Kansas City Royals starting pitcher James Shields pitches against the New York Yankees during the seventh inning of their American League game in New York on Tuesday.
AFP/Chicago
Alex Rios matched an American League record with six hits and Dayan Viciedo added two homers—including a three-run blast—as the Chicago White Sox beat Detroit 11-4 on Tuesday.
“I don’t know how to describe it,” Rios said of going 6-for-6 at the plate. “It’s fun and when you feel that you’re making progress it feels even better.” Rios smacked a triple and five singles to become the 32nd American League player to notch six hits in a nine-inning game. He is the first White Sox player to match the record since Lance Johnson did it in 1995. Four of his hits came against Tigers ace Justin Verlander, and Rios added two stolen bases to boot.
It was a welcome win for the struggling White Sox over the AL Central division leading Tigers.
Chicago starter Jose Quintana won for just the third time in 13 games, allowing only three runs on six hits, striking out seven and walking one.
Adam Dunn also homered during the decisive eighth inning. Verlander surrendered five runs on 12 hits with just three strikeouts and one walk in seven-plus innings.
“I wasn’t crisp...just one of those days it happens,” Verlander said. “I felt good, but I just wasn’t able to execute there in the eighth.”
Meanwhile, Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright earned his 12th win of the season to tie the National League lead on Tuesday as St. Louis beat Houston 9-5.
Wainwright (12-5) struck out nine over seven strong innings, allowing just one run, to join Washington’s Jordan Zimmermann at the top of the NL wins category.
Matt Carpenter had three early RBIs to spark St. Louis to a 7-0 lead then they held on for a fourth straight victory, while NL Central rivals Pittsburgh fell 1 ½ games behind after a 2-1 loss to Oakland took their losing streak to four straight.
Brandon Moss hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning and the Athletics leaned on pitcher Dan Straily, who allowed just one run in 6 1/3 innings to beat a quality start from Pirates pitcher Gerrit Cole.
It was a third straight win for American League West leaders Oakland, who remain a half-game in front of Texas.
In San Diego, Eric Stults pitched a complete game to snap the Padres’ 10-game losing streak with a 2-1 win over Colorado.
Stults threw eight shutout innings but surrendered an RBI single to Nolan Arenado in the ninth before getting the final out.