AMERICAN LEAGUE
Detroit’s Justin Verlander matched a career high with 14 strikeouts, leading the Tigers to a 7-2 win over the New York Yankees in the American League on Monday.
Verlander (12-7) threw 132 pitches, his most in a regular-season game, and sent the Tigers to their fifth straight win.
He got home-run support from Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrera.
Yankees starter Ivan Nova (10-6) was roughed up for 11 hits — matching a career high — in 5-1/3 innings.
WHITE SOX 4, ROYALS 2
In Chicago, Paul Konerko and Gordon Beckham homered late to lift Chicago over Kansas City.
Konerko tied it leading off the seventh, while Beckham gave the White Sox a 3-2 lead with a solo shot in the eighth off Luis Mendoza (5-8).
Chicago starter Chris Sale (13-3) looked sharp on nine days’ rest, allowing two runs in eight innings, while striking out seven without a walk.
ANGELS 4, ATHLETICS 0
In Oakland, California, Jered Weaver pitched a shutout for his major league-leading 15th victory as Los Angeles beat Oakland to overtake the final spot in the crowded AL wild-card standings.
Weaver (15-1) struck out nine, walked none and faced the minimum through 4-1/3 innings. The Angels ace has won a career-best 10 straight starts, matching Chuck Finley’s franchise record set in 1997.
A’s starter Jarrod Parker (7-6) allowed four runs in 6-2/3 innings.
RED SOX 9, RANGERS 2
In Boston, Dustin Pedroia had three of Boston’s eight doubles as the Red Sox beat Texas.
Boston increased their major league-leading doubles total to 248.
Red Sox starter AaronCook (3-5) regained control of his sinker after going 0-4 in his previous five starts. Of his 21 outs, 15 came on groundballs.
Texas’ Yu Darvish (11-8) also has struggled. In his first start against the Red Sox, he threw 123 pitches and allowed 11 hits, both career highs.
In other AL play, it was:
‧ Orioles 3, Mariners 1
‧ Twins 14, Indians 3
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, ST LOUIS, Missouri
St Louis’ Jake Westbrook pitched six solid innings as the Cardinals extended their strong recent home record by beating the San Francisco Giants 8-2 in the National League on Monday.
Westbrook (11-8) won his fourth decision in a row, mirroring his team’s form. The Cardinals have won four in a row overall and seven straight at home.
Carlos Beltran hit his 26th home run of the season for St Louis.
Giants starter Matt Cain (10-5) tied a season worst by giving up five earned runs in 5-2/3 innings.
PIRATES 4, DIAMONDBACKS 0
In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Erik Bedard pitched seven scoreless innings to steer Pittsburgh past Arizona, opening a season-long sequence of 11 home games in winning style.
Bedard (6-12) did not walk a batter and faced just one over the minimum, striking out five. He retired 17 in a row until his final batter singled. He leads the majors in losses, but lowered his home ERA to 2.38.
Andrew McCutchen had two hits and scored two runs for the Pirates. Diamondbacks rookie Wade Miley (12-7) did not allow an earned run over six innings, but took the loss.
BREWERS 6, REDS 3
In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Yovani Gallardo pitched seven strong innings to guide Milwaukee to victory over Cincinnati.
Gallardo (10-8) gave up one run to equal his longest outing of the season and reach a double-digit win total for the fourth straight year.
Martin Maldonado homered and drove in three runs for the Brewers.
Reds starter Bronson Arroyo (7-7) gave up five walks and five runs in 5-1/3 innings.
In other NL play, it was:
‧ Braves 6, Phillies 1
‧ Nationals 5, Astros 4, 11 inns
‧ Rockies 2, Dodgers 0
‧ Padres 2, Cubs 0
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two