AMERICAN LEAGUE
AP AND REUTERS, CHICAGO
White Sox left-hander John Danks struck out nine batters and allowed just one run to halt the Tampa Bay Rays’ seven-game winning streak and give Chicago a much-needed 4-1 victory on Tuesday.
Danks (2-0) conceded only two hits in his eight innings to help the White Sox (5-9) get their first win in five games and dash the Rays’ (10-4) hopes of setting a single-season club record with an eighth consecutive road win.
“There are plenty of teams I don’t match up well against, but for whatever reason I have [against Tampa Bay],” Danks told reporters after improving to 5-1 with a 2.35 ERA in his career against the Rays. “It’s a big game for me and the team.”
Carl Crawford had all three Tampa Bay hits and their only run, a solo homer that gave his team a 1-0 lead that was wiped out by Paul Konerko’s RBI double in the bottom of the first.
Konerko finished 3-for-4 and also had a solo homer in the eighth after the White Sox scored once in the second and sixth innings in support of Danks, who has allowed just one run in each of his three starts this season.
“He’s good, and he had it all going on today,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “He had that nice little cutter going on inside. Then he’s got the changeup working away from the righty, and then he started mixing up the bigger curve ball toward the end.”
Tampa Bay’s young hurler David Price took his first loss of the season after allowing three runs in five innings.
Alex Rios had a go-ahead triple for the White Sox in the second and Andruw Jones bombed his fourth homer of the year in the sixth to chase Price.
YANKEES 7, ATHLETICS 3
At Oakland, California, Alex Rodriguez hit a three-run homer to lift the New York Yankees to victory over the Oakland Athletics, notching a fifth straight American League win.
Yankees starter Javier Vazquez (1-2) finally showed the form that made him a 15-game winner last season. He entered the game with a 9.82 ERA, but allowed only three runs in 5-1/3 innings, striking out six.
Nick Swisher hit a two-run single against his former team and Jorge Posada also singled home a run in New York’s three-run first inning against Gio Gonzalez (1-1).
Plate umpire Ed Rapuano took a foul ball to the chin. He was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital, but the A’s said he was alert when he left the ballpark.
TWINS 5, INDIANS 1
In Minneapolis, Kevin Slowey handcuffed Cleveland’s struggling offense for eight innings, steering Minnesota to victory.
Slowey (2-1) gave up one run with nine strikeouts and no walks.
Cleveland got just four innings from starter Justin Masterson (1-1) who gave up five runs, walked five, hit one batter and needed 96 pitches to get through those four innings.
In Tuesday’s other games it was:
• Angels 6, Tigers 5
• Blue Jays 4, Royals 3
• Red Sox 7, Rangers 6
• Mariners 3, Orioles 1
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, ATLANTA, GEORGIA
Jason Heyward hit a tying homer with two outs in the ninth inning and Nate McLouth hit another home run leading off the tenth to give the Atlanta Braves a 4-3 comeback win over the Philadelphia Phillies in Tuesday’s National League action.
Kyle Kendrick pitched eight scoreless innings for Philadelphia, but closer Ryan Madson blew a 3-0 lead in the ninth by giving up consecutive homers to Troy Glaus and Heyward.
McLouth’s homer into the right-field seats came off Jose Contreras (0-1).
PADRES 1, GIANTS 0
In San Diego, the hosts beat San Francisco despite getting only one hit.
Mat Latos (1-1) prevailed in a pitching duel with Jonathan Sanchez (1-1), both going seven innings and retiring their final 12 batters. Sanchez lost despite striking out 10 and allowing only Chase Headley’s fourth-inning single.
San Diego pulled even with the Giants atop the NL West, the first time the Padres have been in first place since this time last year.
They won their fifth straight game while the Giants lost their third straight..
DIAMONDBACKS 9, CARDINALS 7
In Phoenix, Arizona pitcher Dan Haren had a career-high four hits to help the Diamondbacks overpower St Louis and end a five-game losing streak.
Haren tied a franchise record for pitchers with his four hits, set twice by Micah Owings. The last major league pitcher to get four hits in a game was the Chicago Cubs’ Carlos Zambrano on May 23, 2008.
In other National League action on Tuesday, it was:
• Rockies 10, Nationals 4
• Brewers 8, Pirates 1
• Reds 11, Dodgers 9
• Astros 7, Marlins 5
• Mets 4, Cubs 0
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