OAKLAND, Calif. — Nick Markakis and Adam Jones hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning, Chris Tillman pitched six innings for his first win of the season and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Oakland Athletics 7-3 Saturday. Nate McLouth also homered for Baltimore, which is 3-0 on its 11-game road trip and in position for its first four-game sweep in Oakland since 1987. Tillman (1-1) scattered seven hits with seven strikeouts and two walks. Josh Donaldson matched his career high with four hits and two RBIs. The A's have lost four straight and eight of nine. Oakland starter A.J. Griffin (2-2) allowed only five hits in seven innings but gave up two home runs for the second straight start. Yankees 5, Blue Jays 4: At New York, Travis Hafner hit a three-run homer, then lumbered around the bases for a go-ahead triple in the seventh inning that sent CC Sabathia and the Yankees over the Blue Jays. Vernon Wells delivered another key hit against his former team as the Yankees beat Toronto for the third straight day. With Mariano Rivera getting a day off to rest, Joba Chamberlain worked around a pair of one-out singles in the ninth for his first save since 2010. Jose Bautista and Brett Lawrie homered for the Blue Jays, who dropped to 1-5 on their seven-game road trip. Twins 7, Rangers 2: At Minneapolis, Pedro Hernandez pitched five shutout innings for his first major league win, Josh Willingham homered and the Twins beat the Rangers to end a three-game slide. Anthony Swarzak, Brian Duensing and Jared Burton each work a scoreless inning before Glen Perkins struggled in the ninth, giving up a two-run double to Mitch Moreland. Derek Holland (1-2) gave up five hits and four runs — three earned in seven innings for Texas, which lost for just the second time in nine games. Hernandez (1-0) was making just his second start — and fourth appearance — for the Twins. His first start was April 7. He allowed just five hits and struck out three. After getting into a third-inning jam, Hernandez retired eight of the final nine hitters he faced. Red Sox 8, Astros 4: At Boston, David Ortiz had two hits and three RBIs to extend his torrid start after a long layoff, and Felix Doubront overcame a wild first inning to pitch into the seventh as the Red Sox beat the struggling Astros. It was 14th win in 19 games for the surging Red Sox (17-7). Boston can tie a club record for the most wins in April by completing a four-game sweep over Houston (7-17) Sunday. Boston matched its best start since 2002 with its fourth straight win. Mariners 3, Angels 2: At Seattle, Kendrys Morales snapped a 2-all tie with a pinch-hit RBI single in the seventh inning, Felix Hernandez allowed just one earned run and five hits over eight innings, and the Mariners beat the Angels. The Mariners were 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position and suffering through another miserable night without clutch hitting before Morales' line-drive single off reliever Michael Roth that scored Kyle Seager with the go-ahead run. Jesus Montero hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning for Seattle to pull the Mariners even. That was all Hernandez (3-2) needed. He stumbled only in the third inning when Chris Iannetta led off with a solo homer and the Angels added an unearned run. Hernandez won at home for the first time this season. Royals 3, Indians 2: At Kansas City, Mo., Ervin Santana pitched seven scoreless innings, Salvador Perez hit a two-run homer and the Royals held on to beat the Indians. Santana (3-1), who was acquired in an Oct. 31 trade with Anaheim for minor-league pitcher Brandon Sisk, allowed six singles, struck out five and walked none. Rays 10, White Sox 4: Matt Moore pitched six strong innings and Kelly Johnson had four hits and two RBIs as visiting Tampa Bay kept its hopes for a series split alive in Chicago. Ben Zobrist added a two-run homer, Desmond Jennings had a solo blast and Evan Longoria recorded four hits and an RBI for the Rays, who had dropped the first two of the four-game set. Moore (5-0) allowed one run and three hits while striking out nine to become the first pitcher in franchise history to win five games in April. — Agencies
