MLB roundup: Angels beat Mariners 5-0, win AL West title

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Los Angeles Angels spent an hour after their shutout victory over Seattle waiting in the clubhouse, their eyes glued to televisions while the Oakland Athletics blew a ninth-inning lead.

When the A’s were finally finished, the Angels roared up the tunnel and onto their home field, goggles in place and champagne bottles in hand.

After a five-year wait and a few more minutes on ice, the Angels are AL West champions again.

Los Angeles clinched the division title Wednesday night, getting seven dominant innings of one-hit ball from C.J. Wilson in a 5-0 victory over the Mariners.

“It’s a great feeling,” said Albert Pujols, headed to his first AL postseason in his third year with the Angels. “But at the end of the day, it’s a better feeling when you get to hold that trophy. And that’s what we’re waiting for.”

C.J. Cron hit a three-run homer for the major league-leading Angels (95-57), who wrapped up their first division crown since 2009 when Oakland lost to Texas. The Angels charged the field afterward, celebrating with several thousand fans who stuck around chanting “Let’s go Rangers!” and “M-V-P!” for a grinning Mike Trout.

“Everybody just wanted it to happen tonight, so we’re lucky to get to celebrate with our fans,” said Wilson, who struck out seven. “I feel like we’ve been special for three years. We just haven’t put it all together until now.”

The Angels had already secured a playoff spot Monday, capping a dominant run through the summer and into September. They have won 12 of 14, and lead Baltimore (92-60) by three games for home-field advantage throughout the postseason.

“They’ve won so many games in such a short amount of time, and it’s really a credit to every guy,” said Angels manager Mike Scioscia, who won his sixth AL West title in 11 seasons. “We’re going to enjoy the champagne and then go try to win tomorrow.”

The Angels weren’t assured of the clinching win until their five-run seventh inning broke up a pitchers’ duel between Wilson and Seattle rookie James Paxton. Howie Kendrick sparked the rally by scoring from first base when Chris Denorfia misplayed David Freese’s single to right for an error.

Wilson (13-9) earned his third straight victory in intimidating fashion, allowing only three walks and Justin Smoak’s single in a major improvement from recent starts. He escaped his only jam in the seventh, stranding two runners.

Paxton (6-3) yielded four hits and had eight strikeouts for the Mariners, who have lost six of eight. Seattle managed just one hit and is two games behind Kansas City and Oakland for the second AL wild card.

“It’s tough, but games like this happen,” Paxton said. “That’s just the way baseball works. Sometimes the other teams get the breaks. We just put this game behind us. There’s time left here for us to gain some ground on those guys. It’s not over ‘til it’s over.”

RANGERS 6, ATHLETICS 1

OAKLAND, Calif. — Sean Doolittle allowed a three-run homer to J.P. Arencibia during a six-run ninth inning, and Oakland lost to the last-place Texas Rangers.

It was the fourth blown save in 25 chances for Doolittle (1-4) this season.

The bearded closer’s meltdown on the mound negated a stellar start by Jeff Samardzija and ended Oakland’s two-year reign as AL West champions. The Los Angeles Angels clinched the division with their win and the loss by the A’s.

Oakland dropped into a tie with Kansas City for the AL’s top wild card.

Sam Fuld’s single in the fifth drove in Oakland’s only run. Robbie Ross (3-6) got the final five outs for the win.

ROCKIES 16, DODGERS 2

DENVER — Justin Morneau tied a season high with six RBIs — five in an eight-run first inning against spot starter Carlos Frias — and Colorado routed Los Angeles.

The loss left the NL West-leading Dodgers two games ahead of San Francisco.

Morneau had a three-run homer and a two-run single in the first to help the Rockies chase Frias (0-1) after just two outs. Morneau and Carlos Gonzalez are the only Colorado players to drive in five runs in an inning.

Morneau had three hits and a sacrifice fly, raising his average to .320 and leaping over Pittsburgh’s Josh Harrison for the NL batting lead. Charlie Blackmon went 5 for 5 with a solo homer.

Jorge De La Rosa (14-11) gave up two hits in six scoreless innings to improve to 10-2 at home this season.

Frias gave up 10 hits, including seven straight to start the game, and eight runs. According to information provided to the teams by the Elias Sports Bureau, he’s the first pitcher in the modern era to allow 10 hits while getting less than three outs.

GIANTS 4, DIAMONDBACKS 2

PHOENIX — Pinch-hitter Matt Duffy had a tiebreaking single in the ninth inning for San Francisco.

Duffy’s one-out hit came on a full count against closer Addison Reed (1-6). Pablo Sandoval walked with one out, Brandon Crawford singled for his fourth hit and pinch-hitter Brandon Belt walked, setting up Duffy.

