MLB ROUNDUP \ Thursday’s games

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Yankees 3, Rangers 0

ARLINGTON, Texas — Mike Mussina pitched seven sharp innings for his 15th win and the New York Yankees beat the Texas Rangers to gain a four-game split. Mussina (15-7) shut down the highest-scoring offense in the majors, matching Cleveland’s Cliff Lee for most wins in the American League. Mariano Rivera pitched a perfect ninth for his career-best 28th consecutive save this season. It was Mussina’s fifth victory in seven starts. The 39-year-old right-hander gave up eight hits, struck out six and stayed unbeaten in his last seven road outings. Derek Jeter had three hits and drove in two runs, including a solo homer in the first.

Tigers 8, White Sox 3

CHICAGO — Miguel Cabrera and Curtis Granderson homered and Ryan Raburn made a nice catch to shut off a late Chicago rally, helping Detroit snap a six-game skid. Zach Miner (6-4) allowed seven hits and two runs — one earned — in six innings. Fernando Rodney got the final four outs to get his second save in six chances and just the 23rd in 43 opportunities for Detroit’s struggling bullpen. Magglio Ordonez had a two-run triple in the ninth to help put it away.

Blue Jays 6, Athletics 4

TORONTO — A.J. Burnett won his fourth straight start and the Blue Jays extended Oakland’s losing streak to 10 games.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Mets 5, Padres 3

NEW YORK — David Wright hit a two-out, two-run homer in the ninth inning after the Mets bullpen blew another late lead for Johan Santana. Santana, just 9-7 in his first season with the Mets, left with a 3-1 lead in the eighth. It was the sixth time in 24 starts this season that the bullpen cost him a potential win, and in five of those the collapse came in the ninth inning. He has eight no-decisions, and in seven of those allowed two runs or fewer. Wright’s drive off Heath Bell (6-5) was his 21st of the season and came after he committed base running blunders in each of the first two games of the series and a costly error in New York’s 4-2 loss Wednesday night.

Marlins 3, Phillies 0

PHILADELPHIA — Chris Volstad tossed six sharp innings and combined with four relievers on a four-hitter, helping Florida take two of three from the NL East leaders. Volstad (3-2) didn’t allow a hit until pitcher Cole Hamels lined a single to center with two outs in the fifth. The 21-year-old right-hander gave up three hits and walked four.

Dodgers 4, Cardinals 1

ST. LOUIS — Clayton Kershaw worked seven dominant innings and Manny Ramirez homered for the fourth time in six games with the Dodgers, who averted a three-game sweep. Ryan Ludwick’s consecutive home run streak ended at five games, which tied a Cardinals record, after he went 1-for-3 with a single, two strikeouts and a walk. The 20-year-old Kershaw (2-3), the seventh overall pick of the 2006 draft, allowed only three singles while matching his season best with seven strikeouts and working around four walks. The seven-inning stint was the deepest he’s gone by a full inning in 12 career starts.

Kyle Lohse (13-4) allowed four runs and seven hits in seven innings, including his fifth homer in three starts, missing a chance to match his career high for victories set in 2003.

Nationals 6, Rockies 3, 1st game

Nationals 6, Rockies 3, 2nd game

DENVER — Lastings Milledge homered twice in the opener and finished the day with five hits and five RBIs to help Washington sweep a doubleheader from Colorado by identical scores.

Astros 7, Reds 4

CINCINNATI — Hunter Pence hit a three-run homer and Roy Oswalt improved to 21-1 against Cincinnati as Houston sent the Reds to their third straight loss.

Associated Press