Santana Is Sharp, but Tigers Prevail

Johan Santana made one mistake, and it cost him.

Rookie Justin Verlander outdueled the 2004 American League Cy Young Award winner, and Vance Wilson hit a two-run homer to give the Tigers a 2-0 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday night at Detroit.

It was Detroit’s sixth straight win and sixth consecutive victory over Minnesota at home this season. It was the Twins’ fourth straight loss.

Verlander (5-3) gave up six hits in eight innings. He didn’t issue a walk or have a strikeout. Todd Jones pitched the ninth for his 11th save in 12 opportunities.

Santana (4-4), whose four-game winning streak ended, pitched a four-hitter. He struck out a season-high 12 and walked one.

“It was one of those games that you were facing a top team and wanted to challenge them,” Santana said. “I felt good and did my best out there, but that wasn’t enough.”

Cleveland 5, Kansas City 0 -- Travis Hafner hit a grand slam, and Jake Westbrook tossed a six-hit shutout to lead the Indians at Cleveland.

Westbrook (4-2) won for only the second time in seven starts since April 9 by pitching the second shutout of his career and first since June 14, 2004. He struck out two and didn’t walk a batter.

The Royals fell to 2-19 on the road, tying the worst start away from home in major league history.

New York 4, Texas 3 -- One night after hitting a game-winning, two-run homer, Jorge Posada had two more runs batted in and Chien-Ming Wang tossed eight efficient innings in a victory at New York.

Posada singled twice and reached base safely in all four plate appearances. He has seven RBIs in the last two games.

Wang (4-1) won his third straight start, giving up six hits and one walk on 81 pitches.

Oakland 7, Seattle 2 -- Barry Zito gave up eight hits over seven scoreless innings, and Mark Kotsay had two hits and led five Athletics batters who drove in a run in a victory at Oakland.

Zito (3-3) gave up two walks and struck out three. The Mariners’ Jaime Moyer (1-4) gave up 11 hits, five earned runs and three walks.

Chicago 5, Tampa Bay 2 -- Jermaine Dye homered and drove in three runs, and Jon Garland pitched seven solid innings to lift the White Sox at St. Petersburg, Fla.

Garland (3-2) gave up two runs, six hits and struck out five. Bobby Jenks got the final three outs for his 12th save in 13 opportunities.

Baltimore 4, Boston 3 -- Erik Bedard pitched seven innings of two-hit ball, Kevin Millar homered against his former team, and the Orioles ended a 13-game losing streak against the visiting Red Sox.

Bedard (5-2) gave up one run, a pair of doubles and three walks. Chris Ray gave up a two-run homer to David Ortiz in the ninth inning before getting three outs for his 10th save.