By The Associated Press

NEW YORK – Garret Anderson hit a two-run homer and Bengie Molina added a solo shot in the second inning, giving the Los Angeles Angels all the runs they needed to end a four-game losing streak with a 4-1 victory over the New York Yankees on Friday night.

The Angels avoided their longest skid of the season and defeated the Yankees for the sixth time in eight meetings this season.

Los Angeles was coming off an 18-inning loss in Toronto on Thursday night that trimmed its AL West lead to 31/2 games, and didn’t arrive in New York until 4 a.m. Things could have been worse if the Angels had needed to find a new starting pitcher – which would have been necessary if their previous game had gone into the 19th inning.

Ervin Santana (6-4), who warmed up in the bullpen during the 18th against Toronto, was able to save his energy for the team he defeated six days earlier in Anaheim. He won for the first time this season on the road, where his ERA entering the game was 14.63, by allowing six hits in 6 1-3 innings.

Scot Shields worked the eighth, and Francisco Rodriguez pitched the ninth for his 25th save in 28 opportunities. He is 5-for-5 in save chances against New York this season.

Los Angeles scored three times in the second inning against Mike Mussina (10-6) and added an insurance run in the ninth when Vladimir Guerrero led off with a single against Tanyon Sturtze and scored on Juan Rivera’s RBI groundout.

Devil Rays 6, Royals 3

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Casey Fossum took a shutout into the eighth inning and Aubrey Huff homered and drove in four runs, leading the Tampa Bay Devil Rays past the Kansas City Royals 6-3 on Friday night.

Fossum (6-8) held the Royals scoreless until David DeJesus – his last batter of the game – hit a one-out RBI double in the eighth. The left-hander ended up allowing two runs and six hits in 7 1-3 innings. He struck out five and walked one.

The Devil Rays are 10-5 since the All-Star break. Fossum and teammate Scott Kazmir are 6-1 during that stretch.

Rangers 4, Blue Jays 1

TORONTO – John Wasdin and three relievers combined on a six-hitter as Chan Ho Park’s replacements, and the Texas Rangers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-1 on Friday night.

Park was scratched just before his scheduled start because the Rangers planned to trade him to the San Diego Padres for slugger Phil Nevin, a deal that awaited approval from the commissioner’s office.

Park, who left the Rogers Centre before the game ended, is 8-5 with a 5.66 ERA in 20 starts this season. Since signing his $65 million, five-year deal three years ago to become the Rangers’ No. 1 starter, the 32-year-old right-hander is 22-23 in 68 starts. He has been on the disabled list five times, plagued primarily by back problems.

White Sox 7, Orioles 2

BALTIMORE – Paul Konerko and Carl Everett each homered and drove in three runs to back a strong pitching performance by Orlando Hernandez, and the Chicago White Sox cruised past the Baltimore Orioles 7-2 Friday night.

During the game, the Orioles traded outfielder Larry Bigbie to the Colorado Rockies for outfielder Eric Byrnes. Bigbie started the game, but was removed after the third inning. In his final at-bat with Baltimore, he struck out.

Konerko put the White Sox up 4-1 with a three-run drive off Erik Bedard (5-3) in the third inning, and Everett made it 6-2 with a two-run shot off Todd Williams in the seventh.

Hernandez (8-3) gave up two runs and seven hits in six innings. The right-hander struck out three and walked none in earning his first win in three starts since returning from a stint on the disabled list with right shoulder inflammation.

Marlins 4, Nationals 3

MIAMI – Josh Beckett reached 10 wins in a season for the first time, pitching 6 1-3 innings to help the Florida Marlins beat the slumping Washington Nationals 4-3 Friday night.

Paul Lo Duca doubled home three runs in the first inning against the Nationals, who have lost five straight and 17 of their last 22 games. Washington has lost 10 consecutive one-run decisions, including its past four games.

The Marlins have won three in a row, all since hiking their pant legs and wearing high black socks in a bid to change their luck. They closed within 11/2 games of the Nationals, who began the night tied with Houston for the NL wild-card lead.

Braves 2, Pirates 1

ATLANTA – Chipper Jones drove in both Atlanta runs and Horacio Ramirez allowed six hits over eight innings to help the Braves win their fourth straight, 2-1 over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night.

Left-hander Macay McBride earned his first career save by getting two outs after coming in with the bases loaded and one out.

Atlanta, coming off a three-game sweep of Washington to take the NL East lead by three games, won their fourth straight one-run game.

Trailing 1-0 entering the seventh, the Braves rallied off Pittsburgh starter Dave Williams (8-8) when Rafael Furcal led off with a single and took third on a double by Marcus Giles. Jones followed with a single to left, easily scoring both runners.

Ramirez (9-6) walked one and struck out three. The Braves used four pitchers in the ninth.

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