TORONTO – Johnny Damon hit a solo home run and had three RBIs, Nick Swisher also connected and the New York Yankees completed a two-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays with an 8-4 victory Wednesday night.

Reliever Alfredo Aceves (7-1) pitched two innings for the victory as the Yankees won their third straight.

The AL East-leading Yankees, winless in eight games against second-place Boston, return home to open a four-game series against the Red Sox on Thursday night.

Phil Coke got two outs, Phil Hughes worked the eighth and David Robertson wrapped it up in the ninth for New York.

Damon went 3 for 5 and hit his second homer in two games, a solo shot off Brian Tallet in the ninth, his 19th.
Indians 8, Twins 1
CLEVELAND – Aaron Laffey rebounded from one of his worst performances to pitch a career-high eight innings and the Cleveland Indians defeated the Minnesota Twins 8-1.

The first three batters in Cleveland’s lineup – Grady Sizemore, Asdrubal Cabrera and Shin-Soo Choo – along with No. 9 hitter Trevor Crowe combined to go 10 for 16 with five runs and seven RBIs. The Indians won for the eighth time in 12 games.

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Francisco Liriano (4-11) remained winless in five starts since June 28 as Minnesota lost for the fourth time in five games following a four-game winning streak. He tied Baltimore’s Jeremy Guthrie for the most losses in the AL.

Laffey (5-3) gave up one unearned run on six hits, striking out five and walking one as he continued to alternate good and bad starts.
Tigers 4, Orioles 2
DETROIT – Edwin Jackson took a shutout into the ninth inning, Magglio Ordonez homered and the Detroit Tigers beat the Baltimore Orioles 4-2.

Jackson (8-5) allowed two runs on three hits, walking two and striking out eight. He has allowed two runs in 16 innings over two starts against Baltimore this season.

Jackson hit Nolan Reimold with a pitch to start the ninth, and Adam Jones followed with a homer to left. Fernando Rodney entered and got three outs for his 22nd save in 23 tries.

Jeremy Guthrie (7-11) gave up three runs on six hits in 7 1-3 innings.


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