AMERICAN LEAGUE
AP, NEW YORK
New York’s Alex Rodriguez became the youngest player to hit 600 home runs on Wednesday, driving a pitch into Yankee Stadium’s Monument Park in center field against the Toronto Blue Jays exactly three years to the day after his 500th homer.
His two-run, first-inning drive off Shaun Marcum put New York ahead and the Yankees coasted to a 5-1 victory to end a three-game losing streak.
A-Rod reached the milestone after a 12-game drought. At 35 years, eight days, Rodriguez joined an elite club that includes Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755), Babe Ruth (714), Willie Mays (660), Ken Griffey Jr (630) and Sammy Sosa (609). Ruth is next youngest at 36 years, 196 days.
Rodriguez received a brief ovation when he came up again in the third inning, then grounded out to shortstop en route to a 1-for-4 day. Derek Jeter had four hits and scored three runs and Mark Teixeira drove in three runs to support Phil Hughes (13-4).
ATHLETICS 4, ROYALS 3
In Oakland, Kevin Kouzmanoff hit a tie-breaking, two-run double in the sixth inning and Oakland took advantage of two errors to beat Kansas City.
Brett Anderson (3-2) allowed three hits and two runs, struck out four and walked one in seven innings.
In other AL play, it was:
• White Sox 4, Tigers 1
• Orioles 9, Angels 7
• Twins 2, Rays 1, 13 innings
• Rangers 11, Mariners 6
• Indians 9, Red Sox 1
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, DENVER, COLORADO
Ubaldo Jimenez won his major league-leading 17th game and Carlos Gonzalez homered twice as the Colorado Rockies beat the San Francisco Giants 6-1 on Wednesday.
Troy Tulowitzki also homered for the streaking Rockies, who have won five of six.
Jimenez (17-2) became the fourth Rockies pitcher to win 17 games and the first since Jeff Francis did it in 2007, when Colorado reached the World Series. Kevin Ritz (1996) and Pedro Astacio (1999) were the other pitchers to win 17 games in a season for the franchise.
The Rockies’ ace rebounded from a rare poor start against San Francisco on July 3, when he allowed seven runs in the third inning in an 11-8 loss. This time, he allowed only one run and four hits while striking out nine in seven dazzling innings.
In other NL play, it was:
• Braves 8, Mets 3
• Dodgers 9, Padres 0
• Nationals 7, Diamondbacks 2
• Reds 9, Pirates 4
• Cubs 15, Brewers 3
• Cardinals 8, Astros 4
• Phillies 7, Marlins 2
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