Chicago’s Gavin Floyd picked a fine time to “become a man.” Minnesota’s Joe Nathan chose the wrong time to show he’s human.
Floyd refused to give in to Jason Giambi during a long at-bat with the bases loaded in the fifth inning. Floyd finally struck out the Yankee slugger on the 12th pitch, and the White Sox went on to a 6-2 victory Tuesday night that stretched their lead in the AL Central to 2 1/2 games.
“That’s when this kid started to become a man,” White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said of his 25-year-old ace in the making. “Every time we are bleeding this guy gives us a chance to win.”
The White Sox gained a game on the Twins when Nathan gave up a game-winning home run for the first time in his career. Victor Martinez’s three-run shot in the 11th inning gave Cleveland a 12-9 win over Minnesota.
“I made a bad pitch to the wrong guy,” Nathan said.
In other AL games on Tuesday night, it was Tampa Bay 2, Boston 1; Texas 5, Detroit 4; Oakland 8, the Los Angeles Angels 1; Kansas City 6, Seattle 3; and Baltimore 2, Toronto 0.
g their third straight.
“I guess you can call it heartbreaking,” Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said. “It’s a tough one to swallow. We’re snakebit.”
Franklin Gutierrez opened the 11th with a line single off Joe Nathan (0-2) and went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Ben Francisco. Jhonny Peralta walked and Martinez hit a 1-1 pitch over the wall in right-center for his second homer.
“It was a fantastic feeling,” Martinez said. “I wasn’t flying around the bases, but I was enjoying it.
“I hit it good, then watched and was hoping it would go out. I am so happy because man, he’s one of the greatest closers. He’s real tough.”
Martinez’s season has been tough. The two-time All-Star averaged 21 homers and 99 RBIs over the previous four seasons, but missed two months this year after having elbow surgery in June and went 202 at-bats before hitting his first homer on Sept. 2.
Tom Mastny (2-2) gave up one hit in the 11th and earned the win.
Minnesota will seek to salvage the last of three games in Cleveland on Wednesday night, sending right-hander Scott Baker to the mound on three days’ rest. Baker, who pitched Saturday in Baltimore when his start was moved back a day because of rain, will face 22-game winner Cliff Lee.
“We know who we face, believe me,” Gardenhire said. “You always look at your schedule to see who you’re going up against. He’s not one you want to see.”
At New York, Derek Jeter passed Lou Gehrig for most career hits at the soon-to-close Yankee Stadium with his 1,270th, a sharp first-inning single past third baseman Juan Uribe, who was playing on the edge of the infield grass.
The crowd of 52,558 gave Jeter a sustained standing ovation and he responded with a wave of his helmet while a bat boy retrieved the milestone ball.
“It’s kind of hard to enjoy it because we lost the game,” Jeter said. “But this is something that is pretty special. I mean, I’d be lying to you if I said it wasn’t. Records are made to be broken, but this one at least will never be broken.”
Alexei Ramirez homered and Juan Uribe had three hits and drove in two runs for Chicago, which began the night with a 1 1/2-game lead over the Minnesota Twins. Ken Griffey Jr. had an RBI single and Brian Anderson added a run-scoring double for the White Sox.
Floyd (16-7) put runners in scoring position in four of his seven innings but gave up just two runs for his first win in three starts this month.
He gave up nine hits, including Giambi’s 31st homer in the fourth, and struck out three without walking a batter. In just his second big league season, Floyd threw a career-high 116 pitches.
“I was just trying to battle, to just keep making pitches,” Floyd said. “I think I’m getting better every start, learning from my mistakes.”
Rays 2, Red Sox 1
rg, Fla., Dioner Navarro singled with the bases loaded and one out in the ninth inning, enabling Tampa Bay to beat Boston and remain in first place in the AL East.
Navarro delivered his second game-winner in a week against the defending World Series champions, lifting a fly ball that sailed over the head of center fielder Coco Crisp on a 2-2 pitch from Justin Masterson (6-5).
The Rays, who have led the division for the past 54 days, moved one game ahead of the Red Sox, who have lost seven of eight at Tropicana Field this season.
Orioles 2, Blue Jays 0
At Toronto, Chris Waters (3-3) threw a four-hit shutout and Luke Scott homered to lead Baltimore. Toronto lost its third straight and saw a six-game home winning streak ended. The Blue Jays had won seven of their past eight games against the Orioles.
Athletics 8, Angels 1
At Oakland, Calif., Ryan Sweeney had four hits and Daric Barton snapped an 0-for-20 skid with an RBI double as Oakland earned its first three-game winning streak in three months.
The Athletics have won seven of 10 overall and beat Angels right-hander John Lackey for the first time in six starts. Los Angeles had a five-game winning streak snapped.
Rangers 5, Tigers 4
At Arlington, Texas, Marlon Byrd hit a two-run triple in the ninth and scored the winning run on Chris Davis’ single as Texas extended Detroit’s losing streak to six games.
oyals 6, Mariners 3
At Kansas City, Mo., Ryan Shealy, John Buck and David DeJesus homered and Kansas City extended its winning streak to five games. The Mariners are 0-6 to start an 11-game, three-city trip and have lost 10 of their past 13.
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