Josh Beckett became the first seven-game winner in the major leagues as the Boston Red Sox beat Toronto 9-2 for the Blue Jays' seventh straight loss on Tuesday.
Mike Lowell and Dustin Pedroia each hit three-run homers for Boston while Jason Varitek and Kevin Youkilis added solo shots. Youkilis was later hit by a pitch above the left knee and left with a bruise.
Beckett (7-0) was tagged for a home run by Alex Rios on the first pitch of the game. He worked seven innings, setting down 14 straight at one stretch. He allowed one run and five hits, walked one, struck out five and lowered his ERA to 2.51.
Youkilis got the Red Sox started with a home run in the first, and Boston led 8-1 by the third.
Victor Zambrano (0-2) gave up eight runs and eight hits in two-and-two-thirds innings.
Indians 5, Angels 1
At Anaheim, California, Cliff Lee tossed a two-hitter for his 50th career victory and Cleveland beat Anaheim for its 13th win in 16 games.
Victor Martinez homered and had an RBI-single and Casey Blake drove in two runs for the Indians.
Lee (1-0), who is 50-28 in his fourth full season, struck out two and walked two in his second career complete game. The left-hander spent the first month of the season on the disabled list because of a strained right abdominal muscle. Lee made his first start last Thursday against Toronto, and received a no-decision after giving up five runs and nine hits in six innings.
Lee didn't allow a hit until the sixth inning on Tuesday, when Mike Napoli doubled to right field. He scored on Reggie Willits' single to make it 3-1.
Ervin Santana (2-5) allowed three runs and seven hits in seven innings.
Yankees 8, Rangers 2
At New York, Alex Rodriguez hit his first homer in 15 days and Andy Pettitte pitched seven sharp innings as New York won its seventh straight over Texas.
Derek Jeter drove in two runs, and Robinson Cano broke out of a 1-for-21 slump with two doubles for New York.
Pettitte (2-1) allowed one run and seven hits for his first win in five starts since April 10.
Hank Blalock doubled three times and walked for the Rangers, who were coming off a three-game sweep of Toronto.
Mike Wood (0-1) gave up eight runs and nine hits in four innings.
Tigers 9, Mariners 7
At Detroit, Omar Infante drove in a career-high four runs and Gary Sheffield homered for Detroit in its eighth straight victory.
The Tigers' streak is their longest of the season and the best current string in the majors.
Richie Sexson's three-run homer gave Seattle a 3-0 lead in the first, but Detroit tied it the next inning and went ahead with another three-run burst in the fourth.
Infante's double and triple were the big hits in the three-run innings and his RBI single in the sixth put the Tigers ahead 7-5.
Sheffield gave Detroit a three-run lead in the seventh with his fourth homer in six games.
Jeremy Bonderman (2-0) gave up five runs and seven hits over six innings. Horacio Ramirez (2-2) allowed seven runs and 11 hits over five-and-two-thirds innings.
Orioles 8, Devil Rays 3
At Baltimore, Jeremy Guthrie allowed one run over six innings to earn his second major league victory for Baltimore, which got home runs from Nick Markakis and Jay Gibbons.
Athletics 6, Royals 1
At Kansas City, Missouri, Chad Gaudin struck out a career-high eight for Oakland and lowered his ERA to 2.18, third in the American League.
RSS