NEW YORK (AP) - Adrian Gonzalez homered for the fourth consecutive game and Josh Beckett shut down the skidding New York Yankees for the second time this season, sending the Boston Red Sox to a 6-0 victory Saturday on a bizarre night in the Bronx.
Longtime star Jorge Posada asked to be taken out of the New York lineup after the slumping designated hitter was dropped to No. 9 in the batting order. Posada's wife tweeted the five-time All-Star had a stiff back. But a person familiar with the discussion between Posada and the team told The Associated Press that he "refused" to play.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the situation was still not settled.
His teammates weren't much more productive, managing only four singles and two walks against Beckett (3-1) while dropping their fourth straight. It is New York's longest skid since losing four in a row Sept. 22-25.
CC Sabathia (3-3) was battered for six runs in 6 2-3 innings.
Tigers 3, Royals 0
DETROIT (AP) - Brad Penny pitched eight scoreless innings, Detroit scored three runs in the first inning and held on to win its seventh straight game.
Penny (4-3) allowed five hits and no walks in eight innings, striking out two. Jose Valverde struck out two more in a hitless ninth, earning his 10th save.
Jeff Francis (0-5) pitched all eight innings for Kansas City, allowing seven hits and a walk. He struck out four.
Orioles 6, Rays 0
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Brad Bergesen tossed a four-hitter for his first major league shutout, and Jake Fox hit a two-run homer for the Orioles.
Bergesen (1-4) picked up his first victory since last Sept. 21 at Boston. The right-hander entered 0-5 with a 9.13 ERA in five career starts against Tampa Bay.
Baltimore took a 4-0 lead when Fox hit a two-run shot in the sixth off Wade Davis (4-3). Mark Reynolds also homered for Baltimore, which improved to 18-20 this year. The Orioles didn't reach 18 victories last season until June 15, when their record was 18-47.
Angels 3, Rangers 2
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Maicer Izturis hit a two-out RBI single in the ninth inning to spoil another start for Los Angeles right-hander Dan Haren.
Izturis hit a liner to left off Darren Oliver (1-4) that drove home Jeff Mathis, the light-hitting catcher who led off the ninth with a single before a sacrifice bunt by Peter Bourjos.
Jordan Walden worked a perfect ninth for his seventh save in nine chances. Scott Downs (1-0) faced only one batter to get out of the eighth.
Haren wound up without a decision after allowing only two runs in 7 2-3 innings, and is winless (0-2) in his last five starts despite a 1.93 ERA that is second-best in the AL.
Athletics 6, White Sox 2
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - David DeJesus recorded his 1,000th career hit and drove in two runs, and Tyson Ross took a shutout into the sixth inning for the Athletics.
Cliff Pennington, Daric Barton and Kurt Suzuki also drove in runs for the A's, while Josh Willingham - who served a one-game suspension Friday night - added two hits.
Ross (3-2) gave up two runs on six hits over 7 1-3 innings.
Paul Konerko homered and Adam Dunn doubled twice for the White Sox, who lost for the second time in seven games. Gavin Floyd (4-3) allowed five runs in 4 1-3 innings, his shortest start since last Sept. 24 when he hurt his shoulder before throwing a pitch against the A's.
Blue Jays 9, Twins 3, 11 Innings
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Jose Bautista hit a two-run homer in the 11th inning as the Blue Jays won their fourth straight game.
Bautista's two-run shot off reliever Jim Hoey broke a 3-all tie. Hoey walked the next two batters and J.P. Arencibia followed with a double off Jose Mijares to help send the Twins to their seventh straight loss.
Bautista's homer came after Glen Perkins (0-1) gave up a leadoff to Corey Patterson.
Former Twins closer Jon Rauch (2-2) pitched two scoreless innings for the win.