Alex Rodriguez hit two more home runs Saturday in Kansas City for his major-league-leading 50 and 51st. A-Rod became the first Yankee to reach 50 homers in a season since Roger Maris in 1961. This is the third time Rodriguez has reached the 50-plateau.
B.J. Upton hit a pinch two-run homer in the ninth inning to give Tampa a come-from-behind 5-4 victory. Upton didn’t start the game after fouling a pitch hard off his left ankle Friday night. He hit the first pitch he saw from Jeremy Accardo, who blew his fifth save.
There are no free passes from Greg Maddux. The Padres veteran didn’t walk a man for the eighth straight game Saturday, a stretch covering 54 1/3 innings. Maddux picked up career win No. 345 and moved into sole possession of ninth place on the all-time list.
THREE DOWN
There is a concern that Boston’s Daisuke Matsuzaka is tiring down the stretch. Those concerns will grow after Matsuzaka was touched for eight runs in just 2 2/3 innings Saturday in an 11-5 loss to the Orioles. Matsuzaka allowed seven runs in his last start.
The Royals’ Brian Bannister, AL rookie of the month in August, gave up three homers to the Yankees — two to Alex Rodriguez — after allowing just one in his previous eight starts. He allowed a season-high seven runs and had his four-game win streak snapped.
Oakland’s Chad Gaudin gave up 10 hits, two home runs and six runs in just 3 2/3 innings Saturday as Oakland’s miserable season continued with a 7-3 loss to the Rangers. Gaudin gave up six runs and eight hits in five innings in his last start against the Angels.
