BOSTON (AP) -The Boston Red Sox hit four straight homers to match a major league record and finished a satisfying sweep of the New York Yankees.
Mike Lowell hit one of Boston’s four consecutive home runs off rookie Chase Wright in the third inning, then connected for a go-ahead, three-run shot in the seventh that led Daisuke Matsuzaka and the Red Sox to a 7-6 victory Sunday night.
Boston took three close games in a row from the Yankees, coming from behind in each one for the first sweep of its longtime rivals at Fenway Park since 1990. Second baseman Dustin Pedroia made a diving catch to preserve the lead in the eighth inning, and Jonathan Papelbon retired Alex Rodriguez on a game-ending grounder with a runner on.
Manny Ramirez, J.D. Drew, Lowell and Jason Varitek connected in a span of 10 pitches to give Boston a 4-3 lead against Wright, who was making his second major league start.
Then, with the Yankees leading 5-4 in the seventh, Lowell hit a three-run homer off Scott Proctor (0-1) that just cleared the Green Monster in left field.
Papelbon pitched the ninth for his sixth save in six chances and second in two days. First-place Boston moved four games ahead of the third-place Yankees in the AL East.
Derek Jeter hit his first home run of the season for New York and Jason Giambi drove in three runs. But the Yankees’ bullpen failed again – even with starter Andy Pettitte making his second relief appearance of the year.
Matsuzaka (2-2) had his worst outing in four big league starts, allowing six runs in seven-plus innings. But he finally got some offensive support. In his previous two starts, the Red Sox totaled just one run.
Tigers 6, White Sox 5, 12 innings
DETROIT (AP) – Marcus Thames hit a tying homer with two outs in the ninth inning, and Placido Polanco singled home the winning run in the 12th for the Tigers.
Thames hit a two-run shot off David Aardsma to tie the score at 5 and help the Tigers avoid a three-game sweep against their AL Central rivals. Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen rested several overworked relievers, including closer Bobby Jenks.
Wilfredo Ledezma entered in the ninth and pitched three scoreless innings before Jason Grilli (1-1) worked a perfect 12th. Detroit ended a season-worst three-game skid.
Ivan Rodriguez drew a leadoff walk, his first of the year, in the 12th against loser Nick Masset (1-1).
The Tigers lost their previous three extra-inning games at home this year and hadn’t won one in Detroit since June 24 against St. Louis.
Jon Garland was dominant after giving up three runs in the first and the White Sox came back to take a 5-3 lead on Joe Crede’s two-run homer in the eighth. A.J. Pierzynski also connected for Chicago.
Rangers 4, Athletics 3
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) – Hank Blalock hit a two-run single and Texas scored three times in the eighth to beat Oakland.
Eric Gagne got one out in the ninth for the Rangers before leaving with a strained right hip. He landed awkwardly after throwing a pitch to Mark Ellis. Gagne eventually limped off the field and is day to day. Akinori Otsuka came on for his second save.
Blalock’s third hit of the game came on an 0-2 pitch from Oakland closer Huston Street with the bases loaded. It was Street’s first blown save in five opportunities.
Losing pitcher Justin Duchscherer (1-1) walked Sammy Sosa in the eighth to force in a run. Willie Eyre (1-0) pitched 1 2-3 shutout innings for the win.
Shannon Stewart hit a two-run homer in the fifth to give Oakland a 3-1 lead.
Angels 6, Mariners 1
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) – Ervin Santana allowed one run over seven innings and Los Angeles completed a three-game sweep by handing Seattle its sixth straight loss.
Santana (2-2) scattered six hits, struck out five and walked one. The only run against him came in the fifth when Adrian Beltre led off with a tape-measure homer into the rock formation in left-center.
Jeff Weaver (0-3), facing the Angels for the first time since they traded him to St. Louis last July, allowed three runs and seven hits over three innings – and actually lowered his ERA from 15.75 to 13.91.
Royals 3, Twins 1
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Jorge De La Rosa pitched a career-high eight innings and retired 16 in a row during one stretch to lead Kansas City over Minnesota for its first series victory of the year.
Mike Sweeney had three hits and an RBI for the Royals. Ross Gload hit a two-run homer.
De La Rosa (2-1) allowed five hits, struck out four and walked one. Joakim Soria earned his second save.
Ramon Ortiz (3-1) limited the Royals to three runs and seven hits in seven innings.
Indians 6, Devil Rays 4
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – Ryan Garko hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the ninth inning and Cleveland rallied past Tampa Bay to overcome an outstanding pitching performance by James Shields.
Shields matched a Devil Rays record with 12 strikeouts and B.J. Upton hit a tiebreaking single in the eighth to help Tampa Bay take a 4-2 lead.
But in the ninth, Victor Martinez made it a one-run game with a one-out RBI single off Brian Stokes (1-3). Garko then sent a 2-2 pitch into the left-field stands to put the Indians up 6-4.
Stokes got the chance for his first career save because closer Al Reyes, who is 6-for-6 in save opportunities, had pitched in the previous two games.
Tom Mastny (1-0) got his first major league win and Joe Borowski earned his seventh save. Jhonny Peralta hit a two-run homer for the Indians.
Shields gave up only two hits over eight innings in an eye-opening performance. During one stretch he struck out eight of nine batters. He allowed just one baserunner – a sixth-inning walk to Grady Sizemore – after the second.
Orioles 7, Blue Jays 3
BALTIMORE (AP) – Nick Markakis and Miguel Tejada each had three RBIs, and Baltimore beat Toronto to complete its first three-game home sweep of the Blue Jays in 13 years.
Steve Trachsel (1-1) allowed one run in 5 1-3 innings to earn his first victory with the Orioles, who have won four straight and eight of nine. It’s Baltimore’s second four-game winning streak of the season; the Orioles won four in a row only once last year – in August.
Jay Payton contributed three hits and scored twice in his first start with Baltimore. He spent the first 2 1/2 weeks of the season on the disabled list with a strained left hamstring.
Aaron Hill homered for the Blue Jays, who have lost five straight. Toronto was outscored 17-9 in its first three-game sweep at Baltimore since May 9-11, 1994.
Gustavo Chacin (2-1) yielded six runs and five hits in 4 1-3 innings. His ERA swelled from 3.57 to 5.32.
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