Kendry Morales and Erick Aybar each hit three-run home runs as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim rallied from an early deficit to beat the New York Yankees 10-6. The Yankees took an early 4-0 lead but, after getting the score back to 5-2, Morales's homer tied it and drove Yankees starter Joba Chamberlain from the game. Chone Figgins hit an RBI triple in the sixth to put the Angels on top before Aybar went deep to give them the cushion they needed.
Alex Rodriguez hit a home run for the Yankees. In other American League action, Hank Blalock, Michal Young and Nelson Cruz all smacked home runs as the Texas Rangers beat the Seattle Mariners 6-4 to remain in front of the Angels atop the American League West. They had to come from behind, however, as Seattle had staked out an early 2-0 lead behind RBI doubles from Russell Branyan and Franklin Gutierrez.
After allowing those, the Texas starter Scott Feldman settled down to earn his eighth win of the season, allowing only the two runs in six and two thirds 2/3 innings. Dustin Pedroia's eighth-inning RBI double was the only offence from either team as the Boston Red Sox beat Bannister's Kansas City Royals 1-0 at Fenway Park, pulling back in front of the Yankees by one game in the AL East standings.
Bannister struck out seven and allowed three hits and four walks in seven and two thirds innings, but Lester was better, striking out eight with four hits and two walks in eight innings. Edwin Jackson allowed only one run on four hits in seven innings as the Detroit Tigers downed the Cleveland Indians 5-1. Indians ace Cliff Lee fell to 0-3 against the Tigers this season as Gerald Laird's early RBI double was followed by a two-run RBI single from Josh Anderson.
The win puts Detroit three and a half games clear in the AL Central after the Chicago White Sox went down 6-4 to the Minnesota Twins. It was a tough loss for the White Sox, who recovered from a 4-0 first-inning deficit, only to throw it away again. The Twins had put four runs on the board before Chicago starter John Danks recorded an out, but they had to do it over again after Chris Getz tied the game in the sixth.
Joe Mauer drove in the winning run, plating Nick Punto from third with a hit up the middle. Jeff Niemann shut out the Oakland A's in a six-hit complete game to lead the Tampa Bay Rays to a 6-0 win. Niemann struck out six in his second shutout of the season, while Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria led the offensive effort with homers. Brett Cecil tossed six scoreless innings to help the Toronto Blue Jays to a 2-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles, snapping a three-game losing streak.
* Reuters
