BALTIMORE – Alex Rodriguez homered and Hideki Matsui had two hits during an eight-run fifth inning, and the New York Yankees hammered the Baltimore Orioles 18-5 Thursday night to complete a three-game sweep.

Enrique Wilson homered and drove in four runs, and Tony Clark also had four RBIs for the Yankees, who outscored the Orioles 41-17 in the series. It was only the fourth time in franchise history that New York scored as many as 41 runs in a three-game series.

The devastation took place at the expense of former Yankees first base coach Lee Mazzilli, now a rookie manager with Baltimore. Miguel Tejada, Rafael Palmeiro and Jose Leon homered for the Orioles, who have lost seven straight.

New York trailed 3-0 before getting nine hits in its most productive inning of the season. The last time the Yankees scored as many as eight runs in an inning was May 8, 2003, when they put up 10 at Seattle.

Blue Jays 3, Angels 2

TORONTO – Roy Halladay took a three-hit shutout into the ninth inning, and the Toronto Blue Jays completed a three-game sweep of the Anaheim Angels with a 3-2 victory Thursday night.

Halladay (5-4) outpitched Jarrod Washburn, who failed in his attempt to become the majors’ first eight-game winner.

After Chone Figgins hit a bunt single in the first, Vladimir Guerrero followed with a single. Halladay retired 19 straight before David Eckstein’s single leading off the ninth.

Indians 9, Mariners 5

CLEVELAND – Jake Westbrook got spotted a big lead and Cleveland’s brutal bullpen didn’t give it all back as the Indians beat the Seattle Mariners 9-5 Thursday night, ending their season-high losing streak at seven.

Westbrook (4-2) managed to make it through five innings, allowing four runs and seven hits. He then turned it over to Cleveland’s relievers, already responsible for 14 losses and 11 blown saves.

But Rick White, Cliff Bartosh, Rafael Betancourt and Jose Jimenez did their jobs, combining to hold the Mariners to one run and one hit over the final four innings.

White Sox 9, Rangers 0

CHICAGO – Mark Buehrle scattered nine hits over seven innings, and Juan Uribe homered twice as the Chicago White Sox blanked the Texas Rangers for the second straight game, 9-0 Thursday night.

Buehrle (5-1) won his fourth straight start and once again got big run support from his teammates, including a three-run homer from Jose Valentin in the first and solo shots from Uribe in the fifth and seventh innings. The White Sox have scored 43 runs in Buehrle’s last four starts.

Tigers 17, Royals 7

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Detroit Tigers smacked 27 hits to tie a team record, with Carlos Pena going 6-for-6 with two home runs in a 17-7 rout over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday.

Pena matched the club mark for hits in a game, sharing the accomplishment with Ty Cobb and two others. The Tigers last got 27 hits on Sept. 29, 1928, against the New York Yankees.

Detroit also clubbed eight doubles in easily setting the major league high for hits this season, eclipsing the 23 the White Sox got against Minnesota on May 23.

The Tigers had the most hits in the majors since Boston got 28 in a 25-8 rout of Florida at Fenway Park last June 27.

Devil Rays 5, Twins 4

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Rocco Baldelli hit a go-ahead, three-run homer and reliever John Halama threw 3 1-3 scoreless innings to lead the Tampa Bay Devil Rays over the Minnesota Twins 5-4 Thursday.

Baldelli’s first homer since May 2 overcame a 4-2 deficit in the fourth, and Tampa Bay went on to win for the sixth time in seven games. His drive hit a catwalk support pole approximately 125 feet above the field. Baldelli has hits in eight straight games and 13 of his last 14.

Braves 6, Phillies 1

PHILADELPHIA – Andruw Jones hit a grand slam and Jaret Wright took a shutout into the eighth inning, leading the Atlanta Braves to a 6-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday night.

Kevin Millwood (4-3) allowed six runs in four innings, falling to 0-5 with an 8.66 ERA in five starts against his former team since coming to the Phillies before last season.

Brewers 3, Dodgers 1

MILWAUKEE – The Los Angeles Dodgers have always felt comfortable at Miller Park – until they faced Ben Sheets.

Sheets outdid Jeff Weaver, allowing one run on four hits over seven innings, and the Milwaukee Brewers sent the Dodgers to their 11th loss in 13 games, 3-1 Thursday.

Marlins 5, Reds 2

CINCINNATI – Struggling Alex Gonzalez drove in a pair of runs Thursday, helping Brad Penny win his third straight start, 5-2 over the Cincinnati Reds.

Marlins reliever Armando Benitez earned his 18th save and set a team record of 26 2-3 innings without allowing an earned run. Luis Aquino held the previous mark of 26 1-3 innings in 1994.

Padres 4, Rockies 3

DENVER – Rookie Khalil Greene hit a tying, two-run homer in the ninth inning and Phil Nevin had a sacrifice fly in the 10th, lifting the San Diego Padres over the Colorado Rockies 4-3 Thursday.

The Rockies fell to 0-5 in extra innings this season. San Diego outhit Colorado 13-4.

Cardinals 6, Pirates 3

ST. LOUIS – Scott Rolen homered and drove in four runs, giving him a major league-leading 49 RBIs, in the St. Louis Cardinals’ 6-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday. Jeff Suppan (4-4) worked six solid innings to help the Cardinals end a three-game losing streak and split an abbreviated two-game series with the Pirates.

Tuesday’s game was postponed because of rain and spot flooding.