AMERICAN LEAGUE
Jon Lester pitched his second complete game of the season, while Daniel Nava and Kelly Shoppach each homered to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 6-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Monday.
David Ortiz and Adrian Gonzalez added consecutive RBI doubles for the Red Sox, who won their fourth straight — all at home. Boston are on their longest home winning streak since capturing nine straight in July last year.
Photo: AFP
Lester (2-3) did not allow a runner past second base until there was one out in the ninth. Kyle Seager’s grounder scored the Mariners’ run.
Lester allowed eight hits and did not walk a batter in his eighth career complete game. He struck out six, throwing 119 pitches.
RAYS 7, BLUE JAYS 1
In Toronto, Cesar Ramos got his first career win after replacing the injured Jeff Niemann, while Ben Zobrist homered in Tampa Bay’s win over Toronto.
Luke Scott and Sean Rodriguez each had two RBIs for the Rays, who have won two straight after losing six of their previous seven.
The Rays had to go to their bullpen early, with Niemann knocked out after he was struck on the right foot by Adam Lind’s grounder in the first.
Ramos (1-0) allowed one run and two hits in three innings, walked three and struck out three, to win for the first time in 80 career appearances.
INDIANS 5, TWINS 4
In Minneapolis, Minnesota, Choo Shin-soo hit the go-ahead RBI single in the ninth inning to back Jeanmar Gomez’s seven superb innings and lift Cleveland over Minnesota.
Choo’s base hit off Twins closer Matt Capps (0-2) scored pinch-runner Lou Marson from second base, bailing out an Indians bullpen that squandered a 4-1 lead in the eighth inning.
Gomez allowed one unearned run on three hits, with three strikeouts and two walks.
Casey Kotchman had two hits, including a two-run homer, while Joe Smith (3-1) picked up the win for the Indians.
YANKEES 8, ORIOLES 5
In Baltimore, Maryland, Mark Teixeira hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the seventh inning and Curtis Granderson also connected as New York got three hits from Alex Rodriguez in a victory over Baltimore.
Teixeira had five hits in his previous 33 at-bats and was hitting .220 when he drove a 1-2 pitch from former Yankee Luis Ayala (1-1) into the right-field seats.
Yankees starter Ivan Nova allowed five runs and seven hits in 5-1/3 innings, before leaving with a bruised and sprained right foot.
David Phelps (1-1) entered in the sixth and got three outs. Rafael Soriano, the sixth New York pitcher, worked the ninth for his second save.
Monday’s other results:
‧ Royals 3, Rangers 1
‧ White Sox 7, Tigers 5
‧ Athletics 5, Angels 0
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, WASHINGTON
Bryce Harper hit his first major league home run, while Chad Tracy and Xavier Nady each connected in the eighth inning to lead the Washington Nationals to an 8-5 victory over the San Diego Padres on Monday.
Harper became the youngest major leaguer to homer since 1998, going deep on a solo shot to straightaway center field in the third inning off right-hander Tim Stauffer. The home run came in the outfielder’s 15th game and his 54th at-bat with the Nationals.
Washington also lost another player to injury in a season that has been filled with them. Catcher Sandy Leon — making his major league debut — left the game in the fourth inning after spraining his right ankle in a collision at home plate.
PHILLIES 5, ASTROS 1
In Philadelphia, Joe Blanton pitched seven-plus strong innings and Placido Polanco homered for his 2,000th career hit to lead Philadelphia over Houston.
Blanton (4-3) allowed six hits and one run, struck out seven and walked one while pitching in a steady light rain throughout. The right-hander continued his solid recent stretch, improving to 3-0 with a 2.10 ERA in his past four starts.
Freddy Galvis had three hits and drove in a pair of runs, while Carlos Ruiz went two-for-four with an RBI for the Phillies.
Marwin Gonzalez, pinch hitting to lead off the eighth, hit his first major league homer for the Astros’ lone run. Lucas Harrell (2-3) took the loss.
REDS 3, BRAVES 1
In Atlanta, Georgia, Brandon Phillips drove in the go-ahead run with a double off the centerfield wall as Cincinnati scored two runs off Jonny Venters in the eighth inning to beat Atlanta.
The game was tied 1-1 when Drew Stubbs led off the eighth with an infield hit between the pitcher’s mound and third base. Stubbs then moved to second base on a wild pitch by Venters (2-2). With one out, Phillips drove in Stubbs with the double. Chris Heisey added another double, his third hit of the game, to drive in Phillips.
Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman left after the seventh with blurred vision in his right eye.
METS 3, BREWERS 1
In New York, Miguel Batista pitched seven shutout innings of four-hit ball, while Daniel Murphy supplied the offense, sending the surprising New York Mets past Milwaukee.
Given a vote of confidence by manager Terry Collins, struggling closer Frank Francisco bounced back from a pair of rough outings to earn his ninth save.
Murphy extended his recent tear at the plate by hitting an RBI single and scoring on a suicide squeeze — a play the Brewers failed to execute earlier.
Monday’s other results:
‧ Pirates 3, Marlins 2
‧ Cubs 6, Cardinals 4
‧ Dodgers 3, Diamondbacks 1
‧ Giants 3, Rockies 2
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