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Saunders lifts Angels over Mariners

AMERICAN LEAGUE

AP, SEATTLE

Joe Saunders, a minor league traveler last season, allowed one earned run in seven innings to become the American League’s first nine-game winner as Maicer Izturis drove in three runs to help the Los Angeles Angels beat the Seattle Mariners 5-4 on Tuesday.

Jose Arredondo pitched a perfect eighth and Francisco Rodriguez struck out the side in the ninth for his 23rd save in 24 chances to put Los Angeles a season-best 12 games over .500.

Saunders (9-2) allowed six hits and likely would have cruised with a 5-1 lead but for two errors in the fifth inning for the Angels, who scored more than four runs for the first time in 14 games. The resourceful AL West leaders have won 10 of those games.

BLUE JAYS 9, YANKEES 3

At New York, Joba Chamberlain lasted just 2 1-3 innings in his first major league start and Roy Halladay held New York in check despite some control problems of his own, leading Toronto to victory.

Alex Rios extended his hitting streak against the Yankees to 24 games and David Eckstein had three RBIs for Toronto, which patiently concentrated on Chamberlain’s pitch count and forced New York to use six pitchers total.

Halladay (7-5) won his fourth straight decision and improved to 5-1 with a 2.58 ERA in his last seven games. He allowed two runs and six hits in six innings.

RED SOX 7, RAYS 4

At Boston, Coco Crisp hit a tie-breaking double and Boston won the matchup of the American League East’s top two teams as the Red Sox beat Tampa Bay even without David Ortiz.

Crisp snapped a 1-for-25 slump with the two-run double in a four-run sixth inning and Jacoby Ellsbury followed with a sacrifice fly.

With Ortiz sidelined for at least three weeks with a left wrist injury, the Red Sox won their 11th straight game at home, matching the longest AL streak of the season held by the Rays. Boston cut Tampa Bay’s lead in the division to one-half game.

Justin Masterson (2-0) allowed four runs in six innings. Jonathan Papelbon struck out two in a perfect ninth for his 17th save in 19 opportunities.

ORIOLES 5, TWINS 3

At Minneapolis, Radhames Liz made a solid debut this year and got help from homers by Kevin Millar and Melvin Mora as Baltimore downed Minnesota.

Liz (1-0) allowed two runs and four hits in 5 1-3 innings for the Orioles, who snapped a nine-game losing streak to Minnesota and improved to 25-8 when scoring at least four runs in a game.

Kevin Slowey (2-5) gave up four runs on seven hits in six innings for the Twins, who got going a little too late against Liz.

The Twins got three straight doubles in the sixth from Carlos Gomez, Alexi Casilla and Joe Mauer to cut the deficit to 4-2, ending Liz’s night.

RANGERS 12, INDIANS 7

At Arlington, Texas, Josh Hamilton and Milton Bradley hit consecutive homers to set the tone in a four-run first inning to lead Texas over Cleveland.

Hamilton went deep in his career-high fourth straight game one out after Ian Kinsler led off with a single to extend his career-best hitting streak to 18 games. Hamilton’s two-run drive gave him 17 homers and 67 RBIs, tops in the AL in both categories.

Tom Mastny (0-1), making his first major league start after 68 career relief appearances, struggled through a 37-pitch first inning and lasted only 1 1-3 innings, allowing five runs and six hits.

WHITE SOX 9, ROYALS 5

At Chicago, Carlos Quentin, A.J. Pierzynski, Nick Swisher and Alexei Ramirez homered and Chicago beat Kansas City and Zack Greinke.

Gavin Floyd (6-3), allowed four runs — two earned — and six hits in seven innings, including Mark Teahen’s two-run homer in the seventh.

Pierzynski’s first homer since April 22, a two-run shot, capped a four-run second against Greinke (5-3) and put the White Sox ahead 6-0.

Greinke allowed nine hits and eight earned runs in six innings.

His ERA rose from 2.88 to 3.56.

ATHLETICS 5, TIGERS 4, 11 INNINGS

At Oakland, California, Jack Cust beat out an infield single to give Oakland a victory over Detroit.

Kurt Suzuki scored the winning run after reaching base on a fielder’s choice. Mark Ellis singled and Bobby Crosby walked to load the bases against Freddy Dolsi.

Bobby Seay (0-1) faced the first two batters of the 11th. Chad Gaudin (5-3) won by pitching two scoreless innings.

Dontrelle Willis made his first start and second appearance since coming off the disabled list for the Tigers, pitching four scoreless innings.



NATIONAL LEAGUE

AP, PHILADELPHIA

Pat Burrell hit a tiebreaking two-run homer and Adam Eaton pitched 6 2-3 impressive innings as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Cincinnati Reds 3-2 on Tuesday.

Ken Griffey Jr. walked as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning to remain one shy of 600 home runs. Griffey wasn’t in the Reds’ lineup for the second straight game because of general soreness. He’s been bothered by a sore left knee.

Edwin Encarnacion hit a solo homer and tripled for two of Cincinnati’s four hits. Rookie sensation Jay Bruce had a checked-swing, infield single in three at-bats.

Junior represented the tying run when he came up with one out, but walked on four pitches and pitcher Bronson Arroyo ran for him. A sellout crowd gave Griffey a standing ovation and booed when reliever Tom Gordon didn’t throw a strike.

BRAVES 5, MARLINS 4

At Atlanta, Chipper Jones hit a three-run homer and Greg Norton came through with a two-run double in the eighth inning that gave the Atlanta another come-from-behind victory.

The Braves actually won a one-run game, improving their mark in those contests to 3-16, despite two more homers by Florida’s slugging second baseman, Dan Uggla.

Atlanta beat the Marlins in its final at-bat for the second night in a row. Jones sparked the Braves in the eighth with a leadoff single against Matt Lindstrom (1-1). Mark Teixeira followed with a double into the left-field corner, putting runners at second and third.

Norton, a .171-hitting utilityman forced to start because the Braves have two outfielders on the disabled list, drove the first pitch he saw just inside the first-base bag.

BREWERS 7, DIAMONDBACKS 1

At Milwaukee, Ryan Braun hit a two-run home run to ruin a memorable night for Arizona’s Randy Johnson.

Johnson (4-2) broke a tie with Roger Clemens to take sole possession of second place on baseball’s career strikeout list in the first inning when he fanned Mike Cameron. That gave the Big Unit 4,673 strikeouts, still far behind Nolan Ryan’s 5,714.

Johnson struck out eight through five innings.

Brewers starter Seth McClung (3-2) gave up a run and six hits over six innings in his third start of the season.

Milwaukee scored three in the eighth on homers by J.J. Hardy and Prince Fielder, and Brian Shouse worked the final two innings for his second save, securing Milwaukee’s fifth straight victory.

ASTROS 2, PIRATES 0

At Pittsburgh, Lance Berkman and Miguel Tejada doubled in runs, Wandy Rodriguez pitched six shutout innings in his second start after coming off the disabled list, and Houston blanked Pittsburgh to end a five-game losing streak.

Chris Sampson, Doug Brocail and Jose Valverde finished up the five-hitter with an inning each, with Valverde getting his 16th save. Kaz Matsui went 4-for-4 with a sacrifice bunt and scored both Astros runs.



In other games it was:

• Rockies 3, Dodgers 0

• Mets 9, Giants 6

• Cardinals 6, Nationals 1

• Cubs 9, Padres 6
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