AMERICAN LEAGUE
Derek Jeter homered twice after going 62 games without a long ball, while Curtis Granderson went deep again as the New York Yankees beat the Texas Rangers 12-5 on Sunday despite an erratic outing by C.C. Sabathia.
Jeter had gone 259 at-bats without a homer since Aug. 24 last year, before leading off the fifth with a liner that barely cleared the eight-foot wall into the Rangers’ bullpen in right-center.
Photo: Reuters
Jeter didn’t wait long for his next homer, leading off the seventh against Arthur Rhodes (1-2) with a deeper shot into the bullpen to break a 4-4 tie.
Under scrutiny all season, the 36-year-old Jeter had four hits, three RBIs and his first stolen base of the year, while raising his batting average from .256 to .276.
Granderson, who homered twice in Friday’s 4-1 victory, followed Jeter’s second homer with his AL-leading 11th of the season.
Francisco Cervelli hit a Grand Slam and Mark Teixeira added two-run shot in the eighth, a six-run outburst off rookie Cody Eppley.
ANGELS 6, INDIANS 5
In Anaheim, California, Peter Bourjos drove in the tying run in the eighth inning with an infield single, while Erick Aybar followed with a two-run double and Los Angeles beat Cleveland to give Mike Scioscia his 1,000th victory as a major league manager.
Angels reliever Fernando Rodney (2-1) got credit for the win, despite blowing a 3-2 lead for Dan Haren in the top of the eighth. Travis Hafner had an RBI infield hit and Orlando Cabrera a run-scoring fielder’s choice.
Rafael Perez gave up a double to Howie Kendrick in the bottom half and was relieved by Joe Smith (1-1). Rookie Mark Trumbo had an infield single, before Bourjos hit a chopper off the plate that Smith fielded and had no play on. Aybar put the Angels back in front with a drive to left-center for two runs.
RED SOX 9, TWINS 5
In Boston, Adrian Gonzalez homered, Kevin Youkilis scored four runs and Daisuke Matsuzaka settled down to pitch six innings after a rough first, leading Boston over Minnesota.
Jacoby Ellsbury had three hits and extended his hitting streak to 17 games. Gonzalez, J.D. Drew and Jed Lowrie each drove in two runs for the Red Sox.
Danny Valencia had a solo homer and two-run single for the Twins, who have lost nine of their past 10 games in Fenway Park. Minnesota committed three errors, one leading to a pair of unearned runs.
Matsuzaka (3-3), gave up three runs in the first and threw 34 pitches. After that, he held the Twins to two hits over the next five innings. He allowed four earned runs, struck out four and walked two.
TIGERS 5, BLUE JAYS 2
In Toronto, Brad Penny pitched well into the eighth inning as Detroit followed Justin Verlander’s no-hitter by beating Toronto.
Austin Jackson hit a tiebreaking home run, Jose Valverde struck out the side in the ninth for his seventh save and the 200th of his career, becoming the 41st player in major league history to reach the mark.
Jose Bautista homered in his return to the lineup after missing five games with a stiff neck.
Penny (3-3) responded to the third-inning shot by retiring 10 straight batters and 14 of the next 15. The right-hander allowed two runs and seven hits in a season-high 7-2/3 innings, walked none and struck out one.
Jackson broke a 2-2 tie with a two-run homer to left in the seventh, his second. The drive came off Blue Jays left-hander Jo-Jo Reyes (0-3).
In other AL action, it was:
‧ Rays 5, Orioles 3
‧ Athletics 5, Royals 2
‧ White Sox 5, Mariners 2
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, MIAMI
Anibal Sanchez took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and struck out a career-high 11 batters to help the Florida Marlins salvage the final game of their series against the Washington Nationals, 8-0.
Washington’s first hit came on the 101st pitch from Sanchez, when Laynce Nix led off the seventh with a line drive single to right, just beyond the reach of a diving Mike Stanton.
Sanchez (2-1) allowed two hits and walked none in seven innings, before departing after throwing 117 pitches on a hot afternoon.
Gaby Sanchez, swinging a pink bat on Mother’s Day, hit a three-run homer, doubled twice, singled and scored three runs. Greg Dobbs also wielded a pink bat and had two RBI hits.
BRAVES 5, PHILLIES 2
In Philadelphia, Jair Jurrjens pitched neatly into the seventh inning as Atlanta got home runs from Freddie Freeman, Alex Gonzalez and pinch-hitter Eric Hinske to beat Philadelphia.
Jurrjens (4-0) allowed one run and eight hits in 6-1/3 innings to out-duel Cole Hamels. Jurrjens hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs in any start and has a 1.50 ERA.
Hamels (4-2) gave up three runs and five hits, striking out nine in seven innings. Coming off a complete-game win over Washington, Hamels threw 92 pitches, before being removed for a pinch hitter.
Jonny Venters pitched out of trouble after allowing a run in the eighth and Craig Kimbrel tossed a scoreless ninth for his eighth save in 10 tries.
REDS 2, CUBS 0
In Chicago, Johnny Cueto was strong in his season debut, allowing five hits and pitching into the seventh for Cincinnati.
Drew Stubbs hit his sixth homer for the Reds and Cueto (1-0), who was activated off the disabled list before the game, won a pitcher’s duel with Ryan Dempster (1-4).
Four Reds’ relievers completed the shutout. Francisco Cordero pitched the ninth for his sixth save in seven chances.
Cueto began the season on the disabled list with irritation in his right biceps/triceps. He left Sunday’s outing after giving up Alfonso Soriano’s leadoff single in the bottom of the seventh. During his 102-pitch outing, he walked one and struck out four.
In other NL action, it was:
‧ Giants 3, Rockies 0
‧ Cardinals 3, Brewers 1
‧ Dodgers 4, Mets 2
‧ Pirates 5, Astros 4
‧ Padres 4, Diamondbacks 3
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