Cruz hit the ball deep into the left-field seats on a knuckleball thrown by Wakefield (3-9), the seventh Boston reliever.

Darren O’Day (4-2) worked a perfect 11th inning against Boston’s Nos. 2-4 hitters, extending a team record with his 29th consecutive scoreless appearance.

In Kansas City Missouri, Billy Butler hit a tiebreaking solo homer in the fifth inning and the Kansas City Royals beat the New York Yankees 4-3 on a rainy Friday night to snap a five-game losing streak.

Joakim Soria worked out of a jam in the ninth to convert his 25th consecutive save opportunity, setting a franchise record.

Butler drove a 2-1 pitch from Dustin Moseley (2-2) off the right-field pole for his 11th homer, giving Kansas City a 4-3 lead. Wilson Betemit then walked before the game was delayed a second time due to rain, this one lasting 2 hours, 10 minutes.

Kyle Davies (6-7) pitched five innings for the Royals, allowing seven hits.

At St. Petersburg, Florida, Jeremy Guthrie scattered two hits over six innings, Adam Jones hit a two-run triple and Baltimore beat Tampa Bay.

Guthrie (7-11) struck out three and walked four in his third consecutive win. It was also his first victory (1-4) in seven career starts at Tropicana Field.

Luke Scott hit his 22nd homer this season, helping Baltimore improve to 9-2 under new manager Buck Showalter.

Koji Uehara gave up one hit in two scoreless innings before Michael Gonzalez pitched the ninth to complete a three-hitter.

James Shields (10-11) allowed four runs and 10 hits over five-plus innings for the Rays, who have lost seven of nine.

At Minneapolis, Carl Pavano pitched into the seventh inning for his 15th win, Danny Valencia had two hits and two RBIs and Minnesota held on to beat Oakland.

Pavano (15-7) allowed two runs and 10 hits over 6 1-3 innings and matched the Yankees C.C. Sabathia and the Rays David Price for the most wins in the American League.

Matt Capps allowed an unearned run in the ninth, but held on for his third save with the Twins and 29th overall.

Gio Gonzalez (10-8) allowed four runs, two earned, and struck out seven over six innings. It was the first time in six games that an A’s starter has failed to pitch at least seven innings.

At Cleveland, David Pauley earned his first career win, helping make Daren Brown’s road debut as Seattle’s interim manager a success.

Pauley (1-4) gave up two runs and seven hits over six innings in his 11th start and 19th career appearance. The right-hander worked in nine games for the Boston Red Sox in 2008 and entered his sixth start of the season for Seattle with a career record of 0-7 and 6.40 ERA.

The Mariners beat Cleveland’s Fausto Carmona (11-10) to snap a seven-game road losing streak.

David Aardsma pitched the ninth for his 23rd save in 27 chances to give Brown a 3-1 record since replacing Don Wakamatsu, who was fired Monday.

At Chicago, Gordon Beckham hit a three-run homer and Mark Teahen, fresh off the disabled list, added a two-run shot, helping the White Sox beat the slumping Detroit Tigers.

Mark Buehrle (11-9) allowed three runs and five hits in 6 1-3 innings for Chicago (65-51), which is 41-18 since June 9 — a surge that began with a 15-3 victory over the Tigers. Buehrle has won his last five decisions against Detroit.

Ryan Raburn and Brandon Inge homered for the Tigers (55-60), who are 7-23 since a July 11 loss to Minnesota dropped them out of first place.

Chicago grabbed control with four runs in the fifth inning against Jeremy Bonderman (6-8).

At Anaheim, California, Marc Rzepczynski pitched two-hit ball over seven innings in a spot start for a resting Brandon Morrow , and Toronto beat the Angels.

Rzepczynski (1-1) retired 14 of his last 15 batters, struck out six and did not walk a batter in his 14th big league start and third this season after getting recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas.

Scott Downs pitched the eighth and former Angels right-hander Kevin Gregg worked a perfect ninth for his 26th save in 30 chances, completing the three-hitter.

Scott Kazmir (8-10) allowed two runs and four hits over six innings for Los Angeles.