Bombers, Birds win…Weaver gets 17th
UNDATED (AP) — The New York Yankees have managed to keep their share of first place in the American League East by winning back-to-back games for the first time since mid-August.
Phil Hughes combined with three relievers on a six-hitter as the Yanks downed the Red Sox 2-0. Hughes allowed five hits and struck out seven over 7 1/3 innings to help the Bombers remain tied with the Orioles for the division lead, four games ahead of Tampa Bay.
Derek Jeter hit an RBI single while serving as the designated hitter, one night after pulling himself out of a game with a bone bruise on his left ankle.
Earlier, Manny Machado blooped a game-winning single with two out in the bottom of the 14th to give the Birds a 3-2 win and a three-game sweep of the Rays. The O’s have won 14 of 19 and are 26-11 since Aug. 3, thus securing their first non-losing season since 1997.
Tampa Bay remains 3 1/2 games behind Oakland for the second AL wild card after the Athletics absorbed a 6-0 loss to the Angels in Anaheim. Jered Weaver improved to 17-4 by limiting the A’s to two hits while striking out nine in seven innings. Torii Hunter contributed a solo homer and an RBI single during a six-run seventh as the Angels avoided a four-game sweep.
The Halos are three games out of a wild-card berth. The A’s are still three games behind West-leading Texas.
The Rangers were unable to pad their division lead as Jason Kipnis smacked a two-run homer in the ninth to push Cleveland past Texas 5-4. The Indians ended a five-game skid by homering twice in the ninth off closer Joe Nathan, who failed to record an out after converting 31 straight save opportunities.
The AL Central race was put on hold. The White Sox and Tigers were rained out and will make up the game Monday afternoon in Chicago.
The Pale Hose are just a game ahead of Detroit with 20 games remaining.
Also in the AL, Edwin Encarnacion hit his 40th home run and Adam Lind also went deep as the Blue Jays whipped Seattle 8-3. Toronto handed Felix Hernandez his third straight loss.
Minnesota beat Kansas City 4-3 on Denard Span’s walk-off double in the 10th inning. Trevor Plouffe’s solo homer tied it in the ninth.
Over to the National League, where baseball’s worst team cooled off the hottest.
Jed Lowrie delivered a two-run double in the eighth inning as the Astros ended Philadelphia’s seven-game winning streak, defeating the Phillies 6-4. Matt Dominguez hit a three-run blast for Houston, which trailed 4-0 after three innings.
St. Louis beat Los Angeles 2-1 to move two games ahead of the Dodgers for the final NL wild-card berth. Allen Craig and Skip Schumaker each hit RBI singles to support Lance Lynn, who allowed a run and five hits in six innings for his 15th win.
Packers trounce Bears
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The Green Bay Packers gave Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler a night to forget while clobbering the Bears 23-10 at Lambeau Field.
Cutler was 11-of-27 for only 127 yards and four interceptions. He also was sacked seven times and threw as many touchdown passes as Packers’ punter Tim Masthay.
The Packers scored their first TD on a fake field goal. Masthay took the snap and shoveled the ball to Tom Crabtree, who ran the ball 27 yards for a touchdown to make it 10-0 late in the first half. Mason Crosby hit field goals of 48, 35 and 54 yards before Aaron Rodgers hit Donald Driver for a 26-yard touchdown pass to put the Packers up 23-3 with 11:17 remaining.
Tramon Williams had two interceptions and Clay Matthews recorded 3 1/2 sacks as Green Bay bounced back from Sunday’s loss to San Francisco.
Howard to miss opening of camp
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Lakers say center Dwight Howard won’t finish his rehabilitation from back surgery in time for the start of training camp or their first preseason game.
Howard recently began working with the Lakers’ training staff on his recovery from spinal surgery in April. He was acquired from Orlando in a four-team summer trade that sent All-Star center Andrew Bynum to Philadelphia.
Hall of Fame coach retires
STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Jim Calhoun has retired after 26 seasons, seven Big East tournament titles and three NCAA championships as men’s basketball coach at Connecticut.
The 70-year-old Hall of Famer is being replaced by assistant coach Kevin Ollie, a former player for Calhoun.
Calhoun will take a transition appointment through next spring as a special assistant to the athletic director. When he is fully retired, Calhoun will become head coach emeritus.
Calhoun has been slowed by health problems in recent years including a fractured hip last month.
The Huskies won’t play in the NCAA tournament next year after being punished for failing to meet academic standards.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Baltimore 3 Tampa Bay 2, 14 Innings
L.A. Angels 6 Oakland 0
Toronto 8 Seattle 3
N-Y Yankees 2 Boston 0
Cleveland 5 Texas 4
Minnesota 4 Kansas City 3, 10 Innings
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Houston 6 Philadelphia 4
St. Louis 2 L.A. Dodgers 1
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Green Bay 23 Chicago 10