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By The Associated Press

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Sammy Sosa picked up a listless Baltimore club still stunned by the sudden firing of manager Lee Mazzilli on Thursday, hitting a two-run homer as the Orioles beat the Los Angeles Angels 4-1 and snapped a season-worst eight-game losing streak.

Sam Perlozzo won his first game after being promoted from bench coach to interim manager.

Rodrigo Lopez (10-6) threw 94 pitches in five innings, allowing a run and two hits while striking out five and walking two. The right-hander was working on three days’ rest after yielding eight runs in 1 1-3 innings last Sunday at Camden Yards against the White Sox.

Jorge Julio took over for Tim Byrdak with two on and two outs in the Angels’ eighth and walked Juan Rivera, loading the bases. But B.J. Ryan struck out pinch-hitter Jose Molina to end the threat, then finished for his 23rd save in 27 attempts.

Rookie Ervin Santana (6-5) allowed four runs — two earned — and four hits over seven innings while tying his career high with seven strikeouts.

Red Sox 11, Royals 9

BOSTON — Matt Clement struggled in his first start since getting hit in the head by a line drive, but Jason Varitek’s grand slam highlighted an eight-run fourth inning and helped the Boston rally for its eighth straight win.

Edgar Renteria added a three-run double during Boston’s biggest inning of the season as the Red Sox erased a 5-0 deficit. The Sox needed just two hits to score the eight runs, thanks to five walks.

Clement (11-3) was hit behind his right ear by Carl Crawford’s liner at Tampa Bay nine days earlier. He was wild in his return, issuing four walks in five innings, and allowed six runs on five hits before leaving with a 9-5 lead.

Athletics 5, Twins 2

MINNEAPOLIS — Eric Chavez’s single drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning to help Barry Zito win his eighth straight start, and Oakland won for the 34th time in its last 42 games.

Chavez, who also hit a solo homer, singled off reliever J.C. Romero with one out to give the A’s a 3-2 lead.

Tigers 3, Mariners 1

DETROIT — Sean Douglass pitched eight strong innings and Placido Polanco scored twice to lead the Detroit over Seattle, spoiling the debut of 19-year-old pitcher Felix Hernandez.

Douglass (4-1) allowed one run and three hits with four strikeouts and two walks. Magglio Ordonez and Dmitri Young each had an RBI single for Detroit.

White Sox 5, Blue Jays 4

CHICAGO — Tadahito Iguchi hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning, and Chicago avoided a three-game sweep by beating Toronto.

After the Blue Jays tied the score in the eighth on Russ Adams’ RBI double off Damaso Marte, Iguchi lifted an 0-1 pitch from Justin Speier (1-2) over the right-field fence leading off the bottom half.

Yankees 4, Indians 3

CLEVELAND — Alex Rodriguez and Jason Giambi homered off Bob Wickman in the ninth inning, and New York avoided being swept in Cleveland for the first time since 1970.

The homers saved the Yankees from dropping further back in the AL East and wild-card standings.

Rangers 13, Devil Rays 5

ARLINGTON, Texas — Alfonso Soriano had three hits and a career-high five RBIs, and Texas ended Tampa Bay’s season-high six-game winning streak.

Hank Blalock hit a two-run homer and Phil Nevin added a solo shot in a decisive three-run seventh inning for the Rangers.

Tampa Bay had taken a 5-4 lead in the top of the seventh on Toby Hall’s RBI double, and Devil Rays reliever Chad Orvella (1-2) got the first two outs in the bottom of the inning.

But Nevin, who had three hits, tied it with his first homer since being acquired last week in a trade with the San Diego Padres. Soriano reached on an error and Blalock followed with his 21st homer to put the Rangers in front 7-5.

Kevin Gryboski (1-0) allowed one run and two hits in 2-3 of an inning for his first AL victory.

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