AMERICAN LEAGUE
The Chicago White Sox maintained their lead in the American League Central division with a 10-2 rout of the West division-leading Los Angeles Angels on Friday.
Juan Uribe homered twice, Paul Konerko added a solo shot and Mark Buehrle pitched six shutout innings for the White Sox, who stayed 1-1/2 games ahead of Minnesota in the Central with 22 games to play.
Chicago didn’t miss AL home run leader Carlos Quentin, who will undergo surgery tomorrow on a fractured right wrist and could be lost for the season.
And Uribe showed again he can help the White Sox at third base in the absence of Joe Crede, who is sidelined with a sore back. Manager Ozzie Guillen said before the game that he didn’t expect Crede back during the regular season.
BLUE JAYS 6, RAYS 4
In Toronto, the home side extended its season-high winning streak to six at the expense of Tampa Bay.
Roy Halladay pitched seven solid innings to win his fifth straight start, allowing only one earned run while striking out seven and walking none.
Alex Rios hit two homers for the Rays, whose AL East lead over Boston was sliced to 2-1/2 games. Rios hit a solo homer in the third and a two-run drive in the eighth for his third career multi-homer game and second this season.
TWINS 10, TIGERS 2
In Minneapolis, Minnesota ended a three-game skid to beat Detroit and keep the heat on Chicago in the AL Central.
Justin Morneau hit a grand slam for the Twins, while starter Francisco Liriano threw seven-plus innings with a season-high nine strikeouts.
It was the fourth career grand slam for former AL MVP Morneau, and second this season. The shot gave Minnesota a five-run lead in the fifth inning.
MARINERS 3, YANKEES 1
In Seattle, Brandon Morrow came within four outs of being only the second pitcher in modern history to throw a no-hitter in his first major league start, guiding Seattle over New York.
Morrow, a reliever converted to a starter, had two outs in the eighth when Yankees pinch-hitter Wilson Betemit lobbed a drive just over the rightfielder to get a run-scoring double.
Bobo Holloman of the St. Louis Browns is the lone pitcher since 1900 to throw a no-hitter in his first big league start, doing it in 1953.
In other AL games, it was:
• Athletics 11, Orioles 2
• Indians 9, Royals 3
• Red Sox 8, Rangers 1
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, LOS ANGELES
The Los Angeles Dodgers beat Arizona 7-0 on Friday to move within half a game of the Diamondbacks atop the National League West.
Andre Ethier went 5-for-5 and drove in a career-high five runs for the Dodgers, who won their sixth in row — cutting four games out of Arizona’s divisional lead in that time.
Ethier hit his 20th homer of the season in the first inning, a two-run single in the second and RBI doubles in the fourth and sixth as Los Angeles opened a 6-0 lead. His fifth hit was an eighth-inning single.
Dodgers starter Derek Lowe held Arizona to two hits over eight innings. He hasn’t allowed more than two runs in any of his past five starts.
PHILLIES 3, METS 0
In New York, Philadelphia shut out the Mets for a win that closed the gap between the National League East division contenders to two games.
Philadelphia starter Brett Myers buzzed through the New York lineup, pitching eight dominant innings and striking out 10 batters in an overpowering performance, winning his fourth straight start.
After struggling early this season and being sent down to the minors, Myers is 6-1 in nine outings since being called up from the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs.
The Phillies took the opener of a crucial three-game series that will go a long way to deciding which team makes the playoffs. With 21 games to play, it is shaping up as a genuine pennant race.
REDS 10, CUBS 2
In Cincinnati, Chicago’s losing streak reached a season-high six games after being hammered by the struggling Reds.
Jay Bruce hit his first career grand slam and Joey Votto added a two-run homer for the Reds, putting on a rookie power display on a day when nothing went right for the Cubs.
BREWERS 3, PADRES 2, 11 INNINGS
In Milwaukee, the home team edged San Diego to maintain a four-game lead in the wildcard race.
CC Sabathia pitched seven strong innings, but the Brewers needed an RBI single from J.J. Hardy in the 11th to get the win.
The victory snapped the Brewers’ four-game losing streak and got them within four games of Chicago atop the Central.
In other NL action, it was:
• Rockies 5, Astros 3
• Marlins 4, Cards 1, 11 innings
• Pirates 7, Giants 0
• Braves 10, Nationals 5
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