NEW YORK — Ichiro Suzuki hit a two-run homer and Robinson Cano singled in two runs during a five-run fifth inning that helped the New York Yankees pick up an ineffective CC Sabathia and beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-5 Friday. Alfonso Soriano connected for a two-run shot in the fourth off Miguel Gonzalez (8-7), and Alex Rodriguez had an RBI single in the seventh inning of a late August game that felt more like October. In a playoff-race twist, Mark Reynolds had three hits, including an RBI double when the Yankees batted around in the fifth. Last year he helped Baltimore reach its first post-season since 1997 with seven homers and 11 RBIs in seven games against New York beginning on Aug. 31. An August pickup by New York from Cleveland this season, Reynolds was right in the mix as the Yankees gained ground in the wild-card race. They began the day 1.5 games behind the Orioles, who trailed Oakland by 3.5 for the second AL wild card. Twins 3, Rangers 2: Chris Herrmann hit a tying, two-run homer to break up Yu Darvish's no-hit bid in the seventh inning, Justin Morneau followed with a home run and Minnesota beat Texas. Minnesota snapped a five-game losing streak when it looked as if the strikeout-prone Twins had no chance against the AL's strikeout leader. Red Sox 4, White Sox 3: Ryan Dempster returned from his suspension for hitting Alex Rodriguez and pitched into the seventh inning, leading Boston over Chicago for its fifth win in six games. David Ortiz snapped an 0-for-23 slump with a two-run single for the AL East leaders. Dempster (7-9), penalized five games for plunking A-Rod on Aug. 18, held Chicago hitless through the first four innings. He allowed three runs and five hits in 6 1-3 innings. Tigers 7, Indians 2, 7 innings: Victor Martinez doubled twice and drove in two runs to lead Detroit to a 7-2 win over Cleveland in a game stopped after seven innings because of rain. Athletics 4, Rays 3: Kurt Suzuki hit a three-run homer and Jed Lowrie hit a go-ahead double in the eighth to lead Oakland over Tampa Bay. Jarrod Parker dueled with David Price to run his unbeaten streak to 17 straight starts, matching Catfish Hunter's Oakland record set from June 2-Sept. 3, 1973. The A's pulled within two games of the first-place Texas Rangers in the AL West, and moved ahead of Tampa Bay in the wild card. Blue Jays 3, Royals 2: Mark Buehrle pitched seven shutout innings to win his sixth straight decision and Toronto ended Kansas City's winning streak at five games. Adam Lind drove in two runs for the Blue Jays, who have won 10 of 14 against K.C. since 2011. Mariners 7, Astros 1: Taijuan Walker did not allow an earned run over five innings in his ML debut and Dustin Ackley had a career-high four hits with four RBIs as Seattle beat Houston. — Agencies
