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Indians finish up Royals sweep in style

Jhonny Peralta, Travis Hafner and Ben Broussard homered, and C.C. Sabathia allowed five singles over eight innings as the Cleveland Indians routed the Kansas City Royals 11-0 on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep.

The Indians trailed the White Sox by 15 games on Aug. 1 but are just 3.5 games back heading into a three-game series in Chicago that starts on Monday.

Cleveland moved 1.5 games ahead of the New York Yankees in the AL wild-card race.

"This is fun," Indians manager Eric Wedge said. "I love to watch these guys play, how they go out and compete day after day. They've earned the right to be where they are."

Sabathia (14-10) struck out eight and walked none, improving to 8-1 with a 1.99 ERA since Aug. 5.

"This is exciting," Sabathia said. "But the pressure is on the other guys. We have no sense of urgency. We don't have to do anything -- except go out and keep playing like we have been."

Jose Lima (5-16) gave up eight runs and nine hits in four innings, losing for the eighth time in nine starts. Kansas City is a major league-worst 48-99.

White Sox 2, Twins 1

At Minneapolis, Jose Contreras (13-7) won his sixth straight start, allowing one run and five hits in eight innings.

Juan Rincon (6-6) gave up consecutive two-out singles to Paul Konerko and A.J. Pierzynski in the eighth, and Jermaine Dye hit a bouncer to second that Nick Punto tried to backhand unsuccessfully, allowing pinch-runner Ross Gload to score from second on the error.

Damaso Marte got the first two outs in the ninth, and Bobby Jenks finished for his third save.

Athletics 12, Red Sox 3

At Boston, Eric Chavez had two homers and five RBIs for Oakland, which remained two games back of the AL West-leading Angels.

Oakland got four runs in the first off Matt Clement (13-6) and three in the second, then added five in the fifth off Jeremi Gonzalez for a 12-0 lead.

Boston split the four-game series and leads the AL East by 1{ games over the New York Yankees, who lost 6-5 at Toronto.

Kirk Saarloos (10-7) allowed three runs and eight hits in 6 2-3 innings for Oakland, which had lost four of its previous five. Clement gave up seven runs and eight hits 1 2-3 innings -- his briefest major league start not shortened by injury.

Blue Jays 6, Yankees 5

At Toronto, Jaret Wright left in the third inning after being hit on the right elbow by Eric Hinske's broken bat and was unsure whether he would take his next scheduled turn in New York's rotation.

Alex Rodriguez hit his AL-leading 44th homer and Derek Jeter also connected for the Yankees. Jeter struck out looking against Miguel Batista with a runner on second to end it.

Former-Yankee Ted Lilly (9-10) won for the first time since July 19. allowing three runs -- two earned -- and five hits in 6 1-3 innings as Toronto stopped New York's six-game winning streak. Batista worked the ninth for his 28th save.

Wright (5-3) gave up four runs -- three earned -- and five hits in 2 1-3 innings.

Barry Bonds splashed a home run into McCovey Cove for the first time this season, a leadoff drive in the eighth inning that helped the San Francisco Giants beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 on Sunday.

Bonds' second homer this year and No. 705 of his career followed a tiebreaking solo drive by Mike Matheny in the sixth and Randy Winn's third homer in three days.

Matheny's homer off Franquelis Osoria (0-1) broke a 3-3 tie in the sixth as the Giants won their third straight. The Giants trail National League West-leading San Diego by 5.5 games and the Dodgers dropped 7.5 games back of the Padres.

Mike Edwards' single off Matt Kinney (2-0) tied the score in the sixth.

Padres 2, Nationals 1

At San Diego, -- Miguel Olivo scored on a ninth-inning error as the Padres (74-74) reached .500, a day after rallying from a five-run deficit in the ninth for an 8-5 win. Washington dropped 4.5 games back of Houston, the NL wild-card leader.

Olivo beat out an infield single against Joey Eischen (2-1) leading off the ninth. Eischen hit Robert Fick with an 0-2 pitch, and Dave Roberts sacrificed. Eischen's throw to second baseman Deivi Cruz carried into the baseline and deflected off Roberts as Cruz tried to make the catch, allowing Olivo to score.

Khalil Green's sacrifice fly tied the score in the eighth, and Akinori Otsuka (2-6) pitched the ninth.

Astros 6, Brewers 1

At Houston, Wandy Rodriguez (10-8) allowed one run and four hits in a career-high 7 1-3 innings, and Lance Berkman put Houston ahead to stay with a two-run double in the first off Chris Capuano (17-10).

Eric Bruntlett went 3-for-3 with four runs and two stolen bases as the Astros extended their winning streak to five.

Houston began the day with a half-game lead over Philadelphia in the wild-card race. The Phillies played Sunday night at Florida, which started Sunday 2.5 games back of the Astros.

Cubs 7, Cardinals 4

At Chicago, Carlos Zambrano (14-5) won his sixth consecutive decision, allowing 10 hits and two earned runs in a complete game.

Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter and Cubs manager Dusty Baker yelled at each other near the Chicago dugout in the second inning. Baker thought the argument stemmed from a series in St. Louis earlier this month, when a Cardinals hitter thought a Cubs pitcher had stared at him whenever he got a hit.

Matt Murton homered off Anthony Reyes (1-1) in the sixth to break a 4-all tie, and Todd Walker connected against Cal Eldred leading off the seventh.

Mets 4, Braves 1

At New York, Tom Glavine (11-3) pitched a six-hitter to beat his former team, and Cliff Floyd hit his career-high 32nd homer.

Victor Diaz and Carlos Beltran each added an RBI double during a four-run sixth.

Glavine entered 1-8 with a 7.85 ERA in 11 games against Atlanta, which went 13-6 against the Mets to take the season series for the fifth straight year.

John Thomson (3-5) gave up four runs and six hits in seven innings.

Rockies 7, Diamondbacks 1

At Phoenix, Jeff Francis (13-12) faced the minimum 18 batters through six scoreless innings, and Garrett Atkins drove in three runs for Colorado.

Todd Helton and Cory Sullivan each had an RBI double.

Chad Tracy homered for the Diamondbacks. Russ Ortiz (5-11) allowed two runs in five innings and dropped to 1-9 in his last 12 starts.

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