NEW YORK – Undefeated Matt Harrison and Texas equaled an American League record by turning six double plays as the Rangers picked up where they left off last October by beating the New York Yankees 5-3 Friday.
The teams played for the first time since Texas battered the Yankees to win last year’s AL championship series in six games. The Rangers won this time with pitching, thanks to Harrison (3-0) and his sure-handed fielders on a chilly, windy evening.
Texas turned double plays on grounders by the first six hitters in the New York lineup – Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, Robinson Cano, Derek Jeter, Andruw Jones and Nick Swisher.
This was the 15th time an AL team made six DPs in a game. The major league mark for double plays in a game is seven by San Francisco in 1969.
Blue Jays 7, Red Sox 6
At Boston, Jose Bautista singled in the go-ahead run in a four-run seventh inning as Toronto deepened the misery of the struggling Boston.
The Red Sox dropped to 2-10, matching their poorest start in history.
Brett Cecil (1-1) gave up homers to Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis in the third when Boston went ahead 3-0. Toronto tied it on Corey Patterson’s two-run double in the fifth and Travis Snider’s RBI double in the sixth.
Bobby Jenks (0-1) started the seventh for Boston and allowed all four runs, making it 7-3.
Indians 8, Orioles 2
At Cleveland, Justin Masterson pitched seven strong innings for his third win, Asdrubal Cabrera had four RBIs as Cleveland kept the AL Central standings flipped upside down.
Masterson (3-0) allowed just one run and four singles. He went 6-13 last season, and didn’t get his third win until July 1 — in his 16th start.
Cabrera’s two-run single highlighted Cleveland’s four-run third inning off rookie Zach Britton (2-1), who gave up five runs and eight hits in six innings.
Rays 5, Twins 2
At St. Petersburg, Florida, Wade Davis pitched seven strong innings, and Johnny Damon and Kelly Shoppach drove in two runs each to lead Tampa Bay over Minnesota.
Davis (1-2) limited the defending AL Central champions to three singles and Danny Valencia’s fifth-inning RBI double to help the Rays to their fourth straight win and fifth in seven games following an 0-6 start. Minnesota has dropped three in a row and five of its last six.
Royals 6, Mariners 5
At Kansas City, Missouri, Luke Hochevar gave up one hit in seven innings, and Jeff Francoeur homered and drove in three runs to help Kansas City beat Seattle for its fifth victory in six games.
Ichiro Suzuki led off the game with a double, the only hit Hochevar (2-1) would allow. Hochevar retired 16 in a row after walking Luis Rodriguez with two outs in the second before exiting after seven innings and 100 pitches.
Mariners left-hander Erik Bedard (0-3), who missed all of last season after having his third shoulder surgery in as many years and has not won since June 7, 2009, gave up five runs and seven hits in 4 2-3 innings. He walked three and struck out six.