Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Justin Verlander #35 of the Detroit Tigers throws against the Baltimore Orioles during the second inning of the Tigers 4-0 win Sunday. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Tigers 4, Orioles 0
BALTIMORE — Justin Verlander returned to form after his uncharacteristic start in the All-Star game, allowing three hits in eight innings Sunday to carry the Detroit Tigers over the Baltimore Orioles 4-0.
Verlander (10-5) struck out eight and walked two in his first appearance since yielding five runs in one inning for the AL in an 8-0 loss Tuesday night. The reigning Cy Young Award winner retired 16 of the last 17 batters he faced before leaving after 117 pitches.
It was his 117th win for Detroit, tied with Denny McLain for 13th on the team career list. The right-hander is 7-0 in 10 lifetime starts against the Orioles, including 5-0 at Camden Yards.
Jose Valverde worked the ninth to complete the four-hitter. Austin Jackson and Miguel Cabrera homered for the Tigers.
Miguel Gonzalez (1-1) took the loss for Baltimore.
White Sox 2, Royals 1
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Chris Sale won his eighth straight decision, Adam Dunn homered in his third straight game and the Chicago White Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 2-1 Sunday.
Sale (11-2) is 8-0 with two no-decisions since a May 12 loss to the Royals.
He allowed one run and scattered a season-high 10 hits eight innings to lower his earned run average to 2.11, which ranks second on the American League. He struck out four and walked none.
Dunn, who leads the league with 28 home runs, drilled a 2-0 pitch from Luis Mendoza (3-6) just inside the right-field pole in the first inning. Dunn has 65 hits overall this season, meaning 43 percent of them have been home runs.
Addison Reed, who blew a save Friday, worked a scoreless ninth for his 14th save in 16 opportunities.
Rays 7, Red Sox 3
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Josh Beckett overcame early struggles to pitch six effective innings, Will Middlebrooks drove in a pair during a tiebreaking three-run fifth, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-3 on Sunday.
Beckett (5-7) allowed three runs — all in the first — and eight hits. The right-hander, 5-0 over his past eight games against Tampa Bay, struck out seven and walked two in stopping a personal six-start winless streak.
Boston went ahead 6-3 during the fifth when Daniel Nava homered and Middlebrooks had a two-run single off James Shields (8-6), who has allowed double-digits hits in four consecutive starts. Boston closer Alfredo Aceves, in a non-save situation, loaded the bases on three walks in the ninth, but retired Hideki Matsui on a high fly to right to end it.
Angels 10, Yankees 8
NEW YORK — Kevin Jepsen got Alex Rodriguez to pop out with the bases loaded in the ninth inning and the Los Angeles Angels took advantage of New York's baserunning follies Sunday to beat the Yankees 10-8.
Mark Teixeira hit a two-run homer in the ninth off Ernesto Frieri to make it 10-7, the first runs off the closer since he joined the Angels on May 3 — a span of 26 1-3 innings.
After a walk to Nick Swisher, Scott Downs relieved with a 1-0 count to Raul Ibanez. Ibanez knocked the glove off Downs and reached for an infield single. Andruw Jones struck out, Russell Martin had a fielder's choice and Derek Jeter walked to load the bases.
Downs then walked Curtis Granderson to make it 10-8 before Jepsen came on and retired Rodriguez.
Athletics 9, Twins 4
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Yoenis Cespedes had his first career four-hit game, including a homer and three RBIs, and the Oakland Athletics beat the Minnesota Twins 9-4 on Sunday to complete a three-game series sweep.
Jonny Gomes, Chris Carter and Seth Smith also homered for the A's, who have won nine of 11 to climb back into the wild-card conversation in the American League. Jarrod Parker (6-4) gave up four runs and nine hits in six innings.
Brian Duensing (1-6) gave the Twins another dreadful start, lasting just two innings and getting tagged for six runs and seven hits. Gomes finished with three hits and two RBIs.
Blue Jays 3, Indians 0
TORONTO — Carlos Villanueva struck out a career-best eight in six scoreless innings, Jose Bautista had two hits and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Cleveland Indians 3-0 Sunday afternoon.
Making his third start of the season after working in relief for much of the year, Villanueva allowed just three hits and walked five as the Blue Jays won their first series since taking two of three at Miami from June 22-24.
Villanueva (3-0) issued back-to-back walks to Carlos Santana and Michael Brantley in the sixth, then ended his outing by fanning Casey Kotchman. That was one of four innings the right-hander ended with a strikeout.
Jason Frasor worked the seventh and Darren Oliver pitched the final two innings for his first save as the Blue Jays wrapped up their seventh shutout of the season.
Rangers 4, Mariners 0
SEATTLE — Matt Harrison tossed a five-hitter for his 12th victory, Adrian Beltre had three hits and two RBIs, and the Texas Rangers beat the Seattle Mariners 4-0 on Sunday afternoon.
Harrison's 12th win kept him even with Tampa Bay's David Price for the most in the American League and continued his streak against the Mariners. Harrison (12-4) has won eight straight starts against Seattle and is 5-0 all-time at Safeco Field. The eight straight wins over one team is the third longest streak in Rangers' history. Charlie Hough won 13 straight against Cleveland and nine straight against Minnesota.
It was the fourth complete-game shutout for Harrison and second this season, also tossing a five-hitter against San Francisco last month. And he did it mostly without the strikeout. Harrison fanned three, tied for his season-low.
