DETROIT – Max Scherzer improved to 10-0 and struck out 10, Miguel Cabrera hit a two-run homer and the Detroit Tigers beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-1 on Monday night.

Scherzer became the first pitcher to begin a season 10-0 — with all decisions coming in starts — since Roger Clemens went 11-0 for Toronto in 1997, according to STATS.

Scherzer is the second pitcher in Detroit history to start this strong since 1909 when George Mullin was 11-0 with one victory as a reliever, the Elias Sports Bureau said in information provided by the Tigers.

Scherzer allowed one run and seven hits in six innings.

Chris Davis hit his major league-leading 24th homer in the second, but struck out with the bases loaded in the fifth and the Orioles down by two runs.

RANGERS 8, ATHLETICS 7: Nelson Cruz homered twice, A.J. Pierzynski drove in three runs and host Texas snapped a six-game losing streak.

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The Rangers totaled only eight runs during what was the longest active skid in the majors.

ROYALS 2, INDIANS 1: Pinch-runner Elliot Johnson scored from third base on a wild pitch by reliever Matt Albers in the ninth inning, giving Kansas City a win at Cleveland.

Johnson sprinted home and slid in safely after Albers’ pitch got under catcher Carlos Santana and went all the way to the backstop.

The Royals have won 11 of 13 and in getting to .500 for the first time since May 21 moved past Cleveland into second place in the AL Central.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

REDS 4, PIRATES 1: Zack Cozart and Todd Frazier hit upper-deck homers off left-hander Francisco Liriano, and host Cincinnati moved a season-high 15 games over .500.

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The Reds hit four solo homers, extending their best start since 1995, the last time they won a playoff series.

Cozart connected in the fourth and Frazier in the sixth off Liriano (5-3), who hadn’t allowed a homer in his seven previous starts. He opened the season on the disabled list, recovering from a broken right arm last December.

Joey Votto and Jay Bruce connected in the eighth off Bryan Morris.

Mike Leake (7-3) extended the best stretch of his four-year career, giving up six hits — including Russell Martin’s RBI double — in seven innings.

PHILLIES 5, NATIONALS 4: Domonic Brown hit an RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Philadelphia a win over visiting Washington.

The Nationals tied it at 4 when Chad Tracy hit a solo homer with two outs in the ninth off closer Jonathan Papelbon (1-0). It was the first blown save for Papelbon, who had converted his previous 13 chances.

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Ben Revere led off the Phillies’ ninth with a single against Fernando Abad (0-2). Revere was running on Jimmy Rollins’ one-out single and easily reached third base.

Abad struck out pinch-hitter Steven Lerud for the second out before Brown fisted the winning hit to center. Papelbon was the first player to greet Brown in celebration as he was rounding first base.

INTERLEAGUE

BLUE JAYS 2, ROCKIES 0: Maicer Izturis hit a two-run single in the eighth inning as host Toronto won its sixth straight.

Josh Johnson struck out a season-high 10 over 71/3 innings but remained winless in seven starts with Toronto, having received only 13 runs of support. Brett Cecil (3-0) got two outs for the victory and Casey Janssen finished for his 14th save in 15 chances.

Izturis had two of Toronto’s three hits as the Blue Jays won six straight for the first time since May 10-16, 2011.

 


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