BALTIMORE – Jay Payton and Melvin Mora had two RBIs apiece in a seven-run sixth inning, Daniel Cabrera took a four-hitter into the seventh, and the Baltimore Orioles beat the New York Yankees 8-2 on Friday night.

Cabrera and Phil Hughes were locked in a 1-1 duel before the Orioles sent 11 men to the plate in their most productive inning of the season. Baltimore got seven hits, all of them singles, against three pitchers.

Cabrera (1-0) was pulled after giving up a a leadoff homer to Chad Moeller in the seventh. The right-hander allowed two runs, five hits and a season-low two walks.

Nick Markakis opened the sixth with a single, and Kevin Millar singled before Luke Scott singled in the go-ahead run. After Aubrey Huff popped out, Adam Jones chased Hughes with an infield hit that drove in another run. Former Oriole LaTroy Hawkins issued an intentional walk before Payton drove in two runs with a pinch-single.

Tigers 8, Blue Jays 4

TORONTO – Edgar Renteria hit a two-run home run, Kenny Rogers won for the first time since July and the Detroit Tigers beat the Blue Jays 8-4 on Friday night, handing Toronto its sixth consecutive home defeat. The Blue Jays have not won at home since April 6, when they completed a three-game sweep of Boston. It’s Toronto’s longest home losing streak since an eight-game skid from April 5-17, 2004.

White Sox 9, Rays 2

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Jim Thome hit his 511th career home run and Javier Vazquez won his third consecutive start to lead the Chicago White Sox past the Tampa Bay Rays, 9-2 on Friday night.

Thome connected in the third inning for a three-run shot off rookie Jeff Niemann, who was making his second career start. The next batter, Paul Konerko, homered to make it 4-0.

Brewers 5, Reds 2

CINCINNATI – Ben Sheets dominated for five innings before a tight pitching arm forced him from the game Friday night, and the Milwaukee Brewers held on for a 5-2 victory over the slumping Cincinnati Reds.

Sheets (3-0) allowed only a pair of singles, looking very comfortable in a hitter-friendly ballpark where he has never lost. At age 29, the hard-throwing right-hander is having one of the best Aprils of his career, allowing only three earned runs in four games.

Mets 6, Phillies 4

PHILADELPHIA – Johan Santana struck out 10 over seven innings, David Wright fell a homer short of the cycle and the New York Mets beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-4 on Friday night.

Santana (2-2) allowed three runs and four hits, outpitching Cole Hamels in a matchup of two of the best left-handers in the majors.

Wright finished 4-for-4 with two RBIs and a walk.

Pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs hit a three-run homer off reliever Aaron Heilman to cut the Phillies’ deficit to 5-4 in the eighth, but the Mets bullpen held on. Billy Wagner pitched a perfect ninth for his third save.

Nationals 6, Marlins 4

MIAMI – Nick Johnson hit a three-run double and drove in four runs, leading the Washington Nationals to a 6-4 win over the Florida Marlins on Friday night. Johnson’s two-out double in the seventh inning off reliever Taylor Tankersley helped the Nationals end a three-game skid. Washington, which had lost 12 of 13, scored only five runs in being swept by the Mets.

Indians 4, Twins 0

MINNEAPOLIS – Cliff Lee pitched two-hit ball for eight innings, Casey Blake homered and had three RBIs, and the Cleveland Indians beat Francisco Liriano and the Minnesota Twins 4-0 on Friday night.

Lee shuffled among the disabled list, the minors and the Indians rotation last season, never finding his groove.

He’s on track this season, winning his first three starts with an ERA of 0.40.

Lee struck out eight and walked one.