AMERICAN LEAGUE
Led by a masterful pitching performance from Justin Verlander and the bat of Austin Jackson, the Detroit Tigers overpowered the Chicago White Sox 8-1 at Comerica park on Friday.
The Tigers maintain their 5.5 game lead in the American League Central over Cleveland, who edged Kansas City 5-4. Chicago falls to third in the division, one game behind Cleveland and 6.5 back of the front running Tigers.
PHOTO: AFP
“It’s always nice to win the first one, especially against an interdivisional team that’s trying to catch up to us,” Verlander said. “Hopefully, we come in here tomorrow and win another one.”
Jackson scored the first of three Tigers’ runs in the first inning as Detroit jumped to an early lead.
Jackson’s two-run home run and Jhonny Peralta’s three-run triple in the fifth inning added five runs to the Tigers lead for Verlander, who earned his ninth consecutive win and league leading 21st overall with a masterful performance.
Tyler Flowers ended Verlander’s shutout bid with a solo home run to lead off the eighth inning.
Verlander allowed seven hits and struck out six before leaving the game with one out and the bases loaded in the eighth.
Joaquin Benoit recorded the final two outs of the eighth holding Chicago at bay.
“It was kind of a neat night really,” Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. “Justin picked the guys up, and the guys picked Justin up, and that’s a nice combination.”
White Sox starter John Danks, who had won five of his six previous decisions, was charged with all eight Tigers runs allowing nine hits and two walks while striking out four.
Rangers 10, Red Sox 0
In Boston, Derek Holland allowed two hits in seven innings and got his usual strong support as Texas hit three homers against Boston.
The Rangers’ first homer came on a three-run shot by Ian Kinsler in the second. In the fifth, David Murphy hit a solo homer and Elvis Andrus added a two-run blast after a single by Craig Gentry.
The Rangers came in scoring 7.29 runs per game for Holland (13-5) — a major-league best for a pitcher — but he didn’t need much backing, holding Boston to a pair of singles by Jacoby Ellsbury and Adrian Gonzalez. Neither made it to second base as Ellsbury was caught stealing and Gonzalez was stranded when Kevin Youkilis struck out.
Yankees 3, Blue Jays 2
In New York, Ivan Nova won his 11th straight decision with some help from a rangy outfield as Robinson Cano hit a tiebreaking single in the fifth inning to lift New York over Toronto.
Nova (15-4) was nearly unhittable for seven innings after giving up two runs with none out in the first and Brett Gardner hit a two-run homer in the third for New York, which returned early Friday from a successful trip to Boston.
New York returned early Friday from a successful trip to Boston.
Gardner, Andruw Jones and Curtis Granderson all made impressive plays to help the Yankees improve to 12-0 in Nova’s last 12 starts.
In other AL play, it was:
‧ Twins 13, Angels 5
‧ Orioles 3, Rays 2
‧ Indians 5, Royals 4
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, MIAMI
John Mayberry drove in three runs with a homer and a sacrifice fly on Friday as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Florida Marlins 5-3 to climb 42 games above .500 for the first time in the franchise’s 129-year history.
The Phillies, whose record of 88-46 is the best in the majors, were 41 games over in 1976. They reached the new pinnacle with their fifth consecutive win.
Roy Oswalt (7-8) bounced back from a loss to the Marlins a week earlier. He allowed three runs in 6-1/3 innings while striking out seven.
Ryan Madson earned his 27th save in 29 chances with a one-hit ninth for the Phillies.
Marlins rookie Brad Hand (1-5), recalled before the game from Double-A Jacksonville to make his ninth start of the year, pitched into the sixth inning and allowed four runs, three earned. Jose Lopez hit his sixth homer for Florida.
Brewers 8, Astros 2
In Houston, Texas, Prince Fielder had four hits, including a two-run homer in the ninth, as Milwaukee rallied with all their runs in the last three innings.
Ryan Braun hit the go-ahead two-run single in the seventh inning to help the NL-Central-leading Brewers snap a three-game skid and end Houston’s four-game win streak.
Casey McGehee had a two-run shot in the eighth inning to stretch the lead to 5-2 and Nyjer Morgan scored in the ninth before Fielder’s 31st homer.
Dodgers 8, Braves 6
In Atlanta, Georgia, James Loney hit a three-run double to key a five-run seventh inning as Los Angeles rallied for their fifth straight win and 10th in 11 games.
Andre Ethier added a two-run single and Juan Rivera drove in three runs for the Dodgers, who scored five runs off rookie right-handed reliever Arodys Vizcaino (1-1).
Javy Guerra earned his 14th save despite giving up a homer to Dan Uggla in the ninth.
Giants 6, Diamondbacks 2
In San Francisco, Carlos Beltran hit a go-ahead two-run home run and Matt Cain recovered from a rough first inning as San Francisco snapped Arizona’s season-best win streak at nine.
Cody Ross hit a two-run homer and made a nice play with his glove as the reigning World Series champions pulled within five games of Arizona in the NL West.
Jeff Keppinger added an RBI double off Joe Saunders (9-12) for the Giants. Cain (11-9) won for only the second time in seven starts, allowing two runs on five hits in eight innings.
Reds 11, Cardinals 8
In St Louis, Missouri, Juan Francisco hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning and drove in five runs as Cincinnati ended St Louis’ four-game winning streak.
Yonder Alonso had a two-run homer and scored three runs for the Reds, who blew a 5-0 lead. Todd Frazier added a pinch-hit, solo home run for Cincinnati.
Jose Arredondo (4-4) allowed a solo homer in his one inning of work but got the win. Brandon Phillips, Edgar Renteria and Jay Bruce drove in the other runs for the Reds.
Reliever Marc Rzepczynski (0-1) took the loss and Matt Holliday and David Freese homered for St Louis.
In other NL play, it was:
‧ Rockies 3, Padres 0
‧ Mets 7, Nationals 3
‧ Pirates 3, Cubs 1
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