Bartolo Colon bested Johan Santana, ending the Minnesota pitcher's 17-game winning streak by allowing just two hits in 7 1-3 scoreless innings Sunday to lead the Los Angeles Angels over the Twins 2-1.
Santana (4-1) allowed only two hits himself, equaling his career low, but they were solo homers by Vladimir Guerrero and Jose Molina. He struck out seven over eight innings yet lost for the first time since last July 11, a span of 21 regular-season starts.
White Sox 8, Tigers 0
In Chicago, Jon Garland (5-0) pitched his second straight four-hit shutout and became the first five-game winner in the American League.
Coming off his 6-0 win over Oakland on Monday, Garland struck out six and walked one, extending his scoreless streak to 23 innings and lowering his ERA to 1.38. It was his third shutout and fourth complete game in 132 career starts.
Timo Perez hit a two-run homer and Carl Everett added three RBIs for Chicago, which at 18-7 has the best record in the Major Leagues.
Orioles 7, Devil Rays 4
In Baltimore, Melvin Mora hit a pair of home runs, Miguel Tejada homered for the fourth consecutive game and Baltimore won its eighth straight.
Bruce Chen (3-1) struck out a season-high seven in six-plus innings, and B.J. Ryan pitched the ninth for his fifth save.
Blue Jays 8, Yankees 6
In New York, Frank Menechino came off the bench to drive in three runs, and Eric Hinske doubled in the seventh off Mike Stanton (0-1) to break a 6-6 tie.
Shea Hillenbrand had four hits and Corey Koskie homered for the Blue Jays, who have won five of six following a five-game skid.
Red Sox 6, Rangers 5
In Arlington, Texas, Trot Nixon had a key two-run double for the Red Sox, who went ahead 4-3 on Kevin Youkilis' RBI single in the fifth and won a series in Texas for the first time since 2000.
Matt Clement (3-0) gave up three runs, four hits and four walks in six innings, and Clement escaped two bases-loaded jams without giving up runs. Keith Foulke gave up Mark Teixeira's two-run homer in the ninth but earned his fourth save.
Royals 6, Indians 5
In Cleveland, Jose Lima took a no-hit bid into the sixth, and Mike Sweeney homered twice, including a tiebreaking drive in the eighth off Rafael Betancourt (1-1) as Kansas City won for just the third time in 15 games.
Mike Wood (1-2) pitched 1 1-3 hitless innings, and Ambiorix Burgos struck out two in the ninth for his first career save.
Athletics 3, Mariners 2
In Oakland, California, Barry Zito (1-4) ended an eight-start winless streak by allowing two runs and five hits in seven innings. He had lost five straight decisions since Sept. 12, matching his career worst.
Erubiel Durazo hit a two-run double in the sixth inning off Joel Pineiro (2-2).
Octavio Dotel got his sixth save.
John Smoltz scattered nine hits for his second straight win, and the Braves made the most of their four hits off Jeff Suppan for a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.
Smoltz (2-3) walked a season-high four in 6 1-3 innings. He never retired the side in order but kept pitching out of trouble, twice getting Scott Rolen to strand a total of five runners.
The Braves broke a scoreless duel in the sixth with two runs, and Chris Reitsma helped Smoltz escape his final jam in the seventh. The Braves have scored only 10 runs in Smoltz's six starts.
Giants 8, Pirates 3
In Pittsburgh, Moises Alou and Lance Niekro hit two-run homers and the Giants used Major League Baseball rookie Brad Hennessey's solid start to finish off a three-game sweep of Pittsburgh's left-handed starters.
With Hennessey (1-0) allowing three runs and five hits over seven innings in his first start this season, the Giants won their sixth in a row after dropping nine of 11.
Astros 9, Cubs 3
In Houston, Mike Lamb hit his first career grand slam and drove in five runs, and the Astros roughed up Mark Prior to offset the loss of Roy Oswalt to a foot injury.
Lamb connected, and Adam Everett followed with a three-run shot in a seven-run fifth off Prior (3-1) as the Astros closed the series against their NL Central Division rivals with consecutive wins after losing six straight.
Dodgers 2, Rockies 1
In Los Angeles, Derek Lowe pitched six strong innings and Jeff Kent drove in both runs, leading the Dodgers to a victory that completed a three-game sweep.
Lowe (2-2) allowed a run, five hits and no walks in six innings, helping send Colorado to its fifth straight loss.
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