Associated Press
ANAHEIM, Calif. ó Jeff Mathis hit an RBI single in the 12th inning, Torii Hunter had a two-run double and an RBI triple, and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Boston Red Sox 5-4 on Thursday.
Boston slugger David Ortiz went 0 for 7 and stranded 12 runners. He struck out three times, once with the bases loaded in the fourth, and left the bases loaded again in the 12th with a dribbler in front of the plate as his average plummeted to .208.
The five-time All-Star has gone 144 at-bats since his last home run on Sept. 22 against Cleveland’s Zach Jackson at Fenway Park. He is one at-bat from equaling his longest dry spell.
Juan Rivera led off the 12th with a single against Manny Delcarmen (1-1). Pinch-runner Reggie Willits advanced on Erick Aybar’s sacrifice and scored when Mathis lined a 1-1 pitch to left-center.
Twins 6, Tigers 5
MINNEAPOLIS ó Joe Crede capped another Minnesota comeback with a two-out, two-run single in a six-run seventh inning that ruined Justin Verlander’s strong start and helped the Twins finish a three-game sweep.
Crede’s blooper into shallow center against struggling reliever Zach Miner, who walked Michael Cuddyer to load the bases, put the Twins ahead about 141/2 hours after his grand slam in the 13th ended Wednesday night’s game.
Rangers 3, Mariners 2
ARLINGTON, Texas ó Chris Davis hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning, lifting Texas to a three-game sweep.
The Rangers didn’t score until Hank Blalock led off the ninth against closer Brandon Morrow (0-3) with a home run into the second deck of right-field stands. After David Murphy’s one-out double, Davis homered to center to give AL West-leading Texas its 10th win in 12 games.
Matt Harrison (4-2) threw a five-hitter for his second complete game in a row, though his consecutive scoreless innings streak ended at 22.
Felix Hernandez pitched seven shutout innings for Seattle.
Yankees 3, Blue Jays 2
TORONTO ó Back from nagging injuries, Derek Jeter and Hideki Matsui delivered key hits to lead CC Sabathia and the Yankees to the win.
Jeter tied it with an RBI single in the seventh inning, Matsui put New York ahead with a solo homer in the eighth and Mariano Rivera worked a perfect ninth for his seventh save in eight chances.
Sabathia (3-3) allowed five hits in eight innings to win consecutive starts for the first time this season and help the Yankees take two of three from Toronto, the surprise leader in the AL East.
Jeter and Matsui returned to the lineup after sitting out Wednesday night. Jeter missed two games with a sore right oblique and Matsui left Tuesday’s game after one at-bat with a tight right hamstring.
Matsui led off the eighth with a drive to right-center off Jesse Carlson (0-2).
Indians 11, Rays 7ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. ó Victor Martinez had four hits and drove in four runs, raising his batting average to .400 and helping Cleveland get the victory.
Shin-Soo Choo and Asdrubal Cabrera also had four hits apiece, with Choo driving in three runs in support of right-hander Fausto Carmona, who made it interesting after being staked to a nine-run lead.
Martinez hit a two-run double off James Shields (3-4) in the fifth, an RBI double off Joe Nelson in the sixth and a run-scoring single off Grant Balfour in the eighth.
Choo’s career-best, four-hit night included an RBI double off Shields and a two-run homer off Nelson that made it 9-0 in the sixth.
Orioles 9, Royals 5KANSAS CITY, Mo. ó Cesar Izturis and Nick Markakis each drove in three runs and the Orioles won again in their favorite road ballpark.
Baltimore has won 15 of 18 against Kansas City and is 43-15 against the Royals since 2001, including 24-7 at Kauffman Stadium. The Orioles did it this time with a big night offensively ó 12 hits ó and a just-good-enough start from Jeremy Guthrie (3-3).
Aubrey Huff homered and Melvin Mora had two RBIs for the Orioles, who won for just the second time in 11 road games overall. Billy Butler homered and drove in three runs for Kansas City.