The Cleveland Indians fought back for a 5-4 victory over the Detroit Tigers in the American League on Sunday to extend their home winning streak to 13 games.
Cleveland’s sixth straight win overall also increased the Tigers’ losing streak to six. The three-game sweep gave the Indians four series sweeps this season, already matching their entire total for last year.
Michael Brantley singled home the go-ahead run in the eighth inning. He followed a tying RBI single by Orlando Cabrera by lining a pitch from Joaquin Benoit (0-2) to left field, scoring Shelley Duncan from second base.
Matt LaPorta added a sacrifice fly for his third RBI and a 5-3 lead as Cleveland extended their best home start in 70 years.
Angels 6, Rays 5
In St Petersburg, Florida, the Angles came from five runs down to beat Tampa Bay.
The Angels went ahead 6-5 in the eighth inning thanks in part to Vernon Wells, who drew a walk from Joel Peralta (1-1) with Torii Hunter on third. Wells slowed up on Hank Conger’s grounder and forced the second baseman to throw to first for an out. Wells then prolonged a rundown long enough for Hunter to score.
Los Angeles ace Jered Weaver (6-0) was scratched from his scheduled start because of a stomach virus and was expected to start yesterday.
Athletics 7, Rangers 2
In Oakland, California, the hosts snapped out of their scoring slump to beat Texas.
Conor Jackson had two hits and two RBIs, leadoff hitter Coco Crisp added two hits in his return to the lineup and Kurt Suzuki had two RBIs to help the A’s score more than six runs for only the fourth time this season.
They knocked out Rangers starter Matt Harrison (3-3) in the second inning.
Oakland starter Gio Gonzalez (3-2) got seven strikeouts over 6-2/3 innings to win for the first time in three weeks. He didn’t give up a hit until the fourth inning and allowed only three runners past second.
In Sunday’s other action, it was:
‧ Yankees 5, Blue Jays 2
‧ Red Sox 3, Mariners 2
‧ Royals 10, Twins 3
‧ Orioles 6, White Sox 4
AP, CINCINNATI, Ohio
Hanley Ramirez hit his first home run of the season, while the Florida Marlins went deep a season-high five times to beat the Cincinnati Reds 9-5 in the National League on Sunday.
John Buck homered to snap a seventh-inning tie. Greg Dobbs, Mike Stanton and Emilio Bonifacio also connected for the Marlins, who got all their runs from homers.
Jay Bruce and Brandon Phillips homered for the Reds in a game of long shots.
Reds starter Bronson Arroyo (3-3) allowed a season-worst three home runs in seven innings. He is 0-3 in 10 career appearances against the Marlins.
Ricky Nolasco (3-0) allowed six hits in seven innings, while Leo Nunez got two outs for his ninth save in nine tries.
Padres 7, Dodgers 0
In Los Angeles, Dustin Moseley pitched seven shutout innings for his first victory of this season as San Diego blanked Los Angeles.
Moseley (1-3) struck out six and allowed just two runners as far as second base. He was winless in five starts last month despite a 1.99 ERA, with his teammates getting shut out in each of his first three outings.
Los Angeles’ Andre Ethier extended his hitting streak to 27 consecutive games.
Jon Garland (1-2) gave up three runs in five innings, walking four.
Braves 6, Cardinals 5
In Atlanta, Georgia, Brooks Conrad recaptured his pinch-hit magic of last season, driving in the winning run in the ninth inning to give Atlanta victory over St Louis.
Conrad, who had three homers — including two Grand Slams — and drove in 12 runs as a pinch-hitter last season, hit a bloop single off Ryan Franklin (0-3) to drive in Alex Gonzalez from second base.
Gonzalez, who had a two-run homer in the fifth inning, opened the ninth with a pop fly off Franklin (0-3) that bounced off shortstop Ryan Theriot’s glove for an error. Gonzalez moved to second on a sacrifice.
Jonny Venters (1-0) pitched a perfect ninth for the Braves, who rallied from a 4-0 deficit.
In Sunday’s other action, it was:
‧ Pirates 8, Rockies 4
‧ Mets 2, Phillies 1, 14 innings
‧ Nationals 5, Giants 2
‧ Astros 5, Brewers 0
‧ Diamondbacks 4, Cubs 3
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