AMERICAN LEAGUE
Texas’ Craig Gentry, starting for the first time in two weeks, hit a two-out, two-run single in the seventh inning that lifted the Rangers to a 10-6 victory over the New York Yankees on Thursday.
The Rangers avoided a four-game sweep in a matchup of AL division leaders and won for the first time at Yankee Stadium in nine attempts.
The Yankees led 5-4 before the Rangers came back with three runs in the seventh. David Murphy hit a tying RBI double off Boone Logan (4-1) and, after an intentional walk that loaded the bases, Gentry lined a tie-breaking single up the middle.
Texas reliever Tanner Scheppers (1-0) won his first big league decision.
RAYS 7, ANGELS 0
In Anaheim, David Price pitched seven scoreless innings to notch his AL-leading 16th victory and lead Tampa Bay over Los Angeles.
Price (16-4) struck out eight and allowed only two runners to third base. Price is 8-0 with a 1.72 ERA in his past 11 starts.
Tampa Bay got home runs from Evan Longoria, B.J. Upton and Ben Zobrist.
Los Angeles has gone 32 consecutive innings without scoring against the Rays.
Angels starter Dan Haren (8-10) gave up five runs in 3-1/3 innings. He has allowed at least one home run in each of his past 10 starts; a career worst.
RED SOX 6, ORIOLES 3
In Baltimore, Clay Buchholz shook off a rocky start to earn the win as Boston downed Baltimore.
After giving up six hits over the first two innings, Buchholz (11-3) kept the Orioles at bay, and the Red Sox rebounded from a 3-1 deficit. He allowed three runs in eight innings and struck out seven.
Dustin Pedroia singled in the tie-breaking run in the sixth inning as the Red Sox added three runs in that frame against Luis Ayala (4-4).
In other AL play, it was:
‧ White Sox 7, Blue Jays 2
‧ Athletics 3, Royals 0
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, PITTSBURGH, Ohio
Pittsburgh’s Garrett Jones hit two three-run homers to power the Pirates to a 10-6 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday, avoiding a three-game sweep.
Jones had a career-high six RBIs for the Pirates, who had lost six of seven. He homered in the first and fifth for his fifth two-homer game of his career.
Pittsburgh starter A.J. Burnett (15-4) became the first Pirates pitcher this century to notch 15 wins in a season.
He allowed seven hits with seven strikeouts.
Dodgers starter Joe Blanton (8-11) fell to 0-2 since being acquired in a trade from Philadelphia. He gave up eight runs and a season-worst four walks in 4 1-3 innings. Los Angeles had won six straight.
METS 8, REDS 4
In Cincinnati, rookie Matt Harvey drove in one more run than he allowed as New York snapped Cincinnati’s five-game winning streak.
Harvey (2-3), who had lost three straight starts after winning in his major league debut, allowed one run in 7-2/3 innings.
He struck out eight, walked one and hit a batter. Harvey doubled in two runs in New York’s three-run fourth inning.
Ike Davis and Jason Bay hit solo home runs for the Mets, who capitalized on three errors.
The Reds, who entered with a season-high, seven-game lead in the NL Central, had it cut to six over Pittsburgh.
Cincinnati starter Homer Bailey (10-8) allowed six runs in 5 1-3 innings.
DIAMONDBACKS 2, CARDINALS 1
In St Louis, Paul Goldschmidt and Chris Young homered on consecutive pitches in the ninth inning to lift Arizona over St Louis.
With St Louis ahead, Jason Motte (4-4) struck out the first batter in the ninth.
Goldschmidt fouled off three full-count pitches, then drove a pitch over center for his 18th home run of the season.
Young sent the next pitch over the wall in left.
Diamondbacks reliever David Hernandez (2-2) pitched a perfect eighth, and J.J. Putz finished with a 1-2-3 ninth for the save.
Arizona had lost its previous seven games against St Louis dating to last season.
In other NL play, it was:
‧ Braves 6, Padres 0
‧ Brewers 7, Phillies 4
‧ Rockies 5, Marlins 3
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