Justin Verlander allowed one run in 7 2-3 innings to become baseball's first 18-game winner, and the Detroit Tigers breezed to a 7-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins Tuesday. Verlander (18-5) labored through a 29-pitch first inning but settled down after that, allowing seven hits in another impressive outing. He struck out eight to surpass 200 on the year, walked one and lowered his ERA to 2.31. Miguel Cabrera drove in three runs for the Tigers, and Ramon Santiago hit his third home run, a solo shot in the sixth. Nick Blackburn (7-10) allowed five runs and 11 hits in 4 2-3 innings. Red Sox 3, Rays 1 and Rays 6, Red Sox 2, 2nd game: Rookie Desmond Jennings hit his fifth home run of the season and Jeff Niemann struck out 10 as the Tampa Bay Rays salvaged a split of a doubleheader with a second game victory over Boston. The Red Sox opened the day with a win, but couldn't overcome two unearned runs in the second inning of the nightcap. Boston also couldn't capitalize on its first triple play since 1994. Yankees 9, Royals 7: Robinson Cano hit a three-run homer into the Kauffman Stadium fountains, Russell Martin and Derek Jeter each drove in a pair and the New York Yankees beat the Kansas City Royals to give Ivan Nova his eighth consecutive victory. In other games it was: Oakland 8, Baltimore 4; Texas 7, L.A. Angels 3; Toronto 13, Seattle 7 Bogusevic lifts Astros Pinch hitter Brian Bogusevic hit a grand slam in the ninth inning to propel the Houston Astros to 6-5 win over the Chicago Cubs Tuesday night and break a season-long seven game losing streak. J.B. Shuck singled with one out in the ninth off closer Carlos Marmol (2-4) before advancing to second on a wild pitch. Clint Barmes singled and Matt Downs drew a walk to load the bases and bring up Bogusevic. Houston reliever Aneury Rodriguez (1-4) struck out one in 2/3 innings for the win. Kerry Wood pitched a scoreless eighth before Marmol blew his eighth save. Elsewhere it was: D'backs 3, Phillies 2; Nationals 6, Cincinnati 4; Braves 2, Giants 1; Brewers 2, Dodgers 1; Pirates 5, Cardinals 4.
