Thursday's American League Capsules

Games played Aug. 8, 2013

CLEVELAND (AP) - Max Scherzer became baseball's first 17-game winner and the Detroit Tigers posted their 12th straight victory, routing the Cleveland Indians 10-3 Thursday night.

Miguel Cabrera drove in three runs as the AL Central leaders completed a four-game sweep and opened a seven-game lead over the second-place Indians.

Scherzer (17-1) allowed two runs and four hits in seven innings. He helped the Tigers beat Cleveland for the 12th time in their last 13 meetings.

Cleveland's futility for the series was summed up when manager Terry Francona let utilityman Ryan Raburn pitch the ninth inning. Raburn retired three straight hitters, striking out Matt Tuiasosopo, in his professional pitching debut and drew a standing ovation.

Zach McAllister (4-7) allowed six runs in 2 1-3 innings, his shortest start of the season.

ROYALS 5, RED SOX 1

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Bruce Chen outdueled Jon Lester as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Boston Red Sox.

The Royals won for the 16th time in 20 games since the All-Star break. The Red Sox, who have the best record in the American League, lost for only the third time in 10 games.

Chen (5-0), who was making his fifth start since beginning the season in the bullpen, did not allow a runner past first base until the eighth and retired 11 in a row in one stretch. He yielded five singles, walked one and struck out two.

Lester (10-7), who came into the game with a 6-2 record and 1.64 ERA in nine starts against the Royals, needed 41 pitches in the first inning when Kansas City sent eight men to the plate and scored three runs.