NEW YORK — Masahiro pitched seven outstanding innings and the New York Yankees averted a four-game sweep with a 5-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays Sunday. First baseman Dustin Tanaka Ackley was put in the lineup because of a .364 average off R.A. Dickey and the move paid off. Ackley lifted a sacrifice fly for New York's first run and hit a two-run home run into the right field seats with two outs in the fourth. Twins 7, White Sox 0: Minnesota hit Chicago White Sox ace Chris Sale for six early runs for his shortest stint in five months on the way to victory. The Twins took two of three from the White Sox and beat Sale for the fourth time this season to remain in the hunt for an American League wild card berth. Red Sox 2, Rays 0 (13 innings): It took 13 innings and 32 combined strikeouts by the two pitching staffs but the bats finally woke up as Rusney Castillo delivered a bases-loaded single to score the game's only runs in a Boston victory over Tampa Bay. Dustin Pedroia started the rally with a one-out single, followed by singles from Xander Bogaerts and Travis Shaw that loaded the bases. Facing Tampa Bay reliever Andrew Bellatti, the Rays seventh pitcher, Castillo ripped an offering to left field to score Pedroia and Bogaerts. Indians 7, Tigers 2 (first game): The Indians won the opener of a doubleheader as rookie Cody Anderson (4-3) outpitched veteran Justin Verlander (3-8). Chris Johnson had three hits and two RBIs, and shortstop Francisco Lindor added two hits and two RBIs for Cleveland. Tigers 9, Indians 2 (second game): J.D. Martinez had three hits and three RBIs, and Detroit got strong work from its bullpen to beat Cleveland in the second game. Martinez had a two-run single in the third inning and an RBI double in the sixth as the Tigers pounded six Cleveland pitchers for 15 hits. In other games it was: Astros 5, Angels 3; Rangers 12, Athletics 4; Orioles 8, Royals 2. National League Nationals 5, Marlins 0: Max Scherzer tossed eight scoreless innings and Matt den Dekker homered after he replaced injured star Bryce Harper to help Washington beat Miami. Anthony Rendon had three hits and drove in a run while Jayson Werth, Ian Desmond, and Wilson Ramos also had RBIs to help the Nationals end a five-game losing streak. Harper left the game in the first inning after colliding with Marlins second baseman Derek Dietrich when trying to run to third on a ground ball hit by Werth to shortstop Miguel Rojas. Cardinals 9, Reds 2: Matt Adams and Tommy Pham each hit two-run homers and Michael Wacha pitched six solid innings as first-place St Louis avoided a four-game series sweep with a victory over Cincinnati at Great American Ball Park. Pham and Adams were among six Cardinals who collected RBIs in keeping with the team concept that has worked for them all season. Elsewhere it was: Pirates 7, Brewers 6 (l1 innings); Phillies 7, Cubs 4; Mets 10, Braves 7 (10 innings); Dodgers 4, Diamondbacks 3; Giants 10, Padres 3. Inter-League Rockies 3, Mariners 2: Colorado took advantage of a Seattle throwing error, and got an incredible defensive play of its own in the eighth, on the way to a victory. Kyle Seager was responsible for Colorado's final two runs when he made a fourth-inning throwing error that put the Rockies ahead 3-0. — Reuters
