AMERICAN LEAGUE
AP, NEW YORK
Derek Jeter and the New York Yankees helped honor George Steinbrenner with a monumental win on Monday night.
After the Yankees unveiled a huge monument to their late owner Steinbrenner, Jeter singled home the go-ahead run in the sixth inning. Curtis Granderson followed with his second home run of the night, a three-run drive that helped New York to an 8-6 victory over the second-place Tampa Bay Rays in a key AL East matchup.
Winning the opener of a four-game series that started its final homestand, New York (91-59) opened a one-and-a-half game lead over the Rays (89-60).
After Tampa rallied from a four-run deficit, Jeter’s hit off Matt Garza (14-9) followed Brett Gardner’s leadoff infield single and Francisco Cervelli’s hit-and-run single through the vacated hole at shortstop. With New York ahead 5-4, Granderson greeted Grant Balfour with a three-run homer.
Chad Gaudin (1-4) won in relief of rookie Ivan Nova.
TWINS 9, INDIANS 3
In Minneapolis, Minnesota, Danny Valencia and Michael Cuddyer hit home runs and Brian Duensing got his 10th win for the Twins.
The victory cut the Twins’ magic number for winning the AL Central to three. Chicago, which is in second place, played later at Oakland.
Cuddyer’s two-run shot capped the Twins’ four-run sixth after the Indians had closed within 4-3 in the top of the inning.
Jeanmar Gomez (3-5) allowed eight runs and 10 hits in five-and-two-thirds innings, is winless in his last six starts.
ORIOLES 4, RED SOX 2
In Boston, Ty Wigginton had a tiebreaking sacrifice fly and Luke Scott followed with an RBI single in the seventh inning, lifting Baltimore over the Red Sox.
The Orioles, rejuvenated since Buck Showalter took over as manager Aug. 3, won for the 11th time in 15 games. Baltimore won for just the fourth time in their last 21 games in Fenway Park.
Daisuke Matsuzaka (9-6) pitched six-and-one-third innings, allowing four runs, six hits, walking five and striking out four.
In other AL action it was:
•Tigers 7, Royals 5
• Athletics 3, White Sox 0
• Angels 7, Rangers 4
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, PHILADELPHIA
The Philadelphia Phillies took advantage of an error by right fielder Jason Heyward to beat the Atlanta Braves 3-1 on Monday night, increasing their lead in the NL East to four games.
The two-time defending NL champions won their eighth straight game and improved to 42-15 since July 21, when they trailed the Braves by seven games.
Cole Hamels (12-10) allowed one run and six hits, striking out six in eight innings to win his fifth straight start — a career best. Brad Lidge finished for his 24th save in 29 chances.
Brandon Beachy (0-1) gave up three runs — one earned — and four hits in four-and-one-third innings in his major league debut. He was a late fill-in for Jair Jurrjens, still nursing a sore right knee.
The 24-year-old right-hander was at the Braves’ instructional league program in Florida when he got the call to join the team.
MARLINS 4, CARDINALS 0
In Miami, Chris Volstad threw a five-hitter for his second career shutout and Brad Davis hit a grand slam off Chris Carpenter as Florida dealt St Louis’ dimming playoff hopes a blow.
The game was a makeup following a rainout on Aug. 8, and the teams needed only 1 hour, 52 minutes to finish — it was the fastest game in Marlins’ history, by 2 minutes.
Davis’ first career slam — the first by a Marlins catcher — came in the second inning, the first allowed by Carpenter (15-8) in 3,699 at-bats since June 12, 2004.
Volstad (10-9) struck out three for the Marlins, who lost the first six games of their current homestand.
The Cardinals are 12-23 since Aug. 13.
ASTROS 8, NATIONALS 2
In Washington, Humberto Quintero and Geoff Blum each homered in a seven-run fifth inning, while Bud Norris won for the seventh time in eight decisions as Houston beat the mistake-prone Washington.
Norris (9-8) allowed two runs and six hits in six-and-two-thirds innings. The Astros are 10-1 in his last 11 starts, with Norris going 7-1 with a 3.52 ERA during that span.
Houston has won six of eight. Washington lost its fourth straight.
The Nationals committed three errors leading to four unearned runs in the fifth, when the Astros erased Washington’s 2-1 lead with their highest-scoring inning of the season.
Quintero’s two-run homer and Blum’s three-run drive both came off Livan Hernandez (10-12).
The game drew 10,999, the smallest crowd in Washington, since the Montreal Expos relocated before the 2005 season.
In other NL action it was:
• Reds 5, Brewers 2
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