Indians avoid Braves sweep

CLEVELAND — Fausto Carmona pitched seven-plus innings to help the Cleveland Indians avoid a three-game sweep with a 5-2 win over the Atlanta Braves on Sunday. Casey Blake extended the majors' longest hitting streak of the season to 26 games as Cleveland won for only the third time in eight games.

Chipper Jones got his 2,000th hit, and Scott Thorman hit his eighth homer for Atlanta. Thorman ruined Carmona's bid for his second career shutout by hitting a drive to right to lead off the eighth inning. Carmona (8-2) was charged with two runs and five hits. He struck out five. Joe Borowski worked the ninth for his 100th career save. He is 20-for-22 in save chances this year.

NATIONALS 4, BLUE JAYS 2: At Toronto, Ryan Zimmerman homered for the second straight game for Washington, which overcame Frank Thomas' record 244th homer as a designated hitter. Thomas tied it at 2 with a solo homer in the third inning, moving him past Edgar Martinez for the most by a DH in major league history. It was his ninth of the season, the 496th of his career and first since May 31 against the Chicago White Sox.

ANGELS 10, DODGERS 4: At Los Angeles, Howie Kendrick and Orlando Cabrera had three hits each and drove in a combined three runs, helping the Angels clinch the second Freeway Series of the season. Kelvim Escobar (8-3) allowed three runs and eight hits in seven innings. The right-hander struck out eight and walked two. Gary Matthews Jr. hit an inside-the-park homer in the eighth.

CARDINALS 10, ATHLETICS 6: At Oakland, Calif., Ryan Ludwick hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the seventh inning and drove in a career-high five runs, leading St. Louis to their first interleague series win in four tries this season. Colby Lewis (0-2) allowed three straight singles to start the seventh before Ludwick's high drive landed in the elevated seats in left-center for his third homer. Lewis' streak of 24 straight retired batters ended on Albert Pujols' base hit up the middle to start the rally.

ROYALS 5, MARLINS 4: At Kansas City, Brian Bannister won his fourth consecutive start, Esteban German drove in the go-ahead run and Kansas City improved to 8-4 in interleague play. The Royals have won all four series this season against National League teams — St. Louis, Philadelphia, Colorado and Florida. Bannister (4-3) worked six-plus innings, allowing four runs and nine hits with a walk.

DIAMONDBACKS 6, ORIOLES 4: At Baltimore, Chad Tracy singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, and Arizona capitalized on another poor performance by the Baltimore bullpen in a victory that extended the Orioles' losing streak to eight. Eric Byrnes and Chris Snyder homered for the Diamondbacks, who outscored Baltimore 21-11 during a three-game sweep.