HOUSTON -- Evan Gattis hit a two-run homer to help Dallas Keuchel earn his eighth straight win, and the Houston Astros kept rolling with a 6-1 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday.
The Astros improved to an American League-best 27-14, giving them the best start through 41 games in franchise history. Sitting atop the AL West, this is the latest the Astros have led their division since May 22, 2004.
Keuchel (6-0) allowed six hits and no earned runs in seven innings to lower his ERA to 1.67. He's won eight straight decisions dating back to last year, which is the longest streak by a starter in the majors. And his 6-0 mark this year is the best by an Astro since Roger Clemens opened the 2004 season at 9-0.
NATIONALS 3, YANKEES 2
WASHINGTON -- Cleanup hitter Bryce Harper and manager Matt Williams were both ejected in the third inning, but Washington came back to beat New York on Denard Span's tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh.
Harper, the NL Player of the Week twice in a row, entered with 10 homers in his previous 12 games.
In his second at-bat, he got into an argument with plate umpire Marvin Hudson after a first-pitch strike call and was tossed. Williams then came out of the dugout to move Harper out of the way and get in Hudson's face, leading to the second ejection.
After getting kicked out, Williams went over and kicked dirt on home plate -- with one swipe by each foot.
Span drove in an unearned, go-ahead run with a bases-loaded single off reliever Justin Wilson.
CARDINALS 9, METS 0
NEW YORK -- Matt Adams hit a long three-run homer, Jason Heyward also connected and St. Louis enjoyed a second consecutive offensive outburst, roughing up Bartolo Colon in a rout of New York.
Matt Holliday and Kolten Wong both had three hits to back Carlos Martinez (4-2), who pitched 6 1-3 innings of four-hit ball in ending his two-game skid. Following a 10-2 victory Tuesday night, the Cardinals improved the best record in the majors to 27-13.
Pitching four days before his 42nd birthday, Colon (6-3) finally began to show his age.
Trying again to become baseball's first seven-game winner, he was hit hard all game and even walked two batters -- one more than he had all season.
And coupled with Washington's victory over the New York Yankees, the Mets' loss dropped them out of first place in the NL East for the first time since April 14.
RANGERS 2, RED SOX 1
BOSTON -- Phil Klein allowed one run in his first major league start, Robinson Chirinos hit a solo homer and Texas beat Boston.
The Rangers took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Elvis Andrus after singles by Adrian Beltre and Mitch Moreland. They made it 2-0 in the third when Chirinos hit his fourth homer of the season.
Klein, called up Wednesday from Triple-A Round Rock, allowed four hits through four scoreless innings before giving up a leadoff homer to Xander Bogaerts, his second of the year, in the fifth.
Texas won for only the second time in six games and split the first two games of the three-game series.
Klein (1-0), who has 23 relief appearances in his career, left with runners at first and second and one out in the sixth.
ANGELS 4, BLUE JAYS 3
TORONTO -- Marc Krauss hit a go-ahead two-run double in the seventh inning and Los Angeles rallied to beat Toronto for its seventh win in nine games.
Mike Trout hit a solo homer and Jered Weaver pitched seven innings to win his third straight start. The Angels have rallied to win in five of their past six victories.
Krauss's key hit came one inning after he replaced Albert Pujols, who left after being hit on the left hand by a pitch from Toronto's Drew Hutchison. The Angels said Pujols suffered a contusion.
Weaver (3-4) allowed three runs and four hits.
Joe Smith worked the eighth and Huston Street finished for his 14th save.
Toronto lost for the ninth time in 11 games.
BRAVES 2, RAYS 1
ATLANTA -- Williams Perez gave up one run over five innings in his first major league start and fellow rookie Todd Cunningham drove in the tiebreaking run with a groundout as Atlanta beat Tampa Bay.
The Braves bullpen threw four scoreless innings to close out the win for Brandon Cunniff (2-0). Jason Grilli picked up his 12th save to ensure a split of the two-game series.
Freddie Freeman scored the go-ahead run after reaching on a ground-rule double in the sixth inning. He advanced to third on Nick Markakis' single and scored on Cunningham's grounder.
Rays right-hander Jake Odorizzi (3-4) allowed two runs and four hits over six innings. It was the eighth time this season the Rays have scored two runs or less in one of his starts.
DIAMONDBACKS 6, MARLINS 1
MIAMI -- Chase Anderson allowed four hits in a career-high eight innings and Arizona dealt Miami its sixth straight loss.
David Peralta drove in three runs and A.J. Pollock had three of the Diamondbacks' six stolen bases. He had three hits and scored four times.
Anderson (1-1) picked up his first win of the season in eight starts. He walked one while striking out two. Anderson pitched into the ninth and left the bases loaded with nobody out, but Brad Ziegler was able to finish off the Marlins allowing just one run to score.
The Marlins have lost nine of 10 overall and all three games under new manager Dan Jennings.
David Phelps (2-1) allowed four runs, five hits, and three walks in five innings.
MARINERS 4, ORIOLES 2
BALTIMORE -- Roenis Elias took a four-hitter into the eighth inning, Justin Ruggiano homered and Seattle beat Wei-Yin Chen and Baltimore.
Elias (1-1) allowed one run, six hits and no walks in 7 2-3 innings. The left-hander did not permit a runner past first base until the seventh inning and at one point retired 10 in a row.
Although Elias didn't give up more than three runs in any of his previous four starts this season, the Mariners scored only six runs while he was in the game.
Ruggiano turned things around this time, scoring twice and driving in two runs. He came in batting .213 with one homer and one RBI in 26 games.
Carson Smith got the last out in the eighth and Fernando Rodney got his 10th save.
TIGERS 5, BREWERS 2
DETROIT -- Nick Castellanos hit a bases-loaded triple with two out in the eighth inning to lift Detroit to a victory.
The Tigers avoided a sweep in the three-game series thanks to a rally in their final at-bat. With two out, nobody on and the score tied at 2, Jonathan Broxton (1-1) allowed consecutive singles by J.D. Martinez and Yoenis Cespedes and a walk to Tyler Collins.
Castellanos' line drive down the line dropped in, then skipped past right fielder Gerardo Parra to clear the bases.
Blaine Hardy (2-0) struck out the only batter he faced for the win, and Joakim Soria pitched the ninth for his 13th save in 13 chances.
Ryan Braun homered for the Brewers.