Alex Rodriguez became the first player with 35 homers and 100 RBIs in 12 seasons - one more than Babe Ruth - and the New York Yankees slowed the Chicago White Sox's pursuit of the American League Central title with a 5-1 victory Wednesday.

Johnny Damon hit a two-run homer, Robinson Cano had three hits and Xavier Nady had a tying RBI single in the seventh inning.

Jermaine Dye had an RBI groundout off Phil Hughes, who was making his first start since April 29. That was all the White Sox could muster against Hughes and four relievers, who threw five shutout innings. The White Sox entered the night with a 2 1/2 game lead over Minnesota.

Hughes' return to the mound was cut short after just four innings. The 22-year-old right-hander gave up a run and four hits. Brian Bruney (3-0) came on with a runner on second in the seventh and got three straight outs. Joba Chamberlain worked the eighth before Edwar Ramirez got the final three outs.

Rays 10, Red Sox 3

At St. Petersburg, Florida, Willy Aybar, Gabe Gross and Fernando Perez homered off Tim Wakefield and AL East-leading Tampa Bay beat Boston to move closer to its first playoff berth.

Matt Garza gave up two long home runs to David Ortiz, but the Rays otherwise held the Red Sox in check to extend their division lead over them to two games.

Tampa Bay can clinch at least a wild-card playoff berth by beating Minnesota twice during a four-game series that begins Thursday at Tropicana Field.

Aybar, who was 3-for-5 with three RBIs, hit a two-run homer off Wakefield (9-11) in the first inning. Aybar drove in the last of the six runs charged to the knuckleballer with a third-inning single off Devern Hansack.

Athletics 3, Angels 2

At Oakland, California, the AL West champion Los Angeles Angels made two throwing errors in the ninth inning, the second by closer Francisco Rodriguez that allowed Daric Barton and Jack Hannahan to score in Oakland's win.

Barton singled to start the rally and reached second when fill-in center fielder Gary Matthews Jr. threw wildly back to the infield. Hannahan followed with a four-pitch walk.

Cliff Pennington squared to bunt, then hit a high chopper for an infield single that Rodriguez (2-3) fielded cleanly. But the record-setting reliever made a wild throw past first, and both runners scored easily.

Indians 6, Twins 4

At Cleveland, Cliff Lee was denied his 23rd win and finished with a no-decision against Minnesota - the only AL team to beat him - and Cleveland completed a three-game sweep of the Twins, another gnawing loss for the Central's second-place team.

Jhonny Peralta and Victor Martinez hit RBI doubles in the seventh inning off Matt Guerrier as the Indians prevented the Twins from gaining ground on Chicago.

Lee took a 4-2 lead into the seventh and was poised to improve his record to 23-2 - only the second pitcher to own that record in 108 years - when the Twins tied it.

Alexi Casilla reached on third baseman Jamey Carroll's error and Joe Mauer doubled. Casilla scored on Justin Morneau's groundout, and Lee got two strikes on Delmon Young before the outfielder grounded an outside pitch to right to even it at 4-all. Edward Mujica (2-2) finished the seventh for the Indians.

Blue Jays 8, Orioles 7

At Toronto, Travis Snider drove in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning and Toronto rallied to beat Baltimore.

Scott Rolen led off the eighth with a double against Kam Mickolio (0-1) and advanced on Curtis Thigpen's sacrifice. Snider followed with a flyball to left to give Toronto an 8-7 lead.

Alex Rios hit his 15th homer and had three RBIs for the Blue Jays, who finished with 14 hits. Rolen went 3-for-4 with two doubles and a triple, scored twice and drove in a run.

Royals 5, Mariners 2

At Kansas City, Missouri, Jose Guillen hit a key two-run single after being ill the night before, helping Kansas City down Seattle for its sixth straight win.

Kansas City struggled against Seattle starter Ryan Rowland-Smith, staying close in a tight game on Ryan Shealy's fourth homer in five games. Guillen, a late scratch the night before, came up with the big hit in the seventh, lining a two-run single off Miguel Batista after the Royals had loaded the bases against Roy Corcoran (5-2).

Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki was 3-for-3 to reach 200 hits for the eighth consecutive season, matching Willie Keeler's major league record.

The Mariners (57-94) lost their seventh straight, moving a step closer to their first 100-loss season since 1983.

Tigers 17, Rangers 4

At Arlington, Texas, Freddy Garcia pitched five innings to win in his first game since June 2007 and Detroit scored nine runs in the fifth inning to beat Texas and snap a six-game losing streak.

Garcia (1-0) allowed an unearned run and two hits. He signed a minor league contract last month, more than a year after his season ended for Philadelphia because of an injured shoulder.

The 33-year-old righty struck out three, walked one and threw only 59 pitches. The two-time All-Star went 17-9 for the Chicago White Sox in 2006, but was 1-5 with a 5.90 ERA in 11 starts year for the Phillies.

Miguel Cabrera was 4-for-5 and hit a three-run homer - his 34th - and Dusty Ryan also had four hits as the Tigers avoided tying their longest losing streak of the season.

Sapa-AP

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