AMERICAN LEAGUE

Fielder's HR pulls Texas within striking distance

RANGERS 5, ASTROS 3

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Texas Rangers moved within a half-game of American League West leading Houston when Prince Fielder hit a tiebreaking, two-run home run in the eighth inning to lead Texas to a 5-3 victory over the Astros on Monday night in the opener of a pivotal four-game series.

Mitch Moreland hit his team-leading 20th home run for Texas, which has won four consecutive against the Astros and leads the season series 9-4.

Fielder's home run came on 3-2 pitch from Will Harris (5-4). He had two hits and scored three times.

Keone Kela (7-5) got the victory, retiring one of two batters, and Shawn Tolleson earned his 32nd save in 34 attempts.

The Astros' Jose Altuve hit Cole Hamels' sixth pitch of the game for his 12th home run of the year.

In a matchup of high profile left-handers acquired in late July, neither Hamels nor Houston's Scott Kazmir earned a decision.

Houston is 2-5 on a season-long 11-game road trip. The Astros' 29-43 road record is the worst in the league.

Jake Marisnick doubled with one out in the fifth inning, touching first base with his left hand. He advanced to third on a balk by Hamels and beat a throw to the plate on George Springer's hard grounder to first.

Hamels was called for the balk when he appealed that Marisnick missed first base.

Marisnick, starting in place of injured Carlos Gomez, scored by sliding head first and touching the outside of the plate with his left hand to avoid the tag by Chris Gimenez.

Kazmir held Texas to 2 earned runs and 5 hits in 7 innings. One unearned run scored following a dropped popup by third baseman Jed Lowrie.

Hamels allowed 3 runs over 7 innings, throwing 114 pitches. That is the most since he threw 129 in his July 25 no-hitter over the Chicago Cubs in his final start for the Philadelphia Phillies before being traded.

Hamels was the third of five consecutive left-handers Houston will face on this trip.

INDIANS 8, ROYALS 3 Carlos Carrasco overcame allowing a home run on his first pitch of the game to throw six strong innings, and Lonnie Chisenhall drove in three runs as host Cleveland beat Kansas City. Carrasco (13-10) let Alex Gordon hit his first pitch deep into the seats in right field, but that was the only run he allowed. The right-hander, who struck out nine, was making his second start since coming off the disabled list with a sore right shoulder.

ORIOLES 2, RED SOX 0 Kevin Gausman pitched six innings of two-hit ball to earn his first victory in six weeks, Adam Jones had two RBI and host Baltimore beat Boston for its fifth victory in six games. Caleb Joseph had three hits for the Orioles, who moved two games ahead of the last-place Red Sox in the AL East. Baltimore trails four teams in the hunt for the second AL wild-card spot.

TWINS 7, TIGERS 1 Eduardo Escobar homered and drove in two runs and Tyler Duffey struck out seven while pitching into the seventh inning to lead host Minnesota to a victory over Detroit. Duffey (3-1) gave up 1 run on 7 hits and walked 2 in 6 1/3 innings, and Joe Mauer went 3 for 5, extending his streak of games reaching base to 34 for the Twins, who entered the night trailing Texas by one game for the American League's second wild card.

YANKEES 4, RAYS 1 Alex Rodriguez had a tying, two-out RBI double in the ninth and Slade Heathcott followed with a three-run home run, leading visiting New York to a victory over Tampa Bay. The victory moved the Yankees within three-games of AL East-leading Toronto. Erasmo Ramirez held the Yankees hitless until Carlos Beltran led off the eighth with a hot shot that took a short-hop off first baseman Richie Shaffer and went into right field.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

METS 4, MARLINS 3 David Wright had a go-ahead double in the seventh inning, Yoenis Cespedes hit a home run and host New York won its eighth consecutive game. With two outs and runners on first and second, David Wright hit a fastball from reliever Kyle Barraclough (2-1) to the deepest part of the park, well over the head of scrambling center fielder Christian Yelich, for a ground-rule double -- scoring pinch-runner Eric Young Jr. and giving the Mets a 4-3 lead.

NATIONALS 8, PHILLIES 7 (11) Jayson Werth hit two home runs and drove in five runs, and Yunel Escobar had the game-winning RBI in the 11th inning to lift visiting Washington to a victory over Philadelphia. Pinch-hitter Danny Espinosa led off the 11th with a walk, moved to second on Cameron Rupp's passed ball and went to third on Anthony Rendon's single. Espinosa then scored on Escobar's high chopper to second base off Luis Garcia (3-5). The groundout made a winner of Jonathan Papelbon (4-2), who blew his first save of the season by allowing Freddy Galvis' home run in the 10th.

Sports on 09/15/2015

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