BOSTON - Derek Lowe pitched a four-hitter for his first complete game of the season and Nomar Garciaparra extended his hitting streak to 23 games as the Red Sox beat the Indians 9-2 Friday night.
Lowe, with a 6-0 lead after one inning, allowed just four balls to leave the infield and recorded 17 outs on grounders.
His home record is 3-0 with a 1.53 ERA. On the road, he's 1-3 with an 11.57 ERA.
"It's just strictly coincidental," Lowe said. "There's no negative feelings going into my next start, knowing it's a road game."
The Red Sox took sole possession of first place in the East for the first time since June 26. New York lost to Toronto to fall a half-game behind.
Garciaparra went 2-for-3 and has the longest hitting streak in the majors this season.
Bill Mueller went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and is hitting .385 but needs 11 more plate appearances to qualify for the AL lead. Of his 45 hits, 24 have been for extra bases.
Lowe got his first win in his past six appearances, dating to a 7-2 victory over Toronto on April 19.
The sinkerballer didn't allow a ball out of the infield until Ben Broussard singled to left-center with two outs in the fifth.
BLUE JAYS 6, YANKEES 2: Kelvim Escobar outpitched Mike Mussina and Toronto sent New York to a fifth straight home loss, its longest skid since the middle of the 2000 season. The Yankees have lost nine of 10 home games.
"Right now, we're not too good," manager Joe Torre said. Escobar and the Toronto bullpen kept the fans quiet on a chilly, damp night.
Yankees catcher Jorge Posada was ejected after a rough slide into shortstop Mike Bordick on a double play that ended the eighth. Posada had just been hit by a pitch for the third time in two days, and he raised both arms and shoved Bordick. Bordick and the Blue Jays ran off the field without incident.
Posada declined comment.
RANGERS 5, ORIOLES 3: Rafael Palmeiro homered and drove in three runs to lead host Texas to a season-high seventh straight win.
Palmeiro hit a two-run homer in the first and added a run-scoring single in the fifth that put Texas ahead 4-3. It was Palmeiro's first homer since hitting his 500th on May 11.
He just missed another home run on his single in the fifth. The ball hit the top of the wall in rightfield.
ATHLETICS 4, ROYALS 1: Mark Mulder fell one out short of his third shutout of the season, pitching an eight-hitter for host Oakland.
Kansas City's Brent Mayne had a run-scoring groundout in the ninth, then Mulder finished his major-league-leading fifth complete game. Mulder needed 2 hours, 5 minutes for the game. His past seven starts have taken less than 2:30.
"I'm flying out in two hours to Chicago for my brother's wedding," Mulder said. "I had to make it a quick game."
Mulder's teammates make plans the nights he pitches.
"Dinner plans, and get a little more sleep, too," second baseman Mark Ellis said. "It's amazing."
TIGERS 3, WHITE SOX 2: Mike Maroth won for the first time in 10 decisions this season, pitching seven strong innings for visiting Detroit.
Maroth ended an 11-game losing streak, winning for the first time since Sept. 16, 2002, against Kansas City.
Dmitri Young doubled off Kelly Wunsch to score Ramon Santiago with the go-ahead run in the eighth.
MARINERS 5, TWINS 2: Mark McLemore homered, Jamie Moyer got his seventh victory and Mike Cameron made two highlight-reel defensive plays for host Seattle.
Cameron stole a home run from Torii Hunter to end the first and added an unassisted double play in the seventh, catching a fly by Cristian Guzman and stepping on second base to get Jacque Jones.
McLemore, starting at third base for the injured Jeff Cirillo, hit his second home run of the season, giving the Mariners a 4-1 lead in the second. Cirillo could miss the three-game series because of tightness in his lower back.
Moyer lacked his usual efficiency but kept the patient Minnesota hitters in check for five innings.
