Boston — The Boston Red Sox kept pounding the ball, and, with David Wells on the mound, the Tigers couldn't keep up.
Wells pitched seven strong innings and gave Boston's overworked bullpen a much-needed rest Sunday when the Red Sox beat Detroit, 11-3, to maintain their 11â2-game lead over the New York Yankees in the AL East.
"We've got to play tremendous ball from here on out," said Wells (11-6). "Our starting pitching has to step up."
In their previous three games, Boston's starters allowed at least five runs. More trouble could be looming when the result of Wells' appeal of a six-game suspension for a confrontation with umpires July 22 is announced. Wells expects to learn that today.
"Regardless of what happens : I'm still going to prepare myself the same way I always do," Wells said.
If his suspension remains at six games, he wouldn't pitch before Sunday.
His absence may not hurt much if the Red Sox keep hitting as they have, with 28 runs and 38 hits in their last three games.
"I'm not into whether they've got all the pitching or not," Detroit manager Alan Trammell said. "They wear you down offensively."
Boston Red Sox infielder David Ortiz goes down a row of fans for high-fives after his two-run home run against Detroit. Ortiz's blast helped the Red Sox beat the Tigers, 11-3, Sunday in Boston.
The Red Sox were led by David Ortiz's 33rd homer and three RBIs, Bill Mueller's homer and three hits and Johnny Damon's two hits and three RBIs as Boston outhit Detroit 14-10.
Wells gave up three runs, two earned, and nine hits with a season-high seven strikeouts. He didn't walk a batter for the sixth time in his last seven starts.
"We scored runs. He didn't give them back as rapidly as we did," Damon said about Saturday's 12-8 loss in which Boston wasted a 6-0 lead. "David Wells knows how to pitch, and we need him to have a great month of September and get us back to where we need to be."
Nate Robertson (6-11) struggled after two starts in which he allowed a total of three runs and four hits in 16 innings. On Sunday, he gave up eight runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Boston's offense "does wear on us," Detroit first baseman Chris Shelton said, "especially when you get two runs yourself and they get three or four more."
Leading 4-3, the Red Sox broke the game open with four runs in the sixth.
Athletics 10, Orioles 3
Baltimore - Danny Haren (11-10) pitched seven innings of three-hit ball, and Oakland hit three home runs while beating Baltimore for its fifth straight victory.
Scott Hatteberg, Marco Scutaro and Mark Ellis homered to help the A's move into first place in the AL West ahead of the Los Angeles Angels, who lost to Tampa Bay.
Oakland, which has outscored the Orioles 26-7 in the first three games of the series, will seek its first four-game sweep in Baltimore today.
Indians 4, Blue Jays 1
Toronto - Casey Blake and Aaron Boone homered off Josh Towers (10-10), and Jake Westbrook pitched into the seventh inning to lead surging Cleveland over Toronto.
The Indians have won nine of 11 and are a major-league-best 19-7 since July 31. Cleveland is one game behind the New York Yankees and a half-game back of the Los Angeles Angels in the wild-card race.
Devil Rays 2, Angels 1
St. Petersburg - Mark Hendrickson extended his personal winning streak to four games, and Aubrey Huff hit a two-run homer off Jarrod Washburn (7-8) to help Tampa Bay knock Los Angeles out of the AL West lead.
Orlando Cabrera homered for the Angels, who were swept in the series and have lost four straight.
Rangers 2, Twins 1
Arlington, Texas - Pinch-hitter Hank Blalock's infield single drove in the winning run in the ninth inning, giving Texas a victory over Minnesota.
Phil Nevin had a one-out single in the ninth off Jesse Crain (9-4) and went to second when pinch-hitter David Dellucci walked.
Mariners 9, White Sox 2
Seattle - Freddy Garcia gave up a season-high eight runs in 41â3 innings, and Seattle beat Chicago.
After flirting with a no-hitter in his previous start, Garcia (11-7) made his shortest outing of the season, leaving after the last-place Mariners scored three runs in the fifth to take an 8-2 lead.
Richie Sexson left the game with blurred vision in his eye.
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