ST. PETERSBURG, Florida — Tampa Bay’s Rich Thompson was hit by a pitch starting the 11th inning and then scored on B.J’s Upton’s double to give the Rays a 5-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays Wednesday.
Darren Oliver (0-2) threw the pitch that struck Thompson.
Rays reliever Jake McGee (1-1) struck out two during a perfect 11th to take the win as the Rays completed a 15th successive home series victory over Toronto.
Tampa Bay nearly won it in the ninth on Drew Sutton’s two-out infield single, but Blue Jays veteran second baseman Omar Vizquel threw out Carlos Pena, who tried to score from second.
Red Sox 6, Orioles 5: In Baltimore, Daniel Nava broke a 2-2 tie in the sixth with a solo homer and Boston held on to edge Baltimore.
Nava’s shot came off Jake Arreita (2-5), and Kelly Shoppach greeted reliever Luis Ayala with a two-run drive. Scott Podsednik, in his first start for Boston, added a solo shot in the eighth.
Red Sox starter Daniel Bard (4-5) allowed two runs in 5 1-3 innings. Alfredo Aceves got four straight outs for the save.
Mariners 5, Rangers 3: In Seattle, Alex Liddi hit the first major league grand slam by an Italian-born player in 54 years, powering Seattle past Texas.
In other AL action it was: Angels 3, Athletics 1, 11 innings: NY Yankees 8, Kansas City 3; Cleveland 4, Detroit 2; Chicago White Sox 6, Minnesota 0.
Mets downs Pirates
New York’s Jonathon Niese ended a six-start winless streak, and pitched the Mets to a 3-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Wednesday.
Niese (3-2) allowed just one run over 7 2-3 innings. Reliever Bobby Parnell got the final strikeout with runners on second and third bases to end the eighth. Frank Francisco pitched a perfect ninth for the save.
Pirates starter Charlie Morton (2-5) allowed eight hits in seven innings.
Brewers 8, Giants 5: In Milwaukee, Aramis Ramirez hit a three-run double in a six-run first inning that set up Milwaukee’s win over San Francisco. Jonathan Lucroy added a two-run homer in the second as the Brewers pounded Giants starter Barry Zito (3-2), who gave up eight runs in three innings. He is 0-4 with a 7.67 ERA in eight starts at Miller Park.
Diamondbacks 11, Dodgers 4: The Arizona Diamondbacks hammered Los Angeles starter Ted Lilly for eight runs in an 11-4 rout to spoil his unbeaten start to the season and snap the Dodgers’ six-game winning streak.
Elsewhere in the NL it was: Philadelphia 4, Washington 1; Colorado 8, Miami 4; Cincinnati 2, Atlanta 1; Houston 5, Chicago Cubs 1; St. Louis 6, San Diego3. — Agencies
