AMERICAN LEAGUE
Garret Anderson went 4-for-5 with a homer and four RBIs and Joe Saunders earned his 14th win as the Los Angeles Angels swept the Boston Red Sox 9-2 in the American League on Wednesday.
It was the second three-game sweep in two weeks by the Angels over the Red Sox, who showed little spark. Reports of trade talks focusing on a disgruntled Manny Ramirez didn’t make the game any better for Boston.
The Angels improved Major League Baseball’s best record to 67-40 by finishing 8-1 against Boston this season.
Josh Beckett (9-8) gave up seven earned runs and the Red Sox matched a season high with four errors — three in a five-run sixth when the Angels took an 8-2 lead.
WHITE SOX 8, TWINS 3
At Minneapolis, Carlos Quentin had a home run and four RBIs, Gavin Floyd (11-6) held Minnesota to one run and five hits over seven-and-two-third innings, and Alexei Ramirez added a three-run homer for Chicago.
Livan Hernandez (10-8) allowed a solo shot to Quentin with two outs in the first, and the All-Star padded Chicago’s lead with a three-run double in the fourth. Hernandez dropped to 8-2 at the Metrodome this year after giving up nine hits, five runs and two walks.
Perfect through three innings, Floyd gave up an RBI double by Justin Morneau in the fourth, but retired 12 of the next 13 batters.
RAYS 3, BLUE JAYS 2
At Toronto, Carlos Pena homered and Edwin Jackson won consecutive starts for the first time since April as Tampa Bay beat Toronto.
Jackson (7-7) gave up two runs and seven hits in five innings.
Making his major league debut, Toronto right-hander Scott Richmond (0-1) allowed three runs and seven hits in five-and-one-third innings.
Carl Crawford put Tampa Bay in front with an RBI triple in the first. Lyle Overbay’s two-run homer in the bottom half put Toronto up 2-1. Pena tied it with a leadoff homer in the fourth, his 18th.
In other games it was:
• Yankees 13, Orioles 3
• Royals 4, Athletics 3, 10 innings
• Rangers 4, Mariners 3
• Tigers 14, Indians 12, 13 innings
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, WASHINGTON
Chase Utley homered in a five-run fifth inning as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Washington Nationals 8-5 on Wednesday to move back atop the National League East with its fourth straight victory.
Shane Victorino had three hits and three RBIs, including a solo homer, to help 45-year-old Jamie Moyer (10-6) win his third straight decision. Moyer went six innings, allowing three runs — on first-inning homers by Willie Harris and Jesus Flores — and six hits.
The Nationals, a majors-worst 38-69, have lost their past eight games.
In other games it was:
• Marlins 7, Mets 5
• Cardinals 7, Braves 2
• Rockies 7, Pirates 4
• Cubs 7, Brewers 2
• Reds 9, Astros 5
• Diamondbacks 7, Padres 3
• Dodgers 4, Giants 0
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