ninth.

The Braves have dropped 11 of their last 13 games to fall five games behind the Nationals.

The Nats won for the 23rd time in their last 27 games at Citi Field as Michael Taylor hit a two-run homer in his major league debut to spark a 7-1 rout of the New York Mets. Every Washington run came on homers as Bryce Harper and Ian Desmond also hit two-run blasts and Anthony Rendon (rehn-DOHN') added a solo shot. That was more than enough offense for Doug Fister, who is 12-3 with a 2.34 ERA after scattering seven hits in seven scoreless innings.

The Dodgers' division lead has grown to six games following the Giants' fifth straight loss. The Chicago White blew a 2-0 lead in the ninth before Gordon Beckham's RBI single gave the Pale Hose a 3-2, 10-inning win at San Francisco. Adam Dunn hit a two-run homer and Chris Sale had to settle for a no-decision despite striking out 12 and allowing just four hits in eight shutout innings.

Elsewhere in the majors:

— Seattle was a 6-3 winner against Toronto behind Chris Young, who surrendered only one run and two hits in six innings. Kyle Seager socked a tiebreaking, solo homer and Dustin Ackley added a two-run single as the Mariners moved into a tie with Detroit for the second AL wild-card lead, two games ahead of Blue Jays. The Orioles also stretched their lead in the AL East to 6 1/2 games over the Jays.

— Jarred Cosart was brilliant in Miami's 3-0 shutout of the Cardinals, allowing three hits in seven innings. Donovan Solano hit a two-run homer off Adam Wainwright, who was bidding to become the majors' first 15-game winner of the season. The outcome keeps the Redbirds three games behind Milwaukee in the NL Central race.

— Yoenis Cespedes (yoh-EH'-nehs SEHS'-peh-dehs) belted a go-ahead, two-run homer in the eighth inning to lift Boston past Cincinnati 3-2. The Reds managed just four hits after Devin Mesoraco's RBI single put them ahead 2-0 in the bottom of the first.

— Chris Carter launched a three-run homer and a two-run blast in Houston's 10-4 pounding of Minnesota. Jose Altuve (al-TOO'-vay) had three this and two RBIs to back Colin McHugh's first victory since June 3.

— Odrisamer Despaigne (oh-DREE'-sah-mehr dehs-PAHN'-yay) had eight strikeouts while giving up five hits in seven scoreless innings of San Diego's 4-1 verdict over Colorado.

— Adam Rosales worked out a bases-loaded walk with two out in the bottom of the 14th inning to complete the Rangers' 3-2 win over Tampa Bay at Texas. Shin-Soo Choo doubled home the tying run in the seventh before adding a single during the winning rally.

— The New York Yankees' game against the Orioles in Baltimore was rained out and rescheduled as part of a day-night doubleheader on Sept. 12.

— The Diamondbacks and Indians were postponed in Cleveland following a rain delay of 3 hours, 40 minutes that began in the top of the fourth inning. The game will be played as part of a traditional doubleheader on Wednesday.

UNDATED (AP) — A couple of American League playoff hopefuls have received encouraging medical news.

Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus says an MRI on pitcher Justin Verlander's sore right shoulder reveals inflammation in several areas but no major structural damage. Verlander will likely miss at least one start after leaving Monday night's game in Pittsburgh. Verlander gave up five runs in the first inning against the Pirates and came out of the game following a plate appearance the next inning.

The Baltimore Orioles say third baseman Manny Machado was been diagnosed with a strained right knee, one day after suffering the injury during an at-bat in Monday's 11-3 rout of the Yankees. The Orioles originally diagnosed Machado's injury as a sprained knee.

Shortstop J.J. Hardy may have to go on the DL because of a sprained thumb suffered in Saturday's victory over the Cardinals, but manager Buck Showalter wasn't sure either player would have to be shelved.

In other major league injury news:

— Indians outfielder David Murphy will miss four to five weeks with a strained right oblique muscle suffered Saturday against the New York Yankees, Murphy was hitting .262 with seven home runs and 55 RBIs.

— The Kansas City Royals placed left-hander Scott Downs on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday with a stiff neck. Downs hadn't pitched since Aug. 2 and is 0-1 with a 3.48 ERA in 12 relief appearances with the Royals this season.

— The New York Mets have put right-hander Jacob deGrom on the 15-day disabled list because of rotator cuff tendinitis. The team filled the roster spot by recalling starting pitcher Rafael Montero, who is starting tonight against Washington.

BALTIMORE (AP) — Major League Baseball could have a new commissioner as soon as Thursday. Outgoing Commissioner Bud Selig (SEE'-lihg) says the succession process has worked just the way he thought it would.

Baseball's 30 owners will meet in Baltimore this week to vote on Selig's replacement. A seven-man committee whittled down an expansive list to three candidates: MLB Chief Operating Officer Rob Manfred, Boston Red Sox chairman Tom Werner and Tim Brosnan, MLB Vice President of Business.

To win Thursday's vote, a candidate must receive approval from 23 of 30 owners.