AL roundup: Boston sweeps Toronto

TORONTO (AP) - J.D. Drew homered twice, Jon Lester pitched eight strong innings and Boston beat Toronto 8-1 on Thursday night to complete a three-game sweep.

Victor Martinez connected for the second straight night for the Red Sox, who have hit two or more homers in six consecutive games, and nine of 10.

The Red Sox have 33 homers in August, two shy of the team record set in 2006.

Drew hit a leadoff homer in the second, a two-run drive to almost the same spot in the third and finished with four hits. The homers, Nos. 14 and 15, came off rookie Brett Cecil.

Lester (10-7) allowed one run and three hits to win for the first time in five starts and improve to 3-1 with a 1.65 ERA in four outings against Toronto this season.

Fernando Cabrera finished the three-hitter.

Cecil (5-2) allowed six runs, four earned, over 4 1-3 innings, losing for the first time since May 20 at Boston, a game in which he allowed five homers, including four in one inning.

Rangers 11, Twins 1

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Nelson Cruz homered in his return to the Texas lineup, Marlon Byrd connected twice and speedster Julio Borbon had the first of his career.

Borbon went 3 for 5 with three RBIs, and is hitting .536 (15 for 28) in seven starts since being recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City while Cruz was hurt. Michael Young and Hank Blalock both had three hits for the Rangers, who snapped a two-game skid.

Cruz was activated from the 15-day disabled list before the game after the All-Star slugger missed 15 games because of a sprained left ankle. His 26th homer leading off the sixth put the Rangers up 5-1.

Rookie Derek Holland (7-7) allowed one run in 5 1-3 innings to win his third straight start.

All four Texas homers came in 5 1-3 innings off rookie Anthony Swarzak (3-7), who gave up six runs to lose his fourth consecutive start.

Indians 11, Angels 3

CLEVELAND (AP) - Justin Masterson pitched into the seventh inning and rookie Matt LaPorta had a career-high three RBIs as Cleveland battered Los Angeles starter John Lackey.

Masterson (4-4) did not allow an earned run in 6 1-3 innings to win for the first time since being acquired from Boston in the trade for Victor Martinez hours before the July 31 trade deadline. He allowed three hits and four walks while striking out three. He left in the seventh with the bases loaded and one out, but reliever Tony Sipp came on to end the threat.

Jhonny Peralta had two singles and a double to lead seven Cleveland batters with at least two hits. The Indians scored 11 runs in a game for the second time this month.

LaPorta, making his first appearance since being recalled from Triple-A Columbus on Wednesday, doubled home two runs in the seven-run sixth inning, then added a sacrifice fly in the seventh.

Lackey (8-6) was charged with six runs in 5 1-3 innings, his worst start since July 7, when he allowed six runs in 4 2-3 innings against Texas.

Orioles 8, Rays 7

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Brian Roberts hit his fourth career grand slam and Nolan Reimold added a three-run shot to lead Baltimore.

Roberts' 12th homer came on a 3-2 pitch from reliever Lance Cormier with two outs in the sixth and made it 5-1. Roberts was the first batter Cormier faced after replacing starter James Shields.

Reimold extended the lead to 8-4 with his homer in the seventh. The Orioles stopped a five-game losing streak.

Ben Zobrist homered and had four RBIs for the Rays, who entered with a four-game winning streak. Carlos Pena drove in two runs with a single during a three-run eighth as Tampa Bay cut its deficit to 8-7.

Jim Johnson pitched the final 1 1-3 innings for his fifth save.

Shields (7-10) allowed four runs and seven hits over 5 2-3 innings.

Tigers 7, Mariners 6

DETROIT (AP) - Clete Thomas' two-out, RBI single capped Detroit's two-run rally in the ninth inning.

The AL Central-leading Tigers trailed 6-2 before scoring three times in the sixth and two more in the ninth.

Bobby Seay (4-2) earned the win for pitching a scoreless inning.

David Aardsma (3-5) took the loss after walking pinch-hitter Carlos Guillen to begin the ninth, allowing Miguel Cabrera's double, Brandon Inge's barely deep enough sacrifice fly and Thomas' single.

Jarrod Washburn is 0-1 with a 6.04 ERA in four starts since the Tigers acquired him just before the trade deadline. He allowed six runs and five hits in six innings.

Russell Branyan, Kenji Johjima, Jose Lopez and Mike Sweeney each had a homer against their former teammate, who gave up four homers in a game for the first time in five years.