American League
The New York Yankees battered Pedro Martinez, chasing Boston out of town with their second rout in a row.
Gary Sheffield, Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada homered off an ineffective Martinez, and Mike Mussina gave the resilient Yankees another excellent outing Sunday as New York opened a 4 1/2-game lead in the AL East with an 11-1 victory.
"They put us in the rearview mirror a little bit," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said.
Alex Rodriguez also connected in the second consecutive offensive outburst by the Yankees, who outscored their longtime rivals 25-5 the past two days after a deflating loss Friday.
"We take a lot of pride in coming back with intensity," Rodriguez said.
After taking two of three in the series, the Yankees have some breathing room -- their largest lead over Boston since before games of Aug. 31. New York has 13 games remaining as it closes in on its seventh straight division title, while the Red Sox play 14 more.
"We just feel like we're the best team in baseball," Sheffield said.
Mussina (12-9) allowed one run and seven hits in seven innings, winning his third straight start since losing a career-worst five consecutive decisions.
Martinez (16-7) lasted only five-plus innings and allowed eight runs, matching a season worst as Boston lost its first series since dropping two of three Aug. 13-15 against the White Sox. The Red Sox also lost consecutive games for only the second time since Aug. 7.
Twins 5, Orioles 1
In Minneapolis, Johan Santana won his 11th straight start with another dominant performance, striking out a career high 14 over eight shutout innings for Minnesota.
By winning his 12th consecutive decision, Santana (19-6) tied a Twins team record set by Scott Erickson in 1991 and matched by Brad Radke in 1997. Santana allowed seven hits and didn't walk a batter, extending his scoreless inning streak to 30. Joe Nathan gave up an RBI single to Rafael Palmeiro in the ninth.
Michael Restovich hit a two-run homer, and Luis Rivas and Henry Blanco each had solo shots for the Twins, who could clinch their third straight AL Central title with a victory Monday in the opener of a three-game series at the Chicago White Sox.
Athletics 2, Mariners 1
In Seattle, Eric Chavez and Erubiel Durazo each drove in runs, and Mark Redman (11-12) outpitched Bobby Madritsch (5-3) as Oakland pulled three games ahead of Anaheim in the AL West standings.
Redman, who lost his two previous starts, allowed one run and eight hits in 6 2-3 innings. Octavio Dotel pitched the ninth for his 22nd save.
Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki was hitless in four at-bats and walked, holding his season hits total at 236. With 13 games remaining, he needs 22 more to break the major league season record.
National League
J.T. Snow had four RBIs to lead San Francisco over the San Diego Padres 4-2 and keep the Giants a half-game ahead of the Chicago Cubs in the NL wild-card race.
Barry Bonds took most of the day off Sunday, appearing only to draw his major league-record 106th intentional walk as a pinch-hitter in the eighth, then leaving for a pinch-runner with the bases loaded. Snow followed with a two-run double to left off Akinori Otsuka to send San Francisco to its seventh victory in eight games. Snow also had an RBI single and a sacrifice fly.
Dustin Hermanson (6-6) got the final four outs as San Francisco won for the seventh time in eight games. Scott Linebrink (7-3) lost as the Padres fell 3 1/2 games back of the Giants.
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