MLB ROUNDUP \ Wednesday’s other games

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Yankees 2, Rays 1, 10 innings

NEW YORK — Bobby Abreu hit a game-winning double off Grant Balfour in the 10th inning for New York. Derek Jeter scored twice and Jason Giambi singled in a run for the Yankees, who gave out 20,000 replica mustaches to fans to support the slugger’s All-Star candidacy. New York has won four straight after losing five of six, closing within 61‚Ñ2 games of the surprising Rays, who lead the AL East. The Rays have lost three straight for the first time since they were swept at Boston from June 3-5. Jeter walked with one out against Balfour (2-1), who hadn’t allowed a run in his previous 10 appearances. Abreu fell behind 0-2, then doubled to right-center as Jeter scored without a throw to the plate. It was Abreu’s first game-ending hit with the Yankees. Mariano Rivera (4-3) pitched two scoreless innings for the win. Tampa Bay’s Carlos Pena hit a tying homer off Sidney Ponson in the sixth.

Red Sox 18, Twins 5

BOSTON — Dustin Pedroia hit a three-run double as Boston followed an overturned triple-play call with seven runs in the seventh inning to beat Minnesota and complete a three-game sweep. Jacoby Ellsbury had a career-high four hits, and Manny Ramirez, Kevin Youkilis and Sean Casey had three apiece to help the Red Sox set season highs for hits (23) and runs. Josh Beckett (9-5) allowed three runs in the first and followed it with four scoreless innings before being chased after two batters in the sixth. Livan Hernandez (9-6) gave up six runs and 11 hits in 41‚Ñ3 innings, but he was long gone by the time Boston broke it open in the seventh. Umpires originally ruled that a sliding Denard Span caught Jason Varitek’s sinking liner to center, allowing the Twins to double off two runners for an 8-4-5 triple play. The call was reversed — correctly, replays confirmed — and irate Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire was quickly ejected for arguing. Varitek was credited with an RBI single that gave the Red Sox an 8-5 lead.

Blue Jays 9, Orioles 8

TORONTO — Alex Rios and David Eckstein both drove in two runs and A.J. Burnett won for the third time in four starts for Toronto, which had a seven-run fourth inning. Eckstein had two doubles and Rios had two singles for the Blue Jays, whose bullpen survived a shaky ninth to seal a second straight win for the first time this month. Burnett (9-8) allowed seven runs and seven hits in 51‚Ñ3 innings, with three walks and seven strikeouts. Jesse Carlson got five outs, Scott Downs pitched the eighth and B.J. Ryan gave up a solo homer to Nick Markakis in the ninth before holding on for his 17th save. The Blue Jays trailed 1-0 in the fourth when Gregg Zaun walked with the bases loaded, setting off their biggest inning of the season. John McDonald followed with an RBI single, Eckstein and Rios each drove two runs with hits, and Vernon Wells chased left-hander Garret Olson (6-4) with a run-scoring single that made it 7-1.

Rangers 5, Angels 4

ARLINGTON, Texas — Josh Hamilton hit a two-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning. It was Hamilton’s 20th homer of the season, and his first since June 17. He connected off major league saves leader Francisco Rodriguez, who gave up three runs in only his third blown chance this year.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Marlins 5, Padres 2

SAN DIEGO — Scott Olsen allowed four hits over eight innings, and Mike Jacobs and Hanley Ramirez homered to lead Florida. Olsen appeared to be in line for his first major league complete game, but he was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the ninth as the Marlins sent eight batters to the plate and scored twice. Olsen (5-4) allowed one run and broke his career-worst winless streak of 11 games, during which he was 0-3 with a 5.31 ERA. Joe Nelson allowed Chase Headley’s RBI single before Kevin Gregg got two outs for his 17th save. Florida won the three-game series against the Padres, only its second winning road series in nine since May 12. San Diego, which snapped a nine-game home losing streak on Tuesday night, lost for the 17th time in 22 games.

Mets 5, Giants 0

NEW YORK — Johan Santana’s shortest outing of the season lasted long enough to end his frustrating losing streak. Santana tossed five effective innings before his night was cut short by a rain delay, and the New York Mets beat the punchless San Francisco Giants 5-0 Wednesday for their fifth straight win. Ramon Castro backed Santana with a three-run homer, and resurgent Carlos Delgado had three more hits on a muggy night at Shea Stadium. Delgado is batting .429 (15-for-35) in nine games this month. Zambrano allows 1 hit in 8 innings

Cubs 5, Reds 1

CHICAGO — Carlos Zambrano allowed only one hit in eight innings — a second-inning homer by Adam Dunn — and retired the final 20 batters he faced. In his second start since coming off the disabled list with a right shoulder strain, Zambrano (10-3) walked none and struck out five while throwing 103 pitches in a dominating performance. Reliever Carlos Marmol gave up a two-out single and two walks in the ninth. Kerry Wood got Brandon Phillips to foul out to earn his 23rd save. The other Red to get on base against Zambrano was Keppinger, who reached on shortstop Aramis Ramirez’s one-out error in the first. Ramirez hit his 16th homer in the sixth to break a 1-1 tie. Johnny Cueto (7-9) gave up eight hits and five runs, four earned, in 62‚Ñ3 innings.

Rockies 8, Brewers 3

MILWAUKEE — Garrett Atkins hit a pair of home runs and Glendon Rusch won as a starter for the first time in exactly two years. Rusch (2-3) had not won as a starter since beating the Brewers on July 9, 2006, in his last start for the Chicago Cubs. He missed all of last season while recovering from a blood clot in his lung, and took a loss in his only other start for Colorado this year.

Nationals 5, Diamondbacks 0

WASHINGTON — Jesus Flores’ three-run, pinch-hit homer helped Washington. The win ended the last-place Diamondbacks’ six-game losing streak, dropped first-place Arizona back below .500 and denied Arizona its first three-game winning streak in nearly two months. Nationals starter John Lannan (5-9) allowed two hits and walked three in six scoreless innings for his first victory since May 18. Diamondbacks starter Micah Owings (6-8) hit three batters and walked five over 52‚Ñ3 innings. With the score 1-0 and runners on first and second in the sixth, reliever Connor Robertson allowed a two-out RBI double to Kory Casto and Flores’ three-run shot to left-center. The homer was Flores’ fifth of the year and the first as a pinch hitter in his career.

Phillies 4, Cardinals 2

PHILADELPHIA — Ryan Howard homered leading off the eighth inning and Philadelphia’s sputtering offense showed small signs of breaking loose. Howard drove an 0-2 pitch from Kyle McClellan (1-4) into the right-field seats for his 25th homer, rallying the Phillies after they blew a 2-0 lead. Pedro Feliz added a solo shot to left off Chris Perez that put an emphatic end to Philadelphia’s four-game losing streak.

Associated Press