Athletics Complete Sweep of Rangers

Scott Hatteberg drove in three runs, and the streaking Oakland Athletics completed a four-game sweep of the Texas Rangers with an 8-3 victory Sunday at Arlington, Texas.

The A’s, who extended their winning streak to six games, have won 26 of 32 overall to get back in the playoff race and build a 4 1/2 -game lead over the Rangers for second place in the American League West Division.

Texas lost its fifth game in a row and fell to 2-9 since the All-Star break. The Rangers, who have lost seven of eight to Oakland since the break, dipped under .500 (48-49) for the first time since they were 13-14 on May 2.

Chicago 6, Boston 4 -- Tadahito Iguchi homered, and Jose Contreras (6-6) threw 116 pitches in 5 2/3 innings in 100-degree heat at Chicago, where the White Sox gained a split of the four-game series between division leaders. Iguchi hit a two-run homer against Bronson Arroyo (8-6) in the second inning to give the White Sox a 4-2 lead. He finished with three runs batted in.

Cleveland 6, Seattle 3 -- Kevin Millwood (4-9) won for the first time in five July starts, and Victor Martinez hit a three-run homer at Cleveland. Martinez’s seventh-inning homer gave Millwood more runs with one swing than the Indians have averaged in his 18 starts. Millwood gave up two runs -- one earned -- and three hits in 7 2/3 innings.

Detroit 5, Minnesota 2 -- The Tigers (49-49) reached .500 by winning 12 of 18, including three of five against the Twins and two of three against the White Sox. Jeremy Bonderman (13-6) is second in the league in wins, trailing 15-game winner Jon Garland of the White Sox.

Tampa Bay 6, Baltimore 2 -- Carl Crawford hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning to help the Devil Rays complete a sweep of the Orioles. Sammy Sosa of the Orioles hit his 585th home run, moving him to within one of Frank Robinson for fifth on the all-time list.

Kansas City 6, Toronto 5 -- The Royals rallied from a 4-0 deficit at Kansas City, Mo. Chad Gaudin (1-3) started the fifth inning and pitched 1 2/3 innings, giving up two runs and four hits. Joe McEwing’s run-scoring double gave the Royals a 5-4 lead, and Emil Brown’s run-scoring single made it 6-4.