Blue Jays 6, White Sox 4

Chicago – Shaun Marcum pitched effectively for 71â3, innings and Toronto broke a scoreless tie with six runs in the eighth Thursday night in beating Chicago, its 11th win in 12 games.

Chicago, which has lost four of five, remained one game ahead of Minnesota in the AL Central. The Twins lost to Kansas City 3-2.

Marcum (9-6) took a three-hit shutout into the eighth.

Orioles 6, Indians 3

Baltimore – Nick Markakis had two hits, and Melvin Mora, sidelined since Aug. 29 because of a strained left hamstring, returned for Baltimore with a two-run double that gave him 99 RBIs.

The Orioles earned a split of the four-game series, which began with Baltimore mired in an eight-game losing streak.

Rangers 6, Athletics 1

Oakland, Calif. – Hank Blalock homered, Chris Davis and Joaquin Arias each drove in two runs, and Texas beat Oakland.

Dustin Nippert (3-4) matched his career high with seven strikeouts in five strong innings, allowing four hits and one run to win back-to-back starts for the Rangers – another impressive outing in just his fourth start of 2008.

Davis hit a two-run double in the third after Arias put the Rangers ahead with a two-run single in the second against Dallas Braden (5-4).

Angels 7, Mariners 4

Anaheim, Calif. – Francisco Rodriguez got the final three outs for his 57th save to tie Bobby Thigpen’s major-league record, and the Angels beat Seattle.

Thigpen set the record in 1990 with the Chicago White Sox.

The Angels clinched the AL West title on Wednesday.

Rodriguez replaced Scot Shields with runners on first and second and no outs.

Rodriguez has blown six saves, one of those in his seven chances against the Mariners.