NEW YORK (AP) - David Ortiz broke loose after getting drilled by CC Sabathia, starting and finishing a seven-run burst in the seventh inning that led the Boston Red Sox over the New York Yankees 8-3 in a rain-delayed game that ended at 1:43 a.m. Friday.
After a wait of almost 3 1/2 hours, Josh Beckett (5-2) outpitched Sabathia (7-4) for the third time this season. Boston outscored New York 25-13 in its second three-game sweep at Yankee Stadium in a month.
Only a few thousand fans were left when Boston wrapped up its sixth win in a row overall and beat the Yankees for the seventh straight time. The Red Sox are 8-1 against their longtime rivals this year.
A storm that brought lightning bolts over the Bronx delayed the start for 3 hours, 27 minutes.
Plunked in the right thigh by Sabathia’s 97 mph fastball in the fourth inning, Ortiz got more than even a little later. The Red Sox trailed 2-0 when he singled off Sabathia to start the seventh, and Ortiz’s two-run double off David Robertson capped the big rally.
Curtis Granderson hit a two-run homer, his 18th, for New York in the first inning.
New York’s Derek Jeter singled for his 2,990th career hit.
Tigers 4, Mariners 1
DETROIT (AP) _ Alex Avila tripled twice and Justin Verlander pitched eight strong innings for Detroit.,
Verlander (7-3) struck out a season-best 10 while allowing one run on five hits. He’s 5-0 in his last seven starts with a 2.14 ERA. Jose Valverde pitched the ninth for his 16th save in 16 tries.
Seattle starter Doug Fister (3-7) dropped to 1-4 since May 1, giving up four runs on seven hits and two walks in eight innings. He’s 1-12 in 19 career starts against AL Central teams.
Detroit had a four-run fifth. Jhonny Peralta singled and scored on Avila’s second triple. With two out, Don Kelly’s single made it 2-1, and Brennan Boesch followed with his eighth homer of the season.
Twins 5, Rangers 4
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) _ Alexi Casilla laced a single to left field to drive in the winning run with two outs in the ninth for Minnesota on a windy, chilly night at Target Field.
Luke Hughes led off the ninth with a double off Mark Lowe (1-0) that a fan picked up before the Rangers could play it. They complained, to no avail. Arthur Rhodes came in to get the second out, but Casilla hit an opposite-field line drive that was plenty deep enough for Hughes to score.
Jim Hoey (1-2) finished the ninth for the win.
Rangers starter Derek Holland gave up a solo shot in the second inning to Delmon Young and a three-run homer to Michael Cuddyer in the fifth to the back of the bullpen measured at 443 feet.
Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz hit long homers for Texas.
White Sox 9, Athletics 4
CHICAGO (AP) _ Adam Dunn and Paul Konerko hit two-run homers and Chicago spoiled Oakland interim manager Bob Melvin’s debut, handing the Athletics their 10th straight loss.
Melvin replaced Bob Geren earlier in the day.
Mark Buehrle (6-4) threw seven strong innings and improved to 5-1 with a 3.00 ERA in his last seven starts. He allowed seven hits and three runs.
Trevor Cahill (6-4) lasted just 2 2-3 innings, his shortest outing of the season.
Royals 3, Blue Jays 2
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) _ Jeff Francoeur drove in two runs, helping Luke Hochevar win for the first time in seven starts, and Kansas City survived Joakim Soria’s shaky ninth to beat Toronto.
Soria, reclaiming the closer role he lost May 30 after back-to-back blown saves, loaded the bases in the ninth but got his eighth save in 13 opportunities.
Hochevar (4-6) allowed two runs in the fourth but nothing else in seven innings. Ricky Romero (5-6) pitched an eight-inning complete game for Toronto.
(This version CORRECTS Corrects to 4th inning in 5th paragraph.)
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