AMERICAN LEAGUE
The Tampa Bay Rays lost their seventh straight game, sending Major League Baseball’s feel-good story into the All-Star break on a sour note on Sunday.
Jhonny Peralta drove in three runs as the Cleveland Indians beat Scott Kazmir and Tampa Bay 5-2 to complete a four-game sweep. The Rays lost the lead in the American League East to Boston, after leading the division by five games last Monday.
PHOTO: AP
Peralta’s two-run homer in the fifth inning off Kazmir (7-5) gave Cleveland a 4-2 lead.
The Indians entered the series having lost 10 straight, their worst streak since 1979, but outscored the Rays 31-8 to extend their home winning streak over Tampa Bay to 13 since September 2005.
RED SOX 2, ORIOLES 1
At Boston, Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched six scoreless innings as Boston reclaimed the AL East lead going into the All-Star break, defeating Baltimore.
The Red Sox took the division lead for the first time since June 28. Boston trailed by a season-high five games last weekend, then won five of six while the Rays lost seven in a row.
Matsuzaka (10-1) struggled with his control, but worked around four hits and five walks. Jonathan Papelbon escaped in the ninth for his 28th save of the season and 100th of his career.
BLUE JAYS 4, YANKEES 1
At Toronto, A.J. Burnett came within two outs of a shutout, Marco Scutaro hit a three-run homer as Toronto beat Andy Pettitte and New York for its fifth win in six games.
Pitching on three days rest for the third time in his career, Burnett (10-8) allowed one run and six hits, walked one and struck out eight. He is 3-0 with a 3.00 ERA when pitching on three days’ rest.
Jason Giambi spoiled Burnett’s shutout bid with a solo home run in the ninth, his 19th.
TIGERS 4, TWINS 2
At Detroit, Justin Verlander tossed seven sharp innings as Detroit avoided a four-game sweep by beating Minnesota.
Clete Thomas hit his first major league homer for the Tigers.
Miguel Cabrera gave Detroit a 3-2 lead with a run-scoring groundout in the fifth and Matt Joyce hit his ninth homer in the eighth.
MARINERS 4, ROYALS 3
At Kansas City, Missouri, Adrian Beltre scored the go-ahead run on an error in the ninth, enabling Seattle to close out a disappointing first half of the season with a victory over Kansas City.
Beltre doubled, went to third on a sacrifice bunt, but then got caught in a rundown when Willie Bloomquist grounded back to Soria.
Soria threw back to catcher John Buck and Beltre was trapped in a rundown, but a bad throw by Buck went over the third baseman’s head.
Beltre dashed home and Bloomquist sped into second.
The Mariners end the first half at 37-58, the worst record in the AL.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, PHILADELPHIA
Pat Burrell hit a tiebreaking, three-run homer in the eighth inning as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-3 to hold their National League East lead heading into the All-Star break on Sunday.
Arizona still leads the NL West, albeit with a 47-48 record.
After starters Brandon Webb and Cole Hamels left after the seventh with the score tied at 2, the Phillies broke away.
Chase Utley and Ryan Howard singled and Burrell followed with his 23rd home run, connecting against Chad Qualls (2-7). Pedro Feliz hit a solo homer one out later.
Chad Tracy knocked of a home run and Chris Burke had three hits for the Diamondbacks.
BREWERS 3, REDS 2
At Milwaukee, CC Sabathia homered in his first NL complete game to help Milwaukee avoid being swept by Cincinnati.
Sabathia hit a home run off Reds starter Homer Bailey in the third, his third career home run and second this season. He became the first pitcher to hit home runs in both leagues in one season since Earl Wilson did it in 1970 for Detroit and San Diego, the Elias Sports Bureau said.
Sabathia (2-0) struck out nine batters, all from the fourth inning on. He struck out the side in the ninth.
The game was tied at 2 in the ninth when pinch-hitter Craig Counsell hit a game-winning sacrifice fly for the Brewers.
GIANTS 4, CUBS 2
At Chicago, Tim Lincecum tossed eight strong innings to hand fellow All-Star Ryan Dempster his first loss at Wrigley Field, leading San Francisco over Chicago.
Dempster (10-4), one of eight Cubs selected for today’s game at Yankee Stadium, entered with a 10-0 record in 11 home starts this season, but was upstaged by another brilliant start by Lincecum (11-2). The Giants right-hander struck out nine, allowed one run and six hits and also drove in a run with his first career triple.
CARDINALS 11, PIRATES 6
At Pittsburgh, Aaron Miles drove in five runs with a home run and a triple as St. Louis held off a Pittsburgh comeback this time.
After Pittsburgh rallied for the second day in a row and took a 6-5 lead on Chris Gomez’s two-run double in the sixth, Miles finished St. Louis’ four-run, go-ahead seventh with a two-run triple.
Ryan Ludwick added his 21st homer, a solo shot in the eighth that was his third in as many games. Troy Glaus completed a 10-for-13 weekend with a home run.
ASTROS 5, NATIONALS 0
At Washington, Brandon Backe pitched seven-plus innings and helped himself with a pair of hits to lead Houston over Washington in a battle of last-place teams.
Backe scored after leading off the third inning with a double, then singled and scored in the seventh.
The Nationals, who have MLB’s worst record and worst offense, were shut out for the 12th time, the most in the majors.
In other games, it was:
• Mets 7, Rockies 0
• Dodgers 9, Marlins 1
• Braves 12, Padres 3
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