AFP/New York

 

GOTCHA! New York Mets catcher Josh Thole (R) tags out St. Louis Cardinals David Freese at home-plate during the sixth inning of their MLB National League baseball game at CitiField in New York. (Reuters

The Texas Rangers snapped a four-game losing streak with a 7-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday to avoid being swept in the three-game series.
The Rangers’ recent slump had allowed the Angels to pull within 3 ½ games of them in the American League West but the reigning American League champions (32-22) fought them off with a series-ending road win.
“We were happy with the way we played,” designated hitter Michael Young told reporters. “It was just one game, but there were some things we want to make adjustments on and we did a pretty good job.”
Texas took a 2-0 lead in the fifth inning but it was trimmed to 3-2 by the seventh, when Nelson Cruz blasted a two-run home run to put the Rangers in winning position.
Facing a 3-0 count, Cruz crushed a pitch from reliever Bobby Cassevah that traveled 484 feet (147.5 metres) for the longest homer in the Majors this season.
“I can’t hit it any harder than that,” Cruz said.
Starter Matt Harrison tossed six 2/3 innings and allowed three runs to earn the victory, while his offense added two runs in the ninth.
Elvis Andrus finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs and the Rangers banged out 14 hits for the day.
Despite the loss, Los Angeles (28-27) remain second in the division standings having won 10 of their last 12 games.
Dan Haren took the latest loss for the Angels after allowing two runs over five innings.
Mike Trout went 2-for-5 with an RBI and John Hester added a solo home run.

Comedian Bill Maher buys stake in NY Mets team - reports
New York: Comedian and talk show host Bill Maher purchased a minority ownership stake in the New York Mets Major League Baseball team, according to media reports late on Sunday.
Maher revealed that he bought a minority share of the team months ago, but gave no details of the deal, the reports said.
“I just thought it would be a great place, especially after I’ve seen some of the ways money can disappear in recent years.
“I had my money in Lehman Brothers in 2008,” the New York Times quoted Maher as saying.
The Mets, who live in the shadow of the much more successful New York Yankees, have struggled in recent years.
Shares of the cash-strapped club were put up for sale after it suffered financial setbacks in the Bernard Madoff Ponzi scheme scandal.
In March, Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz, owners of the Mets, agreed to pay $162 million to settle a lawsuit by the trustee seeking money for the victims of Madoff’s fraud.
In a video clip that the Mets published on its Twitter page, the comedian said he became a Mets fan when he was six and “I have really never wavered for my love for this team.”

RESULTS
NY YANKEES 5 DETROIT 1
TORONTO 5 BOSTON 1
ATLANTA 3 WASHINGTON 2
MIAMI 5 PHILADELPHIA 1
TAMPA BAY 8 BALTIMORE 4
HOUSTON 5 CINCINNATI 3
PITTSBURGH 6 MILWAUKEE 5
CHICAGO WHITE SOX 4 SEATTLE 2
KANSAS CITY 2 OAKLAND 0
MINNESOTA 6 CLEVELAND 3
COLORADO 3 LA DODGERS 2
TEXAS 7 LA ANGELS 3
SAN FRANCISCO 2 CHICAGO CUBS 0
ARIZONA 6 SAN DIEGO 0
NY METS 6 ST. LOUIS 1