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Bosox rough up Pettitte to top Yankees

Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees reacts after striking out in the first inning against the Boston Red Sox on Thursday at Yankee Stadium in New York. The New York Daily News reported on Thursday that Rodriguez and his wife have split up less than three months after the birth of their second daughter. The story comes amid reports linking the Yankee slugger to US pop icon Madonna. PHOTO: AFP

AMERICAN LEAGUE

AP, NEW YORK

Jon Lester pitched a five-hitter while the Boston Red Sox roughed up Andy Pettitte in a 7-0 victory over the New York Yankees on Thursday that ended a five-game losing streak.

A throwing error by shortstop Derek Jeter gave the Red Sox a quick lead. Coco Crisp came back from a five-game suspension to score twice, and it was 6-0 by the fifth inning.

Lester (7-3) made his most impressive start since pitching a no-hitter against Kansas City on May 19. He struck out eight, walked two and won his fourth straight decision.

New York lost for the fourth time in five games.

Jacoby Ellsbury’s two-run double in the second made it 4-0.

ATHLETICS 3, WHITE SOX 2

At Chicago, Justin Duchscherer pitched seven solid innings and Jack Cust and Donnie Murphy homered as Oakland snapped Chicago’s seven-game winning streak.

Javier Vazquez (7-7) took the loss despite pitching his first complete game in nearly a year, allowing four hits and striking out 10.

Chicago took a 2-0 lead in the first on a leadoff homer by DeWayne Wise and an RBI double by Jermaine Dye.

Oakland, which had lost four of five, broke through in the fourth when Cust tied it with a two-run homer, and Murphy made it 3-2 with a solo drive in the fifth.

Duchscherer (9-5), the major-league leader with a 1.96 ERA, allowed five hits while striking out four and walking two.

ROYALS 10, ORIOLES 7

At Baltimore, Mark Grudzielanek went 4-for-5 and played a key role in a seven-run sixth inning as Kansas City beat Baltimore.

The Royals overcame a four-run deficit and two homers by Aubrey Huff to earn a split of the four-game series. Kansas City took an early 3-0 lead, then yielded seven straight runs before sending 11 players to the plate in their most prolific inning of the season.

The last time the Royals scored more than six runs in an inning was June 14 last year — an eight-run second against St. Louis.

Huff hit a solo shot in the fourth and a two-run drive in the fifth, both off Kyle Davies.

TIGERS 8, MARINERS 4


At Seattle, Justin Verlander threw six strong innings and Michael Hollimon hit his first big league home run as Detroit downed Seattle.

Matt Joyce, promoted from minor league Toledo on May 5 and recalled Sunday, had two doubles among his career-high four hits.

Ivan Rodriguez added three RBIs as the Tigers had 15 hits.

Verlander allowed two runs and eight hits to win for the sixth time in seven career starts against Seattle. After starting the season in a slump, Verlander (5-9) hasn’t lost since June 6.

Ichiro Suzuki had three hits for the second straight game to reach 1,700 for his career, one of 30 active players to eclipse that mark. He’s hitting .516 over his past seven games.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

AP, PHOENIX,ARIZONA

Conor Jackson’s two-run single capped Arizona’s six-run ninth inning as the Diamondbacks beat the Milwaukee Brewers 6-5 on Thursday.

Three Brewers pitchers failed to record an out as seven straight Diamondbacks reached base in the ninth.

The rally began against Guillermo Mota, who gave up a leadoff single to Robby Hammock, a walk to Chris Burke and an infield single to Augie Ojeda.

Brian Shouse relieved to face pinch-hitter Chad Tracy, who hit the first pitch into the gap in right-center to clear the bases and cut the deficit to 5-3.

Closer Salomon Torres gave up a bloop single to Justin Upton, which put runners at the corners, and Orlando Hudson’s double down the left field line made it 5-4 and sent Upton to third base.

Jackson singled through the drawn-in infield.

Milwaukee’s J.J. Hardy homered, doubled twice and singled to match his career high for hits.

DODGERS 5, ASTROS 2

At Houston, Texas, Chad Bill­ingsley pitched eight strong innings and Andre Ethier homered for the second straight game to lead Los Angeles past Houston.

Billingsley (8-7) gave up six hits, struck out five and did not allow an earned run to win his fourth straight start.

Blake DeWitt had a two-run single and James Loney added a solo homer and an RBI double for the Dodgers, who have won six of their last seven road games.

Takashi Saito got the last three outs for his 14th save.



In other games it was:

• Giants 8, Cubs 3

• Phillies 4, Braves 1

• Reds 5, Nationals 3

• Mets 11, Cardinals 1

• Rockies 6, Marlins 5, 11 innings