MLB ROUNDUP Friday’s other games

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Red Sox 7, Blue Jays 0

BOSTON — Tim Wakefield pitched eight innings to bounce back from his shortest start in 15 years, helping the Boston Red Sox stop their AL East slide. Kevin Cash hit a three-run homer, David Ortiz and Jed Lowrie each drove in a pair of runs and the Red Sox improved to two games out in the AL East behind Tampa Bay. Earlier in the week the Rays beat Boston twice in their last at-bat to avoid falling out of first place in the division. The Rays’ game against the New York Yankees was rained out and rescheduled as part of a doubleheader today. Toronto lost for just the second time in 13 games, unable to muster anything against Wakefield (9-10), who was pulled without getting a chance for his first shutout since 1997. Four days after lasting just 12‚Ñ3 innings against Texas, the 42-year-old knuckleballer allowed three hits. Boston and Toronto also will play two on Saturday to make up for an Aug. 15 rainout. The Red Sox took a six-game lead in the wild-card race over Minnesota, which also was rained out.

David Purcey (3-6) allowed three earned runs and six hits in 6 2-3 innings for Toronto.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Marlins 2, Nationals 1

MIAMI — Scott Olsen got his first win in 10 starts and Jorge Cantu hit a record-setting home run for Florida.

Olsen (7-10) gave up one run and six hits in six innings for his first win since July 19th against Philadelphia. Matt Lindstrom pitched a perfect ninth to get his third save in six opportunities. Cantu hit his 25th homer in the fourth to tie it at 1, making the Marlins the first team in major league history to have four infielders hit at least 25. Mike Jacobs (32), Dan Uggla (30), Hanley Ramirez (29) and Cantu have accounted for 116 of the Marlins’ 188 homers this season. Shairon Martis (0-2) allowed two runs, one earned, and two hits in five-plus innings for Washington. He struck out nine and walked three.

Dodgers 7, Rockies 2

DENVER — James Loney drove in three runs, Chad Billingsley pitched six solid innings for surging Los Angeles.

Billingsley (15-10) gave up two runs and six hits for the Dodgers, who have won three straight and 11 of 12. Los Angeles began the day 31‚Ñ2 games ahead of Arizona. Loney, Manny Ramirez, Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier and Angel Berroa had two hits each for the Dodgers. Matt Holliday homered for the defending NL champion Rockies, who have lost six straight and are 91‚Ñ2 games behind Los Angeles in the NL West with 14 games remaining. Rockies first baseman Todd Helton was activated from the 60-day DL before the game and pinch-hit for starter Jeff Francis in the sixth, striking out in his first at-bat since July 2. Francis (4-10) allowed three runs and six hits with five strikeouts. Francis is 1-2 in six starts since coming of the DL on Aug. 7. The Dodgers took the lead for good when Nomar Garciaparra led off the fourth with a double and scored on Matt Kemp’s single to make it 3-2.

Associated Press