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A-Rod, Suzuki reach new milestones

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Alex Rodriguez became the first player with 35 homers and 100 RBIs in 12 seasons — one more than Babe Ruth — as the New York Yankees slowed the Chicago White Sox’s pursuit of the American League Central title with a 5-1 victory on Wednesday.

“What he’s done over his career is amazing,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi told reporters. “And he still has a long way to go.”

Johnny Damon hit a two-run homer, Robinson Cano had three hits and Xavier Nady had a tying RBI single in the seventh inning.

Jermaine Dye had an RBI groundout off Phil Hughes, who was making his first start since April 29. That was all the White Sox could muster against Hughes and four relievers, who threw five shutout innings. The White Sox entered the night with a 2.5-game lead over Minnesota.

Hughes’ return to the mound was cut short after just four innings. The 22-year-old right-hander gave up a run and four hits.

Brian Bruney (3-0) came on with a runner on second in the seventh and got three straight outs. Joba Chamberlain worked the eighth before Edwar Ramirez got the final three outs.

ROYALS 5, MARINERS 2

At Kansas City, Missouri, Jose Guillen hit a key two-run single after being ill the night before, helping Kansas City down Seattle for its sixth straight win.

Kansas City struggled against Seattle starter Ryan Rowland-Smith, staying close in a tight game on Ryan Shealy’s fourth homer in five games. Guillen, a late scratch the night before, came up with the big hit in the seventh, lining a two-run single off Miguel Batista after the Royals had loaded the bases against Roy Corcoran (5-2).

Seattle outfielder Ichiro Suzuki was 3-for-3 to reach 200 hits for the eighth consecutive season, tying the mark set by Willie Keeler from 1894 to 1901.

Suzuki has amassed a total of 1,792 hits since joining the MLB in 2001, when he was awarded the American League’s Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year Awards.

He also set the Major League single-season hit record in 2004 with 262 hits.

The Mariners (57-94) lost their seventh straight, moving a step closer to their first 100-loss season since 1983.

INDIANS 6, TWINS 4

At Cleveland, Cliff Lee was denied his 23rd win and finished with a no-decision against Minnesota — the only AL team to beat him — and Cleveland completed a three-game sweep of the Twins, another gnawing loss for the Central’s second-place team.

Jhonny Peralta and Victor Martinez hit RBI doubles in the seventh inning off Matt Guerrier as the Indians prevented the Twins from gaining ground on Chicago.

Lee took a 4-2 lead into the seventh and was poised to improve his record to 23-2 — only the second pitcher to own that record in 108 years — when the Twins tied it.

Alexi Casilla reached on third baseman Jamey Carroll’s error and Joe Mauer doubled. Casilla scored on Justin Morneau’s groundout, and Lee got two strikes on Delmon Young before the outfielder grounded an outside pitch to right to even it at 4-all. Edward Mujica (2-2) finished the seventh for the Indians.



Also on Wednesday it was:

• Rays 10, Red Sox 3

• Athletics 3, Angels 2

• Blue Jays 8, Orioles 7

• Tigers 17, Rangers 4



NATIONAL LEAGUE

AP, CHICAGO

The Milwaukee Brewers overcame the loss of injured starter Ben Sheets and, boosted by Prince Fielder’s three-run double, beat the Chicago Cubs 6-2 on Wednesday to end a five-game losing streak.

Sheets left after two innings because of a tender elbow. The Brewers gave interim manager Dale Sveum his first victory and stayed a half-game behind New York in the National League wild-card race.

The Cubs had won five in a row. Their magic number for clinching the NL Central remained at four.

Sheets was replaced by Mark DiFelice (1-0), who pitched two innings for his first major league win.

Fielder lined a bases-loaded double into the right-field corner in the first off Jason Marquis (10-9). Mike Cameron’s leadoff single and walks to Ray Durham and Ryan Braun had filled the bases for the Brewers.

METS 9, NATIONALS 7

At Washington, Carlos Beltran homered from both sides of the plate, and Jose Reyes and Carlos Delgado also went deep as New York built a big lead then barely held on to beat Washington.

Brandon Knight (1-0), a 32-year-old journeyman back from the Olympics, earned his first major league victory with five solid innings.

The Mets had lost four of their previous five games to fall out of first place in the National League East. They remained a half-game behind the division-leading Philadelphia Phillies, who beat Atlanta.

New York began the day with a half-game lead over Milwaukee for the wild card.

Reyes led off the game by homering off Shairon Martis (0-3), and Delgado also hit a solo shot in the first. Beltran hit a two-run drive in the third, and a solo homer in the eighth.

PHILLIES 6, BRAVES 1

At Atlanta, Ryan Howard drove in the first run in Philadelphia’s four-run first inning, and rookie J.A. Happ pitched six scoreless innings to help the Phillies down Atlanta to earn their season-high sixth straight win.

Howard, bidding to win his second NL MVP award in three years, has 29 RBIs in his last 21 games and 137 this season to lead the majors.

Happ (1-0) allowed three hits, walked one and struck out two in his fourth career start and first since getting no decision July 9 in Philadelphia’s 4-2 win over St. Louis.



Also on Wednesday it was:

• Diamondbacks 7, Giants 6

• Pirates 15, Dodgers 8

• Marlins 14, Astros 2

• Reds 3, Cardinals 0

• Rockies 1, Padres 0
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