Bay unloads on Wood, as Sox stretch win streak to 11

CLEVELAND " Jason Bay hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning off Cleveland's Kerry Wood to give the Boston Red Sox their 11th straight win, 3-1 on Monday night.

Bay fell behind 0-1 before pulling a 99-mph fastball from Wood (0-1) into the left-field seats as Boston extended its longest winning streak since 2006.

Bay's third hit sent the Red Sox to another drama-filled win. They were coming off an emotional three-game sweep at Fenway Park over the rival New York Yankees, a series that began with Bay connecting for a two-run, two-out homer in the ninth off Mariano Rivera.

In his last four games, Bay has nine hits with two homers and nine RBIs.

Tigers 4, Yankees 2

DETROIT " Justin Verlander had a season-high nine strikeouts and Magglio Ordonez hit a two-run homer off CC Sabathia to lead the Tigers over the Yankees.

The Central Division-leading Tigers have won three straight, matching a season high.

New York has lost a season-high four in a row, equaling the most consecutive losses it had last season.

Verlander (1-2) pitched seven-plus scoreless innings, allowing seven hits and no walks and resembled the rising star he was in his first two seasons, not the pitcher who struggled last year and in his first four starts this season.

Sabathia (1-2) gave up four runs on six hits in another lackluster performance.

Rangers 6, Orioles 4

BALTIMORE " Michael Young homered, David Murphy broke a tie with a two-run single in the sixth inning and the Rangers rallied to beat the Orioles.

Matt Harrison (1-2) gave up four runs in the first two innings, then retired 16 straight batters before Robert Andino hit a two-out single in the seventh. The left-hander allowed seven hits in seven innings to earn his first win in four starts.

Texas trailed 4-0 after the second before coming back against starter Jeremy Guthrie and Matt Albers (0-1). The Rangers took three of four from the Orioles to hand Baltimore its first home series loss.

Royals 7, Blue Jays 1

KANSAS CITY, Mo. " Brian Bannister gave up one hit over seven innings and Jose Guillen hit two homers to lead the Royals over the Blue Jays.

The Blue Jays entered the game leading the majors in runs, batting average and slugging percentage, but Bannister limited them to Adam Lind's first-inning single. Bannister walked six, including five of the first 14 batters he faced.

Bannister (2-0) has allowed one run and five hits in 13 innings in winning his two starts since being recalled April 22 from Triple-A Omaha. He retired 13 of the last 14 Blue Jays he faced.

Guillen, who had his 12th multihomer game, homered in the first with Willie Bloomquist aboard, and led off the fifth with his second of the season.

Rays 7, Twins 1

MINNEAPOLIS " Jeff Niemann kept the Twins guessing into the sixth inning and Carlos Pena hit his majors-leading ninth home run, lifting the Rays to a victory.

Niemann (2-2) gave up just three hits and one run in 5 2-3 innings and the bullpen didn't allow a run the rest of the way for the defending AL champions, who are off to an identical start as last season (8-12) before they went on a stunning run to the World Series.

Joe Crede hit a solo home run in the sixth for the Twins, but that was all they could muster in their first look at the 6-foot-9 righty.