Giambi’s Back as Yankees Win, 4-0

Mike Mussina picked the perfect time to regain his touch for the New York Yankees, who also had a familiar face back in the lineup: Jason Giambi.

After ending a career-worst five-game skid last week, Mussina held the Kansas City Royals to three hits in eight innings Tuesday night, pitching the Yankees to a 4-0 victory at Kansas City, Mo. He struck out a season-high 11.

“I wouldn’t say I’m actually hot yet,” Mussina said. “But I’ve thrown the ball well for a couple of games. I’ve got a couple of more games to go before the postseason, and hopefully I can keep going out there.”

In another positive for the Yankees, Giambi returned to the lineup for the first time since July 23. He was 0 for 3 with a walk and a long drive to the right-field warning track.

Texas 12, Oakland 9 -- Alfonso Soriano had three hits and two runs batted in as the Rangers responded with their bats at Oakland a night after Texas reliever Frank Francisco threw a chair into the stands and broke a woman’s nose.

Francisco was arrested Tuesday morning on a charge of aggravated battery.

After posting $15,000 bail, Francisco spent much of the day at the team’s hotel in San Francisco but arrived at the ballpark nearly two hours after the first pitch just in case the Rangers needed his services.

Minnesota 10, Chicago 2 -- Johan Santana turned in another dominant start with seven shutout innings, and the Twins used a nine-run sixth at Minneapolis to extend their winning streak to seven.

Santana (18-6) is 16-2 since June 9 with 179 strikeouts and 62 hits given up in 140 1/3 innings.

Tampa Bay 5, Boston 2 -- Rookie Scott Kazmir outpitched Pedro Martinez at Boston as the Red Sox lost two in a row for the first time in more than five weeks and fell four games behind the first-place Yankees in the AL East.

Detroit 11, Cleveland 3 -- Dmitri Young homered and had five RBIs at Cleveland as the Tigers ended a four-game losing streak.