The Red Sox snapped a five-game losing streak despite allowing the Rangers to steal a club record nine bases. Texas has dropped five straight.
Nelson Cruz and Elvis Andrus each had three of Texas’ club record nine stolen bases as the Rangers opened a 6-1 lead after five innings.
Jonathan Papelbon (1-1) pitched a hitless ninth for the win.
The Rangers swiped all nine against knuckleballer Tim Wakefield and catcher Victor Martinez.
Kevin Youkilis opened the ninth with an infield hit off the body of Frank Francisco (2-3), advanced on a passed ball and was sacrificed to third by Bill Hall. Mike Lowell was intentionally walked and Adrian Beltre popped to first. Jason Varitek then walked on four pitches before McDonald lifted a fly ball just over the leap of Josh Hamilton.
Yankees 7 Athletics 3: In Oakland, Calif., Alex Rodriguez hit a three-run homer, Javier Vazquez finally showed the form that made him a 15-game winner last season and the Yankees beat the Athletics for their fifth straight victory.
Nick Swisher hit a two-run single against his former team and Jorge Posada also singled home a run in New York’s three-run first inning against Gio Gonzalez (1-1). The reigning World Series champions carried the momentum from a 5-1 homestand as they kicked off a nine-game, 10-day road trip that also takes them to Anaheim and Baltimore.
Vazquez (1-2), who entered his third 2010 start with a 9.82 ERA, allowed three runs and six hits in 5 1-3 innings, struck out six and walked three. Boone Logan relieved to make his Yankees debut, but the game was delayed 13 minutes right after he took the mound when plate umpire Ed Rapuano left after taking an earlier foul ball from Kevin Kouzmanoff on the chin. Rapuano was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital for a CT scan, but the A’s said he was alert when he left the ballpark.
Twins 5 Indians 1: In Minneapolis, Kevin Slowey handcuffed Cleveland’s struggling offense for eight innings and the Minnesota Twins scored four runs in a quirky third inning to beat the Indians.
Slowey (2-1) gave up one run on five hits with nine strikeouts and no walks and Justin Morneau had two hits and an RBI for the Twins.
Travis Hafner hit his second homer of the season for Cleveland, which got just four innings out of starter Justin Masterson (1-1) and returned to their losing ways on the road.
Masterson gave up five hits, five runs—only two earned—and struck out six. But he also walked five, hit one batter and needed 96 pitches to get through those four innings.
White Sox 4 Rays 1: In Chicago, John Danks pitched eight strong innings and Paul Konerkohit a solo home run and drove in two runs and the White Sox ended the Rays’ seven-game winning streak.
Andruw Jones also homered and Bobby Jenks pitched a scoreless ninth for his third save for the White Sox, who snapped a four-game losing streak.
The Rays faced the White Sox for the first time since they were on the losing side of Mark Buehrle’s perfect game on July 23.
Danks (2-0) allowed one run and two hits with nine strikeouts and two walks.
Tampa Bay left-hander David Price(2-1) allowed three runs and six hits in five innings. He struck out three and walked three.
Carl Crawford went 3 for 4 with a homer. He had all of Tampa’s hits.
Blue Jays 4 Royals 3: In Toronto, Vernon Wells homered, John Buck drove in the go-ahead run with an infield single and the Blue Jays beat the Royals.
Wells went 3 for 4 with two doubles and scored twice, raising his average to .364.
Shawn Camp (1-0) pitched 1 2-3 innings of relief for the victory as Toronto won its ninth consecutive home series against the Royals. Kansas City has lost four of five overall.
Jason Frasor worked the eighth and Kevin Gregg finished for his fourth save before a crowd of only 10,565.
Kyle Davies (1-1) took the loss.
Mariners 3 Orioles 1: In Seattle, Jason Vargas extended a stretch of strong starting pitching by the Mariners in Seattle’s victory over the struggling Orioles.
One night after Doug Fister carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning for a win, Vargas (2-1) allowed just three hits in seven innings against the anemic Orioles.
Baltimore is 2-13, with just two runs and nine hits combined in two games here.
David Hernandez (0-3) lost his ninth consecutive decision. He allowed three runs on seven hits in 6 1-3 innings and left after consecutive doubles by Adam Mooreand Jack Wilson, Seattle’s No. 8 and 9 hitters, made it 3-1.
Mark Lowe pitched a scoreless eighth and David Aardsma finished for his sixth save in six chances as Seattle won for the sixth time in seven games.
Angels 6 Tigers 5: In Anaheim, Calif., Howie Kendrick drove in three runs, Hideki Matsui added a two-run double and the Angels overcame another poor performance by their bullpen to hold off the Tigers.
Scott Kazmir (1-1) helped the three-time defending AL West champs win their fifth straight game and climb over the .500 mark for the first time since their opening-night victory over Minnesota. He was charged with two runs and six hits over 5 2-3 innings and struck out seven without issuing a walk.
Former Tigers closer Fernando Rodneyfollowed with a scoreless ninth for his fifth save.
Tigers starter Rick Porcello (1-1) gave up six runs and eight hits in 4 1-3 innings, striking out five. The 21-year-old right-hander also issued two walks, threw two wild pitches and hit a batter with a pitch.
