AL Capsules

AL Capsules

TORONTO — Roy Halladay pitched a six-hitter to win for the first time since June 7 and Rod Barajas drove in three runs, leading the Toronto Blue Jays past the Boston Red Sox 3-1 on Sunday.

Halladay (11-3) could be the biggest prize available before the July 31 trade deadline. Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi said this month he would field offers for the 2003 AL Cy Young Award winner, who is signed through 2010.

Pitching at home for the first time since Ricciardi’s comments, Halladay turned in a vintage performance. He struck out six and walked none, lowering his ERA to 2.73. He retired his final 11 batters in his 44th career complete game and fourth this season.

Barajas put the Blue Jays in front with a two-out, two-run double in the second off left-hander Jon Lester (8-7).

NEW YORK (AP) — Joba Chamberlain won for the first time in almost a month and New York got home runs from Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez in a victory over Detroit that completed a three-game sweep of the AL Central leaders.

Chamberlain (5-2) rebounded from two ineffective starts and New York edged punchless Detroit 2-1 for the second consecutive day. Chamberlain allowed three hits over 6 2-3 innings in his longest effort since he tossed eight innings in New York’s 5-2 victory at Cleveland on June 1. He struck out eight and walked three as the Yankees pulled within one game of AL East-leading Boston.

It was the right-hander’s first victory since June 24 at Atlanta. Mariano Rivera finished for his 26th save in 27 opportunities and third of the series. It was the first time since September that Rivera saved three games in three days.

Detroit’s Edwin Jackson (7-5) yielded two runs and five hits in seven innings.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Ichiro Suzuki had three hits, scored twice and made a game-saving catch to help Seattle beat Cleveland for a third straight game.

Suzuki went 3 for 4 with a walk, raising his average to .363.

With one runner on and two outs in the ninth, Victor Martinez’s bid for a game-tying, two-run homer was caught by a leaping Suzuki at the right-field wall. The catch gave David Aardsma his 22nd save in 24 chances.

Shawn Kelley (2-1) struck out two in a scoreless inning for the win — Seattle’s sixth in eight games.

The Indians won the opener of the four-game series but have lost 21 of 28. They struck out 12 times to put their season total at 709.

The Mariners broke a 3-all tie on pinch-hitter Jack Hannahan’s sacrifice fly off Rafael Betancourt (1-2) in the eighth inning.

CHICAGO (AP) — Jeremy Guthrie pitched eight solid innings and Gregg Zaun hit a three-run home run, leading Baltimore over Chicago.

Zaun was 3 for 4 with four RBIs as the Orioles improved to 15-29 on the road.

DeWayne Wise and Chris Getz homered for the White Sox, who failed to complete their first sweep at home this season.

After struggling in his last start, Guthrie (7-8) bounced back by allowing two runs on three hits. He struck out five and walked one. He had his last start skipped before the All-Star break because of an illness.

Jose Contreras (4-8) lasted 4 1-3 innings, giving up five runs, four earned, on five hits and four walks.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Gabe Gross drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the tiebreaking run with two outs in the eighth inning, and Tampa Bay rallied against the struggling Kansas City bullpen.

The Royals, who have lost six straight and eight of nine, blew a 3-0 lead. It was the third straight game the bullpen failed to hold a lead. The Rays scored seven runs in the eighth innings in sweeping the three-game series.

The Royals (37-54) dropped to a season-worst 17 games below .500.

With the Rays trailing 3-2, Carl Crawford reached on an infield single in the eighth and went to third on an errant pickoff throw by Jamey Wright (0-3). After Evan Longoria was intentionally walked, Carlos Pena singled home Crawford before Ben Zobrist drew a walk from John Bale to load the bases. Roman Colon then walked Gross after an 0-2.

Grant Balfour (4-1) got the win by allowing one hit in 1 1-3 scoreless innings. J.P. Howell, who has converted his past seven save opportunities, earned his ninth.

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Bobby Abreu, who broke up rookie Brett Anderson’s bid for a perfect game with a seventh-inning single, homered with one out in the 10th inning to lead Los Angeles over Oakland.

Abreu’s two big hits rewarded John Lackey (5-4), who allowed three hits over nine scoreless innings for the AL West-leading Angels — the second time this season he hasn’t allowed a run. The veteran right-hander matched Anderson, the 21-year-old lefty who retired the first 20 batters he faced.

Anderson allowed two hits over eight innings, struck out six and didn’t allow a walk.

Abreu connected off All-Star Andrew Bailey (4-2) for his seventh homer. Brian Fuentes finished for his majors-leading 28th save.

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Ian Kinsler hit a two-run homer with one out in the 12th inning and Texas avoided being swept at home with a victory over Minnesota.

It was Kinsler’s second homer of the game, but he struck out three times after his sixth career leadoff about 3½ hours earlier.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who set up earlier runs with the first two sacrifice bunts of his career, led off the 12th with a single off Brian Duensing (0-1) and was bunted to second by Elvis Andrus. R.A. Dickey then took over for the Twins, and Kinsler homered to left.

Texas snapped a four-game losing streak to remain within three games of the AL West-leading Los Angeles Angels.