TIGERS 3, RANGERS 1
DETROIT -- Jordan Zimmermann knew two things when he took the mound against Bartolo Colon on Friday night.
He was going to have to be good to keep Colon from making history, and the game wasn't going to take long.
Zimmermann came through, outdueling Colon as the Detroit Tigers beat the Texas Rangers 3-1 in a game that ended four minutes after sunset at Comerica Park.
"I've hooked up with Bartolo a lot of times over the years, and he's always good and the games are always short," said Zimmermann, who struck out 11 batters in eight innings. "He works fast, I work fast and we almost got out before 9 o'clock tonight."
Colon was trying to become the winningest Latin-American pitcher in major league history. He remains tied with Dennis Martinez with 245 career victories.
He pitched well, allowing three runs -- including home runs by James McCann and JaCoby Jones -- in an eight-inning complete game, but Zimmermann (4-0) was better.
"When I was young, a loss like this would bother me," Colon (5-6) said through a translator. "Now, I know games like this are going to happen. Tonight was good for us and not good for the hitters."
The Tigers right-hander allowed 1 run and 4 hits and struck out 10 or more for the first time since his no-hitter for Washington against Florida on Sept. 28, 2014.
"That might be the best slider I've had in my career, and when I can throw it like that, it makes my fastball and curve even tougher to hit," Zimmermann said. "I'm not going to give up many runs with that kind of stuff."
There were no walks in the game, and neither starter needed 100 pitches for their eight-inning outings. Zimmermann threw 96 pitches, and Colon 97.
"Those were two great veteran pitchers doing what they do best," Tigers Manager Ron Gardenhire said. "They were attacking the zone, moving the ball all over the place and making the hitters chase their pitches."
Joe Jimenez pitched the ninth for his third save, helping the Tigers end a three-game losing streak by winning for just the third time in 17 games.
At 45 years, 43 days old, Colon became the oldest pitcher to throw a complete game since Jamie Moyer (47 years, 199 days) on June 5, 2010. Tim Wakefield and Randy Johnson are the only other 45-year-olds to pitch complete games in the 21st century.
BLUE JAYS 6, YANKEES 2 Justin Smoak hit a three-run home run, Yangervis Solarte reached base four times and Toronto beat visiting New York.
INDIANS 10, ATHLETICS 4 Carlos Carrasco returned from the disabled list -- and returned to the win column -- as Jose Ramirez and Edwin Encarnacion drove in three runs apiece, leading host Cleveland over Oakland.
TWINS 6, ORIOLES 2 Lance Lynn bounced back from two poor starts, Max Kepler homered and host Minnesota beat Baltimore.
ASTROS 11, WHITE SOX 4 Lance McCullers struck out a career-high 12 in seven strong innings, Evan Gattis hit a three-run home run in Houston's seven-run eighth and the team beat visiting Chicago.
RED SOX 10, ROYALS 5 Chris Sale struck out 12 in six innings, Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez and Xander Bogaerts homered, and Boston beat host Kansas City.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
REDS 3, CUBS 2 Tyler Mahle tossed one-run ball into the seventh inning and Cincinnati edged host Chicago for its fifth consecutive victory over the Cubs.
NATIONALS 3, MARLINS 2 Pinch-hitter Mark Reynolds led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a home run that lifted Washington past visiting Miami.
PHILLIES 17, PIRATES 5 Odubel Herrera and Andrew Knapp hit three-run home runs, rookie Scott Kingery had a career-high four hits, and Philadelphia beat host Pittsburgh.
BREWERS 5, BRAVES 4 Jesus Aguilar hit his 20th home run, rookie Freddy Peralta pitched six sharp innings and surging Milwaukee held off visiting Atlanta.
INTERLEAGUE
METS 5, RAYS 1 Jose Bautista's grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted New York to a victory over Tampa Bay.
Sports on 07/07/2018