Moss has 2 HRs, Straily pitches A’s past Yankees

Associated Press

OAKLAND, Calif. — Sure, Brandon Moss would like to have more than five hits in his last 40 at-bats. It’s not so bad, though, considering all five have cleared the fences.

Moss hit a two-run homer and a solo shot for his third career two-homer game, and the Oakland Athletics beat the New York Yankees 5-2 on Wednesday night to win their 10th straight home game.

Moss hit his 10th homer in the second inning and 11th with a solo drive in the eighth. He also connected twice April 29 against the Angels. Of his five hits over 40 at-bats in his last 19 games, all are home runs.

“Last year in Triple-A, I did it at exactly this time. I had three weeks straight where the only hits I had were home runs,” Moss said. “I’ll take that. It’s not where I want to be, obviously. I’d much rather be getting hits also. I said it a long time ago, I’ve done it before where I’ve sacrificed power for hits. It still didn’t turn out well. … If you’re able to contribute and drive in runs when you do connect it’s definitely better than taking your seat.”

Moss’ power stroke helped Dan Straily (4-2) win his third consecutive decision.

John Jaso added an RBI double and a run-scoring single for Oakland. The A’s (40-27) won for the 20th time in 25 games and are off to their best start since 1990.

Brett Gardner drew a one-out walk in the sixth to end a stretch of 11 straight Yankees retired by Straily. Robinson Cano singled and Mark Teixeira hit a sacrifice fly.

New York missed a scoring chance during an odd sequence in the seventh.

Jayson Nix hit a two-out RBI single and stole second. With Nix as the potential tying run, Lyle Overbay came out to pinch-hit with a 1-0 count already against Austin Romine. A’s manager Bob Melvin then made his own switch, to reliever Sean Doolittle.

Chris Stewart came on to pinch-hit for Overbay, who never reached the batter’s box but was credited for appearing in the game. Stewart struck out on a changeup to end the inning.

“I’ve never done that before. That was weird,” Doolittle said. “I was like, ‘What’s going to happen here?’ … I didn’t really know what was going on. I’ve never, in my short time as a pitcher, come in in the middle of a count like that.”

Doolittle then pitched a perfect eighth before Grant Balfour finished for his 17th save of the season and 35th in a row dating to April 29, 2012. He retired Nix on a broken-bat comebacker to end it with runners on first and second.

Straily, coming off a pair of no-decisions, allowed two or fewer runs for the fourth time in five outings. He gave up two runs and three hits in 6 2-3 innings.

Oakland owns its longest unbeaten streak at home since another 10-game run from Aug. 11 to Sept. 1, 2006. The A’s secured their first season series victory against the Yankees since going 4-2 in 2007.

Moss, now batting .228, sent the first pitch he saw from Phil Hughes (3-5) over the right-field scoreboard in the second following Josh Reddick’s leadoff single.

“It was just a matter of time,” Melvin said of Moss finding a groove. “He was such an instrumental part last year.”

After a 1-2-3 fourth inning, Hughes issued a leadoff walk to Eric Sogard in the fifth. Jaso’s double one out later and another walk to Seth Smith ended the right-hander’s night.

Hughes walked a season-high five and lost for the third time in four decisions. He allowed three runs on four hits and struck out three in 4 1-3 innings. He hadn’t walked more than two batters all season.

The Yankees haven’t hit a home run in a season-high five straight games — the club’s longest drought since also going five games from May 17-21, 2006.

“It’s part of the game. You have to fight your way out of it,” manager Joe Girardi said. “We know the guys are capable.”

RED SOX 2, RAYS 1

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Alfredo Aceves threw six solid innings and Daniel Nava homered for AL East-leading Boston.

Aceves (3-1), recalled before the game from Triple-A Pawtucket, allowed one run, four hits and four walks. This is the right-hander’s third stint with the Red Sox this season.

Nava put the Red Sox up 2-0 on a third-inning, two-run homer off Chris Archer (1-2), who gave up two runs, four hits, four walks and struck out seven over four innings. The Rays right-hander exuberantly left the mound after striking out Nava with the bases loaded to end the fourth.

