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Wang wins fifth straight as Yankees trounce Twins

Taiwanese pitcher Wang Chien-ming (王建民) won his fifth straight decision and Robinson Cano hit a two-run homer for New York on Tuesday.

Alex Rodriguez played third base for the Yankees one night after leaving the game with a strained left hamstring. He went 0-for-4 with a strikeout and was pulled after the sixth with the Yankees up 8-0.

Bobby Abreu had three hits for the second consecutive game, helping New York win for the fourth time in 13 games. Derek Jeter had three hits and two RBIs, and Melky Cabrera added a two-run single.

Edwar Ramirez finished off the shutout by striking out all three batters in the ninth in his major league debut.

Minnesota, which has totaled one run while losing three straight games, dropped to 9-27 against New York in the regular season since the start of 2002, including 2-15 at Yankee Stadium.

Wang (8-4) pitched four-hit ball for seven innings to win for the seventh time in eight decisions. Scott Proctor and Ramirez completed the five-hitter, New York's second shutout this season. Minnesota was blanked for the seventh time, most in the AL.

Rangers 8, Angels 3

Brad Wilkerson had three homers and six RBIs, both career highs, to help the Texas Rangers beat the Los Angeles Angels 8-3 in the American League in Arlington, Texas.

Wilkerson had a three-run shot in the fourth, connected with the bases empty in the sixth, and added a two-run blast in the seventh that was his 13th of the season. He is the first AL player with a three-homer game this season. Alfonso Soriano of the Cubs and Carlos Lee of Houston have done it in the NL.

Kevin Millwood (5-7) gave up two runs and five hits in eight innings, striking out four with no walks in his longest outing of the season for Texas.

Los Angeles, which has lost five of seven, went in front in the second on Howie Kendrick's two-run single.

Red Sox 4, Devil Rays 1

At Boston, Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched eight shutout innings as Boston handed Tampa Bay its ninth straight loss.

Matsuzaka (10-5) struck out nine while allowing four hits and one walk. Struggling Julio Lugo went 2-for-3, his first hits since June 14, and drove in two runs.

Carlos Pena of the Devil Rays hit his 19th homer in the ninth off Jonathan Papelbon.

Scott Kazmir (5-5) allowed four runs, three earned, and six hits while striking out six in six innings.

He walked three -- all in a row, throwing 10 consecutive balls -- to load the bases and help Boston to a three-run second.

Lugo's single in the inning gave Boston a 3-0 lead and ended his 0-for-33 slump -- the longest for a Red Sox player since 1991. It was his first RBI since June 8.

In other AL action it was:

* Indians 5, Tigers 4, 11 innings

* Royals 17, Mariners 3

* White Sox 5, Orioles 1

Barry Bonds smashed his 751st career home run here on Tuesday, moving the 42-year-old outfielder within four homers of breaking Hank Aaron's all-time US Major League Baseball record of 755.

Bonds belted his 17th homer of the season with two out in the first inning off Cincinnati starting pitcher Aaron Harang, sending a no-ball, two-strike pitch into the centerfield stands to give the San Francisco Giants a 2-0 lead.

Harang had allowed only two hits in 11 prior at-bats facing Bonds, although one of those was also a homer.

Bonds' blast, which came four days after he reached the 750-homer landmark, was not enough to bring the Giants a victory. Cincinnati went on to a 7-3 triumph over San Francisco in a matchup of last-place foes.

Pirates 6, Brewers 2

At Pittsburgh, Shane Youman gave up two runs over six innings to earn his first major league win and Pittsburgh took advantage of a season-high four errors by Milwaukee.

Youman (1-0) allowed eight hits in his first start of the season.

In other NL action it was:

* Cubs 3, Nationals 1

* Rockies 11, Mets 3

* Diamondbacks 7, Cardinals 1

* Astros 5, Phillies 4, 13 innings

* Marlins 6, Padres 4

* Dodgers 7, Braves 6
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