RANGERS 7, TIGERS 6
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Drew Stubbs kept running after his game-ending catch, taking a few more steps before scaling halfway up the center field wall. He was then getting a big hug from Texas Rangers closer Shawn Tolleson and plenty of high-fives.
Stubbs, who had entered the game only an inning before, ran down Ian Kinsler's drive in the right-center gap with two runners on base and the AL West-leading Texas Rangers beat the Detroit Tigers 7-6 to snap a three-game skid Tuesday night.
"I was a little unsure off the bat if I was going to be able to track it down," said Stubbs, who went up the wall in front of the Rangers bullpen. "To end it on a play like that, adrenaline more than momentum."
Manager Jeff Banister, his cap falling off his head, watched anxiously when the ball was hit. He patted pitching coach Mike Maddux on the back after Stubbs made the catch.
"You hang on every single pitch," Banister said. "To see the ball go up in the air, and see Stubbs tracking it down, there's a little emotion going on inside all of us, and really for him to run that down the way he did, yeah, we're going to release some emotion there. We might have released some emotion if he didn't catch it, too."
Texas started the night with a 1 1/2 game division lead over Houston and two games ahead of the Angels, who start a four-game series Thursday in Texas to end the regular season. The Astros were at Seattle and Los Angeles was home against Oakland later Tuesday night.
Adrian Beltre had three hits and drove in two runs, including Shin-Soo Choo when they had consecutive doubles in the fourth to break a 6-6 tie. Choo also had a two-run home run in the first.
Despite a shaky start to the game, Cole Hamels won his sixth consecutive decision. The left-hander retired 10 of the last 11 batters he faced and struck out 8 in 6 innings.
"I don't think it's one of the best starts you want to have, especially in this situation," Hamels said. "But definitely being able to get bailed out by the team, every one of those guys in the lineup came through. ... It definitely made the type of performance that I had, a little better and a little easier to move past."
Hamels is 6-1 in 11 starts since getting traded from Philadelphia at the end of July, and the Rangers have won his last nine starts after losing the first two. The lefty surpassed 200 innings for the seventh time in his career and 200 strikeouts for the fourth time.
Tolleson, the closer in only his third appearance in 14 days, got his 34th save in 36 chances after giving up two hits.
J.D. Martinez became the first Tigers outfielder since 2008 to reach 100 RBI with a two-run home run, his 38th of the season, in the first. He has 101 RBI, making him the first Tigers outfielder with 100 in a season since Magglio Ordonez had 103 in 2008.
But he couldn't reach Beltre's flyball to right in the fourth and the ball bounced into the seats for ground-rule double.
"That's a ball that needs to caught," Beltre said. "When he hit it, I was running and running, and I felt like I ran forever, and as I got close to the wall, I felt like the wall was a lot closer than it was."
Buck Farmer (0-4), the second of six Detroit pitchers, retired the first six batters he faced before the doubles by Choo and Beltre.
Tigers left-hander Daniel Norris was again on a pitch count in his third start back from an oblique injury. He was pulled after five perfect innings a week earlier against the Chicago White Sox at 63 pitches.
Norris threw 71 pitches in only 1 1/2 innings against Texas, and only two of the six runs against him were earned. He threw 54 pitches in the first, when the Tigers made two errors and fell behind 5-2.
RED SOX 10, YANKEES 4 Michael Pineda was hit hard at the start, and New York's playoff push was delayed once again by its longtime rival when visiting Boston got two home runs and five RBI from rookie catcher Blake Swihart.
WHITE SOX 4, ROYALS 2 Eric Hosmer and Kendrys Morales homered and Johnny Cueto threw six quality innings, but Kansas City lost to host Chicago. The Royals, who have lost four of their last five, fell behind 3-0 after Adam Eaton drove a two-run home run into the bullpen in right field off Cueto (10-13) in the fifth inning.
INTERLEAGUE
RAYS 4, MARLINS 2 Asdrubal Cabrera hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the eighth inning and host Tampa Bay beat Miami. Cabrera made it 4-2 with his one-out drive off Bryan Morris (5-4). Tampa Bay's Matt Moore, bidding to win consecutive starts, allowed 1 run and 7 hits in 7 innings.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
BRAVES 2, NATIONALS 1 A.J. Pierzynski hit two home runs and rookie Matt Wisler threw seven strong innings as host Atlanta beat Washington for just its fourth victory in 17 tries against the Nats. Wisler (7-8) picked up the victory, giving up 1 run while striking out 4 and walking 2.
PHILLIES 4, METS 3 Darin Ruf hit a three-run home run, Odubel Herrera had four hits and Philadelphia beat visiting New York to snap the Mets' franchise-record 11-game road winning streak. Lucas Duda hit two home runs for the NL East champion Mets, who hadn't lost away from home since Sept. 6, at Miami.
CUBS 4, REDS 1 Miguel Montero doubled home a pair of runs during Chicago's four-run first inning and Dan Haren pitched into the eighth, leading the Cubs to a victory over host Cincinnati following a long rain delay.
Sports on 09/30/2015