INDIANS 5, RANGERS 2

ARLINGTON, Texas — Jason Kipnis had a home run among his three hits and Cleveland got a series-clinching victory over Texas.

A night after ending an eight-game losing streak, and a span of 12 straight losses away from home, the Indians earned consecutive victories to clinch their first road series in a month. They had gone 0-4-1 in series since taking two of three May 10-12 at Detroit, the only American League team with a better home record than Texas this season.

Mike Aviles also homered for Cleveland, which also won 5-2 on Tuesday after losing the series opener 6-3. The Indians get a day off before starting a nine-game homestand Friday against Washington.

Ubaldo Jimenez (5-4) allowed one run pitching into the sixth.

ANGELS 9, ORIOLES 5

BALTIMORE — Erick Aybar hit a bases-loaded triple and Albert Pujols homered during a six-run seventh inning, helping Los Angeles beat Baltimore to stop a four-game losing streak.

Hank Conger homered, Pujols had three hits and Howie Kendrick contributed two doubles to help the Angels avert a three-game sweep and put a positive finish on a 2-4 trip that began in Boston.

Chris Davis hit his major league-leading 21st homer for Baltimore off Jerome Williams (5-2), ending a 1-for-17 skid with his first home run and RBI since June 2.

Pedro Strop (0-3) gave up the triple to Aybar. As Aybar slid into third, the relay throw from Ryan Flaherty bounced out of play, allowing Aybar to score for a 6-4 lead.

ROYALS 3, TIGERS 2, 10 INNINGS

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Lorenzo Cain hit a tying, two-run homer off Jose Valverde with two outs in the ninth and Eric Hosmer had a winning single in the 10th as Kansas City overcame Justin Verlander’s seven scoreless innings in a victory over Detroit.

Verlander did not allow a batter past first base, giving up three singles, striking out eight and walking two in a 117-pitch outing, his second-highest total this season.

Greg Holland (2-1) pitched a perfect 10th for the win, striking out Torii Hunter and Miguel Cabrera and retiring Prince Fielder on a lineout, and Miguel Tejada singled off Phil Coke (0-4) leading off the bottom half.

ASTROS 6, MARINERS 1

SEATTLE —Houston rallied to score six runs off closer Tom Wilhelmsen in the ninth inning and beat Seattle, snapping a six-game losing streak and giving the Astros their first victory this season when trailing after eight innings.

Trailing 1-0, Jason Castro and J.D. Martinez led off with a pair of singles and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Carlos Corporan. After an intentional walk of Carlos Pena, Chris Carter doubled off the wall in left field to score a pair and give the Astros their first lead of the game. Another intentional walk loaded the bases again and brought the hook for Wilhelmsen (0-2), who blew his fourth save in his last nine tries.

Paul Clemens (4-2) earned the victory for Houston.

Moss hit his 10th homer in the second inning and 11th with a solo drive in the eighth. He also connected twice April 29 against the Angels. Of his five hits over 40 at-bats in his last 19 games, all are home runs.

John Jaso added an RBI double and a run-scoring single. The A’s (40-27) won for the 20th time in 25 games and are off to their best start since 1990.

TWINS 4, PHILLIES 3

MINNEAPOLIS — Clete Thomas had a career-high four hits for Minnesota and came home on a wild pitch for the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, sending Philadelphia to its fifth straight loss.

Thomas went 4 for 4 with two RBI doubles. He drove in Oswaldo Arcia both times, including in the eighth when his drive off the tall wall in right field against Antonio Bastardo (2-2) tied the game.

Delmon Young and Ben Revere hit RBI singles for the Phillies against their former team, but starter Mike Pelfrey kept the game close with a season-high seven innings and Glen Perkins pitched a perfect ninth for his 15th save in 17 tries.

PIRATES 12, GIANTS 8

PITTSBURGH — Starling Marte had a career-high four hits and scored four times, and Pirates beat the Giants.

Neil Walker and Alex Presley homered for Pittsburgh. Jordy Mercer, Andrew McCutchen and Gaby Sanchez had three hits each as the Pirates set season highs for runs and hits.

Francisco Liriano (5-2) got through six erratic innings for the win.

