MINNEAPOLIS—Glen Perkins pitched six scoreless innings for his first major league win and the Minnesota Twins beat the Texas Rangers 11-4 on Tuesday night.

The Rangers lost their third in a row after Minnesota roughed up Texas starter Doug Mathis (1-1) for nine runs in 2 1-3 innings. Mathis made his first major league start since the Rangers purchased his contract from Triple-A Oklahoma on May 11 to replace the injured Kevin Millwood.

Alexi Casilla, Mike Lamb, and Delmon Young each had two RBIs.

A night after outlasting the Rangers in 12 innings, the Twins took control of the game early, scoring nine runs by the third inning.

Minnesota jumped on Mathis scoring two runs in the first. Carlos Gomez led off with a triple, Casilla drove him in with a single and Joe Mauer followed with a double.

The Twins put the game away in the third when they scored seven runs, sending 12 batters to the plate.

Perkins (1-1) gave up six hits and three runs in 6 1-3 innings.

The Rangers finally got through to Perkins when they loaded the bases in the seventh. With one out, Jarrod Saltalamacchia and German Duran hit back-to-back RBI singles to chase Perkins. Ian Kinsler singled in another run before Brian Bass struck out Michael Young and induced Josh Hamilton into a ground out to end the inning.

Minnesota made it 11-3 in the seventh when Young’s RBI triple scored Jason Kubel, and Lamb followed with a sacrifice fly.

Texas added a final run with two outs in the ninth when Hamilton’s infield single scored Kinsler.



Orioles 12, Yankees 2

NEW YORK—Just when the slumping New York Yankees got Alex Rodriguez back, Derek Jeter went down with an injury that nearly led to a brawl with Baltimore.

Adam Jones hit a three-run double during Baltimore’s seven-run first inning against Mike Mussina (6-4), and the Orioles routed New York 12-2 Tuesday night in a testy game that included a late homer by A-Rod in his return from the disabled list.

The Orioles took advantage of a two-out throwing error by Jeter in the first to build a big cushion for Daniel Cabrera (5-1), who handed the Yankees (20-25) their fourth straight loss and sixth in seven games.



Angels 3, Blue Jays 1

TORONTO—John Lackey won for the first time since Sept. 28, pitching seven strong innings to help the Angels get a rare victory in Toronto.

Making his second start of the year after returning from a strained triceps, Lackey (1-0) gave up a leadoff homer to Toronto’s Brad Wilkerson in the first, then blanked the Blue Jays the rest of the way.

Francisco Rodriguez loaded the bases with three straight walks in the ninth, but held on to record his major-league leading 18th save.

The Angels loaded the bases in the first and second against Toronto right-hander Dustin McGowan (2-4), but the only run came when Garret Anderson grounded into a double play in the first.

Tigers 12, Mariners 8

DETROIT—Justin Verlander struck out a season-high seven and Edgar Renteria hit one of Detroit’s four homers and matched a career high with five RBIs in the Tigers’ victory over Seattle.

Verlander (2-7) gave up one run, four hits and walked one over six innings, earning his first win in nearly a month.

Curtis Granderson, Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Guillen also homered for the Tigers, who had lost six of seven.

Carlos Silva (3-3) allowed nine hits and seven runs over four innings and hasn’t won in his last six starts after beginning the season 3-0.



Red Sox 2, Royals 1

BOSTON—Rookie Justin Masterson pitched 6 1-3 strong innings one day after Jon Lester’s no-hitter against Kansas City and the Red Sox silenced the Royals bats again.

The 23-year-old Masterson (1-0) allowed one run on three hits in his second major league start. Jonathan Papelbon ended a bases-loaded threat in the eighth by striking out Billy Butler and pitched a perfect ninth—with two more strikeouts—for his 13th save in 15 opportunities.

Gil Meche (3-6) allowed two runs on five hits with seven strikeouts in seven innings and retired 16 of his last 18 batters after Boston took a 2-0 lead in the second.



White Sox 4, Indians 1

CHICAGO—Jose Contreras outpitched C.C. Sabathia, and Jim Thome and Carlos Quentin hit solo homers to lift the White Sox to a victory over Cleveland and their season-high sixth straight win.

It’s the White Sox’s longest streak since they won nine in a row from June 15-24, 2006.

Quentin went deep in the first, hitting his American League-leading 12th homer and his second in as many games. Thome connected on the first pitch of the second inning, and Contreras (5-3) kept the American League’s weakest offense in check while leading AL Central leader Chicago to its ninth win in 12 games.

Sabathia (3-6) was a tough-luck loser after winning his previous two starts.