CHICAGO — Max Scherzer pitched six effective innings to earn his career-high 16th win, Prince Fielder hit a three-run homer and Detroit beat Chicago to move within a game of the first-place White Sox in the AL Central. Scherzer (16-6) allowed a run and four hits, including the first of two homers by Kevin Youkilis. The right-hander struck out seven to increase his major league-leading total to 220 and improved to 10-1 over his last 14 starts. The series finale Thursday night features a pair of aces, with Detroit's Justin Verlander facing White Sox lefty Chris Sale. Fielder hit his 26th homer in the seventh against reliever Leyson Septimo, snapping an 0-for-18 slump and giving the Tigers a 6-1 lead. Youkilis belted a three-run shot off Joaquin Benoit in the eighth to get the White Sox within three. Jose Valverde earned his 30th save in 34 chances. Chicago starter Gavin Floyd (9-10), activated from the disabled list earlier in the day, pitched well for the first four innings but gave up three runs in the fifth. Rangers 5, Indians 2: Josh Hamilton and Adrian Beltre homered before each left the game with injuries, and Texas beat the slumping Cleveland Indians. Hamilton was removed as a precaution in the eighth inning with a sore left knee. Beltre hit a two-run homer in the first, his 13th in 20 games, before exiting in the fifth with a strained left shoulder. He was scheduled for an MRI. Ryan Dempster (11-6) won his fifth straight start and improved to 6-1 since he was acquired by the Rangers from the Chicago Cubs on July 31. The right-hander allowed two runs and struck out eight in seven innings. Joe Nathan pitched the ninth for his 33rd save of the season. Hamilton hit a 434-foot solo shot in the third. He leads the majors with 41 home runs and 121 RBIs. Cleveland led the AL Central on June 23 but is 15-43 since the All-Star break. Jeanmar Gomez (5-8) allowed five runs and six hits in four innings. Athletics 4, Angels 1: A.J. Griffin threw eight scoreless innings, becoming the second Athletics pitcher in 85 years to start his major league career with six straight wins, and Yoenis Cespedes homered to help Oakland beat Los Angeles. The Athletics, who can sweep the four-game series by beating Angels ace Jered Weaver Thursday, have won 15 of 18 and are 22 games over .500 (82-60) for the first time since the 2006 club finished 93-69. Royals 10, Twins 5: Billy Butler had three hits and three RBIs, and Kansas City's bullpen picked up struggling starter Luke Hochevar with four scoreless innings in a victory over Minnesota. Hochevar (8-13) won for the first time in eight starts, but he gave up five runs on six hits with four walks in five innings. Tim Collins pitched two innings before Kevin Herrera and Francisley Bueno finished the game. Mariners 3, Blue Jays 2: Miguel Olivo hit a solo home run and Kevin Millwood won consecutive starts for the first time since May as Seattle beat Toronto. Edwin Encarnacion hit his 39th homer, a two-run drive into the second deck, but it wasn't enough to keep Ricky Romero (8-14) from losing his 13th straight decision. The Blue Jays managed only two hits against five Mariners pitchers. Millwood (6-12), who entered 1-6 in nine career starts at Toronto, allowed two runs and two hits in five innings to win back-to-back starts for the first time since winning three straight from May 13-23. The right-hander, who walked one and struck out three, has won just three of 19 starts since. He was lifted with stiffness in his pitching shoulder. Shawn Kelley and Josh Kinney each worked 1 1-3 innings for Seattle, and Oliver Perez got one out. Tom Wilhelmsen earned his 26th save in 29 chances. In other games it was NY Yankees 5, Boston 4; and Baltimore 3, Tampa Bay 2. — Agencies
