Thursday's American League Capsules

Aug 29, 2008 - 5:32 AM By PA SportsTicker

TAMPA BAY 3, TORONTO 2 ----------------------

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- Edwin Jackson won for the sixth time in his last seven starts and Cliff Floyd and Willy Aybar each homered as the Tampa Bay Rays edged the Toronto Blue Jays, 3-2.

The Rays won two of the three games with the Blue Jays, improving to 11-0-1 in series since the All-Star break.

The win helped Tampa Bay (81-51) open a 4 1/2-game lead atop the American League East over the Boston Red Sox (77-56), who lost earlier in the day at the New York Yankees. Tampa Bay also owns the best record in the AL.

Jackson (11-8) allowed one run and six hits in seven innings. He walked two and struck out two.

Since surrendering a season-high six runs on July 20 against Toronto, Jackson has yielded more than two runs only once in his past seven starts, lowering his ERA from 4.25 to 3.81.

After three relievers combined for three outs in the eighth, Dan Wheeler worked the ninth for his second save in as many nights and 10th of the season.

Floyd plated a run in the first inning with a sacrifice fly and belted a solo homer in the third. Aybar added a solo shot in the sixth, giving Tampa Bay a 3-0 lead.

The Blue Jays closed within one in the eighth on Adam Lind's RBI infield single and Rod Barajas' run-scoring double. However, Barajas was stranded when Grant Balfour struck out Jose Bautista to end the inning.

Jesse Litsch (9-8) allowed three runs and a season high-tying 10 hits in 6 2/3 innings. He had not yielded an earned run in two starts - 13 innings - since returning from the minors on August 14.

NY YANKEES 3, BOSTON 2 ----------------------

BRONX, New York (Ticker) -- Jason Giambi's bases-loaded single plated Brett Gardner with the winning run as the New York Yankees rallied for a 3-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox.

Giambi also belted a pinch-hit two-run homer for the Yankees, who avoided a devastating three-game series sweep at the hands of the rival Red Sox.

Xavier Nady led off the ninth with a single and was lifted for Gardner, who stole second with one out. Boston rookie Justin Masterson (4-4) issued an intentional walk to Hideki Matsui and also walked Ivan Rodriguez before being replaced by All-Star Jonathan Papelbon.

That set the stage for Giambi, who lined an 0-2 pitch into center field to drive in Gardner.

LA ANGELS 7, TEXAS 5 --------------------

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim plated five runs in the eighth inning to overcome a three-run deficit and earn a 7-5 win over the Texas Rangers.

Juan Rivera had the big hit in the inning, clubbing a three-run double into the right-center field gap to put the Angels on top, 5-2. Mike Napoli drew a bases-loaded walk to start the uprising and Reggie Willits capped it with an RBI single.

Anaheim sent 11 batters to the plate in the frame against Jamey Wright (6-6) and Warner Madrigal.

Francisco Rodriguez recorded the final three outs to nail down his major league-leading 51st save - six shy of tying the single-season record.

OAKLAND 3, MINNESOTA 2 ----------------------

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- Pinch hitter Kurt Suzuki belted a shot into the left-center field gap to score Ryan Sweeney from second base for the game-winning run in the ninth inning, lifting the Oakland Athletics to a 3-2 triumph over the Minnesota Twins.

With the game tied and runners on first and second with one out, Suzuki hammered a 3-1 offering from Jesse Crain (5-5) off the wall in left-center, allowing Sweeney to reach home easily from second base.

Daric Barton had an RBI single and Dana Eveland tossed seven effective frames for the Athletics, who have won back-to-back games for the first time since July 10-11.

Justin Morneau and Nick Punto each drove in a run for Minnesota, which has lost five of its last six contests.