Towers Stands Tall in Beating Orioles

Josh Towers gave up three hits over eight innings, and Russ Adams’ eighth-inning infield single gave the Toronto Blue Jays a 1-0 victory over the host Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night.

Towers (3-1) walked one, struck out two and did not allow a runner past first base in improving to 4-2 against his former team.

“I don’t think I’ve thrown a better game than that,” Towers said. “It’s just sweet doing it against Baltimore, because they’re the best-hitting team in baseball.”

Eric Hinske drew a leadoff walk in the eighth inning, and Gregg Zaun walked. Alex Rios’ slow grounder to shortstop forced Zaun at second base, leaving runners at the corners.

Adams then fouled off a pitch on a suicide squeeze before taking a protective swing at a 2-and-2 pitch, pushing a dribbler down the first base line. By the time starter Daniel Cabrera reached the ball, he was too late to get Hinske at the plate and was unable to throw out Adams at first.

The Blue Jays have won seven of eight games, leaving them two games behind first-place Baltimore in the American League East.

Towers threw only 92 pitches in his longest outing this season.

Cabrera (1-2) gave up one run and four hits in eight innings, and had a career-high eight strikeouts.

Chicago 5, Kansas City 4 -- Carl Everett hit a go-ahead, two-run double in the eighth inning at Chicago, and rookie Tadahito Iguchi was four for four with his first major league homer.

The White Sox have led at some point in 26 consecutive games, a major league record.

Mike Sweeney hit two home runs for the second consecutive game for the Royals, giving him six this season.

Tampa Bay 11, New York 4 -- The Devil Rays batted around on Kevin Brown in the first inning, scoring six runs at St. Petersburg, Fla.

Nick Green had a two-run single, and Travis Phelps and Aubrey Huff each drove in two runs against Brown (0-4), who gave up eight runs and 13 hits in five innings.

Boston 5, Detroit 3 -- Doug Mirabelli hit his third career grand slam, and John Halama (1-0) gave up two runs and four hits in five innings in his first start this season for Boston.

Cleveland 4, Minnesota 2 -- Travis Hafner and Casey Blake homered, and Jake Westbrook (1-5) gave up eight hits and two runs in six innings to lift the Indians at Minneapolis.

Texas 6, Oakland 1 -- Alfonso Soriano and Rod Barajas each drove in two runs, and Chris Young pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings at Oakland.

Erubiel Durazo homered, and Eric Chavez had two hits for the Athletics.