AL roundup: Garza, Rays blank Red Sox

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) " Tampa Bay's Matt Garza took a perfect game into the seventh inning and Evan Longoria homered and drove four runs to help the AL Championship Series MVP shut down the Boston Red Sox 13-0 on Thursday night.

Jacoby Ellsbury fouled off an 0-2 pitch and took two balls before hitting a squibber past Garza leading off the seventh. The crowd of 20,341 gave the pitcher a standing ovation, and the right-hander got back on track by getting Dustin Pedroia to ground into a double play.

Garza (2-2) threw 75 of his 108 pitches for strikes, walked one and struck out 10.

Longoria had a three-run double off Josh Beckett (2-2) and hit his sixth homer of the season " a solo shot in the sixth inning " off Hunter Jones. Michel Hernandez also hit first career homer off Beckett, who allowed seven runs and 19 hits in 4 2-3 innings.

Royals 8, Blue Jays 6

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) " John Buck tripled twice and drove in five runs, and the Royals tied a club record by turning six double plays in beating the Blue Jays.

The Royals took three of four from the Blue Jays, who hit town on Monday leading the AL East with the best record in the majors. Toronto, for the first time in team history, had started the year by winning six consecutive series of at least three games.

Buck hit a two-run triple off Brian Burres (0-2) in the second inning, a sacrifice fly in the third and another two-run triple off Bryan Bullington in the fifth. He became the second Royals catcher to collect two triples in a game.

Buck, who also doubled in the eighth, tied a career high with five RBIs and Kyle Davies (2-1) allowed three runs and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings.

Yankees 7, Angels 4

NEW YORK (AP) " Melky Cabrera spoiled Angels manager Mike Scioscia's strategy, hitting a tiebreaking single in the eighth that led the Yankees to their third straight win.

After an intentional walk to Nick Swisher loaded the bases with one out, Cabrera hit an RBI single on the first pitch from Justin Speier (0-1) for a 5-4 lead. Ramiro Pena followed with a two-run double for his first RBIs in the majors.

Phil Coke (1-1) pitched a perfect eighth for the win. Mariano Rivera worked the ninth for his fifth save in six chances.

The loss left the Angels at 9-12 in April, ending their run of 15 straight months at .500 or better. That was longest active streak in the majors.

Athletics 4, Rangers 2

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) " Dallas Braden pitched five scoreless innings and Ryan Sweeney made a game-saving catch for Oakland.

The Rangers had two on in the eighth when Ian Kinsler hit a towering flyball to straightaway center. Sweeney retreated, leaped and stuck his glove above the wall to make the play.

Braden (3-2) allowed five hits and walked four, but managed to work his way out of trouble. Michael Wuertz, closing with Brad Ziegler out sick, got his first save.

Matt Holliday hit his first homer with Oakland in the ninth. Landon Powell hit a sac fly off Vicente Padilla (1-2) to break a scoreless tie in the sixth.

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