AMERICAN LEAGUE
The Tampa Bay Rays belted four home runs to overcome Boston 6-4 on Wednesday, the defeat dropping the Red Sox two-and-a-half games behind the New York Yankees in the American League East race.
All of Tampa Bay’s runs came off homers as the third-placed Rays moved to within three games of the Red Sox following a third consecutive victory.
PHOTO: AP
“It feels good whenever you can beat those guys, especially when you can win all the games from them,” Carl Crawford told reporters after Tampa Bay won both games in the two-game series. “We’re trying to climb back up in the standings. We needed both of them.”
Carlos Pena and Crawford both had two-run homers for Tampa Bay, who beat Boston for last year’s American League championship. Pena’s came in the second and Crawford celebrated his 28th birthday with his blast in the third to open a 4-1 lead.
“That’s what everybody wishes for on their birthday when you’ve got to play a game,” Crawford said, adding it was the third time he had homered on his birthday. “For it to happen, I was definitely excited about it.”
Pat Burrell and Jason Bartlett added solo home runs in the sixth and seventh innings.
The Red Sox got home runs from Jason Bay in the second and Victor Martinez in the sixth. Their other runs came off ground-outs in the seventh and eighth innings.
Rookie David Price (5-4) held the Red Sox to two runs and six hits over six innings, while striking out five.
Boston starter and loser Brad Penny (7-6) had a rough outing, yielding five runs off three homers in six innings. He gave up six hits, walked two and struck out five.
YANKEES 8, BLUE JAYS 4
In Toronto, Johnny Damon hit a solo home run and had three RBIs in New York’s win over Toronto.
Nick Swisher also connected for the Yankees, who used a four-run seventh inning to win their third straight game.
The American League East-leading Yankees, winless in eight games against the second-placed Red Sox, return home to open a four-game series against Boston.
WHITE SOX 6, ANGELS 2
In Chicago, Jim Thome homered twice, giving him 561 for his career, as Chicago downed Los Angeles.
Thome hit a three-run shot in the sixth — his second of the game and 20th of the season. With 561 homers, the 38-year-old is now only two homers behind Reggie Jackson, who is in 12th place all-time.
Gavin Floyd pitched into the ninth for the White Sox, who won their fifth in six games. Floyd, aided by three double plays, allowed two runs in eight-plus innings.
Wednesday’s other results:
• Athletics 7, Rangers 5
• Tigers 4, Orioles 2
• Indians 8, Twins 1
• Mariners 11, Royals 6
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, PHILADELPHIA
J.A. Happ struck out a career-high 10 in his second shutout of the season, leading the Philadelphia Phillies to a 7-0 win over the Colorado Rockies in the National League on Wednesday.
Jimmy Rollins, Jayson Werth and Pedro Feliz all homered.
Happ (8-2) tossed a four-hitter in his latest outstanding outing, making a strong argument to remain in Philadelphia’s rotation, but it may not be enough for the rookie left-hander.
Three-time Cy Young Award winner Pedro Martinez threw six innings in a rehab start 105km away for Double-A Reading. If Phillies officials are convinced Martinez can start in the major leagues, he likely would send Happ to the bullpen.
Manager Charlie Manuel says it’s still too early to talk about what the rotation will look like once Martinez joins the Phillies.
GIANTS 10, ASTROS 6
In Houston, Texas, Joe Martinez came off the disabled list to win his first major league start and Eli Whiteside hit a grand slam for his first career home run as San Francisco downed Houston.
Martinez (2-0) pitched in the majors for the first time since he was struck on the head by a line-drive from Milwaukee’s Mike Cameron on April 9, his second outing of the season.
The 26-year-old rookie right-hander gave up three runs and seven hits in five innings.
Whiteside’s slam gave the Giants a 7-3 lead in the sixth against Brian Moehler (7-7), who dropped to 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA in his last three starts.
Hunter Pence hit a two-run homer for Houston, who have lost nine of 12.
Wednesday’s other results:
• Nationals 5, Marlins 4
• Reds 4, Cubs 0
• Mets 9, Cardinals 0
• Braves 6, Padres 2
• Diamondbacks 4, Pirates 3
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