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ARLINGTON, Texas -- Chicago White Sox manager Robin Ventura succinctly and aptly described the series finale at Texas. "Its an odd game," Ventura said after the 16-2 victory Sunday that ended Chicagos four-game losing streak. There was the bases-loaded triple by the fill-in leadoff hitter Marcus Semien after an intentional walk to the No. 9 batter, the strikeout that stood on a replay challenge after Alejandro De Aza insisted he was hit by the pitch, and White Sox starter Erik Johnson allowing two runs on only one hit over five innings. "Its always a good day if you get a win, the team gets a win," Johnson said. "If you can go out and compete without your best stuff and your team overcomes and puts up a lot of runs, its always a positive." Jose Abreu and Jordan Danks each had two-run homers while Johnson combined with three relievers on a two-hitter against the Rangers, who had won five in a row. The White Sox went ahead to stay with three unearned runs off Robbie Ross (1-1) in the fifth, including Abreus fifth homer of the season for a 5-2 lead. Johnson (1-1) allowed only a single, but the right-hander walked the leadoff batter the first four innings and threw only 44 of his 87 pitches for strikes. Texas also scored on a wild pitch, and had another runner thrown out trying to do the same. "Youre either effectively wild or effectively lucky," Ventura said. Semien had a career-high four hits, including a bases-loaded trip in a strange sixth when Ross struck out the last two batters he faced on non-routine plays. Semien was hitting leadoff with Adam Eaton getting a couple of days off to rest some nagging leg issues. Ross final batter was Alejandro De Aza, who was called out on a third-strike check swing, right after Alexei Ramirez reached because of a wild pitch on the third strike. Ventura unsuccessfully challenged, claiming the ball hit De Aza or the bat. The ruling from umpires in New York was that the call on the field stood -- that the batter was out on a checked swing. De Aza said the ball hit both his hand and the bat. The ball appeared to change direction for some reason. "Im not even going to check (replay). I know what happened," De Aza said. "Im just in shock, thats all I can say." Ventura got no real explanation on the final decision. "Its another one of those vague it just stands," he said. "Theyre saying they dont have any evidence that it hit the bat." Reliever Shawn Tolleson got the third consecutive strikeout in the inning before the Rangers opted to intentionally walk Danks. Semien then tripled off the base of the left-centre field wall to make it 8-2. "Thats a little fire, it gives you a little fire when you see that happen right in front of you," he said. "Im glad I got the result and we as a team got the result." Tyler Flowers, who had three hits, had a leadoff single in the fifth, then went to third on Semiens one-out grounder when third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff made a throwing error while trying to start a double play. Conor Gillaspie had a tiebreaking sacrifice fly before Abreu homered. Ross, a converted reliever, had a career high eight strikeouts with no walks in his 5 1-3 innings after not allowing an earned run his previous two starts. The lefty gave up seven hits and seven runs, four of them earned. "If you hit your location, and throwing strikes is never detrimental, just missed his location on a few of them," manager Ron Washington said. "And then we didnt make a play behind him. That opened things up for them." Ronald Belisario threw two scoreless innings before Andre Rienzo and Matt Lindstrom each worked an inning for Chicago. Flowers had a leadoff single in the third before Danks first homer. Josh Wilson drew a leadoff walk and scored on a sac fly by Shin-Soo Choo in the Texas third, which ended when Leonys Martin got tagged out trying to score on pitch that ricocheted off the backstop. Elvis Andrus walked to start the fourth, then went to third on a stolen base and errant throw by catcher Flowers before scoring on a wild pitch. NOTES: Rangers INF Luis Sardinas became the youngest player to appear in the majors this season when the 20-year-old made his major league debut. He came into the game at shortstop for Andrus and then got an infield single his first at-bat. ... Kouzmanoff was 0 for 3, ending his 10-game hitting streak to start his Rangers career. Dale Hawerchuk Jersey . -- Mixed martial arts fighter Cristiane Justino Santos has been suspended and fined for testing positive for steroids. Bobby Hull Jersey . PETERSBURG, Florida – Its been almost seven years since the Blue Jays last won a series at Tropicana Field. http://www.jetsauthentic.com/customized/. Markieff Morris and Marcus Morris, city natives, handled the catering for teammates that begged them for the tasty postgame feast. Teppo Numminen Jersey . Kevin Durant certainly played like there was on Sunday night, scoring 36 points and grabbing 10 rebounds as the Thunder made quick work of the visiting Pacers with a 118-94 win. Laurie Boschman Jersey . 