Roy Halladay struck out a career-high 14 to win his major league-leading ninth game, Alex Rios backed him with a home run and the host Toronto Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Angels, 6-4, on Tuesday night.
Halladay (9-1) threw his second complete game of the season, allowing four runs, no walks and seven hits to win his sixth straight decision. Working on an extra day of rest, he threw a season-high 133 pitches.
The right-hander, whose only defeat this season was an April 21 loss to the Texas Rangers, moved ahead of the Kansas City Royals' Zack Greinke for the major league lead in wins.
Yankees 12, Rangers 3: : Mark Teixeira (Mount St. Joseph) sparked host New York with a takeout slide at second base after being hit with pitches twice, Hideki Matsui and Jorge Posada hit three-run homers and the Yankees beat Texas to take over the best record in the American League.
Red Sox 5, Tigers 1: : Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched five strong innings to win for the first time this season and manager Terry Francona earned his 500th victory as visiting Boston beat Detroit. Francona became the third Boston manager to reach that plateau with the Red Sox, joining Joe Cronin (1,071) and Mike Higgins (560).
Rays 6, Royals 2: : Matt Joyce hit a tiebreaking two-run double and a two-run homer, and Andy Sonnanstine allowed two runs in 6 2/3 innings to lead host Tampa Bay past Kansas City. Rays third baseman Evan Longoria left the game in the seventh because of tightness in his left hamstring.
Athletics 5, White Sox 0: : Vin Mazzaro pitched into the seventh inning to win his major league debut, and Matt Holliday hit a three-run double to lead visiting Oakland past Chicago.
Twins 4, Indians 3: : Joe Mauer homered and had three RBIs to help Kevin Slowey win his fourth straight start in host Minnesota's victory over Cleveland.
National League
Braves 6, Cubs 5, 12 inn.: : Jeff Francoeur hit a tying two-run homer with two outs in the ninth and Chipper Jones drove in the winning run with a 12th-inning single, helping host Atlanta rally for a victory over Chicago. The Cubs wasted a brilliant performance by rookie starter Randy Wells. Filling in for suspended Carlos Zambrano, he didn't allow a hit until Jones singled with two outs in the seventh. Alfonso Soriano and Derek Lee homered for Chicago, which couldn't hold a 5-0 lead.
Astros 3, Rockies 2, 11 inn.: : Former Oriole Miguel Tejada hit a game-winning homer off Josh Fogg in the 11th inning to cap a three-RBI night and lift host Houston over Colorado.
