CHICAGO - Jacque Jones went 3-for-3 and tied it with a run-scoring single, and Lew Ford drove in the go-ahead run to rally the Minnesota Twins over the White Sox 3-2 Friday night.
Aaron Rowand homered for Chicago, but the White Sox managed two hits in the final five innings as they lost for the sixth time in nine games. Chicago also stranded eight, leaving the bases loaded in the first.
The teams' rivalry has heated up the past two seasons as the Twins beat the White Sox for both Central titles. This season looks like it could be more of the same, with one of the teams in first place since April 15.
Protecting a 2-1 lead in the eighth, Damaso Marte relieved and retired Cristian Guzman on a fly out, then walked Doug Mientkiewicz and Torii Hunter, Hunter on four pitches.
Jones then singled to a gaping hole in shallow left-center, scoring Mientkiewicz to tie it at 2. Shingo Takatsu relieved, but Ford hit a grounder up the middle that Takatsu couldn't grab and Hunter easily scored the go-ahead run.
Marte gave up two runs, two walks and a hit in one-third of an inning. Juan Rincon struck out two and walked one in 11/3 inning, and Joe Nathan pitched the ninth for his 11th save in 12 chances.
The Twins threatened early, with Shannon Stewart leading off the game with a single, stealing second and advancing to third on another single, all with no outs. But Scott Schoeneweis struck out Mientkiewicz and got Hunter to ground into a double play.
RED SOX 9, BLUE JAYS 3: Brian Daubach hit a tiebreaking double in a six-run eighth for visiting Boston.
The Red Sox, who had lost four of five, sent 10 batters to the plate in the eighth. Kerry Ligtenberg didn't get an out in the inning, allowing five straight batters to reach.
After Daubach's double into the leftfield corner, Kevin Millar's run-scoring single made it 5-3. Ligtenberg let in a run with a wild pitch, and Cesar Crespo hit a run-scoring double. David Ortiz added a two-run double off Valerio De Los Santos.
Alan Embree pitched 11/3 innings in relief of Derek Lowe, who started with five scoreless innings before struggling in the sixth, when Carlos Delgado hit a sacrifice fly, Eric Hinske hit a run-scoring grounder and third baseman Mark Bellhorn made a run-scoring throwing error.
ANGELS 10, ORIOLES 9 (10): Chone Figgins hit a grand slam for his first major-league homer and drove in a career-high six, including a tiebreaking single in the 10th, to lead visiting Anaheim.
Rafael Palmeiro hit his 534th home run, tying Jimmie Foxx for 12th on the career list, and the Orioles rallied from a 9-6 deficit in the ninth against closer Troy Percival.
Baltimore's Luis Matos led off the ninth with a homer to left. With two outs, Brian Roberts singled and went to third on Melvin Mora's single. Mora stole second, and Miguel Tejada tied it with a two-run single to center.
A'S 6, ROYALS 2: Tim Hudson moved into second on the career winning percentage list with eight strong innings for visiting Oakland. Hudson improved to 84-34 with a .712 winning percentage, second to Spud Chandler (.717) among pitchers with 50 or more wins. Boston's Pedro Martinez is at .711.
YANKEES 9, MARINERS 5: Mike Mussina labored through six innings yet won his third straight start, and host New York took advantage of a wild night by Seattle's pitchers. The first four Mariners combined for 10 walks, including four with the bases loaded, and had two errors and a run-scoring wild pitch.
TIGERS 7, RANGERS 1: Gary Knotts did not allow a hit until the fifth inning in his first start of the season and Brandon Inge and Omar Infante hit consecutive homers in the second for host Detroit.
