Rangers Pound Garland, White Sox

Kevin Mench ruined Jon Garland’s chance to be the first nine-game winner in the majors.

Mench’s towering three-run homer with two out in a six-run sixth inning put Texas ahead to stay, and the Rangers went on to defeat the Chicago White Sox, 12-4, at Arlington, Texas, and extend the longest active winning streak in the majors to eight games.

“It was a bad pitch. I didn’t get it in enough,� Garland said. “It’s my mistake for going in there, but you get a new ball and move on.�

But the Rangers weren’t finished as Laynce Nix doubled and Richard Hidalgo walked. Both scored on a double by Rod Barajas for a 7-3 lead, and Garland (8-2) didn’t return after the sixth.

Boston 7, New York 2 -- David Wells emerged from an ugly slump by pitching into the ninth inning, and David Ortiz hit two long home runs at New York.

Edgar Renteria also homered and got four more hits for the Red Sox, who took two of three at Yankee Stadium to leapfrog New York into second place in the AL East behind Baltimore. Boston begins a three-game series against the Orioles tonight at Fenway Park.

Renteria was 10 for 12 in the series with two homers, six runs batted in and five runs.

Detroit 8, Baltimore 6 -- Craig Monroe’s third homer in three games highlighted a six-run seventh inning, and the Tigers rallied from a five-run deficit for a three-game sweep at Baltimore.

Seattle 10, Tampa Bay 9 -- Rookie Jeremy Reed homered and drove in a career-high four runs, leading the Mariners at St. Petersburg, Fla.

Cleveland 6, Oakland 2 -- Jake Westbrook pitched seven strong innings, and Victor Martinez homered as the Indians completed a three-game sweep at Cleveland and extended the Athletics’ losing streak to eight.

Toronto 4, Minnesota 0 -- Roy Halladay pitched a two-hitter at Toronto for his second shutout of the season.