Birds Beat BoSox – MLB Roundup For Aug. 30th

UNDATED (AP) — The Boston Red Sox maintain a 2 ½-game lead over Tampa Bay in the American League East after falling two runs shy of completing a sweep of Baltimore.

Chris Tillman picked up his 15th victory and Manny Machado hit a two-run double as the Orioles downed the Bosox 3-2. Tillman struck out eight while limiting the Red Sox to two runs and six hits in seven innings.

Chris Davis collected his 121st RBI for the Birds, who are 6 ½ games behind the first-place Red Sox and 3 ½ games behind Oakland for the final AL wild-card berth.

Tampa Bay failed to gain ground on Boston after Jason Vargas allowed just two hits in seven innings of the Angels's 2-0 shutout of the Rays. Ernesto Frieri put the tying run on second with one out in the ninth before wrapping up the Angels' fifth victory in six games.

The St. Louis Cardinals still own sole possession of first place in the National League Central, thanks to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Yovani Gallardo (yoh-VAH'-nee gy-AHR'-doh) combined with Brandon Kintzler on a six-hitter as Milwaukee blanked Pittsburgh 4-0. Gallardo scattered six hits in seven innings to help the Brewers take the rubber match of the three-game series and drop the Pirates one full game behind the Redbirds.

Jonathan Lucroy had two RBIs, including first-inning single that put the Brewers ahead to stay. Former Pirate Aramis (ah-RAH'-mihs) Ramirez added a solo homer off Gerrit Cole, who was reached for three earned runs and 10 hits in 7 1/3 innings.

The Bucs have dropped 12 of 19 since Aug. 8, when they were 26 games over .500 and leading the division by four games over the Cards.

Detroit's lead in the American League Central is up to 6 ½ games over Cleveland.

Torii Hunter slammed a walkoff, three-run homer with two out in the bottom of the ninth to give the Detroit Tigers a 7-6 win over Oakland. The A's were within one out of a four-game sweep until Victor Martinez hit an RBI single and Hunter followed with his 16th homer.

Nineteen-game winner Max Scherzer allowed a season-high six runs and tied a season-high with eight hits allowed over five innings. He gave up two-run homers by Jed Lowrie and Brandon Moss in his shortest outing since April 24.

The A's are three games behind the AL West-leading Texas Rangers.

The Indians were 3-1 losers in Atlanta as the Braves kept their 13-game lead in the NL East. Brian McCann's three-run homer in the third inning was the game's big blow. Kris Medlen limited the Indians to six hits in seven shutout innings to improve to 10-6 since a 1-6 start.

Also in the majors, Jayson Werth and Ian Desmond smacked three-run homers after Bryce Harper's two-run blast opened the scoring in Washington's 9-0 pounding of Miami. Gio Gonzalez allowed three hits while striking out eight over seven innings to help the Nationals complete a three-game sweep and win for the eighth time in nine games.

The Royals have a five-game winning streak after Bruce Chen allowed one run over 5 2/3 innings of Kansas City's 3-1 verdict over the Twins in Minnesota. Alcides (al-SEE'-dehs) Escobar, Chris Getz and Alex Gordon hit RBI singles for the Royals.

Daniel Murphy went 4-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored as the New York Mets clobbered Philadelphia 11-3 to gain a split of the four-game series. Eric Young drove in three runs, Anthony Recker hit a two-run homer and Carlos Torres held the Phillies to a run and four hits in 6 2/3 innings.

Seattle beat Houston 3-2 as Franklin Gutierrez went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer. Nick Franklin also went deep and Erasmo Ramirez pitched into the sixth for the Mariners.

UNDATED (AP) — Detroit third baseman Miguel Cabrera is listed as day-to-day after suffering an abdomen injury that forced him out of today's game against Oakland. The reigning American League Triple Crown winner and MVP was injured when he slid awkwardly into second base.

Braves outfielder Justin Upton is also day to day. He was struck on the left hand by a pitch during Thursday's 3-1 win against Cleveland.