Boston Red Sox's Jacoby Ellsbury hits a sixth-inning, two-run home run off Tampa Bay Rays' pitcher Alex Cobb during their game in St. Petersburg, Florida, Monday. — APCHICAGO — Omar Infante's throwing error on a potential double play helped Chicago score two runs in the fifth inning Monday and the White Sox beat the Detroit Tigers 5-4 in a pivotal makeup game. Chicago increased its lead in the AL Central to three games. Nate Jones (8-0) pitched 2 2-3 innings of one-hit relief and the White Sox won their fourth straight. The game had been postponed by rain last Thursday and Monday's makeup was the final meeting of the season between the two front-runners in the division. Addison Reed, the last of three relievers in the ninth, got the final out for his 27th save in 31 chances. Trailing 4-3, the White Sox loaded the bases for a third straight inning in the fifth, driving out Detroit starter Doug Fister (9-9). When Dayan Viciedo hit a one-out grounder to short, the Tigers tried to turn the inning-ending double play, but Alex Rios slid hard into second baseman Infante and forced an errant throw that got by Prince Fielder as two runs scored, giving Chicago the lead. Red Sox 5, Rays 2: Jacoby Ellsbury homered and drove in three runs, Aaron Cook stopped his five-game losing streak and Boston beat Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay, coming off a 1-5 road trip to Baltimore and New York, fell 51⁄2 games behind the AL East-leading Yankees. The Rays started play four games back of the Orioles — who were at Seattle later Monday night — for the second AL wild-card spot. Ellsbury hit a two-run homer in the sixth and added an RBI single during a three-run seventh for the Red Sox, who were eliminated from playoff contention Sunday. Cook (4-10) allowed one run and five hits over six innings in his first win since Aug. 6. Tampa Bay starter Alex Cobb (9-9) allowed one baserunner — a two-out walk in the second to Jarrod Saltalamacchia — through five innings. The right-hander made a nice defensive play to end the second, grabbing a hard grounder by Ryan Lavarnway and throwing the catcher out at first. Orioles 10, Mariners 4: Nate McLouth gave Baltimore a quick start with a leadoff home run and the Orioles beat the Seattle Mariners 10-4 also Monday to tighten the AL East race. Matt Wieters went deep and Adam Jones scored four times for the Orioles, who moved within a half-game of the first-place New York Yankees. Baltimore also opened a three-game cushion over the Los Angeles Angels for the second AL wild-card spot. Chris Tillman (8-2) allowed one run and three hits over six innings, supported by Baltimore's 15 hits. He struck out four and walked none. Jones and Tillman were two of the five players Seattle sent to the Orioles in a lopsided trade for left-hander Erik Bedard in February 2008. The right-hander is 4-0 with a 0.98 ERA in four career starts against his former club. Against everyone else, he is 11-17 with a 5.44 ERA. Rangers keep Lewis Texas Rangers starting pitcher Colby Lewis has signed a one-year contract to remain with the American League club despite having season-ending surgery in July to repair a torn tendon in his elbow, the team said Monday. Financial terms of the deal for the 33-year-old Lewis, who could have become a free agent following the 2012 Major League Baseball season, were not disclosed. Lewis, the Opening Day starter for Texas this season, went 6-6 with a 3.43 earned run average (ERA) in 16 starts for the Rangers in 2012 and has compiled a 32-29 record with a 3.93 ERA since rejoining the club prior to the 2010 campaign. A first-round draft pick by Texas in 1999, Lewis spent the first six years of his professional career in the Rangers organization before injuries and poor form sent him out of the major leagues. Lewis regained his form and confidence after a two-year stint with the Hiroshima Carp in Japan and re-signed with Texas before the 2010 season. — Agencies
