ANAHEIM, Calif.—Pinch hitter Erick Aybar hit a bases-clearing triple to highlight a four-run seventh, and the Angels rallied for a 4-2 victory over the defending World Series champion Boston Red Sox on Saturday.

Los Angeles pinch hitters were just 6-for-38 with five RBIs this season before Aybar’s clutch hit.

The Angels, going for their fourth AL West title in five years, won their fourth straight game including an 11-3 triumph over the Red Sox on Friday night to move a season-high 21 games over .500 and extend their division lead over Oakland to eight games.

The Angels have won a big league-leading 59 games, including four of five against the Red Sox, who swept them in the first round of the playoffs on their way to World Series championships in 2004 and again last year. Boston has won nine the last nine postseason games between the teams.



Twins 14, Rangers 2

MINNEAPOLIS—Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau each went deep and drove in eight runs between them, as Minnesota heaped four home runs on their usual small-ball approach to beat Texas.

Lost in the shuffle of a 16-hit barrage by the home team was another win for Livan Hernandez (10-6), who was flawless for seven innings and matched his season low of five hits allowed. Minnesota is 14-7 when he starts, despite an ERA he reduced to 5.29.

Delmon Young hit a solo shot, too, to start a six-run sixth inning that ruined Rangers starter Matt Harrison’s already-deteriorating night. Right after Mauer’s two-run double against reliever Dustin Nippert, Morneau — the reigning All-Star Home Run Derby champ — crushed a 1-1 pitch into the seat stacks above right field for his 15th homer and a 12-2 advantage for the surging Twins.



Rays 6, Blue Jays 4

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.—Rookie All-Star Evan Longoria hit his first career grand slam during a five-run sixth and Matt Garza threw 7 2-3 scoreless innings to help AL East-leading Tampa Bay past the Toronto.

Longoria has struggled recently, going 3-for-23 with no RBIs in his previous seven games. He broke out the slide in a big way with the bases-clearing drive off Toronto ace Roy Halladay (11-7) to put the Rays ahead 5-0.

Garza (8-5) allowed two hits — coming on singles in the third by Scott Rolen and Marco Scutaro during the seventh — and struck out six. The right-hander was coming off a start on July 12 when he gave up seven runs and 11 hits in five innings of an 8-4 loss at Cleveland.



Yankees 4, Athletics 3, 12 innings

NEW YORK—Jose Molina was hit by Lenny DiNardo’s pitch with the bases loaded in the 12th inning, and the Yankees outlasted the Athletics.

Robinson Cano had four hits and David Robertson earned his first major league win as New York pulled out a tight game that lasted 4 hours, 45 minutes in 93-degree heat.

The Yankees, who stranded a whopping 21 runners, were down to their final out in the ninth when Cano doubled off Huston Street. Wilson Betemit tied it with an opposite-field single to left-center on an 0-2 pitch, handing Street his fifth blown save in 22 chances.



Mariners 9, Indians 6

SEATTLE—One-time Seattle prospect Shin-Soo Choo homered and doubled in his first two at-bats, Jeremy Sowers picked up his first win of the season and the Indians beat the Mariners to snap a 10-game road losing streak.

The Indians last road win came June 21 against the Dodgers when CC Sabathia was still Cleveland’s ace and even added a homer that day. The 10-game skid was Cleveland’s longest road slump since 1991 when the Indians dropped 12 straight away from home.



Royals 9, White Sox 1

CHICAGO—Gil Meche and three relievers combined on a two-hitter while John Buck and Billy Butler homered to help Kansas City beat Chicago.

One night after the White Sox had seven hits in the first inning against Zack Greinke, Meche (7-9) shut down the AL Central leaders, allowing the two hits and a run in 6 1-3 strong innings.

Ron Mahay, Ramon Ramirez and Horacio Ramirez completed the two-hitter as Chicago’s lead was chopped to a half-game after the fast-charging Twins beat the Rangers 14-2 Saturday night.