Hendriks gets win as Blue Jays beat Athletics

Atlanta Braves third baseman Ramiro Pena (right) slides in safe at home plate ahead of the throw to Colorado Rockies catcher Jordan Pacheco (left) in the eighth inning of their MLB baseball game at Turner Field in Atlanta, Georgia, on Friday.

AFP/Toronto

Promoted from Triple-A to face the Athletics, who came in with the best record in the majors, Hendriks (1-0) allowed one run and three hits in 5 2-3 innings. The right-hander walked three and struck out three.

After going 2-13 with a 6.06 ERA in 30 games over three seasons with Minnesota, Hendriks said the chance to pitch for the Blue Jays was “huge.’’

“I was given opportunities in Minnesota and didn’t capitalise on them,’’ the Australian right-hander said. “Now I’ve got a different mindset coming into the season, getting aggressive and getting after guys early and it’s paying dividends already.’’

Hendriks was 5-0 with a 1.48 ERA at Triple-A before being promoted, and Blue Jays manager John Gibbons is willing to see how long the unbeaten streak can last. “I would definitely say he’s earned another start,’’ Gibbons said.

Hendriks came in 0-1 with a 5.51 ERA in three career games against the Athletics, but was able to keep the AL West leaders in check.

“He was able to move his fastball around and elevate it,’’ Oakland’s Jed Lowrie said. “It looked like he kept guys just a little bit off balance.’’

Brandon Moss homered for the seventh time in 18 games for the Athletics, who lost their second straight following a five-game winning streak. Oakland’s loss was just its third in the past 14 games overall.

“We did the things that it takes to win a game, it just didn’t happen,’’ Moss said.

Elsewhere, Atlanta Braves catcher Gerald Laird had the tie-breaking hit with two outs in the eighth inning, and Craig Kimbrel struck out the side in the ninth to record his 13th save as the Braves handed the Rockies a costly loss with a 3-2 verdict.

Rockies (26-22) third baseman Nolan Arenado, who won a Gold Glove as a rookie last year, fractured the middle finger on his left hand during a head-first slide in the second inning and is expected to be sidelined for a considerable length of time.

Clayton Kershaw pitched six innings of shutout ball, while his offense scored two early runs to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a win over the Philadelphia Phillies.

Kershaw tied a season high with nine strikeouts, and impressively escaped two jams by twice retiring the heart of the Phillies’ order with two men aboard and none out.

In doing so, the Dodgers’ lefty picked up his third victory in five starts this season and helped Los Angeles (26-23) win its NL-leading 17th road game.

Philadelphia has lost three straight to tie its season low of five games below .500 (20-25).

Pablo Sandoval belted a three-run home run in the first inning to give the San Francisco Giants a lead they never relinquished in a victory over the Minnesota Twins.

Second baseman Brandon Hicks drove in two runs with a homer and a sacrifice fly, and center fielder Angel Pagan had a double and a triple as the Giants (30-18) became the second team in baseball to reach the 30-win mark.