AMERICAN LEAGUE

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Angels 2, Devil Rays 1

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Ervin Santana struck out 10, Juan Rivera homered and Los Angeles beat Tampa Bay for its 90th victory of the season. The Angels reduced their magic number to three for clinching their third AL West title in four years. They remain 81⁄2 games ahead of second-place Seattle. Santana (7-13) allowed one run and six hits in 61⁄3 innings as the replacement starter for Bartolo Colon, who developed back stiffness after pitching 42⁄3 innings Friday against the Chicago White Sox. J.P. Howell (1-5) gave up two runs and five hits in six innings, struck out eight and walked one in losing his fifth consecutive decision. Tampa Bay’s run came on Jonny Gomes’ 16th homer, on the first pitch from Santana opening the fifth.

Mariners 9, Athletics 5

OAKLAND, Calif. — Felix Hernandez won his third straight decision, Raul Ibanez stroked an RBI triple a day after hitting a grand slam and Seattle completed a three-game sweep of Oakland. Ichiro Suzuki went 2-for-3 to extend his hitting streak to 12 games, and Yuniesky Betancourt drove in three runs on a blustery Bay Area day when the first-pitch temperature was 63 degrees. Seattle won its sixth straight in Oakland to finish 8-1 this season, and completed a sweep here for the first time since 2001. They won the season series 14-5 after a 2-17 showing against the A’s in 2006. Hernandez (13-7) won his sixth decision in his last seven and improved to 8-3 away from Safeco Field this season. The 21-year-old right-hander allowed four runs and seven hits in five innings to improve to 4-0 with a 1.29 ERA this season against the A’s. Dan Meyer (0-2) allowed five runs and six hits in 42⁄3 innings in his third career start — all of them coming this month.

Yankees 2, Orioles 1

NEW YORK — Andy Pettitte earned his 200th win, Mariano Rivera escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth and New York edged Baltimore to complete a three-game sweep to pull within 11⁄2 games of first-place Boston. Hideki Matsui hit a solo homer and Doug Mientkiewicz scored on a wild pitch for New York, which has won 12 of 14. The Yankees (88-64), a season-high 24 games over .500, closed within 11⁄2 games of the AL East-leading Red Sox (90-63) and opened a 51⁄2-game lead over Detroit (83-70) in the wild-card race. It’s the closest New York has been to first place since the Yankees trailed by one game before play on April 20. Pettitte (14-8) allowed seven hits in 72⁄3 innings. Rivera loaded the bases in the ninth but struck out pinch-hitter Scott Moore for his 30th save in 33 chances.

Blue Jays 6, Red Sox 1

TORONTO — Russ Adams hit a clinching grand slam in the eighth inning as Toronto swept a three-game series. Making his first start since pitching a no-hitter against Baltimore on Sept. 1, Clay Buchholz held Toronto hitless until Frank Thomas singled with two outs in the fourth inning. Buchholz (3-1) made a throwing error in the fifth that put Toronto ahead, and wound up with his first major league loss. The Blue Jays loaded the bases against Mike Timlin in the eighth, and Jonathan Papelbon then gave up Adams’ slam. Jesse Litsch (6-9) allowed one run on two hits in 62⁄3 innings. Jeremy Accardo got four outs to earn his 28th save in 33 opportunities.

White Sox 7, Royals 0

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jim Thome hit two home runs, Jose Contreras threw a five-hitter and Chicago beat Kansas City. Thome homered with one out in the third and leading off the fifth, bringing his career total to 502 and his season total to 30. Contreras (10-16) walked one, while striking out six in his third career shutout. His previous was May 10 at Minnesota. The five hits were a career low for Contreras in a shutout. Brian Bannister (12-9), an American League Rookie of the Year candidate who was 7-2 in his previous 11 starts, was roughed up for six runs and eight hits, including three home runs, in five innings.

Twins 4, Rangers 2

MINNEAPOLIS — Matt Garza recovered from a leadoff homer to finally win a start at home as Minnesota beat Texas.

Jason Kubel and Michael Cuddyer each homered for the Twins, who completed a three-game sweep. Texas clinched its third straight losing season. Garza’s record at the Metrodome is now 1-10 with a 5.91 ERA in 12 career starts. He looked to be in for another rough night when Frank Catalanotto led off with a home run. Garza (4-6) lasted 61⁄3 innings. Joe Nathan worked the ninth for his 34th save in 38 opportunities.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Cubs 3, Reds 2

CHICAGO — Alfonso Soriano homered and made a great throw, and the Chicago Cubs scored a strange, go-ahead run in the eighth inning after Ken Griffey Jr. was injured. Soriano hit a leadoff homer in the first, then kept the score 2-all with his play in the eighth. Brandon Phillips hit a sharp single to left field that Soriano fielded, and his throw cut down the speedy Norris Hopper at the plate. With one out in the Cubs eighth, Ryan Theriot single and made it second when Griffey fumbled the ball in right field for an error. Derrek Lee followed with another single to right. As Griffey fielded the ball and started to make a throw, he stopped in pain. Griffey underhanded the ball back to the infield and fell to the ground as Theriot held third. Griffey stayed down for several minutes and gingerly walked off with trainers at his side with a lower abdominal strain.

Braves 5, Marlins 1

ATLANTA — The Braves may be done with scoreboard watching, but the batting race could keep them entertained. Edgar Renteria had three hits, including a homer, Chipper Jones had two hits and drove in a run and Chuck James allowed only two hits in seven scoreless innings. Jones is hitting .339, just ahead of Renteria’s .338 mark. Colorado’s Matt Holliday was hitting .338 to lead the league entering Wednesday’s games.

Mets 8, Nationals 4

WASHINGTON — The New York Mets bunted over runners. They took the extra base. Their bullpen protected a lead. And, for the first time in a week, they won a ballgame. David Wright’s three RBIs, Moises Alou’s three hits and Mike Pelfrey’s good-enough start helped the Mets beat the Nationals, ending a five-game losing streak that cut their lead in the NL East to 11⁄2 games. Pelfrey (3-7) allowed three runs in five-plus innings to win his third consecutive decision. After he left, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Heilman combined for three shutout innings, a stretch that began with Sosa getting a strikeout and a double play to escape a first-and-third, no-outs jam in the sixth. Billy Wagner gave an unearned run in the ninth.

Associated Press