DETROIT (AP) - Justin Verlander nearly pitched another no-hitter, taking his latest bid into the eighth inning to lead the Detroit Tigers past the Cleveland Indians 4-0 Tuesday night and into first place in the AL Central.
With two no-hitters already on his resume, including one in Toronto last month, Verlander (8-3) struck out a season-high 12 and dominated the slumping Indians until Orlando Cabrera lined a clean single to center with one out in the eighth for his 2,001st career hit.
The hard-throwing right-hander finished with a two-hitter, giving Detroit sole possession of the division lead for the first time this year. He walked one, hit a batter with a pitch and has won six straight decisions.
Andy Dirks drove in two runs for the Tigers, who have won 12 of 16.
Still missing injured slugger Travis Hafner, the Indians lost for the 15th time in 20 games and fell out of first place for the first time since April 6.
Justin Masterson (5-5) gave up four runs - two earned - on seven hits and five walks over 6 1-3 innings. He is 0-5 since his last victory April 26.
Yankees lefty Jim Abbott was the last pitcher to hold Cleveland hitless on Sept. 4, 1993, in New York.
Rays 4, Red Sox 0
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - James Shields pitched his AL-leading third shutout for Tampa Bay to end first-place Boston's nine-game winning streak.
In addition to cutting into their deficit in the AL East standings, the third-place Rays ruined a Tropicana Field homecoming for Carl Crawford, who signed a $142 million, seven-year contract with Boston after helping Tampa Bay win the division two of the past three seasons.
Crawford went 0 for 3 with one strikeout against Shields (6-4), who allowed five hits, walked three and struck out five en route to his AL-best fourth complete game.
Justin Ruggiano homered off knuckleballer Tim Wakefield (3-2) in the fifth and Tampa Bay added an unearned run without getting a hit in the sixth, when Evan Longoria scored on catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia's second passed ball of the inning.
Yankees 12, Rangers 4
NEW YORK (AP) - Curtis Granderson homered and drove in four runs, Eduardo Nunez - filling in for an injured Derek Jeter - sparked a six-run second inning with an RBI single and New York beat Texas.
Robinson Cano and Nick Swisher also connected in the Yankees' first game since Jeter was placed on the 15-day disabled list for the first time since 2003 because of a strained right calf.
Brett Gardner scored three of the four times he reached base, had an RBI single among three hits and stole his 100th base batting in Jeter's leadoff spot. Alex Rodriguez hit a two-run double for an efficient offense that scored 12 runs on 14 hits, two walks and a hit batter.
Granderson singled in two runs and Mark Teixeira had a two-run double in the second when New York batted around and knocked out Alexi Ogando, his second rough outing in the Bronx.
CC Sabathia (8-4) pitched seven effective innings in helping the Yankees (5-2) secure the season series against the team that beat them in the AL championship series last October with two games remaining.
Ogando (7-1) was trying to match Tommy Hunter's club record for a starter of eight wins without a loss to begin a season, set in 2010. Mets rookie Dillon Gee is the only undefeated pitcher with at least seven wins remaining in the majors this year.
Instead, Ogando, a converted reliever, got just five outs in the shortest outing of his first season as a starter - he had not gone less than six innings in any of his 12 previous starts.
Blue Jays 6, Orioles 5, 11 innings
TORONTO (AP) - Adam Lind homered leading off the 11th inning to give Toronto a victory over Baltimore that snapped a four-game losing streak.
The Blue Jays have won 15 straight at home against Baltimore since Aug. 7, 2009.
Lind connected against Koji Uehara (1-1) and finished with two RBIs. Aaron Hill also homered for the Blue Jays and Shawn Camp (1-1) pitched a scoreless inning for the win.
Matt Wieters' two-run homer off Toronto reliever Marc Rzepczynski in the eighth tied it at 5. J.J. Hardy had three hits for the Orioles.