Chicago ? Jon Garland’s winning streak was in jeopardy.

He walked his first batter in the sixth inning, hit the next and gave up a run-scoring double.

With Garland clinging to a one-run lead and the heart of the Texas Rangers order at bat, catcher A.J. Pierzynski went to the mound.

“I can’t really say exactly what he said, but he told me I was being lazy,” Garland said. “He said my arm was dragging through the zone and told me to pick it up. From that point on, I started throwing the ball the way I had been for the first five innings.”

Garland recorded three straight outs to get out of the inning and went on to become the first eight-game winner in the major leagues, leading the Chicago White Sox over the Texas Rangers, 5-2, Tuesday night.

Garland (8-0), the first White Sox pitcher to win his first eight starts since John Whitehead in 1935, gave up two runs and five hits in seven innings, striking out four and walking two. Relying on his sinker, he got Texas to hit into a pair of double plays.

Pretty good for a guy who began the season as his team’s No. 5 starter.

“It just feels nice to go out and give my team quality starts and a chance to win,” said Garland, who has won 10 straight starts dating to last season. “That’s what I’ve said from the very beginning. If I can keep these guys in the game, we’ll find ways to score runs.”

Dustin Hermanson walked two in the ninth but remained perfect in nine save chances. He hasn’t given up a run in 191/3 innings this year, a record for a White Sox pitcher at the start of a season.

Chicago's Jon Garland delivers against Texas. Garland improved to 8-0 by beating the Rangers, 5-2, Tuesday night in Chicago.

“He’s a warrior, no matter where you put him,” manager Ozzie Guillen said. “He’ll give you everything he has. As long as this kid’s healthy, he’s going to do good.”

Chicago, which stopped a three-game losing streak, led 3-2 in the sixth before Pierzynski homered for the fourth time in five games, a two-run drive off Pedro Astacio (1-5) to give the team some breathing room.

“It feels nice,” said Pierzynski, who has homered in three straight games. “I don’t hit a lot of home runs, so when I hit them, it’s a pretty good feeling. I keep joking I keep hitting them in the same spot.”

Astacio (1-5) gave up all five runs and eight hits in six innings.

Yankees 6, Mariners 0

Seattle — Jason Giambi hit a solo home run, singled twice and drove in three runs, and Carl Pavano pitched a five-hitter as New York won its 10th straight. Alex Rodriguez hit his major-league-leading 13th home run, a two-run shot, and Jorge Posada had an RBI single as the Yankees collected 10 hits and matched their longest winning streak since a 10-game run from June 30 to July 12, 1998.

Pavano (3-2) pitched his fourth shutout, his first since a seven-hitter for Florida on Sept. 10 at the Chicago Cubs, and his sixth complete game. It was New York’s third shutout of the season, and the third time the Mariners failed to score.

Indians 13, Angels 5

Cleveland — Ben Broussard and Travis Hafner each hit two-run homers, and Cleveland took out some of its offensive frustration on Los Angeles rookie Ervin Santana.

The Indians entered with the majors’ lowest batting average at .233, but teed off early on Santana, who made his big-league debut after being recalled from Double-A Arkansas.

Red Sox 7, Athletics 5

Oakland, Calif. — Edgar Renteria hit a go-ahead two-run single in the eighth inning, and David Ortiz doubled and drove in two runs, leading Boston.

The Red Sox loaded the bases against Juan Cruz (0-2) before Ricardo Rincon relieved. He struck out Mark Bellhorn, then Johnny Damon reached on an error by first baseman Scott Hatteberg, whose six errors at his position lead the majors. Renteria followed with his single to right, but a charging Eric Byrnes allowed the ball to get by him for an error that led to a run.

Blue Jays 10, Twins 3

Minneapolis — Josh Towers won his fourth straight start, and Toronto took advantage of Johan Santana’s worst outing in nearly a year to beat Minnesota.

Towers (5-1) has allowed two earned runs or less in six of his eight starts this year. He gave up seven hits, one walk and struck out two in five innings, throwing 84 pitches.

Vernon Wells, trying to rediscover his 2003 form at the plate, when he had the most hits in the majors and 33 home runs, smacked a two-run homer off Santana in the first. That set the tone for the reigning AL Cy Young winner’s uncharacteristically rough night.

Tigers 4, Devil Rays 3, 11 innings

Detroit — Ivan Rodriguez tied the score with a two-out single in the ninth inning, and Rondell White singled home the winning run in the 11th as Detroit rallied past Tampa Bay.