BOSTON: CC Sabathia against Josh Beckett loomed as a low-scoring duel between two of baseball’s best pitchers.
Neither lived up to the hype, especially Beckett.
The Boston Red Sox ace gave up a homer to Derek Jeter on the first pitch of the game, served up four more fence-clearing hits and lost to the New York Yankees 8-4 Sunday night.
Sabathia became baseball’s first 15-game winner despite allowing three earned runs in 6 2-3 innings, matching his total for his three previous starts. “Beckett is a great pitcher, but this lineup is unbelievable,” he said. “I’ve had confidence in this offense all year and I just felt like I don’t have to go out and try to do too much to win games.” Sabathia (15-7) allowed two runs in the second inning, one in the fourth and one in the sixth. But Beckett gave up runs in each of the first five innings, then settled down before Hideki Matsui hit his second homer of the game and 23rd of the season in the eighth.
Beckett (14-5) allowed eight runs on nine hits after yielding seven runs in his previous start. The Yankees’ 16th win in 20 games increased their AL East lead over the Red Sox to 7 1/2 games.
“We’re running out of time” to win the division, although the Red Sox lead the wild-card race, Jason Baysaid. “You’ve got to be realistic, but, at the same time, your goal is to get into the playoffs and whatever way you do that, at least you’re in.”
Robinson Canohit his 19th homer, a solo shot in the fourth, and Alex Rodriguez got his 22nd, a two-run drive in the fifth that made it 7-3. The Yankees won their 10th series in the 11 they’ve played since the All-Star break-they won 20-11 Friday night and lost 14-1 Saturday-and wrapped up a 7-3 road trip.
Rangers 4 Rays 0: In St. Petersburg, Fla., Scott Feldmanstruck out a career-high 11 to win his fifth consecutive road start and Texas avoided a three-game sweep by beating Tampa Bay. Michael Young and Ivan Rodriguez each drove in two runs.
Feldman (13-4) is the first Texas pitcher with victories in five straight starts away from home since Rick Helling accomplished the feat in 1998. The right-hander, 9-1 this season on the road, allowed four hits in seven scoreless innings.
Blue Jays 8 Angels 3: In Toronto, Ricky Romerowon for the first time in four starts, Travis Snider hit a solo homer and Toronto beat Los Angeles.
Snider went 3 for 3 with a walk as the Blue Jays earned a split in their eight-game season series with the Angels. The AL West-leading Angels have lost three of four following a five-game winning streak and are 10-18 in Toronto since the start of the 2003 season.
Athletics 9 Tigers 4: In Oakland, Calif., Jack Custhit two homers and drove in four runs, Landon Powell added a three-run shot and Oakland beat Detroit.
Brett Tomko(3-2) allowed three hits in six innings, striking out eight. He’s won both his starts for the Athletics after appearing in 15 games with the Yankees. Cliff Pennington also homered for the A’s.
Miguel Cabrerahad three hits, including his 200th home run, and drove in two as the Tigers lost their second straight. Curtis Granderson hit a leadoff homer and Marcus Thames added a pinch-hit RBI single.
Orioles 5 White Sox 4: In Chicago, Brian Roberts had three hits and Nolan Reimold hit a two-run homer to help Baltimore beat Mark Buehrle. Jason Berken (3-11) won for the second time since May 26. The rookie right-hander allowed three runs, two earned, and five hits in 5 2-3 innings. Buehrle (11-7) yielded five runs and 11 hits in 5 1-3 innings.
Twins 10 Royals 3: In Kansas City, Mo., Michael Cuddyerhomered twice in Minnesota’s eight-run seventh inning and Denard Span added a three-run triple, helping the Twins break open a close game against Kansas City. A pitching duel between Twins starter Carl Pavano(11-9) and Royals right-hander Brian Bannister(7-10) got messy in a hurry in the seventh, when Cuddyer hit the first pitch for a homer, then added a two-run shot that put Minnesota up 9-1.
Indians 6 Mariners 1: In Cleveland, Fausto Carmona pitched seven innings for his first win in more than three months and Cleveland beat Felix Hernandez (12-5). Jhonny Peralta homered and drove in two runs. Carmona (3-8) gave up Ken Griffey Jr.’s624th homer, but otherwise was in command while winning for the first time in nine starts since beating Tampa Bay on May 14.
He allowed five hits, walked one and had a season-high eight strikeouts.
