Yankees beat Indians to extend winning run

TORONTO (Reuters) – Chien-Ming Wang delivered seven solid
innings and Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez each had two hits
and an RBI as the surging New Yankees held on to edge the
Cleveland Indians 5-4 on Friday at Yankee Stadium to post their
sixth straight win.

Wang (6-3) served up a home run to Grady Sizemore with his
first pitch but then quickly settled down to take credit for
the win, giving up three runs on seven hits, striking out three
and walking three in 6 2/3 innings of work.

Mariano Rivera gave up a run on three hits in the ninth but
held on to get his 19th save.

Cleveland starter Cliff Lee (9-4) was saddled with the
loss, allowing five runs on six hits in six innings.

After spotting the Indians a 2-0 lead, the Yankees took
control with a four-run burst in the third inning courtesy of
RBIs from Jeter, Rodriguez, Jason Giambi and Robinson Cano.

In St Petersburg, Craig Monroe homered and drove in five
runs after Detroit starter Nate Robertson was ejected after
throwing one pitch as the Tigers battled past the Tampa Bay
Devil Rays 7-3 for a fourth straight win.

Robertson was tossed after he threw his opening pitch
behind Tampa leadoff man Carl Crawford in apparent retaliation
for Devil Rays starter Scott Kazmir drilling Placido Polanco.

Franklyn German (3-0), however, came to the rescue tossing
three scoreless innings of one-hit ball to take credit for the
win.

Kazmir (3-7) absorbed the loss, shelled for five runs on
five hits in just three innings as the Devil Rays slumped to
their 10th consecutive defeat.

In Baltimore, Bronson Arroyo pitched 7 2/3 sharp innings
and Manny Ramirez drove in three runs as the Boston Red Sox
rolled to a 7-2 win over the Orioles.

David Ortiz contributed a pair of RBIs to the Red Sox cause
while Johnny Damon went 4-for-5 with a run scored, extending
his hitting streak to 23 games — the longest in the major
leagues this season.

Rafael Palmeiro homered and went 2-for-4 for the Orioles,
leaving him five shy of 3,000.

Arroyo (7-5) allowed just two runs on six hits while
striking out three and walking two to take credit for the win.

Sidney Ponson (7-7) was saddled with the loss, surrendering
five runs on nine hits in 5 1/3 innings.

RANGERS DOWN BLUE JAYS

In Arlington, Alfonso Soriano drove in the tying run then
scored the winner as the Texas Rangers rallied to down the
Toronto Blue Jays 7-6.

Even worse than the loss for the Blue Jays was an injury to
ace Roy Halladay who left the field in the third inning after
taking a line drive off his left shin.

The former Cy Young winner was taken to hospital for x-rays
but the extent of the injury was not immediately known.

After Toronto exploded for six runs in second inning to
take command 6-1 the Rangers answered with six unanswered runs
of the their own to steal the decision.

Hank Blalock homered and drove in a pair of runs while
Michael Young finished with four hits and three RBIs to help
the Rangers pull out of a two-game losing skid.

In Kansas City, Brad Radke pitched 6 1/3 gritty innings and
Joe Mauer had three hits with an RBI and a run scored to help
the Minnesota Twins to a 5-4 win over the Royals.

Radke (6-8) gave up four runs on nine hits, struck out one
and walked one to notch his first win in over a month and end a
four-game losing skid.

Joe Nathan tossed a scoreless ninth to clinch the win and
record his 25th save.

Zach Greinke (1-11) took the loss, yielding five runs on
eight hits.

In Chicago, Kirk Saarloos delivered six strong innings and
Bobby Crosby drove in a pair of runs to guide the Oakland
Athletics to their 11th win in 14 games with a 4-2 victory over
the White Sox.

Saarloos (5-5) surrendered just two runs on the seven hits,
striking out three and walking two to earn the win while Huston
Street worked a scoreless ninth for his fifth save.

In Anaheim, Randy Winn belted his fifth career grand slam
and Jamie Moyer pitched 6 1/3 sharp innings to collected his
200th career win as the Seattle Mariners sank the Los Angeles
Angels 10-4.

Moyer (8-3) yielded four runs on seven hits, struck out
four and walked one to get the milestone win before turning the
mound over to four relief who combined for 2 2/3 scoreless
innings.

Ichiro Suzuki had a two-run single and scored twice while
Pat Borders also scored twice and drove in a run for the
Mariners who won for the fourth time in six games.