Sergio Romo (6-4) pitched one inning, and Duffy batted for him. Santiago Casilla got his 17th save.

Crawford had an RBI double in the second for a 1-0 lead.

Andrew Chafin, making just his second major league start, tied it in the Arizona second with an RBI single off Madison Bumgarner. The hit came in Chafin’s first big league at-bat.

Bumgarner labored through six innings allowing at least two baserunners in the first three. Trying for his 19th win, he gave up seven hits and struck out six.

YANKEES 3, RAYS 2

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Derek Jeter ended an 0-for-28 slump that was the second-worst of his career, and New York beat Tampa Bay.

The retiring Yankees captain lined a single off Alex Cobb leading off the sixth inning. Jeter had an 0-for-32 stretch in April 2004.

Jeter, who lives in nearby Tampa, went 1 for 4 and scored a run in his final game at Tropicana Field. He got a loud ovation from the announced crowd of 26,332 before grounding out in his last at-bat in the seventh.

Brandon McCarthy (7-4) allowed two runs and four hits in seven innings. Dellin Betances and David Robertson, who got his 37th save, completed a five-hitter.

Cobb (9-8) had his streak of allowing two runs or less in 12 consecutive starts — tied for third-best by an AL pitcher in 100 years — come to an end. He gave up three runs and four hits over six innings.

Evan Longoria hit a solo home run and had an RBI grounder for the Rays.

ROYALS 6, WHITE SOX 2

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Lorenzo Cain hit a three-run homer, Nori Aoki kept up his tear at the plate and Kansas City roughed up Chicago ace Chris Sale to cut Detroit’s AL Central lead to a half-game.

The Royals will face the Tigers in a weekend series in Kansas City.

Alcides Escobar also homered for a Royals offense that had been scuffling for weeks, and Aoki went 3 for 4 to finish with 11 hits in the series. Yordano Ventura (13-10) allowed three hits and two walks over seven innings, the lone run off him coming on a sacrifice fly.

Meanwhile, Sale (12-4) was cuffed for a season-high five earned runs on nine hits over five innings.

TWINS 8, TIGERS 4

MINNEAPOLIS — Danny Santana tripled, doubled and drove in two runs and the Minnesota beat Detroit.

Kyle Gibson (12-11) recovered from a rough start to pitch Minnesota to its second straight win.

Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera went 4 for 5 with a pair of doubles but was thrown out after a costly baserunning mistake in the seventh. With the Twins up 6-4 and Torii Hunter on first, Cabrera hit a one-out double to advance Hunter to third. Victor Martinez grounded to first base and Cabrera — apparently expecting Hunter to break for the plate — was tagged out for an inning-ending double play.

David Price (14-12) allowed eight hits and five runs. He’s 3-4 since joining Detroit in a trade with Tampa Bay.

CARDINALS 2, BREWERS 0

ST. LOUIS — Adam Wainwright posted his 19th win, pitching a shutout as St. Louis beat Milwaukee to hold its 2 1/2-game edge in the NL Central.

Wainwright (19-9) worked around seven hits and tied for the major league lead in wins and shutouts.

St. Louis has won four of five and kept its advantage over second-place Pittsburgh. Milwaukee dropped 2 1/2 games behind the Pirates for the second NL wild-card spot.

Wainwright struck out seven and walked two in his ninth career shutout. He has thrown three shutouts this year, matching Detroit’s Rick Porcello and Miami’s Henderson Alvarez for most in the majors. Wainwright and Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw are atop the majors in wins.

It was the Cardinals’ 21st shutout of the season, their most since they had 30 in 1968.

Mike Fiers (6-3) held the Cardinals hitless until Wainwright singled up the middle with two outs in the sixth. It was Fiers’ first start since beaning Miami’s Giancarlo Stanton last week, ending his season.

INDIANS 2, ASTROS 0

HOUSTON — Carlos Carrasco threw a two-hitter with a career-high 12 strikeouts to lead Cleveland past Houston.

Yan Gomes had an RBI single in the fourth inning and a run-scoring triple in the sixth.

Carrasco (8-5) walked one in his first career complete game. His previous best for strikeouts was 10 on Sept. 2 at Detroit, and his longest outing had been 8 2-3 innings on Sept. 7 at the Chicago White Sox.

The right-hander retired his first seven batters before walking Jon Singleton in the third. Carrasco did not allow a hit until Jose Altuve’s infield single leading off the fourth.

Altuve had another infield single with two outs in the ninth, snapping a streak of 17 straight batters retired by Carrasco. Altuve leads the majors with 213 hits, which ties Dustin Pedroia for the most by a second baseman since 1974. Pedroia had 213 hits for Boston in 2008, when he won the AL MVP award.

