NEW YORK (AP) -David Ortiz, Alex Cora and Manny Ramirez homered for Boston, Julian Tavarez got his first win of the season, and the Red Sox beat New York 7-4 Sunday, sending the Yankees to their eighth loss in nine games.
Boston is 5-1 against New York, and Yankees owner George Steinbrenner is angry about his team’s slow start, possibly disappointed enough that manager Joe Torre’s job may be in jeopardy.
With both teams off Monday, the Yankees (9-14) ended the month 6 1/2 games back of the AL East-leading Red Sox (16-8).
Tavarez (1-2) and four relievers held New York to seven hits, with Jonathan Papelbon pitching the ninth for his eighth save in eight chances.
New York’s only runs came on a three-run homer in the third by Doug Mientkiewicz, who is hitting .154, and a solo shot in the eighth by Derek Jeter that extended his hitting streak to 17 games.
Chien-Ming Wang (0-2), in his second start since recovering from a hamstring injury, couldn’t hold a 3-2 lead, allowing four runs and six hits in six innings.
Ramirez, hitting .188 entering the game, hit a two-run homer to right off Sean Henn in the eighth. Ramirez became only the fifth player to hit 50 homers against the Yankees, joining Jimmie Foxx (70), Ted Williams (62), Hank Greenberg (53) and Carl Yastrzemski (52).
Tigers 4, Twins 3
DETROIT (AP) – Brandon Inge’s leadoff homer in the ninth inning lifted Detroit to victory over Minnesota.
Inge entered the game hitting .122, but had three hits, including the winning drive into the left-field stands off Jesse Crain (1-2) in the ninth.
Todd Jones (1-1), the third Tigers pitcher, got the win with a perfect ninth inning.
Johan Santana gave up three runs and eight hits in six innings for Minnesota. The AL Cy Young Award winner allowed two homers for the first time this season.
Detroit took a 2-0 lead on Magglio Ordonez’s two-run homer in the third, but Minnesota tied it in the next inning when Torii Hunter and Mike Redmond singled before Jason Kubel’s two-run double off Mike Maroth.
Marcus Thames led off the fourth with a long homer to left off Santana, but Hunter matched him with a shot deep into the left-field stands in the top of the sixth.
Maroth allowed three runs and nine hits in 6 2-3 innings.
Angels 5, White Sox 2
CHICAGO (AP) – Maicer Izturis and Vladimir Guerrero hit back-to-back homers, and Kelvim Escobar allowed four hits over 7 2-3 innings to lead Los Angeles over Chicago.
Former Angel Darin Erstad hit a two-run homer in the third, but Escobar (2-1) held the White Sox in check after that, striking out three and walking one. He left after walking Ryan Sweeney with two out in the eighth. Francisco Rodriguez came in and struck out Erstad, then pitched the ninth for his eighth save in nine chances.
Izturis led off the fourth with his first homer of the season and Guerrero followed with his seventh to tie it at 2. And Izturis drove in the go-ahead run with a single in the fifth before leaving with tightness in his right hamstring. Erick Aybar replaced him at second base in the bottom of the inning.
In his second start since his no-hitter against Texas, Mark Buehrle (2-1) allowed nine hits over six-plus innings, walked one batter intentionally and tied a season high with eight strikeouts.
Indians 6, Orioles 1
CLEVELAND (AP) – Fausto Carmona pitched into the ninth inning and Casey Blake homered to help Cleveland beat Baltimore.
The win came less than 24 hours after the Indians officially protested a 7-4 loss that ended their six-game winning streak because the Orioles were given a run three innings after it had been waved off by the umpires.
Carmona (2-1) gave up six hits, walked two and struck out one in a career-best 8 1-3 innings. He had a shutout in the ninth before Aubrey Huff hit his 100th pitch over the wall in right with one out. Jay Gibbons then singled and Carmona was replaced by Rafael Betancourt, who got the last two outs.
It was Carmona’s second straight win after a personal 11-game losing streak.
Cleveland struck quickly against Jaret Wright (0-3), who was activated from the disabled list before the game. Wright had been sidelined since experiencing shoulder soreness April 10 against Detroit.
Wright walked the first two batters he faced. After Travis Hafner was called out on strikes, Victor Martinez lined a two-run single to right for a 2-0 lead.
Blake hit his second homer with one out in the second to make it 3-0.
It was Wright’s first career appearance against the Indians, who drafted him in the first round in 1994. The right-hander allowed three earned runs on four hits in 3 innings.
Blue Jays 7, Rangers 3
TORONTO (AP) – Alex Rios homered and Tomo Ohka pitched seven innings to win his second straight start in Toronto’s victory over Texas.
Aaron Hill went 3-4 and drove in two runs for Toronto. He has 17 RBIs this season, tying him with Vernon Wells for the team lead.
Ian Kinsler hit a two-run drive in the ninth inning for his ninth of the season, tying the Rangers team record for home runs in April. Ivan Rodriguez (2000), Alex Rodriguez (2002) and Carl Everett (2003) also did it.
Ohka (2-2) gave up three singles in the first two innings, but didn’t allow another hit until Jerry Hairston’s one-out double in the seventh. Ohka gave up one run and five hits, walked three and struck out two.
Brandon McCarthy (1-4) lasted just three innings for Texas, giving up five runs and six hits. He walked four and struck out four.
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