KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -Dan Johnson and Jack Cust each homered twice and the Oakland Athletics routed the Kansas City Royals 17-3 Thursday.
Danny Putnam hit his first major league home run and Eric Chavez also connected for Oakland. The A’s set season highs for homers, runs and hits (18).
Johnson went 4-for-4 with two walks, driving in four runs and scoring four. Chavez had four RBIs and Shannon Stewart had four hits.
The Athletics improved to 29-7 at Kansas City since the start of the 2000 season. Marco Scutaro was 0-for-21 lifetime at the ballpark before a two-run double in the sixth.
Winner Joe Kennedy (1-2) did not allow a hit until Billy Butler’s two-out single in the fifth. Kennedy left after six innings, allowing three runs and four hits.
Luke Hudson (0-1), activated off the disabled list before the game, lasted just two-plus innings. He threw only 23 strikes in 50 pitches while giving up five runs and two hits with four walks. He’d been out because of a sore right shoulder.
White Sox 3, Twins 0
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Jose Contreras pitched a five-hitter for his second career shutout and Chicago won for the fourth time in five games.
A.J. Pierzynski, Ryan Sweeney and Pablo Ozuna hit RBI singles for the White Sox.
Contreras (3-3) struck out four and walked one. His other shutout was a three-hitter against Detroit on Aug. 11, 2006.
White Sox starters have lasted at least six innings in 16 consecutive starts – the longest active streak in the major leagues. Chicago finished its eight-game road trip 4-4.
Torii Hunter went 0-for-4 to end his 23-game hitting streak, tied for the fourth-best in Minnesota history.
Carlos Silva (2-3) allowed three runs and six hits in six innings.
Rangers 14, Yankees 2
NEW YORK (AP) – Brandon McCarthy limited New York to one run in 5 1-3 innings and pinch-hitter Victor Diaz hit his first career grand slam.
Mark Teixeira had four hits, including three doubles, and three RBIs for the Rangers.
Texas turned the game into a blowout with three runs in the seventh and seven more in the eighth. Rangers closer Eric Gagne pitched a perfect ninth, his first action since straining a hip on April 22.
New York had won its first five games this year against last-place Texas and 18 of 20 since July 2005.
Texas set season highs for runs and hits (16).
McCarthy (3-4) allowed five hits and threw a season-high 104 pitches. The only run off him was Melky Cabrera’s homer in the third.
Chien-Ming Wang (1-3) gave up seven runs and 11 hits in 6 1-3 innings for the Yankees.
Angels 8, Indians 0
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) – Kelvim Escobar pitched a seven-hitter and Gary Matthews Jr. hit a three-run homer in the third inning for Los Angeles.
Escobar (4-1) struck out nine and walked none to win his third straight start. It was his fourth career shutout and first since he did it for the Toronto Blue Jays on June 8, 2003, at Cincinnati.
Jose Molina stole home in the fourth to make it 6-0, part of a delayed double steal. Reggie Willits took second and Molina came home in a close play at the plate.
The Angels won their AL-leading 14th home game and took two of three from the Indians.
Jeremy Sowers (0-3) gave up six runs and nine hits in five innings. He struck out two and walked one.
The Angels’ struggling offense came alive in the third when they batted around in taking a 5-0 lead.
Tigers 7, Mariners 3
DETROIT (AP) – Magglio Ordonez and Brandon Inge homered against struggling Seattle starter Jeff Weaver and Detroit won for the ninth time in 10 games.
Weaver (0-6), a former Tiger, gave up six runs in five innings and has lost each of his six starts this season. It’s the longest losing streak of his career. He left the game with a 14.32 ERA.
Weaver beat the Tigers in the clinching game of the 2006 World Series as a member of St. Louis’ staff but his spot in the Mariners’ rotation could be in jeopardy when Felix Hernandez returns from the disabled list Tuesday.
Justin Verlander (3-1) allowed two runs and nine hits in 5 1-3 innings for Detroit.
Jose Guillen went 3-for-4 with two RBIs for the Mariners.
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