AMERICAN LEAGUE
Andy Pettitte stopped the Orioles once again, Eduardo Nunez returned with a go-ahead hit and the New York Yankees beat Baltimore 5-4 on Saturday for a season-high sixth straight win.
The Yankees overcame Chris Davis’ major league-leading 33rd home run and yet another double from Manny Machado, who was celebrating his 21st birthday. The Orioles have lost four of five.
Photo: AFP
The 41-year-old Pettitte (6-6) earned his 251st win, tying Hall of Famer Bob Gibson for 44th place on the all-time list. Pettitte stretched his unbeaten streak against Baltimore to 11 starts dating to 2007, winning eight times. Overall, he is 28-6 against the Orioles — only Yankees great Whitey Ford (30) has beaten the Birds more often since the franchise moved from St Louis to Baltimore, Maryland, for the 1954 season.
Mariano Rivera worked the ninth for his 29th save.
Nunez came off the 60-day disabled list before the game and played for the first time since a strain on his left side slowed him in early May. His key hit helped end a seven-game winning streak by Chris Tillman (10-3).
ANGELS 9, RED SOX 7, 11 INNS
In Anaheim, California, Josh Hamilton hit a two-run homer in the 11th inning after the Angels rallied to tie with four runs in the ninth and Los Angeles beat Boston to snap the American League East-leaders’ five-game winning streak.
Brad Hawpe singled with one out in the 11th against Craig Breslow (2-2). Hamilton drove the next pitch out to right-center for his 12th homer and second dramatic blast in three nights.
Dane De La Rosa (4-1) earned this victory with a scoreless inning.
Boston was leading 7-3 in the seventh when Andrew Bailey relieved injured pitcher Andrew Miller with one out and runners at the corners. He retired Mike Trout on an inning-ending double play. Bailey then pitched a scoreless eighth before the Angels loaded the bases with two out in the ninth against Alex Wilson.
Red Sox closer Koji Uehara gave up a two-run single to Albert Pujols and an RBI single to Hamilton before Howie Kendrick hit a grounder to third baseman Brandon Snyder. However, Snyder’s throw to second base sailed into right field, allowing Collin Cowgill to score the tying run.
It was Uehara’s third blown save in eight chances.
TIGERS 9, INDIANS 4
In Cleveland, Ohio, Torii Hunter drove in three runs, while Miguel Cabrera cracked a two-run homer as Detroit dominated Cleveland for their fifth straight win.
Hunter hit a two-run homer, tripled and doubled as the Tigers won their seventh straight over the Indians and increased their lead in the AL Central. Detroit are 8-2 against Cleveland and the Tigers have outscored the Indians 16-4 by winning the first two of the four-game set.
Anibal Sanchez (7-5) returned from the disabled list and pitched five innings for his first win since June 4. Cabrera and Prince Fielder homered in the third off Carlos Carrasco (0-4), who was recalled from the minors to face the AL’s best hitting team.
In other AL action, it was:
‧ Twins 6, Blue Jays 0
‧ Royals 4, Athletics 3
‧ Rays 3, White Sox 0
‧ Astros 9, Rangers 5
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, Chicago
Alfonso Soriano hit two-run homers in consecutive innings to lead the Chicago Cubs to a 4-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-1 on Saturday.
Edwin Jackson and three relievers combined on a five-hitter, and the Cubs handed the Pirates their third loss in 14 games. Pittsburgh came in with baseball’s best record and a seven-game, road-winning streak.
Soriano hit a drive off Charlie Morton in the fourth and a shot into the bleachers in left to make it 4-1 in the fifth. That was enough for Jackson (5-10), who won his second straight start. He held the Pirates to one run and four hits in 5-2/3 innings.
Matt Guerrier worked two scoreless innings and Kevin Gregg came on in the ninth for his 15th save in 16 chances. Morton (1-2) pitched six innings for Pittsburgh, allowing four runs and seven hits. He struck out six and walked three.
CARDINALS 5, MARLINS 4
In St Louis, Missouri, Jon Jay scored from first on right fielder Giancarlo Stanton’s throwing error on Shane Robinson’s single with two outs in the ninth inning, giving St Louis a win over Miami.
Edward Mujica (1-1) worked a scoreless ninth for the Cardinals after Matt Adams’ pinch-hit, two-run homer tied it two innings earlier.
Jay drew a full-count walk off A.J. Ramos (3-3) with two outs in the ninth and took third easily on Robinson’s pinch-hit single. He scored without a play after Stanton hesitated before throwing a relay that skipped under Logan Morrison’s glove at first base.
The Marlins got homers from Derek Dietrich and Morrison, but their run of four straight series wins ended after they lost their second straight to the Cardinals.
Morrison has four homers in six games against the Cardinals.
NATIONALS 5, PADRES 4
In Washington, Bryce Harper drove in three runs after talking his way into the lineup and Ryan Zimmerman knocked in the go-ahead run as Washington rallied to beat San Diego.
Adam LaRoche homered, while Denard Span and Ian Desmond added two hits apiece as the Nationals won their third straight. Since returning from the disabled list and homering in his first at-bat on Monday night against Milwaukee, Harper had gone 0 for 18 before his RBI single.
Jesus Guzman hit a three-run homer and doubled for San Diego, who have lost eight straight.
Ross Ohlendorf (2-0) got the win and Rafael Soriano pitched the ninth for his 24th save. Nick Vincent (2-1) took the loss after getting only one out in the Nationals’ two-run seventh inning.
In NL action, it was:
‧ Braves 13, Phillies 4
‧ Giants 4, Dodgers 2
‧ Brewers 7, Mets 6
‧ Diamondbacks 11, Rockies 1
In interleague play, it was:
‧ Reds 13, Mariners 4
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