Sizemore homers in return; A's beat Tigers

CLEVELAND (AP) - Grady Sizemore homered in his return for Cleveland after major knee surgery, and the Indians beat Baltimore 4-2 on Sunday for the Orioles' seventh straight loss.

Sizemore, Cleveland's hustling All-Star center fielder and leadoff man, hadn't played since last May, when he was forced to have microfracture surgery on his left knee.

He homered in his second at-bat off Brad Bergeson (0-2) and doubled in the fifth.

Carlos Santana and Travis Hafner also homered for the first-place Indians, who have won seven in a row at home and 11 of 13. Fausto Carmona (1-2) worked seven strong innings, allowing one earned run and five hits. Chris Perez pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his fifth save.

Brian Roberts went 3 for 4 for the Orioles, who have lost eight of 10.

Yankees 6, Rangers 5

NEW YORK (AP) - Eric Chavez, filling in for an ailing Alex Rodriguez, singled home the tiebreaking run in the eighth inning and the Yankees hit three homers off previously untouchable Alexi Ogando to beat the Rangers.

Robinson Cano, Russell Martin and Curtis Granderson all went deep to help the Yankees take two of three in an early rematch of last year's AL championship series, which Texas won in six games to capture its first pennant.

Adrian Beltre homered, doubled and drove in four runs for the Rangers, who have dropped four of five since opening the season 9-1. Missing injured AL MVP Josh Hamilton, they begin a 10-game homestand Monday night with a three-game series against the AL West rival Angels.

Red Sox 8, Blue Jays 1

BOSTON (AP) - Jacoby Ellsbury hit a three-run homer, Jarrod Saltalamacchia drove in three runs and Jon Lester pitched a solid six innings to carry the Red Sox.

The win gave Boston consecutive victories for the first time this season.

Lester (1-1) gave up one run, six hits and three walks while striking out five. He was pulled with two on and no out in the seventh after an error by shortstop Jed Lowrie. Daniel Bard relieved and Juan Rivera lined into a double play before Yunel Escobar struck out.

Jesse Litsch (1-1), making his third start since shoulder surgery last August, allowed six runs - four earned - on eight hits, while striking out five and walking one in six innings.

Twins 4, Rays 2

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Brian Duensing allowed two runs over seven innings, Matt Tolbert had an RBI triple and the Twins stopped a four-game losing streak.

Duensing (1-0) scattered seven hits, walked two and struck out five.

Jason Repko had an RBI single and Tolbert drove in a run with triple during a three-run fifth against Jeremy Hellickson (1-2) as Minnesota took a 4-2 lead.

After Glen Perkins worked out of a two-on, one-out jam in the eighth by getting a double-play grounder from Ben Zobrist, Matt Capps got the final three outs for his first save.

Angels 4, White Sox 2

CHICAGO (AP) - Dan Haren pitched into the seventh inning for his fourth win of the season, Maicer Izturis had three hits and the Angels completed a three-game sweep.

Haren (4-0) joined teammate Jered Weaver as the only four-game winners. The right-hander allowed two runs on seven hits over 6 1-3 innings, striking out six and not allowing a walk.

After initially struggling in the ninth, rookie closer Jordan Walden got Juan Pierre to pop out to left with the bases loaded for his third save in as many opportunities.

Mark Trumbo added a solo shot in the fourth inning off White Sox starter Mark Buehrle (1-1), as Chicago lost its fourth straight game.

Mariners 3, Royals 2

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Michael Pineda pitched six strong innings and Brendan Ryan had a two-run tiebreaking single as the Mariners snapped a four-game losing streak.

Pineda (2-1) limited the Royals to one run and three hits over six innings. He struck out five and walked four while lowering his earned-run average to 2.33.

Jamey Wright pitched two hitless innings, while walking two. Brandon League gave up a run in the ninth on Wilson Betemit's single but finished for his third save.

Jeff Francis (0-1) is still searching for his first victory with the Royals. He was charged with three runs on six hits, while walking none and striking out one in 6 1-3 innings.

Athletics 5, Tigers 1

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Trevor Cahill pitched eight solid innings, Josh Willingham broke out of a slump with a two-run single in the fifth and Oakland on its second straight at home.

Mark Ellis doubled twice and Daric Barton walked twice and scored both times for the A's.

Cahill (2-0) looked nothing like the pitcher who struggled against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday, a day after signing a new $30.5 million, five-year extension with the A's. He had at least one strikeout in each of the first four innings and kept Detroit off balance.

Brad Penny (0-2) gave up five runs in five-plus innings and took the loss for Detroit. The Tigers had 25 hits in the series, 10 in one game.