Minneapolis ? Carlos Silva’s trusty sinker is working again, and September was a great time to find it.

Silva threw seven smooth innings, Michael Cuddyer homered and drove in four runs, and the Minnesota Twins beat the Oakland Athletics, 9-4, Monday night to move within 11â2 games of idle Detroit in the AL Central.

“I want to win with the team. I want to celebrate with the team. That’s all I’m looking for,” said Silva, whose only blemish was a fourth-inning home run by Frank Thomas.

Thomas homered for the sixth straight game, two shy of the major-league record, and has 36 this year.

Torii Hunter also went deep, and Nick Punto added a two-run single for the Twins, who trailed the Tigers by 12 games at the All-Star break and had not been this close to first place since before play on April 18.

Silva (9-13), who held Tampa Bay to one hit over six shutout innings last week before pulling himself from a game that Minnesota’s major-league-leading bullpen blew because of an upset stomach, lowered his earned-run average to 6.08. He has struggled all season, but his last two starts have been the best of the year.

He gave up five hits, one run and one walk while striking out one.

Yankees 9, Orioles 6

Baltimore – Robinson Cano doubled in three runs with a seventh-inning liner over stumbling left fielder Fernando Tatis, giving New York the lead for good in a comeback victory over Baltimore. Derek Jeter went 2-for-5 to extend his career-best hitting streak to 21 games and help the Yankees stretch their lead in the AL East over Boston to a season-high 101â2 games. New York, which won three of four from the Orioles, also moved 30 games over .500 (86-56) for the first time since 2004.

White Sox 3, Angels 2

Anaheim, Calif. – Jose Contreras pitched eight strong innings, and A.J. Pierzynski doubled home the go-ahead run. The White Sox remained 11â2 games behind Minnesota in the wild-card race and pulled within three games of first-place Detroit in the AL Central. Los Angeles stayed 51â2 games back of AL West-leading Oakland.

Blue Jays 6, Mariners 2

Seattle – Ted Lilly got his career-high 13th win, allowing four hits in seven innings to lead Toronto over Seattle. Lilly (13-12), who won 12 games each in 2003 and 2004, allowed two runs, struck out five and walked two. Brandon League and Jeremy Accardo finished the five-hitter for the Blue Jays.