Reed Puts an End to Twins’ Skid

When the Minnesota Twins needed to get out of their funk, Rick Reed’s big-game experience showed.

Reed outpitched Jamie Moyer and the American League Central-leading Twins ended a season-high five-game skid with a 3-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday at Seattle.

“He’s proving why he’s been an All-Star,” Minnesota Manager Ron Gardenhire said. “He is proving now why he has been around for so long. He’s a veteran who knows how to compete and get people out.”

Jacque Jones had three hits for the Twins, who won the season series (5-4) against Seattle for the first time since 1992.

Reed (13-7) gave up six hits, struck out five and walked one in 7 1/3 innings.

When Edgar Martinez walked in the fifth, it was only the fifth walk given up by Reed since the All-Star break.

“He hit his spots, he’s done a great job hitting his spots,” said Bret Boone, Seattle’s No. 3 hitter who was 0 for 3 against Reed. “Look at the success he’s had.... It just goes to show you don’t need to have a 95-mph fastball to be successful in this league.”

Third-place Seattle fell 3 1/2 games behind the Angels in the wild-card race.

Eddie Guardado pitched the ninth inning and got his AL-leading 39th save in 45 opportunities despite giving up a leadoff home run to Martinez.

New York 3, Boston 1--Jason Giambi put host New York ahead with an opposite-field, two-run homer against Derek Lowe (18-7), and Andy Pettitte rebounded from a sore back to lead the Yankees.

After the Yankees lost the series opener, Roger Clemens and Pettitte (9-5) defeated Boston on consecutive games, increasing New York’s AL East lead to eight games over the second-place Red Sox.

Pettitte, scratched from his previous start because of a stiff lower back, is 10-4 against Boston in his career.

Baltimore 8, Texas 3--Tony Batista had three hits at Baltimore, including a two-run homer, and the Orioles ended a 10-game losing streak.

Texas right-hander Aaron Myette, who was ejected after throwing two pitches behind Melvin Mora on Tuesday, became the first major leaguer to start games on consecutive days since Oakland’s Steve McCatty in 1980.

Myette (2-5) lasted only three innings, giving up five runs, five hits and six of the 11 walks given up by Texas pitchers.

Ivan Rodriguez and Todd Greene homered for the Rangers, giving Texas a club-record 22 consecutive games with a home run.

Cleveland 9, Detroit 3--Jaret Wright won for the first time in nearly 15 months, and the Indians took advantage of sloppy fielding by the Tigers at Detroit.

Wright, one of the most promising pitchers in the game before being plagued by injuries, had been 0-5 with a 17.83 earned-run average since defeating Minnesota on June 5, 2001.

He spent much of the last three seasons on the disabled list or on rehabilitation stints in the minors after surgery on his right shoulder in August 2000.

Wright (1-3) gave up three runs and six hits in five innings.

The Indians needed only three hits to break open the game with a six-run sixth inning as the Tigers committed several blunders.

Toronto 6, Chicago 2--Pete Walker (8-4) pitched seven effective innings at Toronto, where the Blue Jays ended Chicago’s seven-game winning streak.

Jose Valentin homered for the White Sox, who went 5-1 on a six-game trip to Detroit and Toronto.

The Blue Jays supported Walker with three double plays.

Walker, a 33-year-old journeyman claimed off waivers from the New York Mets, has the second-most victories on the team.