NEW YORK (AP) - Bartolo Colon looked like the ace of old, shutting down the Chicago White Sox over eight crisp innings, and Robinson Cano hit an early three-run homer to give the New York Yankees a 3-1 victory Wednesday night.
A pleasant surprise for the Yankees thus far, Colon (2-1) outpitched Mark Buehrle to give him two wins in two starts this season - his first in the majors since 2009.
The husky right-hander, who won the 2005 AL Cy Young Award for the Angels, signed a minor league deal in February and was brought to spring training to provide pitching depth. He had a strong camp and made the team as a long reliever, but has quickly become an April savior for a New York rotation missing injured All-Star Phil Hughes.
Athletics 2, Angels 1
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - Cliff Pennington opened the 10th inning with a triple off the glove of left fielder Vernon Wells and the Athletics went on to beat the Angels, avoiding a three-game sweep.
Former Angels closer Brian Fuentes returned to Anaheim and gave up the tying run in the bottom of the ninth after an error by third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff.
In the 10th, the switch-hitting Pennington sliced a pitch from right-hander Jordan Walden (0-1) toward left-center. Wells tried a sliding catch and ball went off his glove as he nearly collided with center fielder Peter Bourjos.
Daric Barton was intentionally walked with one out, and Conor Jackson delivered the run with a groundout, hitting a high shopper to shortstop.
Mariners 10, Tigers 1
DETROIT (AP) - Erik Bedard pitched seven impressive innings for his first win since June 2009, and Justin Smoak homered and drove in a career-high five runs to help the Mariners rout the Tigers.
Smoak has homered in consecutive games after missing a week following the death of his father. His three-run shot in the first gave Seattle an early lead, and Bedard (1-4) made it hold up.
The Mariners broke it open with six runs in the ninth.
Bedard, who missed last season following shoulder surgery, allowed a run and five hits with three strikeouts and no walks.
Justin Verlander (2-3) allowed four runs - three earned - and five hits in six innings. He struck out eight and walked three.
Indians 7, Royals 2
CLEVELAND (AP) - Orlando Cabrera's three-run double in the first inning made things easier for Cleveland starter Josh Tomlin and the AL Central-leading Indians won their ninth straight at home, over the slumping Royals.
Cabrera hit a bases-loaded double off Jeff Francis (0-3) as the Indians jumped to a 5-0 lead. That was all the support Tomlin (4-0) would need in sending Kansas City to its fifth straight loss.
Tomlin gave up solo homers to Jeff Francoeur and Mike Aviles in the second, but blanked Kansas City over the next four. The right-hander allowed five hits and has gone at least five innings in each of his first 17 appearances in the majors - a club record.
Orioles 5, Red Sox 4
BALTIMORE (AP) - Derrick Lee had three hits and scored the tiebreaking run on an eighth-inning single by Vladimir Guerrero, giving the Orioles a victory over the Red Sox.
After blowing a 4-0 lead in the top of the eighth, Baltimore regained the lead in the bottom half against Daniel Bard (0-3). Nick Markakis singled and took second on a single by Lee. Both moved up on a passed ball by Jason Varitek, and with Guerrero at the plate, Markakis was thrown out trying to score on a pitch that eluded Varitek.
Guerrero then bounced an RBI single up the middle to bring in Lee from third base.
Koji Uehara (1-0) got the victory despite giving up a three-run homer to Kevin Youkilis, and Kevin Gregg worked a perfect ninth for his fourth save.
Rangers 7, Blue Jays 6
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Mitch Moreland led off the seventh inning with a tiebreaking home run against Octavio Dotel, lifting the Rangers to a victory over the Blue Jays.
Juan Rivera's solo homer with two outs in the top of the seventh off rookie Cody Eppley tied it at 6.
Moreland sent an 0-1 pitch from Dotel (1-1) over the center-field fence for his third homer.
Michael Young and Mike Napoli had two-run doubles in Texas' six-run third.
Eppley (1-0) allowed one run and one hit in two innings for his first major league win.