AL roundup: Morneau has four hits as Twins rally to beat Tigers

MINNEAPOLIS -- Justin Morneau had four hits, including a homer and the tying single in the seventh inning, and the Minnesota Twins came back to beat the Detroit Tigers 4-3 on Saturday.

Magglio Ordonez's three-run homer in the seventh spoiled an otherwise stellar start by Francisco Liriano, but Morneau capped the rally with his hit in the bottom of the inning.

In the eighth against Brandon Lyon (3-4), Nick Punto poked a soft single over the outstretched glove of shortstop Adam Everett to allow pinch-runner Matt Tolbert to score on a head-first slide just ahead of the relay throw.

Matt Guerrier (4-0) pitched one inning for the win, and Joe Nathan wrapped it up with his 22nd save to pull the Twins within three games of the first-place Tigers.

Their bullpen exhausted from the 16-inning defeat the night before, the Twins needed the old Liriano on this afternoon more than ever. Despite the devastating seventh, he did deliver the kind of quality start that has been often missing since his elbow surgery following that sensational rookie season in 2006.

His slider zipping and diving in the zone, Liriano recorded 13 straight outs during the middle innings he's had so much trouble with this year and took a 2-0 advantage into the seventh. After two quick singles to start the frame, though, he lost the lead. Full story

Rangers 12, Rays 4

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Andruw Jones homered and drove in four runs, Michael Young added a three-run double and the Texas Rangers roughed up David Price to win their fourth in a row, beating the Tampa Bay Rays.

Nelson Cruz, who had three hits, connected for his 20th home run of the season in support of Derek Holland (2-5), who won for the first time as a starter. The rookie left-hander allowed four runs and seven hits in six innings.

Jones' three-run shot in the first and Young's bases-loaded double gave the Rangers a 6-1 lead against an erratic Price (2-3), who gave up a career-high six runs in 1 1/3 innings.

The 2007 top overall pick walked five in the shortest of his nine career starts. Price has walked 30 in 38 innings this season.

Angels 11, Orioles 4

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Vladimir Guerrero hit his third home run of the season and had four RBI, and the Los Angeles Angels used a late rally to beat the Baltimore Orioles.

Guerrero's three-run shot in the eighth brought some of the Fourth of July fireworks out early. He hit a 1-0 pitch off reliever Brian Bass to left field and came out for a curtain call after fans cheered for him. The Angels set off celebratory fireworks after the homer.

Behind Guerrero, the Angels scored six runs in that eighth.

They batted around the order and also had RBI from Torii Hunter and Chone Figgins.

Indians 5, Athletics 2

CLEVELAND -- Carl Pavano earned his first win in five starts, helping the Indians beat the Oakland Athletics.

Ben Francisco and Grady Sizemore hit homers off Vin Mazzaro (2-4) for Cleveland, which won consecutive games for the first time since June 11-12. The Indians' fourth win in 17 games overall stretched their winning streak to six against the Athletics since April 12, 2008.

Kerry Wood, the fourth pitcher used by Cleveland manager Eric Wedge, worked the ninth for his first save since June 23 and 10th in 14 chances overall.

Orlando Cabrera, whose 14-game hitting streak was snapped Friday, had three hits and an RBI for Oakland, which has lost eight of 10.