Dice-K back to steer Red Sox over Angels

In a clash of the AL East and AL West leaders, Boston won its sixth straight game and David Ortiz hit his record-breaking 270th homer as a designated hitter.

An 18-game winner last year, Matsuzaka recorded just his second win this season. He was taken out after one batter in the seventh, having struck out five for his first win since June 2.

Athletics 6, Rangers 1 In Arlington, Texas, Rajai Davis scored the first run then matched a career best with four RBIs for Oakland in the win over Texas.

Texas has lost four of five in its homestand and remains mired 5-1/2 games behind AL wild-card leader Boston with only 18 games left.

David Murphy's leadoff homer in the fourth snapped the Rangers' 22-inning scoreless streak, their longest in five years, but they were down 4-1 and didn't score again.

White Sox 6, Mariners 3 In Seattle, A.J. Pierzynski hit a two-run, go-ahead single in the seventh inning to lift Chicago over Seattle.

Seattle pitcher Shawn Kelley gave up two singles to start the inning. The White Sox then scored three times for a 5-3 lead, taking advantage of a shaky Seattle bullpen.

Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 626th home run — 15th this season — for the Mariners in the second.

Royals 11, Tigers 1 In Detroit, Alberto Callaspo, David DeJesus and Miguel Olivo all hit three-run homers for Kansas City in the routing of Texas.

The last-place Royals have beaten the AL Central-leading Tigers five straight times, four in the past eight days.

Detroit's lead in the Central was cut to 4-1/2 games ahead of Minnesota.

Twins 5, Indians 4 In Minneapolis, Nick Punto had three hits and two RBIs for Minnesota, which edged Cleveland.

Brian Buscher had a go-ahead RBI single in a two-run sixth inning and Jon Rauch pitched 1 1-3 innings of scoreless relief, helping the Twins revive their faint playoff ambitions.

Orlando Cabrera had two hits — including a solo homer — as Minnesota won its third straight game.

Orioles 10, Rays 5 In Baltimore, rookie Matt Wieters homered and had a career-high five RBIs as Baltimore rallied from a five-run deficit to defeat Tampa Bay.

Luke Scott also connected for Baltimore, which stayed a game ahead of Kansas City in the battle to avoid last place in the AL.

Brian Roberts and Cesar Izturis had three hits apiece for the Orioles, who trailed 5-0 in the third before scoring six runs over a three-inning stretch against Rays pitcher Jeff Niemann, who allowed a career-worst 11 hits in 4 1-3 innings.

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