Aaron Small replaced injured Mike Mussina and pitched his first career shutout, and Jason Giambi hit a three-run homer to help the New York Yankees move back into a tie for the American League wild-card lead with a 7-0 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Saturday.
"He's become someone you rely on," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "We started the season with the starters we had and we certainly didn't foresee this. You have some bad surprises with the injuries, and you can have some good ones like this."
Hideki Matsui drove in New York's first two runs without a hit to reach 100 RBIs, and Alex Rodriguez added a two-run single in a six-run seventh inning.
Small (6-0) struck out three, walked two and didn't allow a runner to reach third base. After going nine years between starts in Major League Baseball, Small is 4-0 in five starts this season.
"It really hasn't sunk in yet," Small said. "To do it at this level, with this team, in this kind of race we're in. I'm just glad I could help this team. They gave me an opportunity. They had the faith to bring me up here."
Red Sox 7, Orioles 6
In Boston, Kevin Millar and David Ortiz homered as Boston's bats recovered following a rare off night to edge Baltimore.
Matt Clement (13-3) allowed four runs -- two earned -- and six hits in eight inning as Boston won for the sixth time in seven games and maintained a 3 1/2-game lead over the second-place Yankees in the AL East. Before Friday's 7-3 loss, the Red Sox had scored seven or more runs in 14 consecutive home games, an AL record.
After shortstop Edgar Renteria booted a potential double-play grounder by Luis Matos for an error in the ninth, Baltimore closed on Brian Roberts' RBI double and Melvin Mora's sacrifice fly. With runners at the corners, Mike Timlin retired Miguel Tejada on a flyout for his sixth save.
Erik Bedard (6-6) gave up six runs and seven hits in 4 1-3 innings for the Orioles, who had won three straight.
White Sox 6, Tigers 2
In Chicago, Tadahito Iguchi fell a home run short of the cycle, Aaron Rowand and Jermaine Dye hit back-to-back solo shots as Chicago won its third straight. Detroit has lost eight of 10.
Mark Buehrle (15-7) scattered nine hits, struck out eight and did not walk a batter in seven innings.
Aaron Rowand broke a 1-1 tie with a two-run triple in the third and hit a solo homer in the seventh. Dye followed Rowand's homer with his 27th home run.
Nate Robertson (6-12) allowed six runs and 12 hits in 6 1-3 innings, dropping to 1-5 in his last eight starts.
Mariners 6, Angels 3
In Anaheim, California, Ichiro Suzuki drove in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning with his third hit and Raul Ibanez had three RBIs as Seattle ended Los Angeles' three-game winning streak.
The Mariners scored four times in the ninth. Suzuki singled off Scot Shields (8-10), snapping a 2-all tie. Pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs had a run-scoring double and Ibanez added a two-run single to give Seattle a 6-2 lead.
J.J. Putz (5-5) got the win. Eddie Guardado allowed Vladimir Guerrero's RBI double in the ninth before finishing it.
The Angels remained tied for first place in the AL West with Oakland.
Los Angeles lefty Jarrod Washburn gave up one run and three hits in seven innings.
Carlos Zambrano beat the Pittsburgh Pirates for the seventh consecutive time over two seasons, helping himself and the Chicago Cubs with two hits in a 9-5 victory Saturday.
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