Dioner Navarro ripped a bases-loaded single over the head of center fielder Coco Crisp in the ninth inning as the Rays reclaimed a one-game lead in the AL East with a 2-1 victory over the Red Sox.
Orioles rookie lefty Chris Waters threw a four-hit shutout in a 2-0 victory. Making his ninth big-league start, Waters walked two and struck out three. He was 0-3 with a 6.45 ERA in his previous four games.
Ryan Howard cranked an opposite-field two-run go-ahead homer off Mike Gonzalez in the eighth as the Phillies rallied past the Braves 8-7 and took a half-game lead in the NL East over the Mets.
THREE DOWN
Despite a 15-minute closed-door meeting with manager Jerry Manuel before the game, the Mets mustered just four hits and struck out nine times in a 1-0 loss to Odalis Perez and the Nationals.
The Astros’ offense remained silent, getting just five hits in a 5-1 loss to the Marlins to fall 3 games out of the NL wild-card spot. Houston has just six hits and two runs in its last three games.
The Tigers’ subpar bullpen reared its ugly head again as Fernando Rodney gave up three runs on three hits and three walks in the ninth inning without recording an out in a 5-4 loss to the Rangers.
———-
EDITED BY MIKE PANKOW AND THOMAS L. OUTLAW
