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NEW YORK (AP) — Grady Sizemore hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning and the Boston Red Sox finally gave Jon Lester enough run support for his first win of the year, 4-2 over the New York Yankees on Friday night.
Jonny Gomes homered leading off the sixth against CC Sabathia (1-2), and the four-run inning was more than Boston had scored for Lester in his first two starts combined. Despite a 2.51 ERA coming in, Lester (1-2) was at risk of falling to 0-3 for the first time in his career.
The left-hander was lifted with two outs in the seventh after Kelly Johnson singled to pull the Yankees within two runs. Junichi Tazawa relieved with runners at the corners and retired Derek Jeter on a flyout.
Lester allowed Alfonso Soriano's homer starting the second and six hits overall. He improved to 12-5 in 27 starts against New York.
Edward Mujica was perfect in the ninth for his first save with Boston. Red Sox closer Koji Uehara was bothered by shoulder stiffness before the game and was held out as a precaution.
BLUE JAYS 2, ORIOLES 0
BALTIMORE (AP) — Dustin McGowan allowed five hits over 6 1-3 innings to earn his first win since 2008, and Toronto used two unearned runs to beat Chris Tillman and Baltimore.
Making his second start since September 2011, the oft-injured McGowan (1-1) walked one, hit two batters and struck out two. He had faced the Orioles 13 times previously — going 0-3 with a 6.99 ERA in 37 1-3 innings.
The right-hander spent time on the disabled list in each of the last six seasons. He had shoulder surgery in 2008 and 2010 and missed the entire 2012 season. In his debut this year, McGowan didn't make it out of the third inning in a loss to the New York Yankees.
Against Baltimore, however, he allowed only one runner past second base for his first win since June 22, 2008.
Brett Cecil got five straight outs and Sergio Santos worked a perfect ninth for his fourth save.
Tillman (1-1) allowed three hits over eight innings, lowering his ERA to 0.84. Two throwing errors by third baseman Jonathan Schoop provided the Blue Jays with a 2-0 lead in the fourth.
RANGERS 1, ASTROS 0, 12 INNINGS
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Yu Darvish took a perfect game into the sixth inning and Texas finally finished off Houston on Robinson Chirinos' RBI single in the 12th.
Darvish retired his first 15 batters before Matt Dominguez singled softly to center. The right-hander allowed just the one hit and one walk in eight innings with nine strikeouts.
Darvish came within one out of a perfect game in Houston on April 2 last year, when Marvin Gonzalez grounded a single between the pitcher's legs. He also held the Astros hitless in Houston last Aug. 12 before Carlos Corporan's one-out homer in the eighth.
Texas was 0 for 14 with runners in scoring position and had stranded 15 overall before Chirinos' hit off Brad Peacock (0-1) gave the Rangers their third straight walk-off win.
Jason Frasor (1-0) worked a hitless inning in a combined two-hitter.
WHITE SOX 9, INDIANS 6
CHICAGO (AP) — Conor Gillaspie had a career-high four RBIs, leading Chris Sale and Chicago over Cleveland.
Sale (3-0) pitched five innings in his first win against Cleveland since May 1, 2012. The left-hander allowed three runs and six hits while throwing 105 pitches.
The White Sox have captured the first two games of their first series of the year against the Indians, who had a 17-2 record against Chicago last season. The teams play again Saturday and Sunday.
Indians starter Carlos Carrasco (0-2) was tagged for five runs and six hits in 4 2-3 innings. Cleveland pitching issued nine walks and walked in two runs.
TWINS 10, ROYALS 1
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Chris Colabello drove in three runs, Kyle Gibson pitched into the seventh inning and Minnesota beat Kansas City to end a nine-game home losing streak that dated to last season.
Josmil Pinto homered for the Twins, who reached double digits in runs for the third time this year.
Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire was away from the team and also is expected to miss Saturday's game to attend the funeral for Michael Hirschbeck in Ohio. Hirschbeck, the son of umpire John Hirschbeck, died Tuesday at age 27.
Kansas City had won seven straight at Target Field.
After a shaky first inning, Gibson (2-0) settled down. He allowed one run and five hits over 6 1-3 innings to lower his ERA to 1.59.
Royals starter Bruce Chen (0-1) gave up seven hits and six earned runs in 3 2-3 innings.
MARINERS 6, ATHLETICS 4
SEATTLE (AP) — Felix Hernandez (3-0) took a shutout into the eighth and struck out 11, and Mike Zunino and Brad Miller both homered. Hernandez became the first Seattle pitcher to win three times in the first nine games of a season.
Zunino chased starter Tommy Milone (0-1) with a two-run homer in the sixth. Miller followed two batters later with a solo homer to center field with the wind blowing in.
Hernandez was charged with two runs and walked none. He has 30 strikeouts and two walks in his three starts.
ANGELS 5, METS 4, 11 INNINGS
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Hank Conger was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the 11th inning after rookie Jeurys Familia (0-2) intentionally walked the previous two batters, and Los Angeles got home runs from Mike Trout and J.B. Shuck.
Raul Ibanez led off the 11th with a single against Familia (0-2), who was working his third inning of relief. Ibanez advanced on a wild pitch and went to third on a grounder to shortstop by David Freese before Mets manager Terry Collins ordered Familia to walk Howie Kendrick and Shuck.
Michael Kohn (1-0) pitched a perfect inning for the win.
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