Left fielder Jack Cust made a diving catch on Shawn Riggans’ sinking liner in the third inning and hit a pair of two-run homers to lead the A’s 9-1 rout of the Rays, avoiding a three-game sweep.
The Marlins’ Ricky Nolasco, a one-time Cubs farmhand, outdueled Brandon Webb to hand the Diamondbacks’ ace his first loss in 10 decisions in a 3-1 win. Nolasco pitched seven innings of three-hit ball.
Vladimir Guerrero hit homers in his first two at-bats to account for all of the Angels’ scoring in a 4-3 win over the Blue Jays. After a solo shot in the first, he launched a three-run shot into the second deck in the third.
THREE DOWN
The Twins’ Alexi Casilla dropped a soft relay throw at second base on a potential force play for a costly error, opening the door for six unearned runs in a seven-run sixth inning in the Rangers’ 10-1 rout.
Brian Fuentes blew a 2-0 lead in the ninth, spoiling Ubaldo Jimenez’s gem in Rockies’ 3-2 loss to the Giants in 10 innings. Jimenez threw seven innings of three-hit ball in his best start of the season.
The Mariners’ Jarrod Washburn was pounded in his second straight start, allowing nine runs on 12 hits in 2 1/3 innings to the Tigers. In his previous start, he allowed seven runs in five innings to the White Sox.
———-
EDITED BY MIKE PANKOW AND THOMAS L. OUTLAW
