AL ROUNDUP: Beckett pitches Red Sox by Tigers

DETROIT — Josh Beckett had eight strikeouts, including the 1,000th of his career and Kevin Youkilis hit another home run at spacious Comerica Park to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 5-1 win over the Detroit Tigers on Thursday night.

Beckett (4-2) gave up six hits and a run in seven innings and Youkilis hit his third home run in two games, giving him eight in Detroit. He hasn’t hit more than two outside Fenway Park.

The Red Sox took three of four in the series from the Tigers and have won six of their past seven, while Detroit has lost six of seven.

Justin Verlander (1-6) gave up five runs on nine hits in six innings. He struck out five, but allowed Jason Varitek’s two-run single and Jacoby Ellsbury’s sacrifice fly in the second inning, as well as Youkilis’ two-run drive in the fifth.

Yankees 6, Indians 3

NEW YORK — Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon, Robinson Cano and Wilson Betemit homered for New York.

Mike Mussina (5-3) won his fourth straight start and earned his 255th career victory, holding on for five innings. Joba Chamberlain pitched an easy eighth and Mariano Rivera closed for his ninth save.

Cleveland was trying to sweep the Yankees in a series of three or more games for the first time in nearly two decades. The last time the Indians did, they completed by beating Tommy John on April 9, 1989 — John, by the way, turns 65 in two weeks.

Cano’s homer finished Paul Byrd (1-3) in the seventh and Betemit, subbing for the injured Alex Rodriguez, met reliever Masa Kobayashi with a drive over the center-field fence. The Yankees tied a season high with their four home runs.

Orioles 4, Royals 1

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Daniel Cabrera threw a three-hitter to remain perfect against Kansas City, Nick Markakis backed him with a three-run homer, and Baltimore snapped a five-game losing streak.

Cabrera (3-1) struck out seven and walked one in his fifth career complete game and first since Sept. 28, 2006 against the Yankees.

In seven career starts against the Royals, the right-hander who

led the AL last year with 18 losses, is 4-0.

Markakis connected off rookie Luke Hochevar (2-2) in the third inning as the Orioles won for just the third time in 11 games.

White Sox 6, Twins 2

CHICAGO — Jermaine Dye homered for the third straight game and Juan Uribe added a go-ahead two-run drive in the fifth for the White Sox.

John Danks (3-3) made it through five innings, giving up six hits and two runs, and Chicago won for just the second time in nine games.

Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire returned after missing five games following the death of his brother, but his first game back was an abbreviated one. He was ejected for the 37th time in his career and first time this season in the sixth inning by plate umpire Doug Eddings after a double steal by the White Sox.

Kevin Slowey (0-2) allowed three runs and four hits in five innings for the Twins.

Rays 8, Blue Jays 3 (13)

TORONTO — Dioner Navarro hit a grand slam in the 13th inning after Carl Crawford drove in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-3 Thursday night.

Facing Toronto’s seventh pitcher, Shawn Camp (0-1), Jason Bartlett singled off the glove of second baseman Aaron Hill to begin the inning and went to third on Akinori Iwamura’s base hit. Carl Crawford lifted a sacrifice fly to right and Bartlett artfully skirted catcher Gregg Zaun, who had ranged up the line to catch Alex Rios’ throw.

B.J. Upton singled and Carlos Pena was intentionally walked before Navarro put the game out of reach with his second career grand slam.

J.P. Howell (1-0) worked three scoreless innings for the win as Tampa Bay beat Toronto for the sixth time in seven games.

The Blue Jays trailed 3-0 after eight but rallied in the ninth against veteran closer Troy Percival.

Scott Rolen led off with a single and Matt Stairs struck out before Vernon Wells hit a two-run homer, his fifth. The runs were the first Percival had allowed after starting his season with 11 scoreless innings.