Sun, Jul 20, 2008 page19

• Angels crush Red Sox to extend lead

  BEST IN THE WEST The Los Angeles Angels lead the major leagues with 58 wins, and moved to 20 games over .500 for the first time this year

  • AP
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  AMERICAN LEAGUE

  The Los Angeles Angels extended their lead in the American League West division to a season-best seven games by beating the Boston Red Sox 11-3 on Friday.

  Angels slugger Garret Anderson went 4-for-4 from the plate, hitting the go-ahead solo homer and finishing with five RBIs to dominate the visiting pitchers.

  

  David Lee Owen, dressed as Santa Claus, throws out the ceremonial first pitch before a baseball game between the Florida Marlins and the Philadelphia Phillies at Dolphin Stadium in Miami on Friday. The Marlins were celebrating “Christmas in July.”

  PHOTO: AP

  Los Angeles have a major league-leading 58 victories, and moved to 20 games over .500 for the first time this year.

  In a meeting of the two best teams in the AL, resuming from the All-Star break, defeat dropped the defending World Series champion Boston into second place in the AL East.

  TWINS 6, RANGERS 0

  

  Oakland Athletics catcher Kurt Suzuki, right, loses his helmet after tagging out the New York Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez in the first inning of their baseball game at Yankee Stadium in New York on Friday.

  PHOTO: AP

  In Minneapolis, free-swinging Texas — which has clearly the most runs in the majors — was shut out for the first time this season by Minnesota.

  Twins starter Glen Perkins pitched six innings, allowing only three hits.

  It was the first time Texas has been shut out since August last year, co-incidentally also against Minnesota.

  The Twins got four runs on five singles in the seventh to take a grip on the game.

  RAYS 2, BLUE JAYS 1

  In St. Petersburg, Florida, Tampa Bay relished a return to its home ballpark, snapping a seven-game losing streak by edging Toronto.

  Ben Zobrist provided the runs with a two-run homer in the seventh and pitcher James Shields allowed just one run over seven innings.

  The win was enough for the Rays to reclaim leadership of the AL East, half a game ahead of Boston.

  YANKEES 7, ATHLETICS 1

  In New York, Robinson Cano hit a three-run homer to power New York to a comfortable win over Oakland.

  Alex Rodriguez also connected for New York, and had three hits.

  Yankees pitchers combined to retire the final 14 Oakland batters.

  The A’s, who won six of their previous seven at Yankee Stadium, have lost three straight overall for the first time since May.

  WHITE SOX 9, ROYALS 5

  In Chicago, the home side laid on six runs and seven hits in the opening inning to set up the victory over Kansas City.

  Jermaine Dye’s two-run single highlighted the White Sox’s opening salvo. Dye went 3-for-4 with a walk in a productive game.

  The White Sox had 22 hits against Texas in their final game before the break and then continued the hitting tear in the first Friday. Chicago’s first eight batters reached Friday night with seven singles — including five straight at one point — and a hit batter.

  A homer leading off the second made it a 7-1 lead.

  In other games it was:

  • Orioles 7, Tigers 4

  • Mariners 8, Indians 2

  NATIONAL LEAGUE

  AP, MIAMI

  Veteran Philadelphia pitcher Jamie Moyer beat Florida for the 10th time in as many career starts, as the Phillies downed the Marlins 4-2 in the National League on Friday.

  The 45-year-old Moyer allowed only four hits in six innings. All of his games against the Marlins have come in the past three years. He defeated them for the third time this month, and his ERA in five lifetime starts in Miami is a stunning 1.34.

  The victory, combined with New York’s loss on Friday, put Philadelphia back on top of the NL East division.

  ASTROS 2, CUBS 1

  In Houston, Hunter Pence drove in the game-winning run with a double in the bottom of the ninth inning as Houston pipped Chicago.

  The Astros began the ninth with a ground-rule double and Pence lined the first pitch he saw from Cubs reliever Bob Howry to the gap in left center.

  REDS 5, METS 2

  In Cincinatti, the home side prevented New York’s bid to match its franchise record of 11 straight victories. Reds starter Bronson Arroyo allowed four hits over eight innings, giving him four wins from as many starts.

  The Reds scored four times in the fifth despite getting only two balls out of the infield. A bases-loaded walk was followed by a two-run single and a hit batter with bases loaded.

  DODGERS 8, D’BACKS 7, 11 INNINGS
  

  In Phoenix, James Loney homered leading off the 11th inning to snatch a win that saw Los Angeles draw level with Arizona atop the NL West. Loney’s home run was the Dodgers’ third solo shot over the final five innings and the club’s season-high fourth of the game.

  In other games it was:

  • Brewers 9, Giants 1

  • Cardinals 11, Padres 7

  • Rockies 5, Pirates 2

  • Braves 7, Nationals 6
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