MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Andy Pettitte turned in another ageless performance by pitching six scoreless innings and the New York Yankees hit four home runs to beat the Minnesota Twins 6-3 Monday night and extend their AL East lead.
The Yankees took a 1 1/2-game edge over Baltimore, which split a doubleheader with Toronto. This is the first time since Sept. 2 their margin has been more than one game.
Curtis Granderson hit his 40th home run and Nick Swisher, Raul Ibanez and Eric Chavez also homered as New York won for the 10th time in 12 games.
Pettitte (5-3) hasn’t given up a run in 11 innings since rejoining the rotation last week.
Swisher’s two-out, two-run shot in the first inning off Liam Hendriks (1-8) made it 3-0.
ORIOLES 4, BLUE JAYS 1, 1ST GAME
BLUE JAYS 9, ORIOLES 5, 2ND GAME
BALTIMORE (AP) _ J.P. Arencibia broke open a tight game with a seventh-inning grand slam, and the Toronto Blue Jays beat Baltimore to earn a doubleheader split and drop the Orioles 1 1/2 games out of first place in the AL East.
In the opener, Adam Jones went 4 for 4 with a homer to lead Baltimore. But the Orioles lost a half-game in the standings to the New York Yankees, who won 6-3 at Minnesota.
Arencibia, who came into the game mired in a 2-for-36 slump, had three hits and five RBIs. Edwin Encarnacion hit his 41st home run as Toronto ended a seven-game skid.
Ricky Romero (9-14) allowed four runs, eight hits and four walks in five-plus innings, yet stopped a 13-game losing streak over 15 starts since June 22.
Wei-Yin Chen (12-10) took the loss.
In the first game, rookie Steve Johnson (4-0) allowed three hits over five shutout innings to lower his ERA to 1.62. Jim Johnson, the fifth Baltimore pitcher, worked the ninth for his major league-best 48th save in 51 opportunities.
Henderson Alvarez (9-14) took the loss.
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