Encarnacion leads Blue Jays home

Another blast by Edwin Encarnacion helped make Blue Jays pitcher Mark Buehrle the first nine-game winner in the majors this season.

Buehrle won his season-best fifth straight decision, while Encarnacion and Adam Lind hit back-to-back home runs as Toronto extended their winning streak to eight games, beating the Tampa Bay Rays 9-6.

Juan Francisco also homered for the AL East-leading Blue Jays.

Buehrle said he’s grateful to have support from Encarnacion, who connected for the 14th time in May, matching Jose Bautista’s team record for home runs in a month. Bautista hit 14 homers in June 2012.

Buehrle (9-1) allowed four runs, three earned, and eight hits in 6 2-3 innings. The left-hander walked one and struck out three.

Casey Janssen finished for his eighth save in as many chances.

Tigers tame Athletics

The AL-Central leading Tigers ended a three-game losing streak with a 6-5 win over the Athletics, the Angles beat the Mariners 6-4 at Seattle, the Twins edged the Rangers 4-3 and the Astros had a 3-0 win over the Royals, giving Houston its first four-game winning streak since September.

In an interleague match up at St. Louis, Lance Lynn threw a five-hit shutout in his first career complete game and the St. Louis Cardinals got home runs from Allen Craig and Matt Holliday in a 6-0 victory over the Yankees.

The Dodgers beat the Reds 6-3, with Andre Ethier driving in Los Angeles’ first four runs with a homer and a bases-loaded triple, and Zack Greinke equalling a season high with 11 strikeouts.

The 2009 AL Cy Young Award winner was lifted after giving up a two-run homer by Devin Mesoraco on his 104th pitch _ ending Greinke’s streak of 22 consecutive starts in which he had allowed fewer than three earned runs.

At Milwaukee, Pitcher Yovani Gallardo delivered a pinch-hit double that drove home the winning run with two outs in the 10th inning to give the Brewers a 7-6 victory over the Orioles.