NEW YORK — Jason Bartlett hit a leadoff homer for Tampa Bay and the Rays held on for a 10-6 victory over New York on Wednesday night in the opener of a two-game series between baseball's top two teams.
Evan Longoria had three hits and two RBIs, sending the AL East leaders to their fifth straight win. Tampa Bay stole six bases against starting pitcher A.J. Burnett — four in a four-run fourth inning — and improved to 29-11, the best record for a big league team after 40 games since Boston had the same mark in 2002.
Trailing 10-2 going into the ninth, New York scored four times with two outs against Andy Sonnanstine. Joaquin Benoit struck out Juan Miranda with two on for his first save since May 3, 2008, with Texas at Oakland.
Handed a six-run lead by the fourth inning, rookie Wade Davis (4-3) held the Yankees in check. Alex Rodriguez hit his 589th home run and Robinson Cano had four hits for New York (25-15).
RED SOX 3, TWINS 2: At Boston, Clay Buchholz gave Boston's struggling rotation a lift and David Ortiz hit a two-run homer for the Red Sox. Buchholz (5-3) allowed two runs and five hits in eight-plus innings five days after giving up one run and three hits in 61/3 innings in a 7-2 win at Detroit. In between, four other Boston starters allowed at least four runs.
ROYALS 8, INDIANS 4: At Cleveland, Yuniesky Betancourt hit a three-run double off closer Kerry Wood in Kansas City's five-run ninth inning. Wood (0-2) tossed his glove into the stands as he walked off to a chorus of boos, after allowing four hits and five runs while getting only one out in 30 pitches.
ANGELS 3, WHITE SOX 2: At Chicago, Torii Hunter hit a two-run homer and Joe Saunders pitched 72/3 strong innings to lead Los Angeles. Hunter hit his third home run in three games and Saunders (3-5) allowed just one run and four hits to help the Angels bounce back after losing consecutive games to Texas. Saunders struck out four and walked two.
RANGERS 4, ORIOLES 3: At Arlington, Nelson Cruz hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth to finally give Texas the victory over Baltimore in a game in which Josh Hamilton hit a ball over the fence that wasn't a home run. Hamilton homered in the second for the Rangers, then led off the fourth with an opposite-field shot that clearly sailed over the 14-foot fence in left and ricocheted back into play. Second base umpire Doug Eddings signaled that the ball was still in play and Hamilton stopped with a double.
TIGERS 5, ATHLETICS 1: At Oakland, Justin Verlander pitched a four-hitter, late lineup addition Casper Wells drove in two runs and Detroit spoiled Dallas Braden's first appearance at home since throwing the majors' first perfect game this season.
BLUE JAYS 3, MARINERS 2: At Seattle, Brett Cecil pitched into the seventh inning and Kevin Gregg hung on for the save as Toronto sent Seattle to its fifth straight loss. The Mariners put two runners on base with two outs in the ninth, but left fielder Fred Lewis ran down Mike Sweeney's long fly into the alley to end it.