Derek Norris powers A’s to win over Yankees

Oakland, California: Oakland’s Derek Norris homered and drove in four runs to power the Athletics to a 6-4 win over the New York Yankees on Tuesday, moving level with Texas atop the American League West division.

Bartolo Colon (8-2) pitched six scoreless innings for the A’s, who are equal on games with Texas after the Rangers lost to Cleveland, trailing only on winning percentage.

Elsewhere, Matt Joyce took a measure of revenge by leading Tampa Bay over Boston, Gerrit Cole starred in his debut to lead Pittsburgh over San Francisco, and San Diego edged out Atlanta.

Colorado’s Jhoulys Chacin got back on the winning track by pitching the Rockies past Washington, Detroit ended Kansas City’s winning streak, and St. Louis overpowered the struggling New York Mets.

Oakland’s win started in the best possible way, as Coco Crisp led off the game with a homer before Norris and Colon (8-2) took over.

The A’s lost outfielder Yoenis Cespedes to a hamstring strain sustained in the first inning.

Tampa Bay’s Matt Joyce, who was hit by a pitch which sparked a bench-clearing brawl the previous day, hit a two-run homer to help the Rays to an 8-3 win over Boston.

Red Sox starter Jon Lester (6-3) gave up three homers and had his winless streak reach five starts, including three losses. He conceded seven runs and seven walks in 4 2-3 innings.

Pittsburgh’s Gerrit Cole had a debut to remember, pitching scoreless ball into the seventh inning and hitting a two-run single in his first at-bat as the Pirates beat San Francisco 8-2.

The top pick in the 2011 draft, Cole lasted 6 1-3 innings after being called up from the minors earlier in the day. He began his highly touted career with a three-pitch strikeout — all 96-mph fastballs.

San Diego’s Andrew Cashner outduelled Tim Hudson, leading the Padres to a 3-2 win over Atlanta.

Cashner (5-3) pitched a career high eight innings, allowing two runs, striking out five and walking one. At one point he retired 10 straight batters after giving up a run in the first inning.

Hudson (4-6) pitched 7 1-3 innings for the Braves, allowing five hits.

Chase Headley homered for the Padres.

The Cleveland Indians ended an eight-game losing skid — and a run of 12 straight road defeats — by beating Texas 5-2.

Indians starter Corey Kluber (4-4) allowed only one run in eight innings, and benefitted from three double plays.

Colorado’s Jhoulys Chacin won for the first time since April, guiding the Rockies to an 8-3 win over San Francisco.

Chacin (4-3) allowed two runs in five innings to end a string of four straight no decisions and three consecutive losses since his last win. He spent a couple weeks on the disabled list recuperating from a back strain.

Tyler Colvin homered twice and drove in four runs for the Rockies, who scored five runs and batted around in the fifth inning.

Kansas City’s Max Scherzer won his ninth straight decision as the Tigers beat Kansas City 3-2 to snap the Royals’ six-game winning streak.

Scherzer became the first Tigers starter to begin the season 9-0 since Vern Kennedy in 1938 by pitching seven sharp innings, giving up three hits and striking out six.

Aaron Crow (2-2), who was a college teammate of Scherzer’s at Missouri, took the loss after pitching out of a bases loaded jam in the seventh.

Miguel Cabrera scored on Victor Martinez’s sacrifice fly in the eighth for the winning run. That was the first run allowed by the Kansas City bullpen in 21 innings.

St. Louis’ Michael Wacha recovered from a wild start to earn his first major league win and Allen Craig hit a three-run homer for the Cardinals downed the New York Mets 9-2.

Baltimore’s Miguel Gonzalez allowed one run over eight innings and Nick Markakis hit a tiebreaking, two-run single in the seventh inning as the Orioles beat the Los Angeles Angels 3-2.

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Tim Federowicz hit a three-run double in the eight as the hosts rallied for a 5-3 win over Arizona in a game highlighted by a heated brawl in the seventh inning that involved both players and coaches.

Cincinnati’s Xavier Paul hit a three-run home run and Joey Votto added a two-run shot as the Reds roughed up the Chicago Cubs, winning 12-2.

Minnesota’s Justin Morneau hit the go-ahead single in the eighth inning to cap his three-hit night and carry the Twins to a 3-2 win over Philadelphia.

Toronto’s Jose Bautista hit a game-tying home run in the ninth inning and Rajai Davis scored on a wild pitch in the 10th to give the Blue Jays a 7-5 win over the Chicago White Sox.

Seattle’s Aaron Harang pitched his second shoutout of the season, leading the Mariners to a 4-0 victory over Houston.

Miami’s Giancarlo Stanton hit his first homer of the season since coming off the disabled list, producing a two-run drive with two outs in the eighth inning that lifted the Marlins to a 5-4 victory over Milwaukee.