Little-used Brendan Ryan hit a tiebreaking RBI double in the sixth inning, helping the Yankees secure a 3-2 victory over the Orioles.
Alex Rodriguez hit a sacrifice fly off Taiwanese pitcher Chen Wei-yin (4-6), and Chase Headley added an RBI double as New York moved to 10 games over .500 (51-41) for the first time since Sept. 13, 2013.
Center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury made an over-the-shoulder catch with a runner on second in the seventh to preserve the win for Justin Wilson (3-0). Andrew Miller got three outs for his 21st save in 21 chances.
Photo: USA Today
New York opened a five-game lead in the division over Baltimore, who fell to .500 at 46-46.
Adam Jones had two hits for the Orioles, and Chen allowed 10 hits in 6-1/3 innings on his 30th birthday.
ROYALS 3, PIRATES 1
Jarrod Dyson hit a two-run single in the eighth inning to lead Kansas City to victory.
Dyson scored later in the inning on Alcides Escobar’s single as the Royals won for the 11th time in 14 games.
Wade Davis (6-1) got the win. Greg Holland survived a shaky ninth, allowing a run on four hits and a walk, but struck out Gregory Polanco with the bases loaded for his 21st save in 24 opportunities.
Pirates starter Gerrit Cole (13-4), who leads the majors in victories, was charged with three runs and five hits in 7-1/3 innings.
RANGERS 9, ROCKIES 0
Choo Shin-soo hit for the cycle and Matt Harrison earned his first win in 14 months as the Texas Rangers routed the Colorado Rockies 9-0 on Tuesday.
Delino DeShields had a career-high four hits and Prince Fielder homered for the Rangers, who won for only the third time in 13 games.
Choo, who had three RBIs, doubled in the second inning, homered in the fourth and singled in the fifth. He completed the cycle with a triple to center leading off the ninth.
It was the eighth cycle in franchise history and first since Alex Rios did it against Houston on Sept. 23, 2013.
Harrison (1-1) allowed seven hits in six innings.
Rockies starter Kyle Kendrick (3-11) was charged with 10 hits and six runs in 4-1/3 innings.
CUBS 5, REDS 4
Kyle Schwarber hit a tying two-run homer in the ninth inning, then completed yet another big night at the Great American Ball Park with a solo shot in the 13th, rallying the Cubs to the road win.
Schwarber’s homer off Nate Adcock (1-2) gave the rookie his first two-homer game in the ballpark where he grew up rooting for the Reds.
He played at the Great American in the All-Star Futures game nine days ago and won the Most Valuable Player award with a two-run triple.
Jason Motte (7-1) allowed three hits in two innings, while Justin Grimm pitched the 13th for his second save in three chances.
Cincinnati’s Todd Frazier had another big game, driving in three runs with a sacrifice fly and a tiebreaking two-run single in the seventh inning.
In other games, it was:
‧ Astros 8, Red Sox 3
‧ Mariners 11, Tigers 9
‧ Cardinals 8, White Sox 5
‧ Mets 7, Nationals 2
‧ Rays 1, Phillies 0
‧ Brewers 8, Indians 1
‧ Marlins 3, Diamondbacks 0
‧ Blue Jays 7, Athletics 1
‧ Giants 9, Padres 3
‧ Angels 7, Twins 0
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