INTERLEAGUE
AP, MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA
Francisco Liriano struck out a season-high 11 batters to edge Tim Hudson in a dazzling pitchers’ duel as the Minnesota Twins beat the Atlanta Braves 2-1 on Friday.
Liriano (6-3) allowed five hits in eight innings and Delmon Young’s pinch-hit single in the seventh inning gave the Dominican lefty just enough run support. Jon Rauch struck out Jason Heyward, Chipper Jones and Troy Glaus in the ninth for his 16th save. Hudson (6-2) went the distance for the Braves, allowing two runs on seven hits. Five of those came in the Twins’ two-run seventh inning.
The game served as a ringing endorsement for Tommy John surgery, the ligament replacement procedure that once spelled the end of a pitcher’s career. Both Hudson and Liriano had the surgery.
ANGELS 10, DODGERS 1
At Los Angeles, Joel Pineiro pitched a five-hitter for his second complete game win of the season as the Angels blew out the Dodgers.
Hideki Matsui and Torii Hunter had three-run doubles, helping the Angels win for the eighth time in 10 games and snapping the Dodgers’ four-game winning streak.
Pineiro (5-6) struck out seven, walked one and retired his final 14 batters to earn his second straight win. He also helped the team on offense, becoming the first Angels pitcher to score three runs in a game since 1962.
INDIANS 7, NATIONALS 2
At Cleveland, Ohio, Austin Kearns drove in four runs with two homers against his former team as Cleveland beat Washington.
Travis Hafner also homered for Cleveland as manager Manny Acta won his first game against the team that fired him on July 13 last year.
Jake Westbrook (4-3) gave up two runs over seven-and-one-third innings and Chris Perez got his sixth save as Cleveland won for the fourth time in five games, depriving Washington of its first four-game winning streak.
Kearns hit a three-run shot off Luis Atilano (5-3) in the first inning. He hit the first pitch of the fourth for a 5-1 lead and his fourth multiple homer game, his first since June 4, 2006, at Houston.
YANKEES 4, ASTROS 3
At New York, Andy Pettitte threw seven-and-one-third sharp innings as New York beat Houston.
Francisco Cervelli hit a two-run single in New York’s three-run first inning, and Mark Teixeira added an RBI single in the fifth.
Pettitte allowed two earned runs and four hits against his former team to improve to 3-0 with a 2.10 ERA in his last four starts.
TIGERS 6, PIRATES 2
At Detroit, Michigan, Brennan Boesch hit a solo shot in a three-run fourth inning and Ramon Santiago had a two-run homer in a three-run sixth as Detroit cruised past Pittsburgh.
Justin Verlander (7-4) gave up two runs on four hits and matched a season high with four walks in seven-plus innings.
In other interleague play, it was:
• Red Sox 12, Phillies 2
• Marlins 14, Rays 9
• Giants 6, Athletics 2
• Brewers 6, Rangers 2
• Mets 5, Orioles 1
• Royals 6, Reds 5, 11 innings
• White Sox 10, Cubs 5
• Padres 4, Mariners 3
• Rockies 5, Blue Jays 3
NATIONAL LEAGUE
CARDINALS 5, DIAMONDBACKS 2
At Phoenix, Arizona, Brendan Ryan hit a three-run home run in the seventh and the Cardinals gained a victory over Arizona.
Ryan’s drive ruined an otherwise good pitching performance from Arizona’s Rodrigo Lopez, who retired 16 straight batters until he allowed back-to-back singles in the seventh. Ryan homered on the first pitch he saw from Lopez with two outs in the inning.
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