TORONTO — Ryan Goins hit a three-run homer while Mark Buehrle pitched into the eighth inning as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Oakland Athletics 4-2 to extend their winning streak to 11 games. The Blue Jays (64-52) entered Thursday with a half-game lead over the second-place New York Yankees in the American League East. The 11-game win streak equals a franchise high, most recently accomplished June 2-14. Right-hander Jesse Chavez (6-12) allowed all four runs in the second inning. Rangers 6, Twins 5 A sacrifice fly by shortstop Elvis Andrus in the top of the eighth inning scored the winning run as the Texas Rangers defeated the Minnesota Twins 6-5. Texas first baseman Mitch Moreland chipped in with a career-high four hits, including a two-run homer, and knocked in four runs. Third baseman Adrian Beltre had three hits and scored three times. Yankees 8, Indians 6 Brian McCann and Stephen Drew homered and the New York lineup finally generated some runs as the Yankees snapped their five-game losing streak with an 8-6 win over the Cleveland Indians. McCann's three-run homer in the first inning and Drew's solo homer in the second gave the Yankees a 4-0 lead. Right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (12-3) pitched into the sixth inning for the win. Angels 7, Royals 6 Pinch hitter C.J. Cron and right fielder Kole Calhoun hit two-run doubles in the ninth inning as the Los Angeles Angels recorded a 7-6 victory over the Kansas City Royals. Kansas City's usually dependable bullpen was unreliable with right-hander Wade Davis and Greg Holland unable to hold a four-run lead after seven innings. National League Cubs 9, Brewers 2 The Chicago Cubs slammed three home runs in an inning for the first time since 2008 en route to a 9-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. Center fielder Dexter Fowler, left fielder Kyle Schwarber and first baseman Anthony Rizzo each homered as part of the four-run outburst. Schwarber, who went 3-for-4 with two runs and four RBIs, gave the Cubs a 7-2 lead with a two-run shot in the seventh. The victory was the seventh successive for the Cubs and their 13th in 14 games. Mets 12, Rockies 3 Second baseman Kelly Johnson had two RBI doubles and a solo homer as the New York Mets beat the Colorado Rockies 12-3. The Mets (63-52) moved a season-high 11 games over 500 and increased their lead in the National League East over the Washington Nationals to four games. Pirates 10, Cardinals 5 The Pittsburgh Pirates scored seven runs in the first inning and three more in the ninth to record a 10-5 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. Francisco Liriano (8-6) struggled through six innings to pick up the win, yielding six hits and three runs, walking four and striking out five. Giants 3, Nationals 1 Ryan Vogelsong rebounded from a leadoff home run by Yunel Escobar to limit the Washington Nationals to one run in five innings to lead the San Francisco Giants to a 3-1 victory. Reds 10, Dodgers 3 Center fielder Billy Hamilton homered and second baseman Brandon Phillips drove in three runs as the Cincinnati Reds pounded the Los Angeles Dodgers. Eugenio Suarez, who went 3-for-5 and drove in four runs, hit a three-run blast to spark a four-run surge in the sixth inning that blew the game open. — Reuters
