AMERICAN LEAGUE
Nick Blackburn pitched eight shutout innings for the Minnesota Twins as Michael Cuddyer’s home run was enough to beat Mark Buehrle and the Chicago White Sox 1-0 in the American League on Thursday.
Buehrle was beaten despite giving up just three hits over seven innings as the White Sox fell to 0-4 this year against their Central Division rivals — scoring a total of three runs in the process.
Photo: AFP
Blackburn (6-4) matched his career-high by winning his fifth straight decision, coming over his past nine starts. He scattered seven hits, continuing a remarkable run this month by the Twins’ rotation. Minnesota have won 11 of their last 13 games.
Buehrle (6-5) has pitched well over his last eight starts since the beginning of May, surrendering only 17 runs in 55 innings for a 2.78 ERA.
YANKEES 3, RANGERS 2, 12 INNINGS
In New York, journeyman Brian Gordon kept the Yankees close in a most unlikely start, then Brett Gardner hit a winning single in the 12th inning that lifted New York to a three-game sweep.
The Yankees became the first team to sweep American League champions Texas this year. New York won for the sixth time in seven tries and sent the Rangers to their season-worst fifth loss in a row.
Gordon signed with the Yankees this week and pitched effectively, allowing two runs on seven hits in 5-1/3 innings. Cory Wade (1-0), who also signed with the Yankees this week, pitched two perfect innings for the win.
Gardner’s one-out hit in the 12th came off Michael Kirkman (1-1).
TIGERS 6, INDIANS 2
In Detroit, Michigan, Jhonny Peralta and Ryan Raburn hit back-to-back solo homers in the fourth inning as Detroit moved a game ahead of Cleveland for first place in the American League Central.
The Tigers won twice in the three-game series, giving them 13 wins in 18 games.
The Indians, on the other hand, have dropped 16 of 22.
Max Scherzer (9-3) gave up two runs and four hits, hitting two batters over 5-2/3 innings for Detroit.
Mitch Talbot (2-4) allowed six runs on nine hits over four innings.
ORIOLES 4, BLUE JAYS 3
In Toronto, Jeremy Guthrie pitched five shutout innings, before a strained back forced him to leave the game as Baltimore scored two runs in the ninth for the win.
Vladimir Guerrero and Luke Scott opened the ninth with back-to-back singles against Toronto closer Jon Rauch (2-3). Derek Lee followed with a swinging bunt that Blue Jays third baseman Jayson Nix charged on, but Nix’s throw home was high, allowing pinch-runner Nolan Reimold to score for a 3-2 Orioles lead. Ryan Adams later added an RBI single.
Adam Lind’s solo home run off Kevin Gregg in the bottom of the ninth made it 4-3, but the former Toronto closer recovered to earn his 13th save.
Thursday’s other results:
‧ Athletics 8, Royals 4
‧ Red Sox 4, Rays 2
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, PHILADELPHIA
Cliff Lee tossed a two-hitter, had two hits and an RBI as he helped the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Florida Marlins 3-0 to complete a four-game sweep and win their seventh in a row in the National League on Thursday.
Lee (7-5) did not allow a hit until Mike Stanton grounded a single to center with two outs in the fifth. He struck out four to record his seventh career shutout and his second this season.
Ryan Howard homered for the National League East-leading Phillies, who improved their major league-best record to 44-26.
The struggling Marlins have lost 15 of 16. Florida’s Javier Vazquez (3-7) allowed two runs and eight hits in five innings.
DIAMONDBACKS 3, GIANTS 2, 10 INNINGS
In Phoenix, Arizona, Justin Upton homered on the first pitch he saw in the 10th inning as Arizona avoided a sweep at the hands of San Francisco.
Upton’s opposite-field home run off Santiago Casilla (0-1) was his first career “walk-off” homer and the first home run given up by Casilla this season.
Ian Kennedy gave up only an unearned run on four hits and struck out 10 with one walk over eight innings to stake the Diamondbacks to a 2-1 lead, but Pat Burrell’s RBI sacrifice fly in the ninth tied it as J.J. Putz blew his third save in 21 opportunities.
Chris Young homered for Arizona for the second night in a row.
CUBS 12, BREWERS 7
In Chicago, Kosuke Fukudome had three hits as he broke it open with a three-run homer, while Alfonso Soriano and Carlos Pena also went deep for Chicago.
Fukudome singled and scored in the first, hit an RBI triple and scored in the second, then delivered the big blow in the sixth when he connected off reliever Daniel Herrera.
Pena put Chicago 6-5 ahead with a leadoff homer against Zack Greinke in the third. Soriano added a two-run shot in the seventh, while Starlin Castro had three hits for the Cubs.
Greinke (6-2) allowed a season-high eight runs and eight hits in 5-1/3 innings and took his first loss since his debut against Atlanta.
PIRATES 5, ASTROS 4
In Houston, Texas, Garrett Jones hit a three-run homer in the first inning, while Pittsburgh added two runs in the sixth to regain the lead and hold on for their fourth straight win.
The win also gives the Pirates their first three-game sweep of the season.
Pittsburgh starter James McDonald (5-4) allowed seven hits and three runs in 5-2/3 innings. Tony Watson walked one in two scoreless innings, before Tim Wood got one out.
Houston rookie Jordan Lyles (0-2) remains winless in four starts after yielding four hits and three earned runs with a career-high eight strikeouts in 5-2/3 innings.
NATIONALS 7, CARDINALS 4, 10 INNINGS
In Washington, Danny Espinosa’s three-run homer in the bottom of the 10th inning gave Washington their sixth straight win.
Ryan Zimmerman led off the 10th with a single off Fernando Salas (3-1). With one out, Salas hit Michael Morse with a pitch and Espinosa followed with his 12th home run of the season, the first allowed by Salas.
Sean Burnett (2-3) threw a scoreless 10th for the win.
The Nationals, who have won six straight for the first time since they closed the 2009 season with seven in a row, tagged starter Kyle Lohse for three home runs.
Matt Holliday, Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina hit home runs for St Louis, who lost their sixth straight game.
Thursday’s other result:
‧ Braves 9, Mets 8, 10 innings
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