A-Rod, Pettitte lead Yanks' win

NEW YORK — Alex Rodriguez hit a tiebreaking homer, Andy Pettitte pitched seven strong innings and New York beat Seattle 4-2 on Wednesday night for its seventh straight victory.

Johnny Damon and Melky Cabrera also went deep for the Yankees, who overcame Ken Griffey Jr.'s 621st home run to win their 10th straight home game against Seattle since Sept. 4, 2007.

Mariano Rivera saved his third consecutive game, increasing his career total to 502 and getting his 20th in 21 chances this season.

WHITE SOX 6, INDIANS 2: At Cleveland, Jose Contreras got a rare road win, pitching eight superb innings as Chicago won its fifth straight.

Contreras (3-7) improved to 3-2 with a 2.17 ERA since being recalled from Triple-A Charlotte after a monthlong demotion. The right-hander, who was 1-6 in his previous 10 road starts, allowed two runs and five hits with eight strikeouts and a walked.

Cleveland has dropped five straight and 13 of 15.

RED SOX 6, ORIOLES 5: At Baltimore, Boston used a four-run ninth inning to pull even, Julio Lugo singled in the tiebreaking run in the 11th and Jonathan Papelbon became the franchise's career saves leader.

Papelbon got three outs in the 11th for his 20th save this season and 133rd with the Red Sox, breaking the team record held by Bob Stanley. Less than 24 hours earlier, Papelbon yielded the key hit in the eighth inning of a game in which Boston blew a 10-1 lead before losing 11-10.

BLUE JAYS 5, RAYS 0: At Toronto, Ricky Romero pitched four-hit ball over eighth innings, Rod Barajas, Adam Lind and Scott Rolen each homered and the Blue Jays ended Tampa Bay's seven-game winning streak.

Romero (6-3) matched the longest outing of his career in winning his third straight start. He walked four, struck out seven and lowered his ERA to 2.85. Romero allowed just two hits through the first six innings.

TWINS 5, ROYALS 1: At Kansas City, Mo., Joe Mauer went 3 for 3, raising his average to .392 and backing pitcher Glen Perkins in Minnesota's victory over the Royals.

After walking in the first inning, Mauer stroked three consecutive singles, driving in one run and scoring another as the Twins completed a 6-3 trip that began in Milwaukee and St. Louis. He was walked intentionally in the eighth.

ATHLETICS 5, TIGERS 1: At Oakland, Calif., Jason Giambi and Jack Cust broke out of funks with two-run homers, Dallas Braden ended a four-start winless stretch and the Athletics beat Detroit.

RANGERS 9, ANGELS 7: At Arlington, Texas, Hank Blalock's second homer of the game, a two-run shot with two outs in the ninth inning, gave Texas a 9-7 victory over Los Angeles on and moved the Rangers within one-half game of the Angels in the AL West.

Juan Rivera's three-run homer with two outs in the top of the ninth off Frank Francisco (2-1) tied the game at 7-all as the Angels erased a six-run deficit.

Texas improved to 5-1 against Los Angeles this season. The teams meet again for a three-game set next week in Los Angeles.