OAKLAND, Calif. — Marcus Semien had three hits and a career-high five RBI, Stephen Piscotty homered and drove in four runs, and the Oakland Athletics hammered the Los Angeles Angels 21-3 on Thursday.

The Athletics reduced their magic number for clinching a playoff berth to four with Tampa Bay’s loss. Since June 15, Oakland is a major league-best 58-25.

Catcher Francisco Arcia pitched the last two innings for the Angels, who were outscored 32-2 in the last two games of the series. He also homered in the ninth.

Piscotty was 2 for 3 with a three-run homer. He’s 4 for 6 with two home runs and nine RBI in his last two games.

Matt Chapman was 2 for 4 with a double and two RBI. He leads the majors with 24 doubles since the All-Star break and has 41 on the year.

Edwin Jackson (6-3) struck out seven, walked three and gave up two runs in 51/3 innings of three-hit ball.

Mike Trout hit his 36th home run for the Angels, who have lost 5 of 7.

Matt Shoemaker (2-2) gave up five runs in 22/3 innings in his first start since returning from a forearm strain.

Oakland’s Nick Martini hit his first career home run, a two-run shot off Arcia.

The A’s evened their season series with the Angels at 8-8. Oakland will look for its first winning season against the Angels since 2013 when it concludes its regular season with a three-game series in Los Angeles later this month.

Oakland was 12 of 17 with runners in scoring position.

BLUE JAYS 9, RAYS 8: Justin Smoak homered with two outs in the ninth inning to cap a seven-run inning and give Toronto a win over visiting Tampa Bay.

Smoak hit his 25th homer of the season and third career walk-off blast. Sergio Romo (3-4) blew his eighth save in 30 opportunities.

Right-hander David Paulino (1-0) pitched an inning for the victory as Toronto won for the fourth time in its past five.

Trailing 8-2 to begin the ninth, the Blue Jays roared back to snap Tampa Bay’s five-game winning streak. Rowdy Tellez hit an RBI double and Danny Jansen chased Jamie Schultz with a three-run homer. Romo came on and struck out Richard Urena, but pinch-hitter Kendrys Morales singled and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. tied it with a two-run homer to left.

Smoak followed with a first pitch drive to right, Toronto’s fourth homer of the game.

C.J. Cron had three RBI for the Rays, who dropped 61/2 games behind Oakland in the race for the second AL wild card.

Oakland has nine games remaining while the Rays have 10, including six more with Toronto.

TIGERS 11, ROYALS 8: Christin Stewart hit his first two big-league homers and drove in six runs as Detroit won at home.

Stewart, a September call-up playing in his 11th game, became the first Tigers rookie to drive in six runs in a game since Ryan Raburn had seven against the Chicago White Sox on July 25, 2007.

Six Tigers had at least two hits and Detroit snapped a seven-game home losing streak. Kansas City has lost five in a row.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

REDS 4, MARLINS 2: Cody Reed was a winner in his first major league start, and Scooter Gennett homered and doubled to lead Cincinnati at Miami.

Reed (1-2) scattered five hits and struck out six in six shutout innings. The left-hander joined the starting rotation Aug. 30 and has thrown 11 consecutive scoreless innings.

Gennett’s two-run home run in the seventh gave Cincinnati a 4-0 lead. Gennett’s blast off Miami reliever Elieser Hernandez landed in the upper deck in right field and was his 23rd homer.

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