AMERICAN LEAGUE
The Detroit Tigers took advantage of some wild pitching by Francisco Liriano to claim a 5-2 win over the Minnesota Twins on Sunday that strengthened their hold on first place in the AL Central.
The Detroit (54-47) win at Target Field boosted their lead to two games over the Cleveland Indians, who fell 4-2 to the visiting Chicago White Sox.
Photo: Reuters
“It was a good win for us,” Tigers manager Jim Leyland told reporters. “We got some big hits. You got to be happy with the series. To take three out of four, that’s not easy to do. I am very happy about that.”
The Tigers scored four runs against Twins starter Liriano, including three in the third inning when they sent nine batters to the plate.
In addition to yielding six hits, Liriano issued four walks and two wild pitches in just 2-1/3 innings.
“He [Liriano] didn’t throw the ball over, it didn’t matter who was up there,” Twins manager Ron Gardenhire told reporters. “The ball just was not going over the plate. I think at one point he threw a couple of strikes in a row, but I don’t think there were too many times that he did that. That’s a rough outing.”
Control problems also led to Detroit’s fifth run when reliever Anthony Swarzak allowed Austin Jackson to score on a wild pitch in the sixth inning.
Meanwhile, Tigers starter Rick Porcello improved to 10-6 after giving up two runs off five hits while striking out four in six solid innings.
Jhonny Peralta, Wilson Betemit and Ramon Santiago each drove in a run, Victor Martinez contributed three hits and Jose Valverde converted his 26th save opportunity for the Tigers.
RED SOX 12, MARINERS 8
In Boston, Jarrod Saltalamacchia drove in four runs and Kevin Youkilis hit a two-run homer as the Boston Red Sox extended the Seattle Mariners’ franchise-worst losing streak to 15 games.
Tim Wakefield (6-3) joined Roger Clemens as the only pitchers to strike out 2,000 batters with Boston and moved one win away from his 200th victory. However, the 44-year-old knuckleballer left after giving up Brendan Ryan’s Grand Slam that cut the lead to 11-7 with one out in the seventh.
Boston’s powerhouse lineup had 17 hits, with Saltalamacchia, Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford getting three each.
Bautista’s hit sent home Yunel Escobar, who led off the sixth with his third hit. Edwin Encarnacion and Travis Snider had consecutive RBI doubles later in the inning off right-hander Alexi Ogando (10-4).
YANKEES 7, ATHLETICS 5
In New York, Bartolo Colon pitched seven effective innings to end a three-start losing streak and Curtis Granderson connected for a two-run homer to lead New York over Oakland.
Eduardo Nunez hit a two-run double and catcher Russell Martin was in the middle of everything for the Yankees. They beat All-Star lefty Gio Gonzalez and returned to their winning ways against the A’s when Mariano Rivera staved off a rally in the ninth with a bit of good fortune.
Hideki Matsui’s fifth hit, which matched a career high, loaded the bases with one out in the ninth. Josh Willingham cut it to 7-5 with an RBI single, the only run Rivera has allowed in 22 outings at home this season.
ANGELS 9, ORIOLES 3
In Baltimore, Maryland, Tyler Chatwood allowed two runs in seven innings, while Mike Trout and Torii Hunter homered in a five-run eighth as Los Angeles beat Baltimore.
The Angels were protecting a 3-2 lead in the eighth before turning the game into a rout against reliever Mark Worrell. After Trout hit his first major league homer, a three-run drive, Hunter followed a walk to Maicer Izturis with a shot into the left-field seats.
The 19-year-old Trout was batting .162 with two RBIs before connecting on a 3-1 pitch. Trout, who made his debut on July 8, is the youngest player in the majors.
In other AL play, it was:
‧ White Sox 4, Indians 2
‧ Rays 5, Royals 0
‧ Blue Jays 3, Rangers 0
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA
Xavier Paul scored on Chase d’Arnaud’s sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 10th as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the St Louis Cardinals 4-3 on Sunday.
Paul legged out an infield hit with one out against St Louis reliever Jason Motte (3-2), then stole second and advanced to third when catcher Gerald Laird’s throw rolled into center field.
D’Arnaud lined to center and the speedy Paul easily beat the throw from center fielder Colby Rasmus as the Pirates snapped a three-game losing streak.
Joe Beimel (1-1) retired the Cardinals in order to pick up his first victory as a Pirate in more than eight years.
Ronny Cedeno and Eric Fryer had two hits apiece for Pittsburgh.
DODGERS 3, NATIONALS 1
In Los Angeles, Chad Billingsley overcame a shaky first inning to pitch seven innings of two-hit ball and Aaron Miles drove in two runs as Los Angeles beat Washington.
Both of Washington’s hits came in the first inning on singles by Ryan Zimmerman and Michael Morse, who drove in Washington’s run. Billingsley (9-8) allowed only one baserunner after that, issuing a leadoff walk to Jayson Werth in the fourth.
Kenley Jansen pitched a perfect eighth inning and rookie Javy Guerra did likewise in the ninth for his seventh save in as many attempts.
The Dodgers have won seven of their last 12 games and Guerra has preserved five of the wins.
DIAMONDBACKS 7, ROCKIES 0
In Phoenix, Arizona, Justin Upton went 4 for 4 with two doubles, a triple and three RBIs as Arizona took two of three from Colorado with a victory in what might have been Ubaldo Jimenez’s last start for the Rockies.
Upton, who reached base five times, has nine RBIs in his last two games.
The Diamondbacks, finishing a 6-4 home stand, scored five times on eight hits in five innings against Jimenez (6-9), reportedly available for the right offer before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.
Micah Owings (4-0), in a spot start as the Diamondbacks search for a reliable fifth starter, blanked the Rockies on two hits through five innings, striking out two and walking three. He also had an RBI single.
In other NL play, it was:
‧ Cubs 5, Astros 4, 10 innings
‧ Phillies 5, Padres 3
‧ Marlins 5, Mets 4
‧ Giants 2, Brewers 1
‧ Reds 4, Braves 3
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