AROUND THE HORN | Thursday's other games

AMERICAN LEAGUE
White Sox 2, Twins 1
MINNEAPOLIS -- Carlos Lee hit a two-run homer, Jon Garland pitched seven strong innings and the Chicago White Sox completed a three-game sweep of the Minnesota Twins. The White Sox, who moved two games ahead of Minnesota in the AL Central, have won six of seven at the Metrodome this year. Chicago is nine games over .500, matching its season high. Garland (6-5) scattered seven hits and won for the first time in five starts since June 4.
Blue Jays 14, Devil Rays 0
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Eric Hinske drove in three runs and had three of Toronto's season-high 20 hits. Miguel Batista (7-5) has won seven of his last nine decisions after going winless in his first seven starts. The right-hander allowed five singles in seven sharp innings. The Blue Jays have posted shutouts in three of his last five outings. Frank Menechino had four hits for Toronto, which gained a split of the four-game series.
Athletics 7, Angels 3
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Damian Miller hit two of Oakland's five home runs, and the Athletics completed a three-game sweep. Kirk Saarloos (1-0) pitched five-plus shutout innings in a spot start, receiving a standing ovation when he left following back-to-back singles by Chone Figgins and Vladimir Guerrero. Saarloos was 0-5 in his previous 10 major league starts and hadn't won a start since Aug. 25, 2002, when he beat Cincinnati. He has two relief wins since. Bobby Crosby, Jermaine Dye and Bobby Kielty also connected for Oakland.
Mariners 8, Rangers 4
SEATTLE -- Australian left-hander Travis Blackley won his major league debut, and Randy Winn drove in three runs for the Mariners. Ichiro Suzuki and Bret Boone each had two doubles among their three hits. Seattle finished with six doubles and 12 hits, gaining a split of the four-game series with the AL West-leading Rangers.
Orioles 3, Royals 2
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Rafael Palmeiro homered and David Newhan drove in the go-ahead run in a three-run seventh inning, leading the Orioles to their first series win since late May. Rodrigo Lopez (6-4) survived a rough first inning and retired the last 15 batters he faced to lead Baltimore to its third win in four games against Kansas City. Lopez allowed two runs and four hits, and struck out four in six innings.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Cubs 5, Astros 4
CHICAGO -- Sammy Sosa homered in the bottom of the 10th inning. Houston rallied from a 4-0 deficit, tying it when Carlos Beltran hit his second homer of the game and fourth of the series, a three-run shot in the eighth. But Sosa's long homer to left on the first pitch from Brad Lidge (2-4) helped the Cubs take two of three from the Astros. It was Sosa's 13th of the season and the 552nd of his career.
Mets 7, Reds 6
CINCINNATI -- Al Leiter pitched seven shutout innings, Shane Spencer hit a three-run homer and New York held on to beat Cincinnati. Leiter (4-2) gave up only two hits against a lineup missing Ken Griffey Jr. and Sean Casey.
Brewers 10, Rockies 9
DENVER -- Lyle Overbay hit a two-run double, Victor Santos earned his fifth win in six starts and Milwaukee held off Colorado for its fifth straight victory.
Phillies 10, Expos 5
PHILADELPHIA -- Mike Lieberthal hit a three-run homer and drove in four runs and Pat Burrell had three hits and three RBIs for the Phillies. Randy Wolf pitched seven innings for his first win since April 30, and the Phillies took three of four from the Expos.
Braves 9, Marlins 1
ATLANTA -- Andruw Jones hit a three-run double and Eli Marrero followed with a homer during a six-run first inning, leading Atlanta past Florida.
Dodgers 5, Giants 4
LOS ANGELES -- Shawn Green homered and doubled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, and the Dodgers rallied to beat the Giants. All three times the Giants took the lead, the Dodgers responded in the bottom of the inning against 10-game winner Jason Schmidt to tie it. Felix Rodriguez (2-4) relieved Schmidt to start the eighth and gave up a one-out walk to Milton Bradley before Green drove a 2-1 pitch into the left-center alley just beyond the reach of Marquis Grissom to give the Dodgers their first lead of the game.
Diamondbacks 7, Padres 5
PHOENIX -- Roberto Alomar hit his first grand slam in four years and the Diamondbacks hung on against the Padres. The slam -- Alomar's first home run of the season -- came off Ismael Valdez (6-5) and erased San Diego's 3-2 lead in the fourth inning.
-- Associated Press