major league baseball roundup Monday’s other games

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Yankees 7, Twins 6

NEW YORK — The Yankees got started early, instead of waiting for their final swing. Mark Teixeira homered from both sides of the plate, combining with Alex Rodriguez for back-to-back drives in a six-run first inning against Glen Perkins, and New York beat the Minnesota Twins on a chilly night to complete a four-game sweep. After stringing together three straight walk-off wins for the first time since 1972, the Yankees overcame a 2-0 first-inning deficit and hung on to extend their winning streak to a season-high six. New York improved to 23-3 at home against the Twins during the regular season since the start of 2002.

Rays 13, Athletics 4

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Jason Bartlett drove in a career-high five runs to help the Rays beat the struggling Athletics for a season-best four-game winning streak. Rookie right-hander Jeff Niemann (4-3) allowed four runs and eight hits in eight innings to win for the fourth time in his last five decisions. He struck out three and walked none in the longest outing of his career. Jason Isringhausen, who came off the disabled list Sunday, pitched the ninth for Tampa Bay — his first appearance in a major league game since undergoing right elbow surgery in September, when he was with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Blue Jays 3, White Sox 2

TORONTO — Alex Rios hit a go-ahead triple in the eighth inning and Toronto completed a four-game sweep. Jim Thome tied it in the top of the eighth with a two-run homer, the 548th of his career, but Toronto rallied against Octavio Dotel (1-1). Chicago lost its season-high fifth straight and has dropped 10 in a row at Toronto. Dotel had not allowed a run in 14 games this season, a span of 121‚Ñ3 innings, when he relieved in the eighth with the score 2-all. Jose Bautista drew a leadoff walk, moved up on a sacrifice and stole third. Rios’ triple skipped past a diving Scott Podsednik in center field. Jesse Carlson (1-2) got the win despite allowing Thome’s homer.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Rockies 5, Braves 1

ATLANTA — Jason Marquis outdueled Derek Lowe, and Dexter Fowler drove in one run and scored another in the Rockies’ victory. Colorado, which had lost seven of 10, snapped a two-game losing streak. The Braves have lost two straight and three of four. Atlanta dropped to 6-11 at Turner Field, where they have lost 11 of 14. Marquis (5-3) scattered five hits and allowed one run in eight innings.

Brewers 8, Cardinals 4

ST. LOUIS — Braden Looper carried a two-hitter into the seventh inning to beat his former team, Mat Gamel hit a three-run homer in his first career start and the Brewers completed a three-game sweep. Jason Kendall became the eighth full-time catcher to reach 2,000 hits for the Brewers, who have won 12 of 14 overall and 10 of 11 over the Cardinals the last two seasons.

Associated Press