AMERICAN LEAGUE
The New York Yankees enjoyed a rare success over bitter rivals the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday, the 5-2 victory in a hot-tempered affair enabling the visitors to tighten the battle for supremacy in the American League East.
Emotions ran high, with both benches clearing in the seventh inning when Boston starter John Lackey hit New York batter Francisco Cervelli before Yankees manager Joe Girardi was ejected for arguing a call in the ninth.
PHOTO: REUTERS
However, New York ace C.C. Sabathia stayed calm throughout with 10 strikeouts in six innings to beat the Red Sox for the first time this season and pull the Yankees (81-52) to within a half-game of first-place Boston (82-52) in the division.
It was far from smooth sailing for Sabathia (18-7), who allowed 10 hits and dodged a Red Sox offense that stranded 16 runners on base.
In the end, the big left-hander helped the Yankees reverse their recent fortunes against a team that entered the game with a 10-2 record over the Bronx Bombers this campaign.
Eric Chavez had RBI singles in the second and fourth to give New York an early 3-0 lead before the Red Sox responded with two scores in the bottom of the fourth.
Cervelli hit a solo homer for the visitors in the fifth and the Yankees bullpen carried the team home.
Reliever Boone Logan got the final two outs of the seventh with the bases loaded and Mariano Rivera came on in the ninth to lock down his 35th save of the year.
Rangers 2, Rays 0
In Arlington, Texas, Josh Hamilton hit a towering home run to help Texas win a tight one against Tampa Bay.
Hamilton broke a scoreless tie by hitting the first pitch of the sixth inning thrown by rookie Jeremy Hellickson (11-10) deep into the second deck, an estimated 136m from home plate.
Michael Young followed with a double and scored on a single by David Murphy.
Rangers starter Scott Feldman (1-0) went six scoreless innings to take his first win.
Angels 13, Mariners 6
In Seattle, Washington, Mike Trout — the youngest player in the majors at 20 years and 23 days — homered twice and drove in five runs to lead Los Angeles over Seattle.
Trout started the onslaught in the second with a solo shot into the bullpen on a full-count pitch from Anthony Vasquez (1-1). Vasquez walked the first two batters in the fourth before Trout added a three-run blast for a 4-0 lead.
Angels starter Jerome Williams (2-0) went seven innings, allowing seven hits to get the win. He struck out six.
In other AL play, it was:
‧ Indians 6, Athletics 2
‧ Tigers 2, Royals 1, 10 inns
‧ White Sox 8, Twins 6
‧ Orioles 6, Blue Jays 5, 10 inns
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, CINCINNATI, Ohio
Philadelphia’s Roy Halladay starred with bat and ball, pitching seven scoreless innings and driving in three runs with only the second double of his career as the Phillies beat the Cincinnati Reds 9-0 in the National League on Tuesday.
Halladay (16-5) gave up a leadoff single in the first inning, but then dominated the team, against which he pitched a no-hitter in the playoffs last season. His bases-loaded double in the sixth inning off Bronson Arroyo (8-11) made it 6-0.
Cardinals 2, Brewers 1
In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Edwin Jackson pitched seven solid innings and singled home the go-ahead run to help St Louis beat Milwaukee.
Despite the win, the Cardinals still are 9-1/2 games behind the Brewers in the NL Central with only 27 games remaining.
Jackson (4-2) scattered six hits and kept Milwaukee scoreless until consecutive doubles to open the sixth, pulling the Brewers within 2-1. However, he retired the next three batters to preserve the lead.
Milwaukee put two runners on base in the bottom of the ninth, but Fernando Salas recorded the final three outs for his 23rd save in 28 chances.
Milwaukee starter Shaun Marcum (11-5) took the loss.
Dodgers 8, Padres 5
In Los Angeles, Andre Ethier’s grand slam capped an eight-run second inning that included six walks — three with the bases-loaded — to help Los Angeles beat San Diego.
The Dodgers have won seven of their last eight, while the last-place Padres have dropped six in a row and lost six consecutive at Dodger Stadium.
Los Angeles starter Hiroki Kuroda (11-14) allowed four runs in six innings to win his career-high fourth in a row. He tied his career high for wins set last season and is 3-0 against the Padres this season.
Padres starter Tim Stauffer (8-11) imploded in his shortest outing of the season.
Nationals 9, Braves 2
In Atlanta, Georgia, Ryan Zimmerman had a three-run homer among four Washington long shots as the Nationals downed Atlanta.
Zimmerman and Michael Morse — who also homered — both had three hits. Danny Espinosa and Laynce Nix also hit homers for Washington.
The Braves, coming off an unusual three-day break after two games at the New York Mets were postponed by Hurricane Irene, were shut down by Livan Hernandez (8-12).
In other NL play, it was:
‧ Diamondbacks 9, Rockies 4
‧ Cubs 5, Giants 2
‧ Marlins 6, Mets 0
‧ Astros 8, Pirates 2
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