NEW YORK -- Evan Gattis hit two home runs, Collin McHugh excelled once again and the Houston Astros exceeded last season's win total, beating the New York Yankees 6-2 Wednesday.
The AL West leaders improved to 71-57, a year after going 70-92. With 34 games left on the schedule, the Astros already have achieved their best season since 2010.
The Yankees have lost five of seven, a slide that's cost them first place in the AL East.
Gattis sliced an opposite-field shot to right in the second inning and launched a long drive into the left field seats in the eighth. His third homer in two days gave him 22 this year and boosted the Astros' major league-leading total to 174.
McHugh (14-7) kept up a recent run of ace pitching, both for himself and the team with the top ERA in the league. Houston has won seven of nine, not permitting more than two runs in any game.
McHugh shut out the Yankees until Didi Gregorius hit a two-run homer in the seventh. He outpitched Michael Pineda (9-8) for the second time this year and has allowed just seven runs in his last five starts.
A day after a 15-1 romp that saw excitable Carlos Gomez get into a dustup with the Yankees, there weren't any signs of ill will between the teams. Houston star Jose Altuve was hit in the shoulder by a pitch in the ninth and merely looked at reliever Nick Goody as he walked to first base.
Gomez and Evan Gattis both homered and drove in four runs Tuesday night, as Dallas Keuchel (University of Arkansas) held New York scoreless for the second time this season and became the first 15-game winner in the American League.
Gomez busted out of a hitting slump along with several teammates and rankled the Yankees with his flashy style.
The center fielder jawed with players in New York's dugout after flipping his bat aside when he flied out in the sixth inning, then stood nose to nose with young catcher John Ryan Murphy before they were separated. Both benches and bullpens emptied, but the teams quickly went their respective ways without any pushing or shoving.
His next time up, Gomez launched a three-run homer into the Yankees' bullpen in right-center to cap a six-run seventh.
Cards 9, Diamondbacks 1
PHOENIX -- Tommy Pham had his second career three-hit game, Jaime Garcia pitched six strong innings and St. Louis cruised past Arizona.
Three days after his first three-hit game, Pham singled twice and got his second career triple. He scored three times.
Six players had RBI for the Cardinals, two apiece for Jhonny Peralta, Jason Heyward and Yadier Molina. The Cardinals' Peter Bourjos' got his first career pinch-hit home run.
Garcia (6-4) allowed a run and four hits, striking out six and walking one. The Cardinals, 35 games above .500, earned their MLB-best 80th victory and lengthened their lead to five games over second-place Pittsburgh in the NL Central.
Robbie Ray (3-10) lasted three innings plus two batters. He allowed six runs and five hits. Ray walked five, hit a batter and struck out one.
Cubs 8, Giants 5
SAN FRANCISCO -- Kyle Schwarber, Miguel Montero and Starlin Castro all hit home runs in support of another solid outing from Jake Arrieta, and Chicago won its sixth straight.
Schwarber's towering, three-run homer in the third set the tone for the Cubs, who have won 21 of 25 games to pull 7 1/2 games ahead of the Giants for the second wild-card spot.
Arrieta (16-6) had his 13th consecutive quality start, the longest streak by a Cubs pitcher in 23 years. He allowed an unearned run on four hits in six-plus innings.
Arrieta, who took over the major-league lead for wins, walked one and struck out eight, lowering his ERA to 2.22, second in the NL behind Los Angeles Dodgers' Zack Greinke's 1.67.
Hector Rondon pitched the ninth for his 24th save.
Marlins 5, Pirates 2
MIAMI -- Major-league batting leader Dee Gordon tied a career high with four stolen bases, had two infield hits and scored twice, helping the Marlins beat the Pirates.
Miami's Brad Hand (4-3) pitched into the ninth inning. He came into the game 7-20 as a starter, worst among all active pitchers, according to STATS, but has won three of his past four starts.
A.J. Ramos came on with two on and no outs in the ninth and earned his 22nd save in 27 chances.
Gordon scored the Marlins' first run and reached on a bunt single to begin their three-run sixth against Charlie Morton (8-5). Gordon turned two double plays at second base, including a nifty one started by third baseman Martin Prado.
Blue Jays 6, Rangers 5
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Troy Tulowitzki had a game-tying RBI single in the ninth inning before Adrian Beltre's throwing error allowed another Toronto run to score as the AL East-leading Blue Jays rallied for a victory Tuesday night.
Rangers closer Shawn Tolleson walked two of the first three batters he faced. After pinch-hitter Justin Smoak flied out, Tulowitzki looped a single to left to tie the game 5-5. Josh Donaldson then hit a high chopper to Beltre, the four-time Gold Glove third baseman who fielded the ball before a wide throw to first base.
It was only the second blown save this season for Tolleson (5-3), who has 25 saves and had converted his last 12 chances.
Royals 3, Orioles 2
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kendrys Morales hit a solo homer, Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer also drove in runs and the Royals leaned on their bullpen to beat the Orioles.
Danny Duffy (7-6) dodged trouble for most of 5 2-3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks. The left-hander struck out five in a start that began in crisp efficiency and ended with the Orioles threatening to pull ahead in the sixth inning.
Luke Hochevar calmed things down with an inning of relief, though. Kelvin Herrera had no trouble with the rest of the seventh and eighth, and Wade Davis pitched a perfect ninth in place of closer Greg Holland to earn his 12th save.
Miguel Gonzalez (9-10) allowed all three runs on six hits and three walks in 4 1-3 innings.
Angels 8, Tigers 7
DETROIT -- Albert Pujols homered and the Angels scored three times on wild pitches.
Both teams came into the game with four-game losing streaks, dropping the Angels 1 Ā½ games behind Texas for the second American League wild-card spot and the Tigers to sixth, 5 Ā½ games back.
Jered Weaver (6-9) picked up the win, despite allowing six runs on seven hits in 5 2-3 innings. Weaver struck out one batter and didn't issue a walk.
Huston Street got the final four outs for his 30th save.
Mets 6, Phillies 5
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Michael Cuddyer hit a go-ahead two-run, pinch-hit single in the sixth inning and Noah Syndergaard finally won on the road as the Mets beat the Phillies for their fifth-straight victory.
Yoenis Cespedes homered for the Mets, who have won 17 of their last 23 to remain 5Ā½ games up on the Nationals in the NL East.
Ryan Howard and Freddy Galvis homered for Philadelphia, which has lost seven straight to the Mets.
Syndergaard (8-6) did just enough to earn his first road victory of the season in his 10th try. He entered 0-5 with a 5.05 ERA away from Citi Field while 8-1 with a 1.82 at home. In five innings, Syndergaard allowed four runs, two earned, and four hits with nine strikeouts and two walks.
Nationals 8, Padres 3
WASHINGTON -- Stephen Strasburg allowed two hits over six innings, Ryan Zimmerman hit a grand slam and the Nationals beat the Padres.
Wilson Ramos also homered for the Nationals.
Strasburg (8-6) struck out seven and walked one. The right-hander retired the final 15 batters he faced. Strasburg is 5-1 with a 1.51 ERA in his last seven starts and 5-1 in his career against the Padres.
Zimmerman connected in the sixth off Bud Norris for an 8-2 lead. It was his fifth career slam, the first since 2013.
Sports on 08/27/2015