AL roundup: Yankees get first win over Boston in '08

NEW YORK (AP) - Melky Cabrera and Jorge Posada hit three-run homers and New York beat Boston for the first time in nine games this season, 13-6 on Thursday night.

Johnny Damon and Mark Teixeira also connected for New York, which ended a nine-game skid against Boston dating to last season. It was the Yankees' longest drought in the rivalry since they lost 17 straight from Oct. 3, 1911, to July 1, 1912.

Damon's third-inning shot was his third in three days, Cabrera and Posada went deep in New York's eight-run fourth and Teixeira delivered the final blow with his 28th homer leading off the seventh.

Despite a career-high seven walks, Joba Chamberlain (8-2) lasted five innings to win his fourth consecutive start.

Casey Kotchman hit a two-run homer in his first start for Boston and Dustin Pedroia also went deep.

The AL East-leading Yankees increased their lead over Boston in the AL East to 3 1/2 games with their fourth consecutive win.

John Smoltz (2-5) was tagged for eight runs and nine hits in 3 1-3 innings, sending his ERA to 8.33 for his eight starts this season.

Royals 8, Mariners 2

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Bruce Chen won in the major leagues for the first time since 2005 and Billy Butler hit a two-run homer in a five-run first inning for Kansas City.

Chen, who had lost his past 13 decisions, earned his first victory since Oct. 2, 2005, while with Baltimore. Chen (1-6) held the Mariners to two runs, despite giving up 10 hits and a walk in 6 2-3 innings, matching his longest outing this season.

Butler's home run was his season-high 13th and he had his team-leading 14th multi-RBI game. The first inning included a two-run double by Mark Teahen and a run-scoring double by Yuniesky Betancourt.

Mariners left-hander Jason Vargas (3-6) lost his fourth straight decision, allowing eight runs, seven earned, and nine hits in seven innings.

Indians 2, Twins 1

CLEVELAND (AP) - Trevor Crowe hit a tiebreaking double in the seventh inning for Cleveland.

Crowe's slicing line drive into the left-center gap off Nick Blackburn (8-6) scored Travis Hafner from second base as Cleveland won for the ninth time in 13 games. The switch-hitting Crowe has batted .375 with four RBIs in six games since his recall from Triple-A Columbus.

Orlando Cabrera had two hits, extending his hitting streak to a career-high 16 games for Minnesota, which has lost five of six after a four-game winning streak. Cabrera is 10 for 20 since he was acquired from Oakland on Friday.

Tony Sipp (2-0) pitched 1 1-3 innings for the win. Joe Smith retired both batters he faced in the eighth, and Kerry Wood pitched a perfect ninth for his 15th save in 20 chances. Tigers 7, Orioles 3

DETROIT (AP) - Brandon Inge hit a two-run homer in a four-run second inning, and Rick Porcello didn't give up a hit until the fifth for the Tigers.

Porcello (10-7) has allowed only three run in his last two starts after allowing 19 runs in his previous four. He went 5 2-3 innings in this one, allowing only four hits.

David Hernandez (3-4) gave up five runs and seven hits, needing 81 pitches to get through three innings. Brian Bass followed and gave up two runs in three innings.

The Tigers hit for the cycle as a team in a span of five at-bats in the second inning to help them take a 4-0 lead that they would never relinquish. Angels 9, White Sox 5

CHICAGO (AP) - Vladimir Guerrero hit his first home run in more than a month and Bobby Abreu, Jeff Mathis and Erick Aybar also went deep to lead the Angels.

Jayson Nix had a three-run homer for Chicago, which fell two games behind Detroit in the AL Central. The White Sox had opened their current homestand with five victories in six games against the Angels and New York Yankees, the league's two best teams.

Ervin Santana (4-6) settled down after a rocky start to last six innings for the Angels, who avoided their first three-game losing streak since June.

Los Angeles scored five times in the first two innings off John Danks (9-8). Rangers 6, Athletics 4

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Michael Young hit his 18th homer of the season, Tommy Hunter pitched seven solid innings and the Rangers avoided their first four-game sweep since April 2008.

Hank Blalock added his 21st homer, and David Murphy and Andrew Jones each drove in a run for the Rangers, who remained 4 1/2 games behind the Los Angeles Angels in the AL West.

Hunter (4-2) gave up three runs - two earned - and three hits with a pair of walks.

Nomar Garciaparra, Rajai Davis and Scott Hairston each hit RBI doubles for the Athletics, who managed a run off C.J. Wilson in the ninth before he finished for his 14th save.

Oakland starter Trevor Cahill (6-11) allowed five runs on eight hits in six innings.