NEW YORK (AP) - Derek Jeter capped a six-run second inning with a three-run homer, rookie Jesus Montero had four RBIs in finishing a triple shy of the cycle and the New York Yankees stunned the reeling Boston Red Sox early in a 9-1 victory Saturday.
Boston dropped to 4-15 since holding a nine-game lead over the Rays in the AL wild-card race on Sept. 4.
Freddy Garcia (12-8) pitched six innings of six-hit ball, making his case for the No. 3 spot in the Yankees' postseason rotation. Jon Lester (15-9) allowed eight runs and eight hits in 2 2-3 innings as Boston starters fell to 3-10 with a 7.34 ERA during the skid.
Rays 6, Blue Jays 2
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Tampa Bay moved within 1 1/2 games of Boston in the AL wild-card race, getting a clutch three-run homer from Johnny Damon in a victory over Toronto.
Damon connected with two out in the eighth, giving the Rays a four-run lead. Damon's third hit of the game came after shortstop Mike McCoy mishandled Evan Longoria's grounder for an error and Ben Zobrist flied out for the second out in the inning.
Rookie reliever Alex Torres (1-1) threw five shutout innings to earn his first big league win in his fourth game this season. The left-hander replaced Jeff Niemann to start the second and allowed three hits.
Damon also had a run-scoring double in the first as the Rays won for the second time in six games.
Jose Bautista hit his major league-leading 43rd homer for the Blue Jays, who had won seven of 11. Ricky Romero (15-11) gave up six runs - one earned - and six hits over 7 2-3 innings.
Orioles 6, Tigers 5
DETROIT (AP) - Justin Verlander lost his streak of 12 consecutive winning starts, and Baltimore went on to a victory over Detroit when Matt Angle executed a tiebreaking squeeze bunt in the ninth inning.
Verlander allowed five runs and eight hits in seven innings. He retired 13 of his last 14 batters but the Tigers weren't able to overcome his shaky start.
The right-hander was bidding to become the first pitcher to win 13 starts in a row since Ellis Kinder of the Boston Red Sox in 1949, according to STATS LLC. The major league record of 21 was set by the Philadelphia Athletics' Lefty Grove in 1931.
Verlander broke the previous Tigers record of wins in 11 straight starts, shared by Earl Whitehill (1930) and Hal Newhouser (1946).
Pedro Strop (2-1) picked up the win, and Kevin Gregg pitched the ninth for his 22nd save.
Daniel Schlereth took the loss (2-2)
Angels 4, Athletics 2
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - Jerome Williams won his fourth straight decision since joining the Angels last month, and Torii Hunter homered and drove in three runs in a victory over Oakland that kept Los Angeles' AL wild card hopes alive.
The Angels, who were eliminated from the AL West race on Friday night, are 2 1/2 games behind Boston and one behind Tampa Bay for the wild card with four games remaining.
Williams, who improved to 4-0 in six starts, allowed a run and five hits in 6 1-3 innings, struck out two and walked two.
Jordan Walden got his 32nd save after.
Rookie Guillermo Moscoso (8-10) took the loss.
Rangers 7, Mariners 3
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Seattle ace Felix Hernandez (14-14) was forced out of the game when he took Michael Young's line drive off his right forearm during the Rangers' six-run fourth. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner fell to the ground as the ball caromed toward third base for a single.
Hernandez was charged with seven runs - five earned - and 12 hits in his shortest outing since May 7 last year.
Texas, which clinched its second straight AL West title on Friday night, has won six of seven. Scott Feldman (2-1) allowed three runs and five hits in four innings.
White Sox 6, Royals 3
CHICAGO (AP) - Alex Rios and Brent Morel homered to back John Danks and lead the White Sox over Kansas City.
Danks (8-12) improved to 5-0 in 12 starts against the Royals, allowing three runs and six hits in 7 1-3 innings. He retired his first 14 batters before Salvador Perez's fifth-inning single.
Rios had three hits, including a a two-run homer in the second and a leadoff triple in the eighth. Morel's homer was his 10th of the season, including eight in September.
While Chicago won for just the fourth time in 14 games, the Royals lost for the third time in their last 12. At 77-81, the White Sox need to win their remaining games to avoid their third losing season in eight years under manager Ozzie Guillen.
Everett Teaford (2-1) took the loss.
Indians 8, Twins 2, Game 1
Indians 7, Twins 6, Game 2
CLEVELAND (AP) - Shelley Duncan drove in three runs in each half of a day-night doubleheader, and Cleveland erased a six-run deficit to beat Minnesota.
The Indians also won the opener behind Duncan, who hit a two-run single with two out in the first and a t