NEW YORK — Sergio Mitre shook off the rust and pitched sharply before getting struck by a line drive in the seventh inning, combining with Chad Gaudin on a one-hitter as the New York Yankees routed the slumping Chicago White Sox 10-0 Saturday.

Working for the first time since a relief outing eight days ago, Mitre (3-1) was perfect until Jim Thome ripped a bad-hop double past Gold Glove first baseman Mark Teixeira with one out in the fifth.

That was Chicago’s only hit. Mitre left with a bruised right forearm after being nailed by A.J. Pierzynski’s liner, and Gaudin closed with 2 2-3 hitless innings.

Alex Rodriguez hit his 576th homer, and Derek Jeter and Robinson Cano each got three of New York’s 14 hits.

The White Sox lost for the sixth time in seven games. Jose Contreras (5-13) fell behind 8-0 in the fourth and leads the AL in losses.
Rays 3, Tigers 1

DETROIT — David Price had the longest outing of his young career, lasting 7 1-3 innings and allowed a run and five hits.

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Price (7-6) struck out four and walked one. J.P. Howell pitched the ninth for his 16th save in 23 chances.

Price worked out of a jam in the third inning, striking out Curtis Granderson and getting Placido Polanco to pop out with runners on second and third. Price also struck out Miguel Cabrera with a runner on second to end the sixth.

Nate Robertson (1-1) made his first appearance after coming off the disabled list Friday.

Rangers 3, Twins 0

MINNEAPOLIS — Scott Feldman gave the Rangers another strong start, holding Minnesota scoreless into the sixth inning and helping Texas keep pace in the wild-card chase with a 3-0 victory over the Twins on Saturday night.

First-inning RBIs by Josh Hamilton and Ian Kinsler put the Rangers in front right away against Carl Pavano (11-10). For insurance, Ivan Rodriguez went deep in the top of the ninth – his first homer since rejoining the Rangers 11 days ago.

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Feldman (14-4) walked four and gave up four hits in 5 2-3 innings, and the bullpen backed him up. Frank Francisco picked up his 19th save with a perfect ninth, preventing the second-place Twins from gaining any ground in the AL Central on Detroit. The Tigers, who lost to Tampa Bay, are 4½ games ahead of Minnesota.

Texas, in range of its first trip to the postseason in 10 years, is 2½ games behind Boston in the wild-card race. Boston beat Toronto 3-2.

Feldman’s breakout season has been buoyed by an excellent record on the road – he’s 10-1 with a 2.75 ERA in 11 starts. This was his sixth straight victory when pitching away from Arlington, a streak last accomplished for the Rangers by Charlie Leibrandt in 1993.

The Twins scored three times in the first inning Friday, enough to hang on for a 3-2 win, but those are their only runs since the fourth inning of Tuesday’s game. They were shut out for the first time since May 5.

Dodgers 11, Reds 4

CINCINNATI — Manny Ramirez hit the first of Los Angeles’ four homers, and the Dodgers blew a four-run lead Saturday before powering their way to an 11-4 victory that ended the Cincinnati Reds’ longest winning streak of the season at five games.

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Ramirez connected on a two-run shot in the first inning off left-hander Matt Maloney (0-3), his first homer since Aug. 11. Rafael Furcal hit a tiebreaking solo shot in the fifth, and Matt Kemp and Orlando Hudson homered as the Dodgers pulled away.

Jeff Weaver (6-4) bailed out starter Charlie Haeger, who had a bad day with his knuckleball. Haeger squandered a 4-0 lead in less than three innings.

The NL West leaders improved to 21-4 against Cincinnati since 2006, their best mark against any NL team.
Cubs 11, Mets 4

CHICAGO — Jake Fox hit his first career grand slam and Milton Bradley extended his hitting tear to help Chicago beat New York.

Fox finished with a career-high five RBIs. His bases-loaded homer finished Mets starter Bobby Parnell (3-7) during a six-run fifth inning, and he added an RBI double off Lance Broadway in the seventh.

Bradley, who was 3 for 3 on Friday, got hits in his first three at-bats and finished 3 for 4 with a walk. Booed earlier in the week, he is 11 for 20 with four walks during the first five games of the Cubs’ homestand.

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Ryan Dempster (8-7) allowed four runs over six innings to get the win.

Cardinals 9, Nationals 4.

ST. LOUIS — Matt Holliday and Colby Rasmus each hit a three-run homer to power the surging St. Louis Cardinals past the Washington Nationals 9-4 on Saturday night.

Holliday is hitting .376 with eight home runs and 32 RBIs since joining the Cardinals on July 24. The NL Central leaders are 24-9 during that stretch, including a 17-4 mark over their last 21 games.

St. Louis is a season-high 21 games over .500 at 76-55.

Albert Pujols went 2 for 3 with two doubles, two runs scored and an RBI for the Cardinals. Pujols also drew two walks, including his major league-leading 39th intentional pass. Skip Schumaker had three hits, including two doubles, and an RBI.


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