AMERICAN LEAGUE
Alexi Ogando outpitched Justin Verlander before injuring his finger in the Texas Rangers’ 2-0 win over Detroit on Monday.
The AL champions improved to nine wins from 10 games, the top record in the majors.
Photo: Reuters
Rangers closer Neftali Feliz retired the first two batters in the ninth inning before Ryan Raburn doubled. The Rangers then intentionally walked Miguel Cabrera, bringing Victor Martinez to the plate as the potential winning run. Martinez grounded out on a 2-0 pitch to end it.
Michael Young and Mitch Moreland hit RBI doubles in the seventh inning as Texas equaled the start of their 1989 club.
Ogando (2-0) gave up just two hits, walked one and struck four over seven innings in his second start in the majors. His outing was cut short by fluid under a callus on his right index finger. Ogando pitched six scoreless innings last week with a blister on the same finger.
Verlander (1-1) lost despite pitching a six-hitter. He also struck out four and walked one in his 119-pitch performance.
INDIANS 4, ANGELS 0
In Anaheim, California, Mitch Talbot took a shutout into the ninth inning, while Asdrubal Cabrera and Matt LaPorta homered to lead Cleveland to their eighth straight win.
Talbot (1-0) came within three outs of his first big-league shutout, allowing five hits and two walks, while striking out four. He was lifted after Bobby Abreu led off the ninth with a double on Talbot’s 112th pitch.
Rays 16, Red Sox 5
In Boston, Sam Fuld went 4 for 6 with a two-run homer, drove in three runs and fell a single shy of the cycle to lead Tampa Bay.
Johnny Damon had three hits, including a solo homer, and three RBIs, while John Jaso and Reid Brignac also drove in three runs apiece for the Rays. Jeremy Hellickson (1-1) gave up two runs, five hits, walked five and struck out one in 5-1/3 innings to earn the win.
Jacoby Ellsbury hit a solo homer for the Red Sox, Adrian Gonzalez had a run-scoring triple and Carl Crawford went 2 for 5 against his former team to raise his average to .163.
Daisuke Matsuzaka (0-2) lasted just two-plus innings, giving up seven runs on eight hits. Tampa Bay sent 10 batters to the plate in the second, scoring six runs on three consecutive two-run hits after the Japanese right-hander loaded the bases with no outs.
In Monday’s other games it was:
‧ Athletics 2, White Sox 1, 10 innings
‧ Mariners 8, Blue Jays 7
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, SAN FRANCISCO
Clayton Kershaw shut down the Giants and Rod Barajas homered as the Dodgers beat San Francisco 6-1.
Kershaw (2-1) struck out seven, walked two and gave up six hits in 6-2/3 innings.
Andre Ethier had a pair of run-scoring singles, while Matt Kemp also had an RBI single in the Dodgers’ four-run fifth against Madison Bumgarner (0-2), started by Barajas’ drive to left-center for his second homer of the year.
Pat Burrell broke up Los Angeles’ shutout bid with a solo homer against Mike MacDougal leading off the ninth that hit the left-field foul pole.
In Monday’s other games it was:
‧ Reds 3, Padres 2
‧ Cardinals 8, Diamondbacks 2
‧ Cubs 5, Astros 4
‧ Rockies 7, Mets 6
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