Toronto, ON (Best E Casino) - A.J. Burnett was brilliant on the hill, and Marco Scutaro blasted a three-run homer as Toronto downed New York, 4-1, in the rubber match of a three-game set at Rogers Centre. In the midst of persistent trade rumors and on just three days rest, Burnett (10-8) was nearly untouchable, surrendering one run on six hits in 8 1/3 innings. The flame-thrower walked one and fanned eight. Scott Rolen added an RBI single for the Blue Jays, who have won five of their past six games and are 47-48 entering the All-Star break. Kevin Mench was 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles. Jason Giambi homered in the ninth inning for the Yankees, who have dropped three of their last four games and enter the All-Star break with a 50-45 mark. Bobby Abreu was 2-for-4 with a double for New York, which is six games behind first-place Boston at the break. Andy Pettitte (10-7) allowed four runs -- all in the second inning -- on eight hits in six innings of work. The veteran left-hander walked just one and struck out six.
Final Score: Detroit 4, Minnesota 2
Detroit, MI (Best E Casino) - Clete Thomas hit his first major league home run and Justin Verlander threw seven solid innings, as Detroit topped Minnesota, 4-2, to salvage the final contest of a four-game set with the Twins. Verlander (7-9) gave up just two runs on four hits and two walks, and struck out eight. He has won his past five decisions, and not lost since a June 6 start against Cleveland -- though he only allowed three runs in seven innings in that outing. Thomas also doubled, while Matt Joyce hit a solo homer for the Tigers, who had lost three games of this series, but go into the All-Star break with a 47-47 record -- in third place in the American League Central, seven games behind the Chicago White Sox. Nick Blackburn (7-5) took the loss despite giving up just three runs - two earned -- on five hits in seven frames. He also walked two and struck out four for the Twins, who had won five straight over the Tigers. Justin Morneau, who on Sunday was announced as the final participant for Monday's Home Run Derby, finished with a double and a walk. Brendan Harris had the only RBI for Minnesota, which had swept six series already this season, but missed out on a chance for a seventh and entered the All-Star break with a 53-42 mark, 1 1/2 games behind the White Sox in second place.
Final Score: Cleveland 5, Tampa Bay 2
Cleveland, OH (Best E Casino) - Jhonny Peralta hit a two-run homer and knocked in three and Andy Marte added a solo shot as the Cleveland Indians defeated the Tampa Bay Rays, 5-2, sweeping a four-game series at Progressive Field. Marte finished 2-for-4, while Ben Francisco drove in a run for the Indians, who have won four straight after dropping their previous 10 games and hold a 41-53 record heading into the All-Star break. Cleveland is in last place in the American League Central, 13 games behind division- leading Chicago White Sox. Jeremy Sowers started, but lasted only four innings. The left-hander allowed two runs on three hits, while striking out a career-high eight and walking a career-high seven batters. Tom Mastny (1-2) earned the win by tossing two scoreless innings without allowing a hit. Masahide Kobayashi record his fifth save of the season by pitching a perfect ninth inning. Akinori Iwamura and Shawn Riggans each knocked in a run for Tampa Bay, which was limited to three hits. The Rays have dropped seven in a row and are 55-39 at the break, a half-game behind division-leading Boston in the AL East. Scott Kazmir (7-5) took the loss after being touched for five runs on eight hits over six innings. He struck out seven and walked a pair.
Final Score: Boston 2, Baltimore 1
Boston, MA (Best E Casino) - Daisuke Matsuzaka hurled six shutout innings and Boston held off a ninth inning Baltimore rally as the Red Sox edged the Orioles, 2-1, in the rubber match of a three-game set at Fenway Park. With the win Boston jumped one-half game in front of the reeling Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East race. The defending World Series champs are 57-40 at the All-Star break. Matsuzaka (10-1) surrendered just four hits while walking five and fanning seven en route to the win for the Red Sox, who have won five of their past six games overall. J.D. Drew had a run-scoring double while Dustin Pedroia finished 2-for-4 with an RBI. Pedroia upped his hit total to 124, one shy of the club record before the All-Star break. Both Wade Boggs (1987) and Nomar Garciaparra (2003) had 125. Aubrey Huff was 2-for-4 with a run-scoring single for the Orioles, who have dropped eight of nine and enter the break with a 45-48 mark, 10 games back of Boston. Brian Roberts and Adam Jones also has two hits apiece for Baltimore. Daniel Cabrera (6-5) allowed two runs -- one earned -- on six hits and six walks in 4 1/3 innings to pick up the loss.
Final Score: Seattle 4, Kansas City 3
Kansas City, MO (Best E Casino) - Adrian Beltre reached base on a fluke double in the ninth, and scored the go-ahead run on John Buck's throwing error in a rundown between third and home, and the Seattle Mariners held on for a 4-3 win over the Kansas City Royals to salvage the finale of a three-game set. Jeff Clement hit a two-run homer for the Mariners, who had dropped six of seven entering play and enter the All-Star break with the worst record in the AL at 37-58. Carlos Silva gave up two runs on eight hits in six innings, and Sean Green (2-2) got the win for 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. Kyle Davies gave up six hits and three runs in seven innings, and Joakim Soria (1-2) took the loss for giving up the unearned run in the ninth. Mike Aviles went 3-for-4 with two runs batted in for Kansas City, which had won three straight, and fell to 43-53 entering the break.
Final Score: Texas 12, Chicago 11
Arlington, TX (Best E Casino) - Ian Kinsler extended his MLB-best hitting streak to 25 games with a 3-for-5 day, and drove in three, as Texas held on for a 12-11 win over Chicago in the rubber match of a three-game series. Max Ramirez finished 3-for-5 with a double and three runs batted in, while Milton Bradley went 2-for-5 with a home run for the Rangers, who pounded out 17 hits -- six for extra bases. Texas goes into the All-Star break with a 50-46 record, in third place in the American League West, 7 1/2 games behind the Angels. Starter Matt Harrison gave up five runs on seven hits in just 2 2/3 frames, and each Rangers pitcher gave up at least one run. Jamey Wright (6-4) took the win after throwing 1 2/3 innings and allowing one run on two hits. The White Sox put together a 22-hit attack led by Jermaine Dye, who went 4- for-5 with a homer, double and three RBI. Orlando Cabrera finished 3-for-6 with three RBI, while Jim Thome went 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and one run batted in. Chicago goes into the break at 54-40, leading the AL Central by just 1 1/2 games in front of Minnesota. White Sox starter Jose Contreras gave up seven runs on 10 hits in four-plus innings. Boone Logan (2-2) took the loss after pitching to three batters in the seventh and allowing three runs -- one earned -- without recording an out.
Final Score: LA Angels of Anaheim 4, Oakland 3
Oakland, CA (Best E Casino) - Erick Aybar's infield single drove in the go- ahead run in the ninth inning, and Francisco Rodriguez worked out of a bases- loaded, one-out jam in the home half to give the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim a 4-3 win over the Oakland Athletics in the rubber match of a three-game set. Casey Kotchman homered for the Angels, who trailed 3-1 entering the eighth but rallied to win for the third time in four games to enter the All-Star break at an AL-best 57-38, with a six-game lead over the A's in the AL West. Jose Arredondo (3-0) got the win for a scoreless inning of relief of starter Dustin Moseley, who let up four hits and two runs in 5 1/3 innings. Huston Street (2-3) blew the save and took the loss for the second-place A's, who split their last four to take a 51-44 mark into the break. Justin Duchscherer gave up two runs on five hits in 7 2/3 innings to take a no- decision for Oakland. Jack Cust homered for the A's, who were limited to six hits.
