Click here to subscribe today or Login.
BALTIMORE — Jorge Posada homered twice, and Nick Swisher and Eric Hinske hit successive drives in a three-run seventh inning that carried the New York Yankees past the Baltimore Orioles 9-6 Tuesday night.
Robinson Cano also connected for Yankees, who will try to complete a three-game sweep Wednesday. New York came to town after taking three in a row from the Chicago White Sox.
Posada hit a solo shot in the third inning and a two-run homer in the fifth, but the Yankees trailed 6-5 in the sixth before rallying for their 22nd win in 28 games. The victory put New York 36 games over .500 (84-48) for the first time since finishing the 2004 season 101-61.
Tigers 8, Indians 5
DETROIT — Placido Polanco and Carlos Guillen homered on successive pitches and Brandon Inge also went deep, lifting the Detroit Tigers to a win over the Cleveland Indians.
Aubrey Huff added three RBIs for Detroit, which won its second straight.
Edwin Jackson (11-6) allowed four runs on nine hits in five innings, walking two and striking out six. Fernando Rodney pitched the ninth for his 30th save in 31 chances.
Andy Marte homered for Cleveland.
Carlos Carrasco (0-1), making his major league debut, gave up six runs on nine hits in three innings, walking three and striking out three. Carrasco, who was obtained from Philadelphia in the Cliff Lee deal, allowed all three home runs after being recalled from Triple-A Columbus.
Rangers 5, Blue Jays 2
ARLINGTON, Texas — Ian Kinsler got Texas started with a leadoff homer and Chris Davis singled home two runs, leading the Rangers to a victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in the first game of a doubleheader.
Davis’ two-out grounder in the fourth inning slipped under the glove of first baseman Lyle Overbay, who appeared miffed that he didn’t make the play with his backhand stab. That broke a 1-all tie and put Texas ahead to stay.
Red Sox 8, Rays 4
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Jonathan Papelbon bailed Boston out of an eighth-inning jam and Jason Bay, J.D. Drew and Kevin Youkilis homered to help the Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays in the opener of a series crucial to the AL wild-card race.
Papelbon entered with two runs in and the bases loaded with no outs and shut down AL champions in the eighth with help from a diving catch by center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury, who snared Jason Bartlett’s sinking liner before scrambling to his feet to keep a runner from tagging up at third.
Twins 4, White Sox 3
MINNEAPOLIS — Pinch-hitter Jose Morales singled home Nick Punto with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to lift the Minnesota Twins to a victory over the Chicago White Sox.
Jason Kubel led off the ninth with a single off Matt Thornton (6-3) and Punto was inserted as a pinch runner. He advanced to third on a single by Brendan Harris, but Tony Pena got Carlos Gomez swinging to take away the sacrifice option.