AMERICAN LEAGUE
REUTERS AND AP, ARLINGTON, TEXAS
Texas third baseman Michael Young drove in the winning run in the seventh inning as the Rangers took a 4-3 win over the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday.
Minnesota infielder Alexi Casilla had tied the game at 3-3 with an RBI double in the top of the inning before Young’s hit put the American League West-leading Rangers back in front.
“They are a club that plays the game hard and plays the game the right way,” Young told reporters, of the Twins. “But we’re a confident group. We like the style of baseball we play — we’ve just got to stick with it.”
Texas starter Colby Lewis pitched six-and-one-third innings and failed to win for the seventh consecutive start, taking the no-decision after allowing three runs.
Reliever Darren Oliver got the final two outs of the seventh with two men out, and was credited with the win while Neftali Feliz worked the ninth for his 32nd save of the year.
Twins starter Carl Pavano pitched eight innings and was tagged with the loss, falling to 15-9 on the season.
The Rangers (71-54) had also beaten the AL Central leading-Twins (72-54) 4-0 on Monday.
Minnesota rebounded quickly and took a 2-0 lead on a two RBI double from Michael Cuddyer.
However, Texas answered back with one run in the third and two in the fourth where Josh Hamilton belted his 29th home run of the season.
The AL’s batting leader, Hamilton has been swinging a hot bat and has three homers in his last four games.
Second baseman Andres Blanco went 2-for-3 with an RBI double in the fourth, and scored the winning run in the seventh.
Blanco is playing in place of the injured Ian Kinsler and making the most of his opportunity.
“I’m glad they gave me the opportunity,” Blanco said. “It was just a great night, especially since we won the game.”
YANKEES 11, BLUE JAYS 5
In Toronto, Curtis Granderson hit a three-run homer to lift New York to a win over Toronto.
Marcus Thames added a two-run drive and three other Yankees hit solo blasts as the Yankees stayed equal top of the AL East.
Thames and Granderson both had three hits among 17 for New York — one shot of its season high.
Yankees starter Dustin Moseley (4-2) allowed two runs in six innings, while Blue Jays starter Marc Rzepczynski (1-2) left after a four-run, three-homer third. He allowed six runs in three innings, his shortest career start.
RAYS 10, ANGELS 3
In Anaheim, California, Evan Longoria homered and drove in another run as Tampa Bay thrashed Los Angeles to keep pace with the Yankees.
Longoria hit his 19th homer in the third inning, extending the Rays’ lead to 5-1. His RBI double with two outs in the seventh made it 7-2.
Matt Joyce also homered as Tampa Bay notched a fourth straight win.
Rookie Wade Davis (10-9) became the fifth Rays starter with 10 or more victories, making them the only major league team to boast such a staff. Davis, who came off the disabled list before the game, allowed two runs in 5 1-3 innings, striking out five.
TIGERS 9, ROYALS 1
In Detroit, Michigan, Rick Porcello pitched seven scoreless innings to guide Detroit to a comfortable win over Kansas City.
Porcello (6-11) retired the first 12 batters in order before a single leading off the fifth. He walked only one.
Ryan Raburn homered for the Tigers, who have won five straight.
Royals starter Kyle Davies (6-8) gave up seven runs in 4 2-3 innings, walking three.
ATHLETICS 5, INDIANS 0
In Cleveland, Ohio, Gio Gonzalez extended Oakland’s strong streak of pitching with seven scoreless innings against Cleveland.
Gonzalez (11-8) became the 22nd consecutive Oakland starter to work at least six innings. The Athletics staff has allowed five runs or fewer in all those games, the longest streak by an AL team since the 1989 California Angels.
Oakland starters have a 2.01 ERA and limited opponents to a .198 batting average since July 31, but the Athletics are only 11-11 over that stretch.
Jeff Larish had a two-run homer off Indians starter Fausto Carmona (11-12).
Cleveland was shut out for the 11th time, tying Seattle for most in the AL. Oakland has four of the shutouts against the Indians.
WHITE SOX 7, ORIOLES 5
In Chicago, Gordon Beckham hit a three-run homer in the seventh as Chicago downed Baltimore.
A.J. Pierzynski opened the bottom of seventh with a single off Orioles starter Jeremy Guthrie. One out later, Mark Teahen’s double moved Pierzynski to third. Beckham followed with his homer to break a 2-2 tie.
Chicago starter Gavin Floyd (9-10) pitched seven strong innings, allowing two runs.
Guthrie (7-13) was tagged for six runs in six-and-two-thirds innings.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, SAN FRANCISCO
The series between San Francisco and Cincinnati is looking like anything but a clash of National League pennant contenders, as the Giants hammered the Reds 16-5 on Tuesday to make it back-to-back routs.
Pablo Sandoval homered and drove in four runs, and Buster Posey hit a three-run homer for San Francisco.
The Giants have 27 runs in two games against the NL Central leaders, notched their highest score for the season, and moved into a tie with Philadelphia in the wild-card race.
ROCKIES 5, BRAVES 2
In Denver, Colorado, Jorge De La Rosa pitched seven effective innings to steer Colorado past Atlanta.
De La Rosa (5-4) had his best outing since missing nearly three months with a torn finger tendon. He allowed two runs, struck out seven, and walked just one, earning his second win since coming off the disabled list.
ASTROS 4, PHILLIES 2, 16 INNINGS
In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Houston’s win over Philadelphia lasted 16 innings and more than five hours.
Phillies pitcher Roy Oswalt was forced to play left field after the ejection of Ryan Howard in the 14th inning, and with no position players left. In so doing, he became the first Phillies pitcher in 39 years to play a field position. Oswalt caught a routine fly ball, earning an ovation from the dwindling number of fans who remained.
The Astros loaded the bases in the 16th with one out off David Herndon (1-3). Chris Johnson reached base on an infield single for one run and Tommy Manzella added a run-scoring fielder’s choice.
The Phillies got the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the inning as Houston walked two batters to bring up Oswalt, who grounded out to end the game.
Philadelphia had trailed 2-1 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth when Jimmy Rollins tied the game with a solo homer.
METS 6, MARLINS 5
In New York, Luis Castillo hit a game-ending single with two outs in the ninth inning, lifting New York over Florida.
Castillo, a late-inning replacement, looped a hit to the opposite field off Will Ohman (0-2) to drive in the winning run and help the Mets move into third place in the NL East.
New York blew a two-run lead in the eighth but recoverd in the bottom of the ninth. An infield single was followed by a fly out, and a broken-bat single was then followed by a strike out, bringing up Castillo.
Mets reliever Hisanori Takahashi (8-6) pitched a scoreless ninth for the win.
PADRES 5, DIAMONDBACKS 0
In San Diego, California, Will Venable and Chris Denorfia each hit two-run homers to lift NL West-leading San Diego over the last-placed Arizona.
Padres starter Clayton Richard combined with four relievers to shut out the Diamondbacks.
With an NL-best 75-49 record, the Padres matched their win total from last year.
San Diego is beginning a stretch when it will play 16 of 20 games at home, with the away series also against Arizona.
DODGERS 5, BREWERS 3
In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Rod Barajas made a smashing debut for Los Angeles with a three-run homer that was enough to beat Milwaukee.
Barajas, who arrived from the Mets on Sunday, started his Dodgers career with consecutive doubles before his game-changing shot in the sixth.
LA starter Ted Lilly, who arrived in a July trade, won his fifth straight decision. He had his scoreless innings streak snapped at 17 when he allowed a run in the second.
In other NL play, it was:
• Pirates 4, Cardinals 3
• Cubs 5, Nationals 4
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