AMERICAN LEAGUE
Austin Kearns hit his first homer in 105 at-bats this season, a stunning three-run shot in the seventh inning off New York’s A.J. Burnett, to guide the Cleveland Indians to a 6-3 win and spoil Derek Jeter’s return to the Yankees’ lineup on Monday night.
Jeter was back at shortstop and again atop the batting order for the first time since June 13, when he went on the disabled list with a calf injury. New York’s captain went none-for-four and remained six shy of becoming the first Yankees player to reach 3,000 hits.
Photo: EPA
Josh Tomlin (10-4), who carried a no-hitter into the seventh, allowed two runs and three hits. The Indians’ right-hander also became the first pitcher since 1919 to go at least five innings in each of his first 29 career appearances.
With two on and the Indians trailing 2-1, Kearns, who has been in a slump all season, hit a 1-0 pitch from Burnett (8-7) the opposite way to right for his first homer since Aug. 22, when he wore Yankee pinstripes.
TWINS 7, RAYS 0
Photo: AFP
In Minneapolis, Minnesota, Brian Duensing overcame a shaky start to throw a six-hitter and Danny Valencia homered among his three hits for Minnesota.
Duensing (6-7) struck out seven and walked four for his second career shutout, giving struggling closer Matt Capps the day off.
David Price (8-7) gave up four runs on five hits with six strikeouts in six innings for the Rays.
Michael Cuddyer added a solo homer and Tsuyoshi Nishioka had a two-run double for the Twins.
BLUE JAYS 9, RED SOX 7
In Boston, Travis Snider had three doubles and drove in a pair of runs, while Aaron Hill homered as Toronto became the latest team to rough up John Lackey.
Hill also had an RBI single and Rajai Davis added two doubles for the Blue Jays, who had lost nine of 14.
The Blue Jays scored a run in the first, two in the second and chased Lackey (5-8) with four in the third. In seven Fenway starts, Lackey is 3-4 with a 9.17 ERA.
Toronto starter Brandon Morrow (5-4) allowed four runs on five hits, walking three and striking out five over five-plus innings. It was his third victory in four starts.
Snider, recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas on Sunday, doubled in his first three at-bats. He was sent down on April 29 after hitting just .184 in 25 games.
MARINERS 2, ATHLETICS 1
In Oakland, California, Michael Pineda and three relievers combined on a three-hitter and Josh Bard hit his first home run of the season for Seattle.
Justin Smoak added a tiebreaking RBI double in the seventh inning for the Mariners, who opened a key seven-game road trip against division rivals with their third win in four games.
The strong start by Pineda (8-5) helped spoil the return of Brandon McCarthy (1-5) from the disabled list for Oakland. McCarthy faced the minimum batters through 5-2/3 innings, but ended up losing his fifth straight decision. He gave up two runs and four hits in 6-2/3 innings and is 0-5 in his last eight starts despite having six quality starts in that span.
WHITE SOX 5, ROYALS 4
In Chicago, A.J. Pierzynski scored the winning run on a balk called on Aaron Crow in the ninth as the White Sox beat Kansas City after the Royals had tied it on a homer first ruled a triple in the top of the inning.
With the Royals trailing 4-3 in the ninth, Eric Hosmer led off with what appeared to be a homer off White Sox closer Sergio Santos (3-3). Second base umpire Alfonso Marquez signaled the ball was in play as Hosmer advanced to third. Royals manager Ned Yost contested the call and the umpire reviewed it. Moments after the review, Marquez signaled a homer.
Monday’s other results:
‧ Rangers 13, Orioles 4
‧ Angels 5, Tigers 1
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA
Rookie Alex Presley had three of Pittsburgh’s 14 hits as the Pirates moved three games over .500 this late in the season for the first time in 12 years with a 5-3 win over the Houston Astros on Monday.
A day after matching a season-high for hits with 16, the Pirates’ offense had 13 off Houston’s Brett Myers (3-8) — the most he’s allowed in 234 career starts.
Chase d’Arnaud, Garrett Jones, Neil Walker and Lyle Overbay each had two hits for Pittsburgh, who played in front of their fourth consecutive home sellout — another sign of how rare it is for the Pirates to be in contention.
Paul Maholm (5-9) allowed one earned run in six innings for the Pirates.
PHILLIES 1, MARLINS 0
In Miami, Vance Worley pitched seven sharp innings as Philadelphia scored the only run on a close play in the seventh to beat Florida.
Michael Martinez, playing for an injured Shane Victorino, got his fifth RBI with a single to center. A sliding Domonic Brown barely beat the throw home, although a TV replay appeared to show he was out.
The Marlins argued only briefly, but twice had a player ejected for disputing other calls.
Worley (4-1) allowed two singles and walked two, while lowering his ERA to 2.21 in 10 games. Antonio Bastardo pitched a hitless ninth for his fifth save to complete a two-hitter for the Phillies, who lead the majors with 13 shutouts.
The Phillies have won 20 of their past 24 games in Miami.
NATIONALS 5, CUBS 4, 10 INNINGS
In Washington, Jayson Werth turned boos to cheers by scoring the winning run on a wild pitch in the 10th inning as the Nationals snagged another one-run victory.
Werth opened the inning by drawing a walk off Marcos Mateo (1-2), then advanced on a sacrifice by pinch-hitting pitcher Livan Hernandez. Mateo was replaced by Carlos Marmol and Werth stole third on Marmol’s first pitch to Ivan Rodriguez.
Then Marmol uncorked a 2-2 pitch that sailed way outside to Rodriguez. Werth scored and was mobbed by his teammates.
Henry Rodriguez (3-1) pitched the 10th for the win.
CARDINALS 1, REDS 0
In St Louis, Missouri, Chris Carpenter outdueled Cincinnati Reds nemesis Johnny Cueto with eight impressive innings, then watched from the dugout as pinch-hitter Mark Hamilton drove in the lone run with an infield hit for St Louis.
Cueto (5-3) allowed six hits in eight innings in his first appearance against the Cardinals since he spiked Carpenter on the back and dealt Jason LaRue a career-ending concussion with kicks during a brawl in Cincinnati on Aug. 11. Cueto and Brandon Phillips, whose bat tap to catcher Yadier Molina’s shin guard had precipitated the bench-clearing fight, were both booed at every opportunity.
Jon Jay robbed Jay Bruce with a leaping catch at the right-field wall to end the fourth and retreated while battling the sun for another fine grab on Edgar Renteria’s drive near the warning track with two on in the seventh.
Carpenter (4-7) has won three straight starts, digging himself out of the worst hole of his career.
Monday’s other results:
‧ Padres 5, Giants 3
‧ Diamondbacks 8, Brewers 6
‧ Braves 4, Rockies 1
‧ Mets 5, Dodgers 2
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