Houston’s Brett Oberholtzer (5-12) gave up two runs and seven hits in 7 2-3 innings.

ORIOLES 6, BLUE JAYS 1

BALTIMORE — Steve Pearce homered twice and drove in four runs and AL East champion Baltimore beat Toronto for a three-game sweep.

Pearce hit a solo shot in the third inning and a three-run drive in the fifth. He has 20 homers this year, three more than the 31-year-old had previously in his entire career. Pearce, who also connected Tuesday night in the division-clinching victory, has seven RBIs in his last two games.

In the seventh inning, Aaron Sanchez threw a high, inside pitch that sent Pearce to the ground. Then, for the third time in three games, the plate umpire warned both teams about throwing at batters.

Bud Norris (14-8) allowed two hits and five walks in 5 1-3 scoreless innings to improve to 4-0 lifetime against Toronto. It was the 10th win in 11 games for the Orioles.

J.A. Happ (9-11) gave up both homers to Pearce and lost his third straight start.

PIRATES 9, RED SOX 1

PITTSBURGH — Gregory Polanco, Neil Walker and Ike Davis homered and Pittsburgh beat Boston to maintain its grip on the second National League wild-card spot.

Polanco and Walker hit solo homers off Boston starter Clay Buchholz (8-9) and Davis drilled a three-run shot to center off Steven Wright. The Pirates have won 10 of 12.

Francisco Liriano (6-10) won his third straight start, allowing one run in six innings. The left-hander has given up two runs or less in 11 of his 12 starts since the All-Star break.

Boston rookie centerfielder Rusney Castillo went 1 for 4 in his major league debut. The Cuban defector signed a seven-year, $72.5-million deal last month.

BRAVES 3, NATIONALS 1

ATLANTA — Three runs scored on Christian Bethancourt’s single in the sixth inning and Atlanta beat Washington, a day after the Nationals wrapped up the NL East title.

Steven Souza Jr. hit his first career homer for the Nationals.

Alex Wood (11-10) allowed one run on five hits with eight strikeouts in six innings. Craig Kimbrel pitched a perfect ninth for his 44th save, his first since Sept. 6.

Ross Detwiler (2-3) was the loser.

Washington manager Matt Williams gave his regulars a day off.

CUBS 3, REDS 1

CHICAGO — Kyle Hendricks kept up his impressive rookie season, pitching seven strong innings to help Chicago beat Cincinnati for a series sweep.

Chris Valaika, Ryan Kalish and Luis Valbuena each had a run-scoring hit as the Cubs won their third straight. They improved to 38-36 at Wrigley Field despite being 16 games under .500 overall.

The Reds have dropped four in a row overall. They scored just one run in the three-game series against the Cubs, and were held to one hit in a shutout loss Tuesday night.

Hendricks (7-2) allowed one run and seven hits. He walked none, struck out four and left with a 2.28 ERA.

Hector Rondon pitched the ninth for his 25th save in 29 chances.

Daniel Corcino (0-1) lost in his second big league start.

MARLINS 4, METS 3

NEW YORK — Henderson Alvarez ended a three-start winless streak, and Miami beat New York to finish a trying 10-game trip in which they lost All-Star slugger Giancarlo Stanton to a season-ending injury when he was hit in the face by a pitch.

The Marlins built a 3-0 lead in the first two innings against Dillon Gee (7-8) and held on to open a two-game lead over the Mets for third place in the NL East. New York (73-80) must go 8-1 to avoid a sixth straight losing season, one shy of the franchise record.

Before the game, the Marlins said Stanton won’t play again in the majors this season. Stanton was hit by a fastball from Milwaukee’s Mike Fiers last Thursday and sustained facial fractures, concussion symptoms, dental damage, cuts that required stitches and two black eyes.

PHILLIES 5, PADRES 2

SAN DIEGO — Cole Hamels dominated San Diego again as Philadelphia ended a three-game losing skid.

Hamels (9-7) struck out nine in seven innings and allowed one run. He scattered seven hits and a walk. It marked his 21st straight start in which he was charged with three runs or fewer.

Over that span he is 8-4 with a 1.86 ERA. Only the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw (1.26) has a better ERA.

Hamels, who attended nearby Rancho Bernardo High and grew up a Padres fan, is 9-2 against San Diego.

Ben Revere had two RBIs and two hits to pace the Phillies.

Eric Stults (7-17) went 4 1-3 innings, giving up four runs and six hits. His 17th loss tied the Phillies’ A.J. Burnett, who lost Tuesday night, for most in the majors.