RESULTS

* at N.Y. Yankees 7, Arizona 1: Alex Rodriguez drove in two runs, Andy Pettitte (4-4) breezed for eight innings and the Yankees won their ninth in a row. The Yankees (33-31) are 7 1/2 games behind Boston after being eight games under .500 and 14 1/2 games back barely two weeks ago. Pettitte, who turns 35 today, gave up one run and four hits. He retired 10 straight batters in the middle innings.

* at Kansas City 17, St. Louis 8: Mark Teahen had two triples and five RBIs, Tony Pena Jr. had four hits and the Royals got their first series win at home against St. Louis in six years. Thirteen batters went to the plate in the eight-run second inning and 10 batted in the six-run fourth for Kansas City. David DeJesus and Emil Brown both had three RBIs. Kip Wells (2-11), who leads the majors in losses, was charged with six runs, three hits and four walks in 1 1/3 innings.

* at Minnesota 3, Atlanta 2: Mike Redmond capped a three-run rally in the ninth inning with an RBI single for the Twins against Braves closer Bob Wickman, ruining Tim Hudson’s strong 7 1/3 -inning effort.

* San Diego 7, at Tampa Bay 1: Justin Germano (5-0) won his fifth straight decision since coming up from the minor leagues, allowing three hits in six innings. Germano and Heath Bell limited Tampa Bay to a double and two singles until Jonny Gomes homered off Doug Brocail in the eighth.

* Milwaukee 6, at Detroit 5: Corey Hart hit a home run and Ben Sheets (7-3) struck out seven while giving up three runs and eight hits over 5 2/3 innings. With a runner in scoring position, Francisco Cordero struck out Craig Monroe and Mike Rabelo for his major league-leading 24th save in 26 chances.

* Washington 3, at Baltimore 1: Ryan Zimmerman singled in the tiebreaking run in the eighth inning to back Jason Simontacchi’s best start of the season to help the Nationals complete a three-game sweep. Simontacchi (4-4) allowed one run, nine hits and four walks in seven innings.

* Texas 6, at Pittsburgh 0: Kameron Loe (2-6) threw eight shutout innings and Gerald Laird, Jerry Hairston Jr. and Travis Metcalf homered for the Rangers, who ended a three-game losing streak.

* Cleveland 3, at Florida 2: Jason Stanford, back in the majors for the first time since 2003 after reconstructive elbow surgery, carried a shutout into the seventh inning on the way to victory. Stanford allowed six hits and one run while striking out seven in six-plus innings. Victor Martinez homered, doubled and scored twice for Cleveland.

* at Chicago Cubs 5, Seattle 4: The Mariners’ Jeff Weaver was poised for his first victory, only to have the Mariners’ bullpen blow it by allowing Cesar Izturis’ two-run double in the eighth off Brandon Morrow. Weaver pitched six innings, giving up three runs and 10 hits, but he remains 0-6.

* Oakland 6, at Houston 5: Jason Kendall hit the go-ahead RBI single in the 11th inning to lift the Athletics. Back-to-back singles by Bobby Crosby and pinch-hitter Kurt Suzuki set it up.

* Colorado 7, at Boston 1: J.D. Drew, batting leadoff instead of fifth, went 0 for 5 and did not reach base for the Red Sox.

* Angels 9, at Cincinnati 7: Ken Griffey Jr.’s 579th home run left him four behind seventh-place Mark McGwire.