AMERICAN LEAGUE
C.C. Sabathia steadied New York’s rocky rotation with eight sharp innings, Alex Rodriguez passed Willie Mays for eighth on the career RBIs list and the Yankees beat the Detroit Tigers 6-2 on Sunday despite leaving 14 men on base in the first six innings.
Rodriguez drove in two runs without hitting the ball out of the infield, leaving him with 1,904 RBIs. He singled on a dribbler down the third-base line with the bases loaded in the second, the Yankees’ only hit in six plate appearances with three men on. Chris Stewart slid under catcher Gerald Laird’s tag on Rodriguez’s grounder to shortstop in the seventh.
Photo: Reuters
Curtis Granderson walked to force in the game’s first run in the second, one of a career-high seven walks by Detroit starter Max Scherzer (1-3).
The Yankees walked nine times and left 15 on base overall, but won the three-game series. Sabathia (3-0) allowed two runs and four hits.
ORIOLES 5, ATHLETICS 2
In Baltimore, Maryland, Wilson Betemit hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning after Matt Wieters doubled in two runs, giving Baltimore an unlikely victory.
Oakland starter Bartolo Colon took a four-hit shutout into the ninth without allowing a runner past second base.
After J.J. Hardy led off with an infield hit and Nick Markakis struck out, Adam Jones hit a chopper down the third-base line that Colon collected before throwing wildly to first. The single and error put runners at second and third and ended Colon’s afternoon.
Grant Balfour (0-1) entered and promptly gave up a double to left by Wieters that tied it. After Chris Davis received an intentional walk, Betemit hit a liner to right-center that bounced off the top of the wall — a home run, according to the ground rules at Camden Yards.
In other AL play, it was:
‧ Indians 4, Angels 0
‧ Rays 5, Rangers 2
‧ Whites Sox 4, Red Sox 1
‧ Twins 7, Royals 4
‧ Blues Jays 7, Mariners 2
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, LOS ANGELES
Chris Capuano struck out nine batters, while combining with two relievers on a four-hitter, and James Loney drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single as the Los Angeles Dodgers completed a three-game sweep of the Washington Nationals with a 2-0 victory on Sunday.
Capuano (3-0) allowed three hits and two walks in 6-2/3 innings, sending the Nationals to their fourth straight loss after they entered the series with an National League-best 14-5 record.
Kenley Jansen followed Josh Lindblom out of the bullpen and pitched a hitless ninth for his second save after starting out with six straight balls and getting a visit from pitching coach Rick Honeycutt. Jansen.
CUBS 5, PHILLIES 1
In Philadelphia, Matt Garza pitched one-hit ball for seven shutout -innings and struck out 10 batters as Chicago beat Philadelphia.
Garza (2-1) gave up a pop-fly single to Jimmy Rollins leading off the first and nothing more. The right-hander retired 20 of the next 21 batters, with Juan Pierre’s -seventh-inning walk accounting for the only other baserunner.
Joe Mather homered and Bryan LaHair doubled twice for the Cubs.
Kyle Kendrick (0-2), making his second start in place of injured Cliff Lee, allowed two earned runs and five hits in six innings. He matched his career high with seven strikeouts.
BREWERS 3, CARDINALS 2
In St Louis, Missouri, Zack Greinke worked six strong innings and Jonathan Lucroy’s two-run double capped a three-run sixth as Milwaukee beat St Louis to avoid a three-game sweep.
Greinke (3-1) allowed a run and seven hits to help stop the Brewers’ six-game road losing streak. He’s 2-1 with a 2.11 ERA in four career games in St Louis.
Jaime Garcia (2-1) fell to 17-10 at home with a 2.38 ERA.
John Axford escaped an eventful ninth for his fifth save in five chances and 48th in a row.
In other NL play, it was:
‧ Braves 4, Pirates 3
‧ Diamondbacks 8, Marlins 4
‧ Mets 6, Rockies 5, 11 inns
‧ Giants 4, Padres 1
‧ Reds 6, Astros 5
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