AMERICAN LEAGUE
Mark Buehrle won for the first time since pitching a perfect game on July 23, ending his eight-start drought by leading the Chicago White Sox over the Boston Red Sox 5-1 in the American League on Monday.
Carlos Quentin homered as Chicago took three of four from the AL wild-card leaders.
Buehrle (12-7) outpitched Josh Beckett (14-6), scattering eight hits over seven-plus innings. The White Sox lefty had been 0-4 with a 5.44 ERA since his gem against Tampa Bay.
Buehrle gave up a first-inning run and then pitched his way out of several jams. Leading 3-1, he gave up a leadoff single to Victor Martinez in the eighth and was replaced by Tony Pena, who struck out Jason Bay and Mike Lowell.
Beckett, who hasn’t won since Aug. 12, gave up three runs and six hits over seven innings. He retired his final 10 batters and was able to keep the ball in the park, something he’d failed to do in his five previous outings when he surrendered 14 homers.
ROYALS 6, ANGELS 3
At Kansas City, Missouri, Billy Butler homered twice and had four RBIs as Kansas City ended a nine-game losing streak to the Los Angeles Angels.
Kansas City played solid defense, had 11 hits and survived a scare from its shaky bullpen to beat Los Angeles for the first time since May 7, 2008. Butler hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning off Ervin Santana (7-8) and a solo shot off Jose Arredondo in the eighth for his second multihomer game this season.
The AL West-leading Angels failed to take advantage of numerous opportunities against Royals starter Kyle Davies (7-9). Los Angeles left runners in scoring position in four of Davies’ five innings and stranded 12 overall.
YANKEES 4, RAYS 1, 1ST GAME, YANKEES 11, RAYS 1, 2ND GAME
At New York, Derek Jeter went hitless with a walk from eight at bats to remain three hits behind club record-holder Lou Gehrig as New York swept a day-night doubleheader from Tampa Bay.
After a sparkling pitcher’s duel between CC Sabathia and Matt Garza in the opener, Robinson Cano hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in a three-run eighth inning. Mark Teixeira hit a three-run homer in an eight-run third that broke open the second game and added a solo shot, boosting A.J. Burnett (11-8) to his first win since July 27.
New York has won 11 of its last 14 and is 39 games over .500 for the first time since 2004. The Yankees opened a season-high nine-game AL East lead over second-place Boston and moved 6 1/2 games ahead of the Los Angeles Angels for best record in the AL — and homefield throughout the postseason.
Tampa Bay slugger Carlos Pena broke two fingers on his left hand when he was hit by a pitch in the first. Because he swung, he didn’t even get to first base.
TWINS 6, BLUE JAYS 3
At Toronto, major league batting leader Joe Mauer got three more hits and keyed a five-run first inning as Minnesota downed Toronto.
Jason Kubel doubled twice for the Twins, who snapped a seven-game losing streak in Toronto. The Blue Jays have lost 11 of 15.
The Twins wound up using five relievers. Jesse Crain (5-4) worked 1 1-3 innings and Joe Nathan closed it out in the ninth for his 37th save in 42 chances.
Minnesota had scored five runs overall just once in their previous 10 games, but broke loose against Scott Richmond (6-9).
Mauer put the Twins ahead, Justin Morneau and Michael Cuddyer had RBI singles and Delmon Young drove in a run with a grounder.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
REUTERS AND AP, PHOENIX, ARIZONA AND PITTSBURGH
Manny Ramirez sparked the Los Angeles Dodgers with a home run and was then later ejected during his team’s 7-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday.
The left fielder gave the Dodgers a 1-0 advantage on a solo homer in the second inning, his 17th of the season.
In the third innings, Ramirez flung his bat and helmet toward home plate after striking out and was ejected by the umpire.
“I don’t want to talk about [the home run], I do that all the time,” Ramirez told reporters. “I told [the umpire] I thought it was a ball, then I threw my helmet and he threw me out.”
“It’s okay. He’s human. He’s not a machine,” he added.
James Loney added another homer in the second.
Ronnie Belliard had three hits and two RBIs for the Dodgers.
Los Angeles starter Vicente Padilla allowed two runs in six innings before closer Jonathan Broxton recorded his 33rd save.
“Padilla was terrific and, obviously, it was an important game for us,” said Los Angeles manager Joe Torre. “Padilla gave us six strong innings, and Belliard really gave us a shot in the arm.”
Max Scherzer allowed four runs and three home runs in seven innings to be take the loss for the Diamondbacks (61-78).
Chris Young hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning to give him four in the last two games. He hit three homers in a 13-5 loss to the Colorado Rockies on Sunday.
CUBS 4, PIRATES 2
The Pittsburgh Pirates were assured of a record-breaking 17th straight losing season, falling to the Chicago Cubs 4-2 on Monday on Derrek Lee’s two homers.
By losing their 10th in 11 games, the Pirates dropped to 54 wins and 82 losses and will finish below .500, just as they have every season since 1993. The string of losing seasons is the longest for any team in the four major North American pro team sports. Only the Phillies (1933-1948) have had as many as 16 losing seasons in a row.
Ted Lilly (11-8) won and Carlos Marmol got his 10th save.
Daniel McCutchen (0-1) absorbed his first major league loss, the Pirates’ 1,501st defeat overall during a string of unsuccessful seasons that began in 1993, the year Pittsburgh started rebuilding after the free agency departures of former stars Barry Bonds, Bobby Bonilla and Doug Drabek. No Pirates team since has finished closer than four games to .500.
CARDINALS 3, BREWERS 0
At Milwaukee, Chris Carpenter pitched a one-hitter, allowing only a clean double to Jody Gerut in the fifth inning, and struck out 10 as St. Louis beat Milwaukee.
Carpenter (16-3) won his 11th straight decision and leads the majors with a 2.16 ERA. He needed 99 pitches to throw his first shutout in three years, and allowed just two balls out of the infield.
Albert Pujols hit a two-run double in the fifth, then doubled again and scored in the seventh. Dave Bush (3-7) has lost seven consecutive decisions over his last nine starts dating to May 13.
In other National League games it was:
• Giants 9, Padres 4
• Rockies 4, Reds 3
• Astros 4, Phillies 3
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