AL roundup

MINNEAPOLIS — Placido Polanco drove in three runs, Detroit's bullpen pitched four shutout innings and the Tigers avoided a three-game sweep with a 6-2 win over the Minnesota Twins on Sunday to increase their AL Central lead to three games.

Ryan Raburn homered for slumping Detroit, which won for the second time in six games and fourth in 13.

Minnesota, which had won six straight, got two hits from Joe Mauer, who increased his batting average to a major league-best .374.

The teams meet again for four games at Comerica Park beginning Sept. 28. It will wrap up a 10-game road trip for Minnesota, and begin a seven-game, final-week homestand for the Tigers, who have three games each in Cleveland and Chicago before going home.

In his fourth start after missing two months following elbow surgery, Tigers left-hander Nate Robertson (2-2) went deep in the count against many hitters but allowed just two earned runs in five innings.

Zach Miner, Bobby Seay and Fernando Rodney combined to allow two singles in four scoreless innings of relief for Detroit.

Minnesota's Scott Baker (13-9) took the loss.

MARINERS 7, YANKEES 1: At Seattle, Ken Griffey Jr. homered and drove in four runs, putting the New York Yankees' playoff party on hold by leading the Mariners to a victory.

The loss prevented New York from clinching a spot in the postseason. The Yankees can secure their 14th playoff berth in 15 years with a victory at the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night or a Texas loss at Oakland.

The 39-year-old Griffey lined an RBI double in the first inning, then cracked a three-run homer in the second off starter Joba Chamberlain.

RED SOX 9, ORIOLES 3: At Baltimore, Jason Bay and Jacoby Ellsbury both homered and drove in three runs to lead Daisuke Matsuzaka and the Red Sox past the Orioles.

Bay's 35th homer tied a career high, and the three RBIs gave him a career-best 110. The slugger sat out Saturday's game with flu-like symptoms after leaving Friday's game early for the same reason.

The Red Sox outscored Baltimore 23-9 in a three-game sweep. Boston won the season series 16-2, including the final eight games.

The victory, combined with the Texas Rangers' loss to Los Angeles, reduced Boston's magic number to win the AL wild card to seven. The Red Sox have an eight-game lead over the Rangers.