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Yankees extend winning streak

New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, left, prepares to tag the Minnesota Twins’ Brendan Harris to complete a double play during the fifth inning of their game on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium in New York. PHOTO: AP

AMERICAN LEAGUE

The New York Yankees extended their winning streak to six games by beating the Minnesota Twins 5-1 on Wednesday to complete a sweep of their three-game series at Yankee Stadium.

Boosted by eight innings of shutout pitching by rejuvenated veteran Mike Mussina and two-run doubles by Alex Rodriguez and rookie Justin Christian, the Yankees won their 10th straight at home ahead of a weekend series in Boston against the Red Sox.

The 39-year-old Mussina, who was 11-10 last year, improved to 13-6 with a 3.26 earned run average. He gave up six hits and struck out seven without walking a batter.

“You could make a case he’s our MVP so far this season,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi told reporters about the crafty right-hander. “Without Moose, I don’t know where we’d be. It almost seems like he gets better and better.”

The Yankees remained 3.5 games behind AL East-leading Tampa Bay.

Mussina and Twins lefty Glen Perkins, who slipped to 7-3, were locked in a scoreless pitchers’ duel until the fifth.

The Yankees struck first when outfielder Christian brought home Robinson Cano and Jose Molina with a double down the left-field line with two outs in the fifth.

The Yanks gave themselves a cushion in the next frame on a two-run double by Alex Rodriguez that scored Derek Jeter and Bobby Abreu and a sacrifice fly from Richie Sexson to make it 5-0.

A ninth-inning rally off New York reliever LaTroy Hawkins saw the Twins score one run and put men on first and third with two outs.

Girardi then summoned relief ace Mariano Rivera, who struck out Jason Kubel looking to end it and register his 25th save.

TIGERS 7, ROYALS 1

Armando Galarraga carried a perfect game into the seventh inning and Miguel Cabrera drove in three runs as the Detroit Tigers beat the Kansas City Royals to complete a three-game sweep.

Galarraga retired the first 18 batters before David DeJesus led off the seventh with a single to right on a full-count pitch. To that point, the 26-year-old rookie right-hander had allowed just two fly balls to the outfield and struck out six.

He wound up allowing a run in the seventh on three singles and a walk, but left the bases loaded.

RED SOX 6, MARINERS 3, 12 INNINGS

At Seattle, Mike Lowell hit a two-run single off Sean Green in the 12th inning, as the Red Sox took advantage of two outfield errors for their first sweep at Seattle in 15 years.

The Red Sox entered the series having lost eight of 11 on the road, but flew home after their first three-game sweep on the road this season.

Jonathan Papelbon (4-3), pitching a third consecutive day, escaped a jam of his own creation in the 11th inning. Craig Hansen worked the 12th for his second save in four chances.

Jacoby Ellsbury began the 12th with a single off Green (2-3). A hit-and-run groundout by Dustin Pedroia got Ellsbury to second before an intentional walk to J.D. Drew. Kevin Youkilis followed with a liner that Willie Bloomquist couldn’t handle, and Lowell unloaded the bases with his second hit of the game. Sean Casey made it 6-3 with a single that drove in Youkilis.

WHITE SOX 10, RANGERS 8

In Chicago, Carlos Quentin hit two home runs, including the go-ahead, three-run shot during a five-run eighth inning to help the White Sox rally.

Quentin’s go-ahead homer came on the first pitch from Rangers closer C.J. Wilson, who entered in relief of Eddie Guardado with two on and two out. It was the third multihomer game of the season for Quentin, whose shot in the fifth barely cleared the center field wall.

Octavio Dotel (4-4) pitched the eighth and Bobby Jenks the ninth for his 19th save.

ANGELS 14, INDIANS 11

In Anaheim, California, Jeff Mathis had four hits with a career-high six RBIs, including his first grand slam in Major League Baseball, and Casey Kotchman had a career-best five hits for the Angels.

Los Angeles padded its American League West Division lead to 10 games over Oakland with a season-high 19 hits that included four by Howie Kendrick, who also drove in three runs.

Rays 4, Athletics 3

St Petersburg, Florida, James Shields allowed three runs pitching into the ninth inning, and Jonny Gomes and Ben Zobrist hit consecutive homers to lead the Rays.

Shields (9-6) gave up six hits and struck out seven in improving to 5-1 in his last six starts. His bid for a fourth complete game this season ended when Jack Cust doubled with one out in the ninth, but Troy Percival wrapped things up for his 20th save in 22 chances.

BLUE JAYS 2, ORIOLES 1, SUSPENDED

At Baltimore, the game between Toronto and the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night was suspended by rain with the Blue Jays leading 2-1 in the sixth inning.

Play was due to resume yestersday afternoon with two outs in the top of the sixth. The teams will then play the finale of the four-game series.

Toronto went up 2-1 in the sixth moments before a thundershower stopped play. Alex Rios led off with a single, stole second and scored on a single by Lyle Overbay. Orioles starter Jeremy Guthrie then got two outs before the rain came.

After a delay of more than one- and-a-half hours, the game was suspended.



NATIONAL LEAGUE

AP, NEW YORK

The New York Mets rebounded from a demoralizing defeat to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-3 on Wednesday and take a share of the National League East division lead.

A day after giving up a three-run lead in the ninth inning to lose to their fellow NL East leader, New York managed to hold on for victory.

Jose Reyes’ three-run homer snapped a sixth-inning tie to put the Mets ahead to stay.

CUBS 10, DIAMONDBACKS 6

In Phoenix, Chicago stopped a slide and retained top spot in the NL Central with a win over Arizona.

The Cubs had lost five of six heading into the game as its lead in the division was sliced to one game, and they retained that thin advantage.

Reed Johnson had three hits, including a grand slam in the eighth, for Chicago. The grand slam keyed a six-run eighth for a team that had scored just two runs in its previous two games.

BREWERS 3, CARDINALS 0

In St Louis, Milwaukee notched its seventh straight win by beating St Louis, keeping the Brewers on Chicago’s heels in the NL Central.

BRAVES 9, MARLINS 4

In Miami, Atlanta’s win over Florida came at a cost, losing slugger Chipper Jones and pitcher Tim Hudson to injury.

Jones, the major league’s batting leader at .369, hurt a hamstring in the fourth inning and immediately left the game. Hudson departed with soreness in his pitching arm after throwing six shutout innings.



In other National League action it was:

Rockies 5, Dodgers 3

Reds 9, Padres 5

Giants 6, Nationals 4

Pirates 8, Astros 7
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