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NEW YORK — Bobby Abreu homered twice and drove in six runs, Mike Mussina kept up his hopes for a 20-win season and the New York Yankees beat the AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox 9-2 Thursday night.
The White Sox have lost seven of 11. They began the day with a 2 1/2 -game edge over Minnesota, which played at Tampa Bay.
Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen noted before the game that several teams in playoff races were struggling. His club stumbled again heading into a weekend series at Kansas City.
Javier Vazquez (12-14) was ragged on three days’ rest, and second baseman Alexi Ramirez let a grounder skip through his legs as the Yankees made it 7-1 in the fourth inning. Midway through the sixth, Ken Griffey Jr. and more than half of Chicago’s starters had been pulled.
Royals 12, Mariners 0
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Zack Greinke combined with two pitchers on a three-hitter and Mike Aviles hit a three-run homer as Kansas City completed its first four-game sweep of Seattle in 19 years.
The Royals led 9-0 after four innings, roughing up Ryan Feierabend (1-4) on its way to its first four-game sweep of the Mariners since Aug. 17-20, 1989, in Seattle. It was the Royals’ first four-game sweep of anyone since taking a home series against Detroit from Sept. 19-21, 2005.
Blue Jays 3, Orioles 2
TORONTO — Pinch-hitter Gregg Zaun doubled home the go-ahead run in the sixth inning, Jose Bautista homered and Toronto beat Baltimore.
The last-place Orioles have lost 19 of 22 games and dropped their past nine series overall. Baltimore has gone 2-17 in its past 19 one-run games after starting the season 18-10 in such contests.
Angels 6, Athletics 4
OAKLAND, Calif. — Kendry Morales, Mike Napoli and Brandon Wood hit consecutive home runs in a span of four pitches from Keith Foulke in the seventh inning and Los Angeles withstood a late rally for a victory over Oakland.
The AL West champion Angels avoided a three-game sweep.
The Angels hit three straight homers for the first time since May 24, 2004, at Toronto, helping Joe Saunders (16-7) to his second victory in nine starts. Saunders pitched seven scoreless innings, allowed six hits, struck out four and walked three.
Twins 11, Rays 8
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Evan Longoria hit three home runs for Tampa Bay but Alexi Casilla went deep in Minnesota’s five-run ninth inning, helping the Twins rally over Tampa Bay.
Minnesota ended a four-game skid and pulled within 1 1/2 games of the AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox, who lost 9-2 at New York.
Casilla’s two-run drive off Dan Wheeler (4-4) tied it at 8. Adam Everett’s pinch-hit RBI double put Minnesota ahead before Delmon Young added a run-scoring single and Matt Tolbert followed with a sacrifice fly.