ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Ian Kinsler and Elvis Andrus homered and drove in three runs each and the Texas Rangers snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 7-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night.
The Rangers pulled even with the Rays at the top of the AL wild-card race.
The Rangers, who held the No. 1 wild-card spot or the AL West lead for most of the summer, won for only the fourth time in 17 games.
Kinsler hit Jeremy Hellickson's first pitch for his 12th home run, breaking a streak of seven homerless games for the Rangers, their longest in 23 years. The 1-0 lead marked the first time Texas has led in a game since its last victory, on Sept. 8.
Kinsler added a two-run single in the Rangers' four-run third, driving in three runs on the first two pitches he saw from Hellickson (11-9). Andrus followed with his third home run of the season to put the Rangers up 5-0.
Alexi Ogando (7-4) won in his first start since Aug. 13, giving up two hits in five innings
ORIOLES 3, RED SOX 2
BOSTON (AP) - Danny Valencia tripled to stop closer Koji Uehara's streak of 37 consecutive outs and pinch-runner Alexi Casilla scored on Matt Wieters' sacrifice fly in the ninth inning to lift Baltimore over Boston.
The Orioles overcame a 2-0 deficit on Brian Roberts' run-scoring groundout in the fifth and Chris Davis' 51st homer of the season in the sixth that tied the score 2-2. Davis broke the club record set by Brady Anderson in 1996.
Uehara (4-1) fell four outs short of Bobby Jenks' major league record for a reliever of 41 consecutive retired batters set in 2007 and Mark Buehrle's mark for all pitchers of 45 in 2009. The run was the first off Uehara in 30 2-3 innings and ended a streak of 27 scoreless outings since July 9.
TIGERS 6, MARINERS 2
DETROIT (AP) - Miguel Cabrera homered, Austin Jackson hit a two-run single and Detroit held off Seattle despite a short-handed bullpen.
The AL Central-leading Tigers were ahead 3-2 when they escaped a bases-loaded jam in the eighth while playing without closer Joaquin Benoit and left-handed reliever Drew Smyly. They were both given the night off.
Anibal Sanchez struck out 10 in 6 1-3 innings, but the Mariners tied it at 2 against him in the seventh, forcing Detroit's relievers into action.
Al Alburquerque (3-3) got out of the seventh, and Phil Coke and Jose Alvarez made it through a dodgy eighth. Alvarez got two outs in the ninth, and Jose Veras finished.
Yoervis Medina (4-6) took the loss.
BLUE JAYS 2, YANKEES 0
TORONTO (AP) - R.A. Dickey pitched seven innings to win his fourth straight decision, Colby Rasmus and Rajai Davis homered and Toronto handed slumping New York its fourth straight loss.
The Yankees came in 2 1/2 games behind Texas in the AL wild card race and lost for the eighth time in 12 games. The Yankees have 11 games remaining.
Dickey (13-12) allowed four hits, walked two and struck out eight. The knuckleballer retired the final 11 batters he faced and 15 of the last 16.
Dickey has not lost since the Yankees beat him in the Bronx on Aug. 21. He's 4-0 with a 2.73 ERA in five starts since.
Sergio Santos pitched the eighth and Casey Janssen finished in the ninth for his 31st save in 33 chances.
INDIANS 5, ROYALS 3
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Asdrubal Cabrera drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, and Cleveland rallied against Kansas City's stingy bullpen to remain a half-game behind Texas and Tampa Bay in the AL wild-card race.
The Indians were shut out until the sixth by Yordano Ventura, who made an electric major league debut. They tied the game 3-all in the seventh off reliever Kelvin Herrera, and Cabrera's double off Wade Davis (7-11) in the eighth scored Drew Stubbs and gave Cleveland the lead.
Michael Bourn added a homer in the ninth to provide a cushion.
Meanwhile, Cody Allen (6-1) was among six Indians relievers who kept Kansas City off the scoreboard the final 4 1-3 innings. Chris Perez handled a perfect ninth for his 25th save.
The Royals are 3 1/2 games adrift in the wild-card race.
ATHLETICS 2, ANGELS 1
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Josh Donaldson hit a game-winning, bases-loaded single with two outs in the ninth inning and Oakland beat Los Angeles to decrease its magic number to clinch another AL West title to six.
Donaldson delivered his third career game-ending hit - all this season - in Oakland's eighth walkoff victory this year.
Grant Balfour (1-3) struck out the side in order in the ninth for the win.
Alberto Callaspo singled to start the bottom of the ninth against Michael Kohn (1-3) and Jemile Weeks entered as a pinch-runner. Weeks advanced on Stephen Vogt's fly to left and pinch-hitter Jed Lowie was intentionally walked to bring up Coco Crisp.
Crisp walked on the 10th pitch he saw to load the bases.
WHITE SOX 4, TWINS 3
CHICAGO (AP) - Dayan Viciedo had three hits and drove in two runs and Jose Quintana pitched six effective innings to lead Chicago over Minnesota.
Quintana (8-6) won for the first time since he last faced the Twins, on Aug. 16. He allowed one run while scattering eight hits with five strikeouts and two walks.
After a 2-15 stretch, the White Sox won the first two games of the series against the Twins for their first series victory since Aug. 27-29 against the Astros. They have won five straight against the Twins.
White Sox closer Addison Reed pitched a scoreless ninth for his 38th save in 44 opportunities, benefiting from Alejandro De Aza's leaping catch of Trevor Plouffe's flyball against the center-field wall.
Twins starter Mike Pelfrey (5-13) went 4 1-3 innings and allowed three runs on nine hits.
INTERLEAGUE
REDS 10, ASTROS 0
HOUSTON (AP) - Jay Bruce hit a grand slam and had five RBIs, Mike Leake pitched eight scoreless innings and Cincinnati handed Houston its 100th loss.
Cincinnati is 4 1/2 games ahead of Washington for second NL wild card.
The Astros are the first major league team to lose at least 100 games in three straight seasons since Kansas City from 2004-06.
The Reds got to work early, with Zack Cozart driving in two runs in a four-run first inning.
Cincinnati was up by five in the fourth before Bruce's towering slam to the Crawford Boxes in left field pushed the lead to 9-0 and chased Jordan Lyles (7-8).
Leake (14-6) allowed five hits over eight innings and struck out six with two walks.