Associated Press
BOSTON ó Justin Verlander allowed four hits in eight innings, Ryan Raburn homered and the Detroit Tigers beat the Boston Red Sox 2-0 on Thursday to avoid a four-game sweep.
Verlander (13-6) struck out eight and walked one, retiring 16 of the last 19 batters he faced. Fernando Rodney pitched the ninth for his 24th save.
Clay Buchholz (1-3) allowed five hits in seven innings, walking three and striking out three while giving up Raburn’s homer to go with an unearned run in the fourth. Victor Martinez had two hits for Boston, and he also stole a base for the second time in his career and the first time since 2003.
Royals 5, Twins 4
MINNEAPOLIS ó Gil Meche gave up four runs in five innings in his return from the disabled list, and the Royals won their first three-game series since the end of June.
After allowing an RBI double to Mauer in the first, Meche (5-9) breezed through the next three innings. He had two outs in the fifth when he walked Denard Span and gave up a single to Cabrera. Mauer followed with his 21st homer of the season to pull Minnesota to 5-4.
Rangers 4, Indians 1
CLEVELAND ó Scott Feldman pitched six sharp innings and Josh Hamilton had four hits, including a go-ahead two-run double for the Rangers.
Feldman (12-4) worked out of trouble several times after allowing a first-inning run in winning his third straight start. The right-hander allowed seven hits and struck out six to improve to 8-1 with a 3.33 ERA in 10 road starts this season.
Hamilton’s double off Jeremy Sowers (4-8) gave the Rangers a 2-1 lead. He also had an infield hit in the first, a double in the sixth and another single leading off the eighth.
National League
Brewers 12, Padres 9MILWAUKEE ó Prince Fielder and backup catcher Mike Rivera each hit two home runs, and the struggling Brewers built a big lead before hanging on to beat the Padres.
Fielder hit a 465-foot shot off the Miller Park scoreboard and Ryan Braun also homered as the Brewers connected a season-high five times. Manny Parra won his fifth straight decision despite allowing 13 hits in 52/3 innings.
Parra (8-8) took a nine-run lead into the fifth inning, but allowed three runs on five straight singles and a sacrifice fly. San Diego rallied for three more runs off reliever David Weathers and a gaffe by second baseman Felipe Lopez in the eighth that made it 12-9.
The Brewers rattled Padres starter Cesar Carrillo (0-1), who allowed every man he put on to score in his short major league debut.
Rockies 10, Pirates 1DENVER ó Jason Marquis allowed three hits over seven innings, Troy Tulowitzki and Clint Barmes homered and the Rockies finished off a winning series.
Dexter Fowler had four hits ó three of them doubles ó and scored three runs, and Barmes finished with three hits and three RBIs for Colorado.
Marquis (13-8) became the third pitcher in the National League to reach 13 wins. He’d been 0-2 in his previous three starts, but gave up one run and struck out six.
Marlins 9, Astros 2MIAMI ó Jorge Cantu and Ronny Paulino homered for Florida, which has won six of its last seven. Sean West (4-4) allowed one run and five hits in six innings for the Marlins.
Hanley Ramirez, the NL batting leader, had two singles and two RBIs for Florida, which has at least 10 hits in a club-record 10 straight games.
Mike Hampton (7-10) gave up three runs and six hits. He left after five innings with a left shoulder strain.
Ramirez hit a two-run single for his second hit of the game, and Wes Helms had an RBI double to highlight a six-run sixth that gave the Marlins a 9-1 lead.