5 Trade Deadline is drawing closer and teams will be deciding on whether to buy or sell. SEATTLE -- When Seattles Justin Smoak hit a three-run home run in the fifth inning Tuesday night, the Kansas City Royals chances for a win and perhaps a post-season appearance were in big trouble. Smoak hit an 0-2 fastball from Bruce Chen (8-4) for his career-matching 19th home run and the Mariners went on to a 4-0 victory, creating a bleak playoff picture for the Royals. Time is running out -- just five games remaining -- much distance needs to be covered and two teams need to be hurdled. The Royals three competitors for the two AL wild-card spots -- Tampa Bay, Texas and Cleveland -- all won Tuesday. The Royals, down four games in the loss column to Cleveland, need to win every game and hope that both the Indians and the Rangers completely collapse. "We just go till they say we cant win it," Kansas City manager Ned Yost said. "We go as hard as we can. Keep playing our best guys and staying after it." Mariners rookie left-hander James Paxton (3-0), making just his fourth major league start, worked a career-high seven innings, allowing four hits, walking none and striking out a career-high 10. "He looked real good. Big, tall kid, straight over the top, straight downhill action on all his pitches," Yost said. "Good fastball, I mean, over-powering fastball at times, got it up to 97, lot of life on it. But downhill pitches are tough to hit, especially fastballs. Good breaking stuff, good changeup, good curveball." Paxton said it didnt matter to him that the Royals had everything on the line. "I wasnt really paying attention to that. I was just focusing on executing pitches, one pitch at a time," he said. "It could be just the electricity. Being out there it just kind of raises your intensity up that much more. I think it helps me to get lock in." It was the 13th shutout for the Mariners and the ninth time the Royals have been shut out. Seattle touched Bruce Chen (8-4) for a run in the first when Brad Miller reached on an infield single followed by Abraham Almontes single to centre. Almonte has reached base in all his 18 games to start his career, 16 with a hit. With one out, Kendrys Morales singled to left, driving in Miller. Chen worked five innings, allowing seven hits and four runs. He walked three and struck out five. The Royals could not respond against Paxton. They put together two singles in the first innning but a double play eased him out of trouble.dddddddddddd He didnt allow more than one baserunner in any inning after that and at one point he retired 12 straight. "That guy has a good fastball, slider, change," Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar said. "He got a lot of balls down, run in on the black. Great job for him today. Hes sneaky." The Mariners blew the game open in the fifth with three runs -- all with two outs. Morales, who had three hits, doubled to deep centre. Franklin Gutierrez walked and Smoak hit a 0-2 fastball over the wall in left field. "I tried to go up with the fastball and he made good contact," Chen said. "I was ahead in the count. I did not pitch right down the middle. It wasnt a strike. I tried to go up the ladder and he would chase it and keep my team in the ball game. (But) he got it. "I was just trying to do everything I could to help this team win. At that point it was a 1-0 game. That Paxton did a real good job. It unfortunate because today was a really big game for us." Smoak has 19 home runs but it was just his second right-handed. The other was Sunday against the Los Angeles Angels. "I hit it. I dont know if I looked straight into the lights or whatever but I didnt know where it went," Smoak said. "To be able to barrel one up, knowing the work Ive put in the last couple weeks, it is starting to show." The Royals play one more game with Seattle on Wednesday night, then close the season at the Chicago White Sox. "Were not quitting. Were not giving up," Chen said. "As long as we got a chance were going to give it everything we can. Today was big game for us unfortunately. But thats not going to stop us tomorrow." NOTES: Mariners LHP Danny Hultzen, the second player taken in the 2011 draft, has a problem with his left shoulder and will see Dr. James Andrews on Monday. "Ed (team doctor Ed Khalfayan) saw him and, quite frankly, doesnt like what he sees," GM Jack Zduriencik said. "He saw some damage that he was unhappy with. Its in the shoulder but not in the rotator cuff, more tendon area, labrum." . The club confirmed Zduriencik will return in 2014. . The Royals need one more win to match their win total from 1993 (84-78). ... Royals 1B Eric Hosmer had two hits, his ninth multi-hit game in September. He leads the AL with 59. ' ' '