BOSTON -David Ortiz homered to start a six-run inning, then added a two-run single to finish it on Tuesday night and the Boston Red Sox beat the Florida Marlins 8-2.
Tim Wakefield (9-3) allowed two runs in six innings to improve to 6-0 at Fenway Park this season.
Chris Volstad (4-7) allowed nine hits and a career-high eight runs before he was chased in the fourth, when the Red Sox sent 11 batters to the plate. It was his fourth consecutive loss.
Ortiz, who did not homer in the first six weeks of the season, now has five for the year – four of them in the last nine games. His batting average is back up to .210 – still 73 points below his career average.
Mets 6, Orioles 2
BALTIMORE – Three Orioles errors led to three tainted Mets runs, helping Mike Pelfrey earn his first win in more than five weeks.
New York had lost eight of 12, including two of three to the hated Yankees over the weekend. In the first game, Mets second baseman Luis Castillo dropped a popup that enabled the Yankees to score the winning runs in the ninth inning.
Pelfrey (5-2) allowed two runs and five hits in 5 2-3 innings. The right-hander had gone 0-2 in six starts since defeating Philadelphia on May 7.
Francisco Rodriguez gave up a bases-loaded walk to Ty Wigginton and a run-scoring groundout to Brian Roberts in the ninth, then struck out Adam Jones with two runners in scoring position for his 17th save in 18 opportunities.
Baltimore starter Jeremy Guthrie (4-7) permitted five runs in 6 1-3 innings.
Yankees 5, Nationals 3
NEW YORK – Robinson Cano hit a tiebreaking double in the seventh inning and matched a career high with four hits, leading CC Sabathia to a victory.
Sabathia (6-4) held Washington in check after light-hitting Anderson Hernandezs three-run homer in the fifth gave the Nationals the lead. The 6-foot-7 left-hander departed after walking Nick Johnson with two outs in the eighth inning and received a standing ovation.
Brian Bruney, activated off the disabled list earlier in the day, got Ryan Zimmerman to ground out and Mariano Rivera worked the ninth for his 15th save in 16 chances.
Shairon Martis allowed four hits and one earned run before handing a 3-2 lead over to the Nationals bullpen. Ron Villone (3-4) took the loss.
