DETROIT ? Jose Lima knows that his midseason return to the Detroit Tigers rotation might be his last chance to save his major league career.

So far, he is making the most of it.

Lima (4-5) allowed one run in seven strong innings Monday night and the Tigers held on to beat the Seattle Mariners, 4-3.

“I was shaky early, but I settled down and helped the team win,” Lima said. “That’s what Jose Lima used to do.”

Lima started the season as a starter but lasted just four outings before being banished to the bullpen. He was put back in the rotation July 24, after the trades of Jeff Weaver and Brian Moehler, and has gone 3-1 in six starts.

“I need to show to people that I should still be in the major leagues next year,” he said. “Did I lose some confidence when people said I couldn’t pitch anymore? Yes, I did. But I’m back now.”

Trailing 4-1, the Mariners scored two runs in the ninth off closer Juan Acevedo. Ichiro Suzuki hit an one-out RBI single and scored with two outs on Tigers shortstop Shane Halter’s throwing error. Bret Boone then hit a sinking liner to right, but Robert Fick made a tumbling catch to end the game.

“We got some great defense tonight,” Tigers manager Luis Pujols said. “Bobby (Higginson) made a couple great plays and Brandon Inge threw out Ichiro, and then Robert makes a great play in the ninth to end the game.”

Acevedo got his 25th save in 30 chances.

Detroit beat the Mariners for the first time this season. They were swept in a three-game series in Seattle, July 10-12. The Mariners have lost three of four and have fallen two percentage points behind the idle Anaheim Angels in the AL West.

Jamie Moyer (12-6) lost his second straight start, giving up four runs and eight hits in seven innings. He walked one and struck out five.

“I can’t think about our offense struggling and change the way I pitch,” he said. “My job is to just keep pitching as well as I can and keep our team in the game.”

Athletics 8, Indians 1

Cleveland Tim Hudson pitched 8 1â3 innings to remain unbeaten in August and Eric Chavez homered twice as Oakland won its sixth straight game.

Hudson (10-9) allowed six hits and one run but was lifted just two outs away from his third complete game this season. He improved to 3-0 with a 1.21 ERA this month for the third-place A’s, who kept pressure on Anaheim and Seattle in the AL West.

Chavez hit a two-run homer in the first inning off Danys Baez (9-10) and added a three-run shot in the ninth off Mark Wohlers for Oakland, which improved to 13-4 in August.

Jim Thome hit his 38th homer for the Indians, and Cleveland rookie Coco Crisp had two hits and made a diving catch in center field during his debut at Jacobs Field.

Devil Rays 7, Orioles 3

Baltimore Tampa Bay hit a club-record three homers in a seven-run second inning, and Paul Wilson beat Baltimore for the fourth time this season.

Ben Grieve and Chris Gomez hit successive home runs, and Steve Cox added a two-run shot against Travis Driskill to stake the Devil Rays to a 7-0 lead.

That was enough support for Wilson (6-8), who allowed three runs and five hits in eight innings. The right-hander is 4-1 with a 2.72 ERA against Baltimore and 2-7 with a 4.18 ERA against everyone else.

Marty Cordova and Tony Batista homered for the Orioles. Baltimore is 16-11 against first-place teams and 11-14 against cellar-dwellers.

Twins 7, White Sox 3

Chicago Jacque Jones hit two of Minnesota’s five homers and Brad Radke got his first win since May 8.

Jones and Cristian Guzman hit back-to-back homers to start the game and David Ortiz added another solo shot in a three-homer first off Gary Glover (5-6). Doug Mientkiewicz homered off Mike Porzio in the sixth inning.

Jones, who had a five-hit game against the White Sox at Comiskey Park last month, connected for a two-run shot off Glover in the second his 21st of the season and also doubled in the fifth.

Radke (5-3), who spent two months on the disabled list before being activated 16 days ago, gave up three runs and seven hits in five innings.