Birds win, inch closer to AL East lead…Beltre leads Rangers again

UNDATED (AP) – Nate McLouth provided a blast that allowed the Baltimore Orioles to inch a game closer to the New York Yankees in the American League East standings. The Birds also cut into Chicago’s lead in the AL Central while moving into a tie with Oakland for the top two wild-card berths.

McLouth had three RBIs, including a go-ahead, two-run homer in the eighth inning of the Orioles’ 4-3 comeback over the White Sox. Chicago was within five outs of a seventh straight win until McLouth went deep following a one-out walk by Brett Myers.

Lew Ford also homered and Bruce Chen worked six strong innings as the O’s trimmed the White Sox’s division lead to two games over Detroit.

Baltimore is within 3 1/2 games of the Yanks after getting a little help from the Blue Jays in the Bronx. Derek Lowe’s wild pick-off throw set up the go-ahead grounder in the 11th inning of Toronto’s 8-7 win over New York. Derek Jeter tied it with a solo homer in the bottom of the ninth, a half-inning after Colby Rasmus gave the Jays their first lead with a three-run blast off Rafael Soriano.

Tampa Bay remains four games behind the Yanks after 16-game winner David Price was tagged for six runs and 10 hits in four-plus innings of the Rays’ 6-5 loss at Texas. Reigning AL Player of the Week Adrian Beltre (BEHL’-tray) was 3-for-3 with a homer and four RBI’s, including the go-ahead single in the fifth inning.

Nelson Cruz also homered for the Rangers, who still lead the AL West by 5 1/2 games over Oakland.

Brett Anderson pitched two-hit ball over seven innings as the Athletics blanked the Indians 3-0 in Cleveland. Josh Reddick homered and made a terrific catch in right field to help the Athletics pick up their ninth victory in 11 games.

Also in the AL, Felix Hernandez has followed his perfect-game performance against Tampa Bay by tossing a five-hitter in Seattle’s 1-0 win at Minnesota. Liam Hendricks went the distance on a three-hitter but gave up an eighth-inning homer by Eric Thames (tihmz)

Daisuke Matsuzaka worked seven innings of Boston’s 5-1 victory over Kansas City. Cody Ross had three RBIs and Jacoby Ellsbury homered to support Matsuzaka, who allowed an unearned run and five hits in his first appearance since early July. Matsuzaka had been on the disabled list with a strained neck muscle.

Over to the National League, where Josh Beckett didn’t exactly have a stellar debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Pitching for the first time since being acquired from Boston on Saturday, Beckett gave up a homer to Tyler Colvin on his second pitch of the Dodgers’ 10-0 loss at Colorado. Beckett surrendered three runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings as the Dodgers fell 2 1/2 games behind the West-leading San Francisco Giants.

The Dodgers are also 2 1/2 games behind St. Louis for the final NL wild-card berth after the Cardinals topped the Pirates 4-3 in Pittsburgh. Matt Holliday broke a 2-2 tie with a leadoff homer in the sixth to help Kyle Lohse (lohsh) pick up his eighth straight win and improve to 13-2. Lohse worked five innings and was pulled following a 34-minute rain delay.

A.J. Burnett fell to 15-5, and the Pirates slid three games behind the Redbirds.

Cincinnati still enjoys a six-game cushion over St. Louis in the NL Central after pitcher Bronson Arroyo launched a solo homer to break a 2-2 tie in the Reds’ 3-2 victory at Arizona. Arroyo also allowed two runs and five hits in six innings.

Atlanta’s 3-0 loss at San Diego puts the Braves five games behind the East-leading Nationals. Yasmani Grandal hit a two-run homer and drove in all three runs to back Casey Kelly, who held the Braves to three hits in six innings to win his major league debut.

In other National League action, Ryan Braun, Aramis (ah-RAH’-mihs) Ramirez and Corey Hart hit consecutive homers to jumpstart a nine-run ninth in Milwaukee’s 15-4 laugher against the Chicago Cubs. Braun was 4-for-5 with five RBIS and three runs scored, and Ramirez added three hits and four ribbies.

Women’s defending champ wins

NEW YORK (AP) – Defending women’s champion Samantha Stosur (STOH’-sur), top seed Victoria Azarenka (as-ah-REHN’-kuh) and No. 3 Maria Sharapova were among Monday’s winners at the U.S. Open. So were three-time champion Kim Clijsters (KLY’-sturz) and men’s top seed Roger Federer.

