Red Sox 8, Rangers 1
At Arlington, Texas, Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell had an immediate impact in their return to the lineup for the AL wild card-leading Boston Red Sox.
Beckett struck out seven over five scoreless innings in his first start in nearly three weeks and Lowell came off the disabled list to go 3-for-5 with a homer and four RBIs, helping Boston beat Texas.
The Red Sox won their fourth straight game to move within 2 1/2 games of AL East-leading Tampa Bay, a 6-4 loser at Toronto. They remained 5 1/2 games ahead of Minnesota in the wild-card race.
Beckett (12-9), who hadn't pitched since Aug. 17 because of an inflamed right elbow, struck out four of the first eight batters he faced. The right-hander was on a limited pitch count, throwing 49 of his 80 pitches for strikes without walking a batter and allowing four singles.
Lowell, who was on the DL with a strained right oblique muscle, put the Red Sox ahead 1-0 in the second inning when he homered in his first at-bat since Aug. 12. The third baseman added a two-run single in the fourth and an RBI double in the ninth.
Kevin Millwood (9-8) allowed seven runs, six earned, and nine hits in six innings for Texas.
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White Sox 10, Angels 2
At Chicago, Juan Uribe homered twice, Paul Konerko added a solo shot and Mark Buehrle pitched six shutout innings for the White Sox.
Chicago didn't miss AL home run leader Carlos Quentin, who will undergo surgery Monday on a fractured right wrist and could be lost for the season.
And Uribe showed again he can help the White Sox at third base in the absence of Joe Crede, who is sidelined with a sore back. Manager Ozzie Guillen said before the game that he didn't expect Crede back during the regular season.
Buehrle (12-11) allowed only three hits to win for the fourth time in his last five decisions.
Dustin Moseley (1-4) gave up six hits and four runs in 1 1-3 innings for the White Sox.
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Athletics 11, Orioles 2
At Baltimore, Rajai Davis' grand slam was the only Oakland hit in an eight-run eighth inning, and the Athletics topped the six-run barrier for the first time in 41 games.
The victory ended Oakland's four-game skid and extended Baltimore's season-high losing streak to seven games.
The big eighth enabled Oakland to avoid tying a franchise record for consecutive games without scoring more than six runs. The Philadelphia Athletics went 41 straight games without scoring more than a half-dozen runs from Sept. 23, 1915, to May 20, 1916, and the 1916 A's matched the mark from June 29-Aug. 8.
Hours before the game, the Orioles announced that manager Dave Trembley would return in 2009.
Oakland starter Dallas Braden (5-3) allowed four hits and two runs, one earned, in five innings.
Chris Waters (2-2) gave up three runs and five hits in 5 1-3 innings for Baltimore.
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Twins 10, Tigers 2
At Minneapolis, Justin Morneau of New Westminster, B.C., hit a grand slam and Francisco Liriano threw seven-plus innings to help Minnesota end a three-game skid.
Delmon Young also homered and had an RBI double in the seventh to help the Twins score more runs than they did in their previous three games combined in Toronto.
It was the fourth career grand slam for the former AL MVP, and second this season. The shot gave Minnesota a five-run lead in the fifth inning.
Liriano (5-3) had a season-high nine strikeouts, and allowed two runs and five hits.
Armando Galarraga (12-5) lasted six innings for Detroit, walking a season-high six batters. He gave up six runs and three hits.
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Indians 9, Royals 3
At Kansas City, Mo., Victor Martinez reached base four times in his return to catching, helping Cleveland earn its 10th straight road win.
The Indians had been bringing Martinez along slowly after the two-time all-star catcher had elbow surgery on June 13. He was activated from the disabled list on Aug. 31 and had struggled at the plate, going 3-for-15 in five games.
Martinez went 2-for-3, walked twice and scored two runs. He also drove in a run.
Cleveland starter Anthony Reyes left after three innings due to a sore elbow and was replaced by Edward Mujica (2-1), who gave up four hits in two innings.
Brandon Duckworth (2-1) gave up five runs and five hits in four-plus innings for the Royals.
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Mariners 3, Yankees 1
At Seattle, Brandon Morrow's bid to become only the second pitcher in modern history to throw a no-hitter in his first major league start ended when pinch-hitter Wilson Betemit doubled with two outs in the eighth inning.
The 24-year-old righty, whose 100 previous big league outings were all in relief, blanked the Yankees until Betemit, batting for Jose Molina, lined a clean drive far over right-fielder Ichiro Suzuki. The hit scored Hideki Matsui, who had walked with one out on a close 3-2 pitch.
Bobo Holloman of the St. Louis Browns is the lone pitcher since 1900 to throw a no-hitter in his first big league start, doing it against the Philadelphia Athletics on May 6, 1953.
Morrow (2-2) left after Betemit's hit on his 106th pitch, and Justin Thomas retired Johnny Damon on a lineout to end the inning. J.J. Putz completed the two-hitter for his 11th save in 19 chances.
