AL roundup: Possible trade prize looks solid

TORONTO — Roy Halladay pitched a six-hitter to win for the first time since June 7 and Rod Barajas drove in three runs, leading the Toronto Blue Jays past the Boston Red Sox 3-1 on Sunday.

Halladay (11-3) could be the biggest prize available before the July 31 trade deadline. Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi said this month he would field offers for the 2003 AL Cy Young Award winner, who is signed through 2010.

Pitching at home for the first time since Ricciardi's comments, Halladay turned in a vintage performance. He struck out six and walked none, lowering his ERA to 2.73. He retired his final 11 batters in his 44th career complete game and fourth this season.

Barajas put the Blue Jays in front with a two-out, two-run double in the second off left-hander Jon Lester (8-7).

YANKEES 2, TIGERS 1: At New York, Joba Chamberlain won for the first time in almost a month and New York got home runs from Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez in a victory over Detroit that completed a three-game sweep of the AL Central leaders.

Chamberlain (5-2) rebounded from two ineffective starts and New York edged punchless Detroit 2-1 for the second consecutive day. Chamberlain allowed three hits over 6 2/3 innings in his longest effort since he tossed eight innings in New York's 5-2 victory at Cleveland on June 1. He struck out eight and walked three as the Yankees pulled within one game of AL East-leading Boston.

It was the right-hander's first victory since June 24 at Atlanta. Mariano Rivera finished for his 26th save in 27 opportunities and third of the series. It was the first time since September that Rivera saved three games in three days.

Detroit's Edwin Jackson (7-5) yielded two runs and five hits in seven innings.

MARINERS 5, INDIANS 3: At Cleveland, Ichiro Suzuki had three hits, scored twice and made a game-saving catch to help Seattle beat Cleveland for a third straight game.

Suzuki went 3 for 4 with a walk, raising his average to .363.

With one runner on and two outs in the ninth, Victor Martinez's bid for a game-tying, two-run homer was caught by a leaping Suzuki at the right-field wall. The catch gave David Aardsma his 22nd save in 24 chances.

Shawn Kelley (2-1) struck out two in a scoreless inning for the win — Seattle's sixth in eight games.