AMERICAN LEAGUE
Vernon Wells singled in the winning run with one out in the ninth inning, helping a marvelous Ivan Nova and the New York Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles 3-2 in the American League on Friday night for their season-high-tying fifth straight win.
Nova (3-2) gave up a two-run homer to Matt Wieters in the second inning then stifled the Orioles the rest of the way in a spot start for Hiroki Kuroda. He allowed three hits in his first career complete game and struck out 11 and walked one.
Photo: Reuters
Baltimore closer Jim Johnson (2-7) took over the ninth with a 2-1 lead and gave up a leadoff single to David Adams. Brett Gardner reached when Johnson failed to field his bunt for an error in front of the mound. Robinson Cano was walked intentionally to load the bases for the second time. Manager Buck Showalter made a mound visit and Johnson promptly walked Travis Hafner to tie it.
The struggling Wells then grounded a single past a diving third baseman Manny Machado and ran toward first with his arm raised in the air.
RED SOX 6, ANGELS 2
In Anaheim, California, Shane Victorino scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning on a dropped fly ball by right fielder Josh Hamilton and David Ortiz had a pinch-hit two-run homer to help AL East division-leading Boston beat Los Angeles for their fifth straight win and ninth victory in 10 games.
Victorino singled leading off the seventh against C.J. Wilson (8-6). Wilson retired the next two batters before Jonny Gomes hit a towering fly toward the right field line that should have ended the inning.
Hamilton ran a long way and stuck out his glove, but the ball bounced off it, allowing Victorino to score from first base.
Wilson was replaced by Dane De La Rosa, who ended the inning by picking off Gomes.
Felix Doubront (5-3) allowed two runs and five hits in 6-2/3 innings, struck out five and walked two. The left-hander retired 10 in a row after giving up a game-tying homer to Howie Kendrick leading off the fourth.
TIGERS 7, INDIANS 0
In Cleveland, Rick Porcello pitched seven sharp innings and Jhonny Peralta drove in two runs as Detroit beat Cleveland for the sixth consecutive time, extending their lead in the AL Central division over the second-placed Indians.
Also on Friday, it was:
‧ Blue Jays 4, Twins 0
‧ Rays 8, White Sox 3
‧ Rangers 10, Astros 5
‧ Athletics 6, Royals 3
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, PHILADELPHIA
Humberto Quintero and Ryan Howard hit home runs to give Cliff Lee a five-run cushion as the Philadelphia Phillies held on for a 5-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves in the National League on Friday night.
Dan Uggla hit a three-run shot, and the Braves ended Lee’s streak of 11 straight games pitching at least seven innings and allowing three earned runs or less.
However, Lee (10-2) still won his eighth straight decision. He allowed four runs and eight hits in 6-1/3 innings. J.C. Ramirez and Antonio Bastardo combined for five outs. Jonathan Papelbon finished for his 18th save in 22 tries.
Right fielder John Mayberry Jr helped Papelbon with a sliding catch on Brian McCann’s sinking liner for the second out.
Paul Maholm (9-7) gave up five runs — four earned — and nine hits in six innings. Tim Hudson was scheduled to start for the Braves, but he was pushed back one day because of a stiff neck.
Friday’s other NL games:
‧ Pirates 6, Cubs 2
‧ Nationals 8, Padres 5
‧ Cardinals 4, Marlins 1
‧ Mets 12, Brewers 5
‧ Diamondbacks 5, Rockies 0
‧ Dodgers 10, Giants 2
INTERLEAGUE PLAY
AP, CINCINNATI, Ohio
In Cincinnati, Aaron Harang pitched six innings in the ballpark where he still holds the strikeout record and Nick Franklin and Michael Saunders homered to lead Seattle over Cincinnati 4-2 in the Mariners’ first visit to Great American Ball Park.
Harang (4-7) limited his former team to a pair of runs and six hits, including Joey Votto’s 15th homer. Oliver Perez struck out the side in the ninth for his second save.
Franklin hit a two-run homer off Mike Leake (7-4), who had his start pushed back one day by a rainout. Saunders had a solo homer and a sacrifice fly off Leake, who lasted five innings.
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