American League
The New York Yankees battered Pedro Martinez, chasing Boston out of town with their second rout in a row.
PHOTO: AP
Gary Sheffield, Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada homered off an ineffective Martinez, and Mike Mussina gave the resilient Yankees another excellent outing Sunday as New York opened a 4 1/2-game lead in the AL East with an 11-1 victory.
"They put us in the rearview mirror a little bit," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said.
Alex Rodriguez also connected in the second consecutive offensive outburst by the Yankees, who outscored their longtime rivals 25-5 the past two days after a deflating loss Friday.
"We take a lot of pride in coming back with intensity," Rodriguez said.
After taking two of three in the series, the Yankees have some breathing room -- their largest lead over Boston since before games of Aug. 31. New York has 13 games remaining as it closes in on its seventh straight division title, while the Red Sox play 14 more.
"We just feel like we're the best team in baseball," Sheffield said.
Mussina (12-9) allowed one run and seven hits in seven innings, winning his third straight start since losing a career-worst five consecutive decisions.
Martinez (16-7) lasted only five-plus innings and allowed eight runs, matching a season worst as Boston lost its first series since dropping two of three Aug. 13-15 against the White Sox. The Red Sox also lost consecutive games for only the second time since Aug. 7.
Twins 5, Orioles 1
In Minneapolis, Johan Santana won his 11th straight start with another dominant performance, striking out a career high 14 over eight shutout innings for Minnesota.
By winning his 12th consecutive decision, Santana (19-6) tied a Twins team record set by Scott Erickson in 1991 and matched by Brad Radke in 1997. Santana allowed seven hits and didn't walk a batter, extending his scoreless inning streak to 30. Joe Nathan gave up an RBI single to Rafael Palmeiro in the ninth.
Michael Restovich hit a two-run homer, and Luis Rivas and Henry Blanco each had solo shots for the Twins, who could clinch their third straight AL Central title with a victory Monday in the opener of a three-game series at the Chicago White Sox.
Athletics 2, Mariners 1
In Seattle, Eric Chavez and Erubiel Durazo each drove in runs, and Mark Redman (11-12) outpitched Bobby Madritsch (5-3) as Oakland pulled three games ahead of Anaheim in the AL West standings.
Redman, who lost his two previous starts, allowed one run and eight hits in 6 2-3 innings. Octavio Dotel pitched the ninth for his 22nd save.
Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki was hitless in four at-bats and walked, holding his season hits total at 236. With 13 games remaining, he needs 22 more to break the major league season record.
National League
J.T. Snow had four RBIs to lead San Francisco over the San Diego Padres 4-2 and keep the Giants a half-game ahead of the Chicago Cubs in the NL wild-card race.
Barry Bonds took most of the day off Sunday, appearing only to draw his major league-record 106th intentional walk as a pinch-hitter in the eighth, then leaving for a pinch-runner with the bases loaded. Snow followed with a two-run double to left off Akinori Otsuka to send San Francisco to its seventh victory in eight games. Snow also had an RBI single and a sacrifice fly.
Dustin Hermanson (6-6) got the final four outs as San Francisco won for the seventh time in eight games. Scott Linebrink (7-3) lost as the Padres fell 3 1/2 games back of the Giants.
Cubs 5, Reds 1
In Cincinnati, Moises Alou hit a tiebreaking two-run double off Danny Graves (1-6) in the ninth as the Cubs got their sixth win in seven games.
Neifi Perez opened the inning with a bunt and reached when third baseman Ryan Freel's throw pulled first baseman Sean Casey off the bag for an error. Reds manager Dave Miley was ejected for the third time this season when he threw his cap to the ground while arguing the call with first-base umpire Jim Reynolds.
Chicago trailed 1-0 before pinch-hitter Ben Grieve's sacrifice fly off Paul Wilson in the eighth. Jon Leicester (5-0) pitched a perfect eighth, and LaTroy Hawkins finished for his 23rd save.
Marlins 3, Braves 0
In Miami, Ismael Valdez (13-8) allowed two hits in six innings, Jeff Conine drove in all three runs and Florida averted a series sweep, remaining 4 1/2 games behind San Francisco. Attendance was 41,525, the Marlins' largest home crowd since April 10.
Conine broke up a scoreless duel in the sixth against Russ Ortiz (14-9) with a two-run homer, then singled home an unearned run in the eighth. Armando Benitez completed the three-hitter with a perfect ninth for his 43rd save, matching a career high. The shutout was the 14th for Florida, most in the majors.
Dodgers 7, Rockies 6
In Denver, Shawn Green homered on a two-out, 0-2 pitch off Shawn Chacon (1-9) in the ninth, and Los Angeles overcame a five-run deficit for the second time in three games to maintain a 2 1/2-game lead over second-place San Francisco in the NL West. Six of its final 13 games are against the Giants.
Yhency Brazoban (2-0) pitched one inning, and Eric Gagne pitched a perfect ninth for his 42nd save. Dodgers starts Edwin Jackson allowed five runs in 4 2-3 innings.
Diamondbacks 3, Cardinals 2
In St. Louis, Rick Ankiel, who has battled wildness and injury, pitched two hitless innings with one walk and four strikeouts -- striking out the side in the fifth on 14 pitches. It was his first outing at Busch Stadium since May 10, 2001.
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