mlb roundup Monday’s games

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Rangers 5, Tigers 2

ARLINGTON, Texas — Rookie Tommy Hunter pitched a career-high seven innings, Nelson Cruz and Michael Young homered for Texas.

Yankees 11, Rays 4

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A.J. Burnett allowed two hits in seven innings and Nick Swisher homered twice for New York. The AL East leaders improved to 10-1 since the All-Star break, with Burnett (10-4) earning his fifth straight decision.

Twins 4, White Sox 3

MINNEAPOLIS — Michael Cuddyer’s two-run homer in the sixth inning pulled the Twins’ record back to even and sending the White Sox to yet another defeat at the Metrodome. John Danks (8-7) allowed two earned runs and six hits over seven innings after missing his last start due to a finger blister, but that wasn’t enough to keep the Sox from their 12th loss in the last 14 games at Minnesota’s soon-to-be-vacated dome.

Red Sox 8, Athletics 3

BOSTON — Josh Beckett became the American League’s first 12-game winner and the Boston Red Sox snapped out of a slump with 14 hits. Beckett (12-4) struck out 10 and allowed one walk and eight hits in seven innings before the bullpen extended its streak to 24 scoreless innings since the All-Star game.

Royals 5, Orioles 3

BALTIMORE — Billy Butler had a career-high five hits and drove in three runs.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Nationals 14, Brewers 6

MILWAUKEE — Josh Willingham hit two grand slams and tied a franchise record with eight RBIs. Willingham became the 13th player to hit two grand slams in a game and first since Boston’s Bill Mueller hit one from each side of the plate on July 29, 2003, against Texas. Willingham’s eight RBIs were the most in Nationals history and tied the franchise mark, accomplished last by Tim Wallach for Montreal against San Diego in 1990.

Cardinals 6, Dodgers 1

ST. LOUIS — Chris Carpenter wrapped up an undefeated month and Brendan Ryan matched a career high with four hits. Matt Holliday lined an RBI double off the base of the center-field wall in his first home at-bat and Mark DeRosa homered for the fifth time in 13 games with St. Louis. The third newcomer to the lineup, Julio Lugo, had an RBI infield hit in the second to help the Cardinals shake off a 2-5 trip that knocked them out of the NL Central lead.

Mets 7, Rockies 3

NEW YORK — Fernando Tatis hit a pinch-hit grand slam in the eighth inning, and the New York Mets salvaged an otherwise miserable day by rallying for a victory. It was the third straight win for the Mets, who have been struggling most of the season on the field and had to deal with issues off it when they fired vice president Tony Bernazard during an awkward news conference hours before the first pitch. The Rockies bullpen had gone 92‚Ñ3 innings without allowing a hit before Tatis connected off Franklin Morales with one out in the eighth. Juan Rincon (2-2) had loaded the bases with three walks — one intentionally — before Tatis deposited an 0-2 pitch into the seats in left field.

Reds 6, Padres 4

CINCINNATI — Brandon Phillips hit the first of Cincinnati’s four homers on Monday night, a three-run shot that helped end the Reds’ longest losing streak of the season at six games. The teams combined for seven homers, six of them solo shots. Jonny Gomes and Edwin Encarnacion also had solo homers off Josh Geer (1-7).

Associated Press