AMERICAN LEAGUE
AP, BOSTON
Felix Hernandez became the third-youngest pitcher since 1952 to reach 1,000 strikeouts, pitching seven-and-one-third strong innings to lead the Seattle Mariners to a 4-2 win over the Boston Red Sox and a split of their day-night doubleheader on Wednesday.
Hernandez (10-10) struck out nine and allowed four hits and one walk as the Mariners snapped a four-game losing streak while ending the Red Sox winning streak at four.
Boston scored an unearned run in the third and trailed 4-1 when Tim Wakefield (3-10) left after five-and-two-third innings. Then J.D. Drew hit a solo homer in the sixth, the first earned run off Hernandez in 27-and-two-third innings over four starts. The Red Sox threatened in the eighth with runners at second and third with one out.
In the opener, Josh Beckett (4-3) got his first victory in four starts as the Red Sox won 5-3.
Hernandez lowered his ERA from 2.51 to 2.47, second in the AL to Clay Buchholz of the Red Sox at 2.26. He also recorded his 1,000th strikeout, fanning David Ortiz in the sixth, at the age of 24 years, 139 days. Only Bert Blyleven (23 years, 121 days) and Dwight Gooden (23 years, 249 days) did it at a younger age.
BLUE JAYS 6, YANKEES 3
At Toronto, Vernon Wells and Aaron Hill homered as Toronto held on when Curtis Granderson flied out with the bases loaded to end Toronto’s win over New York.
Down 6-2 with two outs and none on in the ninth, the Yankees rallied. Jason Frasor was pulled after a pair of walks and closer Kevin Gregg gave up an RBI single to Eduardo Nunez and hit Derek Jeter with a pitch that loaded the bases.
Gregg retired Granderson on a routine fly just short of the warning track in center field for his 29th save in 33 chances.
Toronto took two of three in the series. The Yankees remained even with Tampa Bay for the AL East lead.
RANGERS 4, TWINS 3
At Arlington, Texas, Vladimir Guerrero and Josh Hamilton homered in support of C.J. Wilson, who won his sixth consecutive decision for Texas, in a victory over Minnesota in a matchup of division leaders.
Guerrero had three hits, including the tiebreaking homer leading off the sixth against Brian Duensing (7-2) that came after Wilson had already thrown his last pitch.
ROYALS 4, TIGERS 3, 12 INNINGS
At Detroit, Michigan, Willie Bloomquist’s one-out home run in the 12th inning gave Kansas City a win over Detroit.
Kansas City, which also got a homer and two RBIs from Kila Ka’aihue, rallied from a 3-0 deficit to snap Detroit’s five-game winning streak and avoided being swept in the three-game series.
Phillip Humber (1-0), who pitched three innings of scoreless relief, got the win for the Royals and Joakim Soria got his 36th save in 38 chances.
ANGELS 12, RAYS 3
At Anaheim, California, Mike Napoli hit a grand slam, Hideki Matsui doubled in three runs and Howie Kendrick had four hits to help the Los Angeles Angels to prevent Tampa Bay from sweeping a series in Anaheim for the first time.
Tampa Bay remained tied with the Yankees atop the AL East standings with identical 78-49 records, best in the majors.
The Angels stopped a three-game slide overall and a four-game skid against the Rays at home.
ATHLETICS 6, INDIANS 1
At Cleveland, Ohio, Trevor Cahill pitched seven strong innings as Oakland handed Cleveland its fifth straight loss.
Cahill (14-5) was helped by three double plays as he improved to 5-1 with a 0.77 ERA in six starts since July 28.
Kevin Kouzmanoff lined a three-run double to cap Oakland’s five-run first inning off Mitch Talbot (8-11). The former Indians third baseman broke a 4 for 42 slump (.095) with the shot off the center-field wall.
Jack Cust gave the Athletics a 1-0 lead with an RBI single grounded between first and second. After Mark Ellis walked to load the bases, Rajai Davis grounded a single between third and short to make it 2-0.
ORIOLES 4, WHITE SOX 2
At Chicago, Brian Matusz pitched seven impressive innings and Brian Roberts homered as Baltimore beat Chicago.
Matt Wieters doubled and drove in two runs for the Orioles.
The White Sox lone run off Matusz came on a solo homer by Gordon Beckham in the sixth.
With two outs in the Chicago ninth, Paul Konerko singled and Carlos Quentin tripled. Koji Uehara rebounded by striking out A.J. Pierzynski for his second save of the season.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, SAN FRANCISCO
The Cincinnati Reds blew a nine-run lead before regrouping to pull off an extraordinary 12-11 win over the San Francisco Giants in Wednesday’s clash of two National League playoff contenders.
The NL Central-leading Reds took a 10-1 lead into the bottom of the fifth before San Francisco stormed back with a six-run burst in the eighth to take an 11-10 lead.
A throwing error by Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval in the ninth set up Paul Janish’s tying single and sent the game into extra innings.
Cincinnati’s Joey Votto had four hits and four RBIs, including the tiebreaking single in the top of the 12th, which came with two outs.
ROCKIES 12, BRAVES 10
In Denver, Colorado overcame a nine-run deficit, matching the biggest rally in team history to stun Atlanta.
Down 10-1 in the third inning, the Rockies chipped away against the NL East leader before taking the lead with four runs in the eighth.
Carlos Gonzalez hit a tying, two-run single with two outs, and Troy Tulowitzki and Todd Helton followed with RBI singles.
Colorado also came back from nine runs down to beat Florida 18-17 in 2008. The NL record for the biggest comeback is 11 runs.
ASTROS 3, PHILLIES 2
In Philadelphia, J.A. Happ pitched effectively into the seventh inning against his former team to steer Houston past Philadelphia.
Happ (4-2) allowed two runs in six-and-one-third innings, becoming the second former Phillies pitcher to beat them in this series. Brett Myers did it on Monday.
The Phillies remained two-and-a-halfgames behind NL East-leading Atlanta after losing three straight to the going-nowhere Astros. They’ve missed an opportunity to gain ground on the Braves, who’ve lost three in a row to Colorado.
Philadelphia starter Roy Halladay (16-9) gave up three runs in seven innings, snapping his six-game winning streak.
MARLINS 5, METS 4
In New York, Hanley Ramirez, back in the No. 3 spot, had four hits to power Florida to a tight win over New York.
Marlins pitcher Alex Sanabia (3-1) won his second consecutive start since he was recalled from the minors.
With the bases loaded in the ninth inning, Marlins closer Leo Nunez retired Jose Reyes on a game-ending groundout.
PADRES 9, DIAMONDBACKS 3
In San Diego, California, Adrian Gonzalez hit a three-run homer and Miguel Tejada had a two-run shot as San Diego beat Arizona to take a season-high six-and-a-half-game lead atop the NL West.
David Eckstein had three hits and three runs, and Tejada also scored three runs to help San Diego improve to an NL-best 76-49.
Arizona’s Stephen Drew went 4 for 4 with two solo homers for his first career multi-homer game, with his second ending the night for Padres pitcher Wade LeBlanc (8-11).
Arizona’s Joe Saunders (1-4) took the loss.
DODGERS 5, BREWERS 4
In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Manny Ramirez doubled twice and drove in his first run since reports he’s been put up for trade, rallying Los Angeles over Milwaukee.
If Ramirez was auditioning for a new club such as the Chicago White Sox, who are rumored to have interest, it certainly was a success.
In other NL play, it was:
• Pirates 5, Cardinals 2
• Cubs 4, Nationals 0
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