American League roundup

[April 28, 2009]  CLEVELAND (AP) -- For eight innings, there were nothing but zeros stretching across the giant scoreboard at Progressive Field.

Jason Bay changed that with one swing.

Boston's outfielder -- with a flair for drama -- hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning off Cleveland closer Kerry Wood and the Red Sox, blanked for eight innings by Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee, extended their winning streak to 11 games with a 3-1 victory over the Indians on Monday night.

In an 0-1 hole against one of baseball's hardest throwers, Bay launched a 99 mph fastball from Wood (0-1) into the seats in left-center to give the Red Sox a 3-0 lead.

"He kind of leaked a fastball back to the middle of the plate," Bay said. "That's probably a pitch he'd want back."

Bay's third hit sent the Red Sox, who got seven strong innings from knuckler Tim Wakefield, to another late-inning win in their longest win streak since a 12-game run in 2006.

Boston was back on the road following a three-game sweep at Fenway Park over the rival New York Yankees, a tense-as-always series that began with Bay hitting a tying homer with two outs in the ninth off Mariano Rivera, baseball's closer of closers.

Rivera one night. Wood another. Who's next, Jason?

"There's going to be a bounty out on me," he said with a laugh.

In his last four games, Bay has nine hits with two homers and nine RBIs.

Jonathan Paplebon gave up Mark DeRosa's RBI single in the ninth before getting his fifth save.

Wood replaced Lee, who shut out the Red Sox on five hits for eight innings, to start the ninth. He walked Dustin Pedroia leading off and then gave up a bloop single to David Ortiz, whose big swing fooled center fielder Grady Sizemore into taking a few steps back.

Wood threw a slider that Bay watched for a strike. Bay watched the next one land in the bleachers.

"It was a matter of missing my spot," Wood said. "Good hitters hit those pitches, bad hitters hit those pitches. Cliff shuts them down for 106 pitches, then I throw 12 and we're down 3-0. It's not good to waste a great performance by your ace pitcher.

"I didn't do my job. It doesn't matter how hard you throw if you miss your spot. I put it over the plate, and he whacked it."

Lee went 22-3 last season with the last loss in Boston on Sept. 23. The left-hander, though, was in award-winning form. He walked none and struck out five.

"That was the Cy Young guy from last year," Bay said. "He was around the plate and getting outs with that fastball. The radar gun says 92-93, but he's got some life on it and it plays a little bit harder than that."

The Indians have dropped six of eight.

"Obviously, we're not happy with where we are," said Lee, who has allowed two runs in his last 16 innings. "We think we are a better team than this."

Wakefield blanked the Indians on one hit -- a first-inning single by Victor Martinez -- over seven innings. He walked four, hit a batter and threw one wild pitch. Manager Terry Francona pulled the right-hander to start the eighth for Manny Delcarmen (1-0).

"I knew going into the game it might be a tight one," Wakefield said. "I tried to match Lee pitch for pitch."

Tigers 4, Yankees 2

At Detroit, Justin Verlander had a season-high nine strikeouts and Magglio Ordonez hit a two-run homer off CC Sabathia for the AL Central-leading Tigers, who tied a season high with their third straight win.

New York has lost a season-high four in a row, equaling the most consecutive losses it had last season.

Verlander (1-2) pitched seven-plus scoreless innings, allowing seven hits and no walks. Sabathia (1-2) gave up six hits in an eight-inning complete game.

Rangers 6, Orioles 4

At Baltimore, Michael Young homered and David Murphy broke a tie with a two-run single in the sixth to rally the Rangers.

Matt Harrison (1-2) gave up four runs in the first two innings, then retired 16 straight batters before Robert Andino hit a two-out single in the seventh. The left-hander allowed seven hits in seven innings.

Texas trailed 4-0 after the second before coming back against starter Jeremy Guthrie and Matt Albers (0-1). The Rangers took three of four from the Orioles to hand Baltimore its first home series loss.

Royals 7, Blue Jays 1

At Kansas City, Mo., Brian Bannister gave up one hit over seven innings and Jose Guillen hit two homers for the Royals.

The Blue Jays entered leading the majors in runs, batting average and slugging percentage, but Bannister limited them to Adam Lind's first-inning single. He walked six, including five of his first 14 batters.

Bannister (2-0) has allowed one run and five hits in 13 innings in winning two starts since being recalled April 22 from Triple-A Omaha. He retired 13 of the last 14 Blue Jays he faced.

Rays 7, Twins 1

At Minneapolis, Carlos Pena hit his major league-leading ninth home run and Jeff Niemann (2-2) pitched three-hit ball for 5 2-3 innings.

The AL champions are off to an identical start as last season (8-12).

Joe Crede homered for Minnesota.

[Associated Press; By TOM WITHERS]

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