ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Alfredo Aceves threw six solid innings, Daniel Nava homered and the AL East-leading Boston Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 2-1 on Wednesday night.
Aceves (3-1), recalled before the game from Triple-A Pawtucket, allowed one run, four hits and four walks. This is the right-hander's third stint with the Red Sox this season.
Nava put the Red Sox up 2-0 on a third-inning, two-run homer off Chris Archer (1-2), who gave up two runs, four hits, four walks and struck out seven over four innings. The Rays right-hander exuberantly left the mound after striking out Nava with the bases loaded to end the fourth.
INDIANS 5, RANGERS 2
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Jason Kipnis had a home run among his three hits and Cleveland got a series-clinching victory over Texas.
A night after ending an eight-game losing streak, and a span of 12 straight losses away from home, the Indians earned consecutive victories to clinch their first road series in a month. They had gone 0-4-1 in series since taking two of three May 10-12 at Detroit, the only American League team with a better home record than Texas this season.
Mike Aviles also homered for Cleveland, which also won 5-2 on Tuesday after losing the series opener 6-3. The Indians get a day off before starting a nine-game homestand Friday against Washington.
Ubaldo Jimenez (5-4) allowed one run pitching into the sixth.
ANGELS 9, ORIOLES 5
BALTIMORE - Erick Aybar hit a bases-loaded triple and Albert Pujols homered during a six-run seventh inning, helping Los Angeles beat Baltimore to stop a four-game losing streak.
Hank Conger homered, Pujols had three hits and Howie Kendrick contributed two doubles to help the Angels avert a three-game sweep and put a positive finish on a 2-4 trip that began in Boston.
Chris Davis hit his major league-leading 21st homer for Baltimore off Jerome Williams (5-2), ending a 1-for-17 skid with his first home run and RBI since June 2.
Pedro Strop (0-3) gave up the triple to Aybar. As Aybar slid into third, the relay throw from Ryan Flaherty bounced out of play, allowing Aybar to score for a 6-4 lead.
ROYALS 3, TIGERS 2, 10 INNINGS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Lorenzo Cain hit a tying, two-run homer off Jose Valverde with two outs in the ninth and Eric Hosmer had a winning single in the 10th as Kansas City overcame Justin Verlander's seven scoreless innings in a victory over Detroit.
Verlander did not allow a batter past first base, giving up three singles, striking out eight and walking two in a 117-pitch outing, his second-highest total this season.
Greg Holland (2-1) pitched a perfect 10th for the win, striking out Torii Hunter and Miguel Cabrera and retiring Prince Fielder on a lineout, and Miguel Tejada singled off Phil Coke (0-4) leading off the bottom half.
ASTROS 6, MARINERS 1
SEATTLE (AP) -Houston rallied to score six runs off closer Tom Wilhelmsen in the ninth inning and beat Seattle, snapping a six-game losing streak and giving the Astros their first victory this season when trailing after eight innings.
Trailing 1-0, Jason Castro and J.D. Martinez led off with a pair of singles and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Carlos Corporan. After an intentional walk of Carlos Pena, Chris Carter doubled off the wall in left field to score a pair and give the Astros their first lead of the game. Another intentional walk loaded the bases again and brought the hook for Wilhelmsen (0-2), who blew his fourth save in his last nine tries.
Paul Clemens (4-2) earned the victory for Houston.
ATHLETICS 5, YANKEES 2
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Brandon Moss hit a two-run homer and a solo shot for his third career two-homer game, and Oakland beat New York for its 10th consecutive home victory.
Moss' power stroke helped Dan Straily (4-2) win his third straight decision.
Moss hit his 10th homer in the second inning and 11th with a solo drive in the eighth. He also connected twice April 29 against the Angels. Of his five hits over 40 at-bats in his last 19 games, all are home runs.
John Jaso added an RBI double and a run-scoring single. The A's (40-27) won for the 20th time in 25 games and are off to their best start since 1990.
INTERLEAGUE
TWINS 4, PHILLIES 3
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Clete Thomas had a career-high four hits for Minnesota and came home on a wild pitch for the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, sending Philadelphia to its fifth straight loss.
Thomas went 4 for 4 with two RBI doubles. He drove in Oswaldo Arcia both times, including in the eighth when his drive off the tall wall in right field against Antonio Bastardo (2-2) tied the game.
Delmon Young and Ben Revere hit RBI singles for the Phillies against their former team, but starter Mike Pelfrey kept the game close with a season-high seven innings and Glen Perkins pitched a perfect ninth for his 15th save in 17 tries.