ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Clay Buchholz allowed three hits over five innings in his first start since early June and the AL East-leading Boston Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 2-0 on Tuesday night.
Buchholz (10-0), sidelined by a strained neck, hadn't pitched in the majors since beating the Los Angeles Angels on June 8. The right-hander made three rehab starts in the minors.
Jonny Gomes and Jarrod Saltalamacchia both drove in a run for the Red Sox, who extended their lead over second-place Tampa Bay to 8 1/2 games. Craig Breslow, Junichi Tazawa and Koji Uehara finished a four-hitter. Uehara got four outs for his 19th save.
Reigning AL Cy Young Award winner David Price (8-8) lost his third straight start despite giving up just three hits in eight innings. The left-hander struck out nine.
The Rays, just 4-12 since Aug. 25, lead the race for the second AL wild-card spot.
YANKEES 7, ORIOLES 5
BALTIMORE (AP) - Alfonso Soriano hit two home runs, including a tiebreaking shot in the eighth inning, and New York rallied past Baltimore to end a six-game losing streak at Camden Yards.
Mark Reynolds also homered for the Yankees, who won for the second time in six games to bolster their postseason hopes. New York still trails Tampa Bay, Baltimore and Cleveland in the hunt for the final AL wild-card slot.
Chris Davis hit his major league-leading 49th home run for the Orioles and raised his RBI total to 126. Baltimore led 4-1 in the fifth inning before faltering.
Alex Rodriguez led off the eighth with a double against rookie Kevin Gausman (2-5) and Robinson Cano delivered an RBI single. Soriano followed with a two-run shot to center, his 15th homer in 43 games since New York reacquired him in a July 26 trade with the Chicago Cubs.
Adam Warren (2-2) pitched a perfect seventh and Mariano Rivera got four straight outs for his 650th career save.
ROYALS 6, INDIANS 3
CLEVELAND (AP) - Jeremy Guthrie got a major assist from his defense in pitching six innings, Alcides Escobar hit a rare home run and Kansas City snapped a six-game losing streak in Cleveland to close on the Indians and two others in the cramped wild-card scramble.
Guthrie (14-10) allowed just one run and nine hits, but was helped by three double plays.
Kansas City pulled within three games of a wild-card spot. The Royals also got a game closer to the Indians, who dropped to 6-3 in September.
Mike Moustakas hit a two-run double in the sixth off Zach McAllister (7-9), and the won't-go-away Royals won for the 12th time in 17 games.
Luke Hochevar struck out all five batters he faced, and closer Greg Holland worked a perfect ninth for his 41st save.
ANGELS 12, BLUE JAYS 6
TORONTO (AP) - Mark Trumbo matched a team record with four extra-base hits, including back-to-back home runs with Josh Hamilton, and Chris Iannetta and Erick Aybar also went deep as Los Angeles beat Toronto.
Trumbo had a career-best five hits and became the first player in Angels history to collect five hits and score five runs in the same game. He went 5 for 5 with three doubles and two RBIs as the Angels won for the eighth time in 11 meetings with the Blue Jays.
Jerome Williams pitched five-plus innings to win consecutive starts for the first time since May 26. Williams (7-10) allowed six runs and nine hits.
Anthony Gose hit his first career grand slam for the Blue Jays and Rajai Davis added a solo shot, but it was a rough night for starter Mark Buehrle (11-8), who had won six straight decisions.
TWINS 4, ATHLETICS 3
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Josh Willingham hit two home runs, including a two-run shot in the eighth inning that put Minnesota in front for good against Oakland.
Oswaldo Arcia also homered for the Twins, who snapped Oakland's three-game winning streak and prevented the A's from stretching their two-game lead over Texas in the AL West. Minnesota also spoiled a solid outing by Jarrod Parker, who tossed six strong innings and stretched his unbeaten streak to 19 starts.
Arcia singled off reliever Sean Doolittle to lead off the eighth. Doolittle struck out Ryan Doumit before being pulled for Ryan Cook (6-4), and Willingham launched a 2-0 pitch an estimated 439 feet into the middle deck for his second multihomer game this season.
Anthony Swarzak (2-2) worked a scoreless eighth on his 28th birthday. Glen Perkins earned his 34th save in 38 chances.
TIGERS 9, WHITE SOX 1
CHICAGO (AP) - Rick Porcello pitched his first career complete game, Prince Fielder homered among his four hits and Detroit snapped a three-game skid by beating Chicago.
Alex Avila added four hits and two RBIs as the Tigers increased their AL Central lead over Cleveland to 5 1/2 games.
Porcello (12-8) scattered seven hits, struck out five and walked one. The 24-year-old right-hander retired 14 straight after Chicago scored its only run in the fourth.
Five of Detroit's runs were unearned thanks to four Chicago errors, including three by third baseman Conor Gillaspie.
White Sox prospect Erik Johnson (0-2) was hurt by shoddy fielding in his second major league start. He lasted 3 2-3 innings, allowing six runs - two earned - on seven hits and three walks.
Chicago, last in the AL Central, has lost 10 of 12.
ASTROS 13, MARINERS 2
SEATTLE (AP) - Jonathan Villar homered on the first pitch of the game and Houston coasted to a lopsided victory over Seattle.
Villar connected off Joe Saunders (11-14) for his first career homer. The Astros scored six times in the first three innings to chase Saunders. The left-hander has lost six of his last eight decisions.
Chris Carter and Jose Altuve each had three of the Astros' 17 hits. Houston's 10 extra-base hits were a season high, eclipsing the previous mark of nine - also set against the Mariners.
Altuve and rookie L.J. Hoes both had three RBIs. Jordan Lyles (7-7) held Seattle in check through six innings.
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INTERLEAGUE
PIRATES 5, RANGERS 4
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Francisco Liriano pitched six innings for his career-high 16th victory, Andrew McCutchen had three RBI singles and Pittsburgh held on to beat slumping Texas.
A night after victory No. 82 ensured the Pirates' first winning season since 1992, the NL wild-card leaders added a series-clinching victory.
Pittsburgh scored three runs with four consecutive two-out hits in the fifth off rookie Martin Perez (9-4), who had won his previous six starts.
Texas has lost seven of nine but remained two games back in the AL West.
Liriano (16-7) struck out five while allowing one run to become the first Pirates left-hander since John Smiley and Zane Smith in 1991 to win more than 15 games. Liriano has received a decision in each of his 23 starts since signing as a free agent in February.
Mark Melancon worked a shaky ninth for his 13th save in 15 chances. After striking out the first two batters, Melancon gave up four consecutive two-out singles before Adrian Beltre struck out to end it with a runner on third.
Pittsburgh remained a game behind NL Central-leading St. Louis.