Boston Red Sox managed to seal a 3-2 victory after Jonathan Papelbon ended a ninth-inning two-run rally by the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday. The starter Clay Buchholz had been sailing along with a three-hit shutout before he was pulled in the ninth with one out and a runner on first, and replaced by Hideki Okajima. Buchholz struck out nine and walked two.
The only hits he allowed were singles by Kevin Millar in the second, Lyle Overbay in the seventh and Jose Bautista in the ninth. Reliever Okajima gave up back-to-back run-scoring hits by Adam Lind and Overbay in the top of the ninth before Papelbon replaced him and retired the final two batters and record his 32nd save of the season. Dustin Pedroia gave the Red Sox a 1-0 lead with a first-inning single before Alex Gonzalez's single in the sixth made it 2-0. Boston's third run came on a bases-loaded walk three batters later.
Starter Sergio Mitre played a pivotal role as the New York Yankees completed a 10-0 rout of the Chicago White Sox to go six games clear in the American League East. The Yankees picked up four runs in the second and fourth innings while Mitre held the White Sox hitless going into the fifth. Mitre had a perfect game through the fourth inning, setting down the first 12 batters he faced. Jim Thome broke up Mitre's run in the fifth with one out as he ripped a pitch down the right field line for a double.
Mitre pitched over six and a third innings before he was pulled after being struck by an AJ Pierzynski line drive. Chad Haudin took the mound and preserved the one-hitter. Ben Zobrist, Carlos Pena and Carl Crawford each drove in runs to help the Tampa Bay Rays beat Central Division leaders Detroit Tigers 3-1. David Price set a career high with seven and a third innings of fine work before Magglio Ordonez drove in a run for the Tigers.
Scott Feldman recorded five and two third scoreless innings as the Texas Rangers beat the Minnesota Twins 3-0. Josh Hamilton and Ian Kinsler drove in a run apiece in the first before Ivan Rodriguez homered in the ninth. Andy Marte drilled a three-run homer in the sixth inning to earn the Cleveland Indians a 5-3 win over the Baltimore Orioles. The Oakland Athletics beat the Los Angeles Angels 4-3 and the Seattle Mariners beat the Kansas City Royals 8-4.
In the National League, a six-run seventh inning helped the Los Angeles Dodgers to an 11-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. * With agencies