American LeagueKenny Rogers allowed two runs and six hits in 6 1-3 innings, and Michael Ryan homered Wednesday as the Minnesota Twins beat the Chicago White Sox 4-2.
The win put the Twins 2 1/2 games ahead of the White Sox, who will try to avoid a sweep today at the Metrodome.
Rogers (12-8) struck out three and walked none in his first win since Aug. 21. Eddie Guardado pitched the ninth for his 37th save in 40 chances.
"We're finally playing like we're capable of," Rogers said.
Regardless of today's outcome, the Twins appear to have the edge over the White Sox in the race for the division crown. Chicago closes out the regular season with two series against third-place Kansas City and one against the New York Yankees, while the Twins face Cleveland and have two series against Detroit, which lost its 113th game Wednesday night.
Twins manager Ron Gardenhire cautioned against getting too optimistic based on the schedule.
"When you've got this many games, anything can happen," he said.
Luis Rivas went 2-for-3 with an RBI, a walk and scored two runs for the Twins, who won their fourth straight over the White Sox.
Pitching after a week off, Jon Garland (11-12) lasted just 4 2-3 innings. He allowed four earned runs, six hits and walked a season-high five.
Orioles 5, Yankees 3
In Baltimore, Larry Bigbie and Jay Gibbons homered, and Baltimore ruined David Wells' bid for his 200th career victory by defeating New York.
Eric DuBose (3-5) allowed three runs in 6 2-3 innings for the Orioles, who took a 5-0 lead in the second inning and won for only the fifth time in their last 23 games against the Yankees.
Juan Rivera homered for New York, which maintained its 5 1/2 -game lead over Boston in the AL East. The Yankees were 10-1 in their previous 11 games.
Wells (14-7) went the distance, allowing only one hit over his final six innings, but the left-hander was undone by a poor start. It was only his second road loss of the season -- both of which have come this month.
Athletics 2, Angels 1
In Anaheim, California, Barry Zito took a shutout into the ninth inning as Oakland got RBI doubles from Scott Hatteberg and Billy McMillon to beat Anaheim.
Zito (13-12) retired the first 15 batters before walking Adam Kennedy to lead off the sixth. Rookie Alfredo Amezaga singled one out later to break up the no-hit bid.
Zito left after Garret Anderson's sacrifice fly in the ninth drove in Anaheim's first run. With closer Keith Foulke out with a sore back, Chad Bradford and Jim Mecir each got one out to finish, with Mecir earning his first save.
The A's, who came into the day with a 4 1/2-game lead over Seattle in the AL West, reduced their magic number for clinching the division to six.
Devil Rays 7, Red Sox 0
In Boston, Victor Zambrano allowed three hits in seven innings and Rocco Baldelli homered to lead Tampa Bay over Boston -- the first time the Red Sox have been shut out at Fenway Park in more than a year.
Boston's lead over Seattle in the AL wild-card race fell to 1 1/2 games.
Tampa Bay had 16 hits to win for just the second time in nine games. Marlon Anderson was 3-for-4, and Al Martin was 2-for-2 after entering as a pinch-hitter in the sixth.
Zambrano (11-9) improved to 4-0, with one save, in his last five appearances at Fenway. He walked five, struck out three and hit two batters with pitches.
RSS