Rays come through vs. Rivera, Yankees
Gabe Gross singled in the 11th inning to drive in the first run Mariano Rivera has allowed all season, giving Tampa Bay a 2-1 victory over visiting New York and sending the Rays into first place in the AL East.
Cliff Floyd began the 11th with a single and pinch-runner Jonny Gomes stole second before Gross delivered the winner up the middle on a 1-1 pitch. Rivera (0-1) had not allowed a run in 14 previous appearances.
J.P. Howell (3-0) pitched two scoreless innings for the win, the Rays' 15th in 20 games. Tampa Bay has won a club-record 11 straight at home and is a half-game ahead of Boston in the AL East after the Red Sox lost 5-4 at Baltimore.
It's the first time the Rays have sat alone atop the division standings beyond the first week of a season.
"It's great to be here, and a big part of it is the confidence derived from it," manager Joe Maddon said. "Nobody's cocky or complacent. Everybody's coming to the ballpark with the right attitude."
At 23-16, the Rays are seven games over .500 for the first time in the team's 11 seasons. They've finished last nine times in the past decade.
The Rays were two outs away from victory when Hideki Matsui hit his first homer since April 15, a stretch of 57 at-bats, into the right-field seats off closer Troy Percival to send it to extra innings.
Indians 4, Athletics 0: Paul Byrd and two Cleveland relievers combined for the Indians' fourth shutout in seven games in a victory over visiting Oakland.
Byrd (2-3) allowed 5 hits over 7½ innings, striking out seven without a walk. He extended the Indians' scoreless streak to 34 innings by their starting staff. The last run allowed by a Cleveland starter came Friday night in the fifth inning against Toronto by C.C. Sabathia -- the only run yielded by an Indians starter in the last 39 innings.
Orioles 5, Red Sox 4:ŒLuke Scott homered off Josh Beckett, and host Baltimore received a fine pitching performance from Jeremy Guthrie in a victory over Boston.
Scott's 3-run homer in the third inning put Baltimore ahead 5-3, and the advantage stood up.
Royals 3, Tigers 2: Jose Guillen drove in a pair of runs to help Kansas City rally to top visiting Detroit.
Leo Nunez (3-0), the third of four Royals' pitchers picked up the victory. Joakim Soria worked a perfect ninth to earn his ninth save. He has yet to give up an earned run.
Blue Jays 5, Twins 3:ŒMatt Stairs homered and scored twice for the struggling Toronto offense in a victory over host Minnesota.
Lyle Overbay and former Twin Shannon Stewart each had 2 hits, including RBI-doubles.
Rangers 5, Mariners 2: Ramon Vazquez drove in the go-ahead run with a sixth-inning sacrifice fly as surging Texas beat visiting Seattle. The Rangers won for the 12th time in 14 games.
National League
Brewers 5, Dodgers 3: Ryan Braun delivered another big hit and Eric Gagne made a bid to reclaim his job as the Milwaukee closer in a victory over visiting Los Angeles.
Gagne earned his 10th save, but it wasn't easy. Gagne allowed a leadoff single to Russell Martin before getting Blake DeWitt to hit into a fielder's choice and Mark Sweeney to fly out.
Pirates 8, Cardinals 4 (10): Ronny Paulino drove in the go-ahead run in a 4-run 10th inning for his second crucial hit in Pittsburgh's victory over host St. Louis.
Troy Glaus hit a 3-run home run, and Albert Pujols tied it with his eighth homer in the eighth for the Cardinals, extending his hitting streak to 12 games.
Phillies 5, Braves 4: Jayson Werth drove in 4 runs for host Philadelphia in a victory over Atlanta.
Chipper Jones went 3-for-4 for the Braves, raising his major league-leading average to .415.
Reds 5, Marlins 3: Edinson Volquez pitched 6 effective innings, Joey Votto homered as host Cincinnati earned a costly victory over Florida.
Reds shortstop Jeff Keppinger fouled a pitch off his leg in the second inning and X-rays revealed a broken left kneecap.
Mets 6, Nationals 3: Ryan Church homered, doubled and drove in 4 runs against his former team and John Maine pitched 6 sharp innings to lead New York past visiting Washington.