Toronto Keeps Wild-Card Lead

Chris Carpenter knew early that he had his best stuff.

The Toronto Blue Jay right-hander got his sixth consecutive win with a complete-game seven-hitter Wednesday night, beating the Minnesota Twins, 6-3, at Minneapolis.

Carpenter (9-5) gave up six singles and a two-run homer, striking out a season-high nine and walking none.

“You try to take the stuff you had in the pen with you into the game,” said Carpenter, who hasn’t lost in 10 starts. “For me tonight, I brought it with me. Right from the get-go, all my stuff was pretty good.”

It was Carpenter’s fourth complete game of the season and sixth of his career. The last time Carpenter lost was May 28, when he was beaten, 10-6, by the New York Yankees.

“I’m just trying to go out and do the best job I can every night,” Carpenter said. “If I throw well, those things will come.”

With the victory, Toronto maintained its one-game lead over the Boston Red Sox in the American League wild-card race.

Carlos Delgado hit his 35th home run and Tony Batista hit his 17th, ruining a strong outing by Minnesota starter Eric Milton. The left-hander struck out a career-high 12, including Jacob Brumfield three times and Delgado and Shawn Green twice each.

“I’m not trying to rack up Ks, I’m trying to get wins,” Milton said. “I don’t know what else to do, they’re just hot right now.”

Milton (4-9) gave up four runs and nine hits while walking one in seven innings.

Texas 8, Detroit 2--Rick Helling pitched a six-hitter for his second complete game of the season and Tom Goodwin drove in three runs at Arlington, Texas.

Helling (9-7) won his third consecutive decision, striking out eight and walking two in the seventh complete game of his career. Texas is 20-6 since the All-Star break.

Rafael Palmeiro and Roberto Kelly homered for the Rangers, who have won four in a row against the Tigers and are 22-5 against the AL Central.

New York 5, Oakland 3--Tino Martinez’s RBI double off the right-field wall broke a ninth-inning tie at Oakland.

Martinez’s one-out double off Doug Jones (3-4) came after Bernie Williams singled and Chili Davis walked. Ricky Ledee followed Martinez’s decisive hit with a run-scoring double.

Allen Watson (2-1) got four out for the victory. Mariano Rivera pitched the ninth for his 32nd save.

Baltimore 4, Tampa Bay 2--Mike Mussina stopped his three-game losing streak and B.J. Surhoff and Albert Belle hit consecutive homers in the fifth inning for the Orioles at St. Petersburg, Fla.

Mussina (14-7) rebounded from losing three consecutive starts for the first time in his career. Mussina gave up two runs and nine hits in 7 2/3 innings, striking out seven and walking one.

Seattle 11, Chicago 2--Alex Rodriguez homered and drove in five runs to help the Mariners complete a three-game sweep at Seattle.

Rodriguez, who went three for four, has 28 homers, all since he was activated from the disabled list May 14.

Boston 9, Kansas City 3--Bret Saberhagen, back in the ballpark where he won two Cy Young awards, gave up four hits in eight innings at Kansas City.

Saberhagen (9-4) struck out three and walked none for the 10th time in 17 starts. He improved to 3-0 against the Royals and pitched more than seven innings for the first time since July 29, 1995, when he was with the New York Mets.