The seventh-seed Stosur (STOH’-sur) needed just 51 minutes to beat Petra Martic of Croatia 6-1, 6-1 in the tournament’s first match at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Stosur stunned Serena Williams in last year’s final at Flushing Meadows with a straight-set win for her first Grand Slam title.

Azarenka had 20 winners while allowing only two in a 6-love, 6-1 win over Alexandra Panova. The current Australian Open champ has never reached the quarterfinals at Flushing Meadows.

Clijsters picked up her 22nd consecutive Open victory by downing 16-year-old qualifier Victoria Duval 6-3, 6-1. Clijsters has won the event each of the last three times she’s entered. She missed last year’s Open due to an injured stomach muscle.

Sharapova reached Round 2 with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Melinda Czink. The reigning French Open champ is seeking her fifth Grand Slam title.

Also reaching the second round are ninth seed Li Na (LEE’-nah), fifth seed Petra Kvitova (kuh-VIH’-toh-vah) and No. 11 Marion Bartoli.

Federer headed the list of first-round winners on the men’s side, improving to 62-7 in the tournament by trouncing Donald Young 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. Federer finished with seven aces and needed only 1 hour, 34 minutes to dispatch Young.

Olympic gold medalist and men’s third seed Andy Murray opened with a 6-2, 6-4, 6-1 win over Alex Blogomolov Jr.

No. 23 Mardy Fish advanced with a three-set match that included tiebreakers in the first two sets. James Blake also advanced, as did fellow unseeded Americans Jack Sock and Tim Smyczek. Sock moved on after 22nd seed Florian Mayer retired trailing 6-3, 6-2, 3-2.

Wallace still AWOL…cuts and PUPs

PITTSBURGH (AP) – Wide receiver Mike Wallace still hasn’t reported to Pittsburgh Steelers training camp despite reports he was expected to end his holdout on Monday. Wallace refused to accept the team’s one-year, $2.7 million tender before camp started, and the Steelers suspended negotiations with him on a long-term contract when he was a no-show at the start of camp. Wallace had 2,450 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns the past two seasons.

UNDATED (AP) – Several prominent NFL players were either released or placed on the physically unable to perform list as teams tried to get to the 75-man roster limit by Monday’s deadline.

Among those cut were Buffalo quarterback Vince Young, Carolina kicker Olindo Mare (oh-LIHN’-doh MAHR’-ay), Washington kicker Neil Rackers, San Diego receiver and kick returner Roscoe Parrish and Denver long snapper Lonie Paxton. The Patriots released a pair of veteran wide receivers: Jabar Gaffney and Donte Stallworth.

Baltimore linebacker and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Terrell Suggs has landed on the PUP list, as have Detroit running back Jahvid (JAH’-vihd) Best, Giants defensive tackle Chris Canty and Washington right tackle Jammal Brown, which means they will miss at least the first six weeks of the season.

Jets send Hunter to Rams for Smith

NEW YORK (AP) – The Jets and Rams have swapped disappointing right tackles, with St. Louis receiving Wayne Hunter for Jason Smith. Hunter’s agent says the trade is pending physicals.

Both players had lost their starting spots in preseason.

Saints change plans as Isaac approaches

METAIRIE, La. (AP) – The New Orleans Saints have changed their practice and travel plans, heading for Cincinnati as Tropical Storm Isaac headed for the Gulf Coast.

Interim coach Joe Vitt called off practice and meetings so players could evacuate their families. The Saints also contacted the Cincinnati Bengals and got approval to practice at Paul Brown Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.

The Saints are scheduled to play their final preseason game Thursday in Tennessee.

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Boston 5, Kansas City 1
Baltimore 4, Chicago White Sox 3
Oakland 3, Cleveland 0
Toronto 8, N.Y. Yankees 7, 11 innings
Texas 6, Tampa Bay 5
Seattle 1, Minnesota 0

NATIONAL LEAGUE
St. Louis 4, Pittsburgh 3
Milwaukee 15, Chicago Cubs 4
Colorado 10, L.A. Dodgers 0
Cincinnati 3, Arizona 2
San Diego 3, Atlanta 0