Joaquin Arias knocked in three runs for the Giants and Hunter Pence doubled twice but San Francisco continued to struggle on the road. The defending World Series champions have lost 12 of 16 away from home.

Barry Zito (4-5) allowed eight runs and 11 hits in 4 2-3 innings as his road ERA ballooned to 11.28.

PADRES 5, BRAVES 3

SAN DIEGO — Edinson Volquez struck out a season-high nine in seven innings, rebounding from the worst start of his career to help San Diego to a three-game sweep of NL East-leading Atlanta.

Chris Denorfia hit a two-run homer for the Padres, who swept the Braves in San Diego for the first time since May 2005. The Braves were swept for just the second time this season.

Everth Cabrera got his major leaue-leading 30th stolen base ahead of Denorfia’s homer.

Volquez (5-5) held the Braves to one run and six hits. In his previous two starts, he had allowed a combined 13 earned runs and 17 hits in 7 1-3 innings.

Paul Maholm (7-5) allowed five runs, four earned, on seven hits in 5 2-3 innings for Atlanta.

REDS 2, CUBS 1

CHICAGO — Mike Leake combined with Aroldis Chapman on a three-hitter and Todd Frazier hit a tiebreaking home run in the seventh inning against Travis Wood, leading Cincinnati to a record 12th straight victory at Wrigley Field.

Leake (6-3) allowed Nate Schierholtz’s second-inning homer but won for the fourth time in five decisions. Chapman struck out two in a perfect ninth for his 17th save in 19 chances.

The previous record for consecutive wins by a visitor at Wrigley was 10.

Wood (5-5) gave up two runs and four hits in seven innings, his third loss in four decisions.

METS 5, CARDINALS 1

NEW YORK — Dillon Gee had his third straight stellar start, Lucas Duda hit one of three Mets homers and New York scored the most runs allowed by St. Louis rookie Shelby Miller in his young career.

David Wright and Marlon Byrd also connected for the Mets, who snapped a three-game skid and improved to 2-6 in June. Duda drove in two runs, including a first-inning single that scored Daniel Murphy from first base.

With prized pitching prospect Zack Wheeler nearing his promotion to the big leagues, Gee (5-6) has done everything possible to protect his spot in the rotation. The right-hander has yielded only three earned runs over 21 innings in his past three starts — all wins.

Gee scattered six hits in this one and and struck out seven in 6 2-3 innings. He gave up a homer to Allen Craig, his second in two days against the Mets.

Miller (7-4) gave up four runs and five hits in six innings. He struck out 10 without a walk.

David Freese went 0 for 4 for the Cardinals, ending his career-best hitting streak at 20 games — longest in the majors this season.

BREWERS 10, MARLINS 1

MIAMI — Carlos Gomez had four hits, including two triples, and Jonathan Lucroy drove in four runs to lead Milwaukee over Miami.

Gomez also drove in three runs and scored three times. Jean Segura homered for the Brewers, who have won five of six.

Alfredo Figaro (1-0) pitched seven scoreless innings to earn his first victory since Sept. 26, 2009, at the Chicago White Sox. He retired 16 in a row at one point and struck out four.

Gomez and Lucroy both had bases-loaded triples. They combined to go 12 for 24 with 12 RBIs in the three-game series.

It was the largest margin of victory for Milwaukee this season, even though Ryan Braun (right thumb) missed his third consecutive game.

Pitching on three days’ rest, Marlins starter Kevin Slowey (2-6) allowed six runs — five earned — and nine hits in five innings.

NATIONALS 5, ROCKIES 1

DENVER — Ross Ohlendorf pitched six strong innings in his Washington debut and Ian Desmond drove in three runs against Colorado.

The win was the Nationals’ third in their last 12 road games.

Recalled earlier in the day from Triple-A Syracuse, Ohlendorf (1-0) allowed one run and two hits in his first start since last Aug. 17 with San Diego against San Francisco.

Desmond extended his hitting streak to a career-high 14 games with an RBI single in the fourth and the Nationals struck for three more in the sixth. They chased Rockies starter Jorge De La Rosa (7-4), beating him for the first time in the past five tries.