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Boston wallop Baltimore 14-2

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Dustin Pedroia had three hits and five RBIs as David Ortiz went 3-for-3 and drove in four runs for Boston in a 14-2 victory over Baltimore on Tuesday.

Boston won for the 10th time in 14 games and took a four-game lead in the American League wild-card race. The Red Sox moved within four games of Tampa Bay in the AL East.

Jon Lester (13-5) allowed one run and six hits, striking out five and walking four in five innings. Coco Crisp had three hits for Boston.

Pedroia has hit in seven straight games, and is batting .600 (18-for-30) during that stretch. He leads the American League in hitting at .330.

Radhames Liz (5-4), who was called up from Triple-A before the game, gave up nine runs and nine hits in 3 1-3 innings. The Orioles lost for the 10th time in 11 games. Baltimore has allowed 55 runs and 42 walks in the last five games, all losses.

YANKEES 7, RAYS 2

At St. Petersburg, Florida, Mike Mussina earned his 17th win and New York got home runs from Alex Rodriguez and Xavier Nady to beat Tampa Bay.

Joba Chamberlain came off the disabled list for New York and pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen.

Seeking his first 20-win season, Mussina (17-7) allowed two runs and 10 hits in six-plus innings. He matched a season high with eight strikeouts, improving to 3-0 against the Rays, who had won five straight.

Nady hit a two-run homer off Matt Garza (11-8). Rodriguez hit home run No. 548, tying Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt for 12th place on the career list. The eighth-inning solo shot off Jason Hammel was his 30th of the year, giving A-Rod 11 seasons with 30 or more.

BLUE JAYS 7, TWINS 5

At Toronto, Jose Bautista and Alex Rios both had four hits and hit back-to-back homers for Toronto in its seventh straight victory over Minnesota.

Lyle Overbay also homered for Toronto, which finished with 17 hits in winning its third straight.

Minnesota lost for the seventh time in 10 games and dropped to 5-7 with two games remaining in a season-long 14-game road trip.

Toronto got within 5-4 with a three-run fifth that featured a two-run homer by Bautista, his first since joining Toronto in an Aug. 21 trade with Pittsburgh. Rios followed with his 11th, giving Toronto back-to-back homers for the second time this season.

Rolen walked to lead off the sixth and Overbay put Toronto ahead 6-5 with a two-run homer off Boof Bonser (3-7), his 12th.

In other AL games, it was:

• Indians 9, White Sox 3

• Rangers 6, Mariners 4

• Royals 5, Athletics 2

• Angels 5, Tigers 4

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Manny Ramirez homered and drove in three runs as the Los Angeles Dodgers closed in on Arizona in the National League West with an 8-4 victory over the San Diego Padres on Tuesday.

Andre Ethier had three hits, including a homer, and rookie Clayton Kershaw allowed a run and three hits in seven innings to help the Dodgers win their fourth straight and reduce the Diamondbacks’ NL West lead to 1 1/2 games.

The four wins come after an eight-game losing streak.

Kershaw (3-5), who struck out six, was pulled after walking his first two batters in the eighth. Both runners scored when Ramon Troncoso gave up an RBI double to Luis Rodriguez and a two-run single to Kevin Kouzmanoff, making it 8-4. Joe Beimel retired the next three batters and pitched the ninth.

Ramirez’s 520th homer put him one behind Ted Williams, Willie McCovey and Frank Thomas, who are tied for 17th place. He has 30 this season, 10 since the trade that sent him from Boston.

BRAVES 16, MARLINS 14

At Miami, pinch-hitter Ruben Gotay had an RBI double in the ninth inning and Atlanta spoiled a seven-run rally by Florida.

Kelly Johnson had four hits and four RBIs and Omar Infante had four hits and two RBIs for the Braves, who had a season-high in runs. Atlanta, which snapped a four-game losing streak, scored 14 runs against Cincinnati on May 4.

Alfredo Amezega had a career-high five RBIs for the Marlins, who have not won consecutive games since July 30 and July 31.

The game featured 30 runs, 36 hits and 14 pitchers.

METS 6, BREWERS 5, 10 INNINGS

At Milwaukee, Carlos Beltran hit a three-run homer and Endy Chavez drove in the decisive run in the 10th inning as New York edged Milwaukee.

Six relievers combined for seven shutout innings, helping the NL East leaders remain two games ahead of second-place Philadelphia.

The Mets won for the 16th time in 21 games.

In other NL games, it was:

• Phillies 4, Nationals 0

• Cardinals 8, Diamondbacks 2

• Pirates 3, Reds 2

• Astros 9, Cubs 7, 11 innings

• Rockies 6, Giants 5, 12 innings