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NEW YORK—Cliff Lee threw seven sharp innings Wednesday night to beat Chien-Ming Wang in a matchup of unbeaten starters, leading the Cleveland Indians to a 3-0 victory over the New York Yankees.

Lee became the first Indians pitcher to win his first six starts since Greg Swindell in 1988 and lowered his major league-best ERA to a microscopic 0.84. The left-hander has allowed just four earned runs in 44 2-3 innings after a rough 2007 that included a stint in the minors.

Wang (6-1) allowed three runs and five hits in seven innings for the Yankees, who dropped to 3-5 on their nine-game homestand. Hideki Matsui singled in the first inning to extend his hitting streak to 16 games, matching a career high.

New York fell to 27-8 in 35 career starts by Wang following a Yankees loss, ending an 11-game winning streak in those games. He fell to 22-7 in those starts.



Blue Jays 6, Rays 2

TORONTO—Shaun Marcum came within an out of a shutout, Scott Rolen hit a two-run homer and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Tampa Bay Rays 6-2 on Wednesday night.

Marcum (4-2) walked one and struck out nine, allowing two runs in 8 2-3. He won back-to-back starts for the first time this season and lowered his ERA to 2.59.

The right-hander got two quick outs in the ninth before Akinori Iwamura singled down the third-base line and Carl Crawford reached on an infield chopper. B.J. Upton followed with a two-run double to center, ending Marcum’s chance for his first career complete game.

Scott Downs came on and ended the game by striking out Carlos Pena. Pena has struck out eight times in his past nine at-bats.

Dioner Navarro got the first hit off Marcum, a leadoff single in the third, but was thrown out by Alex Rios trying to stretch his hit into a double.



Athletics 6, Orioles 5

OAKLAND, Calif.—Mark Ellis broke out of his offensive funk in a big way.

Ellis hit the game-ending home run of his career with two outs in the 10th inning, lifting the Oakland Athletics to a 6-5 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday for a three-game sweep and their fourth straight victory.

Ellis connected on a 1-0 pitch from loser Lance Cormier (0-1), a solo shot that hit the left-field foul pole and stayed fair. Ellis, batting seventh in Oakland’s order for the second straight day, was in an 0-for-17 funk—after career-worst 0-for-18 stretch earlier this season—before he singled with two outs in the sixth. The home run was his third this year.

Dallas Braden (1-0) pitched 2 1-3 innings for the victory, and the A’s sent Baltimore to its season-worst fifth straight defeat. Oakland moved to a season-best eight games over .500 at 22-14.