AMERICAN LEAGUE
Jacoby Ellsbury hit his seventh home run of the month and John Lackey picked up his third consecutive win as the Boston Red Sox extended Seattle’s losing streak to 13 with a 7-4 win over the tumbling Mariners on Friday night.
Seattle is one loss away from equaling the franchise record for consecutive losses, which was set in September 1992.
Seattle hasn’t won since July 5 and is just 6-21 since the Mariners improved to 37-35 and were a half-game out of first place on June 19.
Felix Hernandez (8-9) pitched strongly through six innings, but unraveled in the seventh as the Red Sox added five runs to break open the game.
Lackey (8-8) only had a one-run lead until Boston’s big seventh inning. He allowed one run on eight hits and struck out for in seven innings. Jonathan Papelbon pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his 22nd save.
RANGERS 12, BLUE JAYS 2
In Arlington, Texas, Nelson Cruz broke out of an extended slump with a career-high eight RBIs and Colby Lewis took a no-hitter into the sixth inning of his 10th victory as Texas beat Toronto.
Cruz drove in runs with hits in each of his four at-bats. His RBI double in the second put Texas ahead to stay and he added a three-run homer, his 22nd, in the fourth off Jo-Jo Reyes (5-8). The slugger had only one RBI in his previous 11 games.
Lewis (10-7) allowed one run and two hits over 6-2/3 innings to become the third Rangers starter to win 10 games this season.
ANGELS 6, ORIOLES 1
In Baltimore, Maryland, Ervin Santana allowed just one hit into the eighth inning and Vernon Wells hit a Grand Slam in the ninth as Los Angeles beat Baltimore.
It was the Angels’ first win against Baltimore since Aug. 17, 2009, when Santana threw six innings in an 8-5 victory. Los Angeles went 0-6 against the Orioles last year.
Santana (5-8) allowed three hits and a walk in 7-1/3 innings to earn his first road win in seven starts since April 29. It was the seventh straight start overall in which he allowed three earned runs or fewer.
The only hit against Santana over the first seven innings was an opposite-field double by No. 9 hitter Blake Davis, with one out in the sixth.
In other AL play, it was:
‧ Yankees 17, Athletics 7
‧ White Sox 3, Indians 0
‧ Royals 10, Rays 4
‧ Tigers 8, Twins 2
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA
Albert Pujols hit in four of five at bats and homered for the second straight game to lead the St Louis Cardinals past the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-4 on Friday.
David Freese broke out of an extended slump with two hits, including a two-run homer, as St Louis pulled into a virtual tie with the Pirates in the crowded NL Central standings.
Chris Carpenter (6-7) gave up four runs in eight innings to win his fourth straight decision for the Cardinals. Fernando Salas pitched the ninth inning to collect his 18th save.
Pittsburgh’s Paul Maholm (6-10) had won four straight games at PNC Park, but a sloppy first inning sent him to his first home loss in two months.
BRAVES 6, REDS 4
In Cincinnati, Ohio, Dan Uggla’s first career pinch-hit home run lifted Atlanta to a win over Cincinnati.
Uggla, who missed the last two starts with a strained left calf, batted with two outs in the ninth inning for reliever Jonny Venters (5-1) with Alex Gonzalez on second base. He lofted a 3-2 pitch from Nick Masset (1-4) 122m into the right-center field seats for the go-ahead runs.
Uggla’s 18th homer of the season also extended his hitting streak to a career-high 13 games.
PHILLIES 3, PADRES 1
In Philadelphia, Cole Hamels tossed eight dominant innings as Philadelphia beat San Diego for the eighth straight time.
Hamels (12-5) allowed one run and three hits, striking out 10.
The All-Star lefty bounced back from a rough outing on Saturday last week against the Mets, retiring the last 10 batters he faced.
He’s tied with Atlanta’s Jair Jurrjens for the most wins in the NL.
Ryan Madson finished for his 16th save in 17 attempts. It was Madson’s first save since coming off the disabled list last week.
In other NL play, it was:
‧ Cubs 4, Astros 2
‧ Brewers 4, Giants 2
‧ Mets 7, Marlins 6
‧ Rockies 8, Diamondbacks 4
‧ Nationals 7, Dodgers 2
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