Bannister threw a wild pitch in the dirt and Bates moved to third. Pedroia, coming off consecutive three-hit games, hit his first ball out of the infield for a double off the left-field wall.

Bannister intentionally walked Kevin Youkilis before John Bale came on and retired David Ortiz on a groundout.

Jonathan Papelbon got the last three outs for his 23d save in 25 opportunities.

Lester walked two and had eight strikeouts. Bannister went 72/3 innings, giving up three hits and four walks while striking out seven.

Both starters entered the game on a roll.

Lester was 4-1 in his previous seven starts with a 1.74 ERA. The last time he faced the Royals, he pitched a no-hitter May 19, 2008, at Fenway Park. In his previous game against them, he gave up one hit in eight scoreless innings on July 18, 2006.

Bannister had a 2.48 ERA in his last six starts but just a 2-3 record.

Last night, he held the Red Sox hitless through four innings, allowing only walks to Youkilis in the first and J.D. Drew in the third.

But Jacoby Ellsbury led off the fifth with a single and got his 38th stolen base before Jason Varitek walked. Varitek was out at second and Ellsbury took third on Kotsay's force-play grounder.

With Green up, Kotsay took off for second and was caught in a rundown. Ellsbury raced home and appeared to slide in before catcher Miguel Olivo could tag him. After being called out Ellsbury bounced his helmet hard and was ejected by plate umpire Derryl Cousins.

DeJesus cf 3   0   1   0   .256      J.Drew rf 3   0   0   0   .252   

Bloomquist ss 4   0   0   0   .280      Pedroia 2b 4   0   1   1   .300   

Pena Jr. ss 0   0   0   0   .089      Youkilis 3b 2   0   0   0   .289   

Butler 1b 4   0   0   0   .288      D.Ortiz dh 4   0   0   0   .221   

J.Guillen lf 4   0   0   0   .241      Bay lf 3   0   0   0   .261   

Teahen 3b 4   0   3   0   .295      Ellsbury cf 2   0   1   0   .301   

Olivo c 3   0   0   0   .245      Baldelli cf 1   0   0   0   .275   

J.Buck dh 3   0   0   0   .218      Varitek c 2   0   0   0   .242   

Callaspo 2b 2   0   0   0   .301      Kotsay 1b 3   0   1   0   .277   

Freel rf 3   0   0   0   .167      1-Bates pr-1b 0   1   0   0   .000   

Totals 30   0   4   0         N.Green ss 2   0   0   0   .260   

                  Totals 26   1   3   1      

1-ran for Kotsay in the 8th. E: Bloomquist (6), Youkilis (3). LOB: Kansas City 5, Boston 6. 2B: Teahen (19), Pedroia (28). RBIs: Pedroia (39). SB: DeJesus (2), Teahen (5), Ellsbury (38). CS: DeJesus (5). S: N.Green. RLSP: Kansas City 4 (J.Guillen, Callaspo, Olivo, J.Buck); Boston 2 (N.Green, D.Ortiz). RA: J.Buck. DP: Boston 1 (Baldelli, Pedroia).

Kansas City walks (2): DeJesus, Callaspo.

Boston walks (4): J.Drew, Youkilis 2, Varitek.

Kansas City strikeouts (9): Bloomquist 2, Butler, J.Guillen 2, Olivo, J.Buck, Callaspo, Freel.

Boston strikeouts (7): J.Drew, Pedroia, D.Ortiz 3, Bay, N.Green.

Kansas City IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO   NP   ERA   

Bannister (L) 72/3   3   1   1   4   7   115   3.66   

Bale 1/3   0   0   0   0   0   3   5.65   

Boston IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO   NP   ERA   

Lester (W) 8   4   0   0   2   8   115   3.87   

Papelbon (S) 1   0   0   0   0   1   11   1.85   

W: Lester, 8-6. L: Bannister, 6-7. S: Papelbon, 23.

IR-S: Bale 2-0. IBB: off Bannister (Youkilis). WP: Bannister. Umpires: Home, Derryl Cousins; first, Todd Tichenor; second, Jim Joyce; third, Bill Miller. T: 2:29. A: 38,116 (37,373).

Blue Jays 2, Orioles 0

BALTIMORE - Brett Cecil outpitched Jason Berken in a duel between struggling rookies, and Toronto beat Baltimore to snap a three-game skid.

Alex Rios hit two doubles and scored a run for the Blue Jays, but Scott Rolen's 25-game hitting streak ended with an 0-for-4 performance.

Cecil (3-1) allowed four hits over six innings to earn his first win in five starts since May 15. The lefthander came in with a 6.23 ERA and yielded 12 runs in his previous two starts.

It was a happy homecoming for Cecil, who grew up in Dunkirk, Md., and played for the University of Maryland before being drafted by Toronto in the first round of the 2007 draft.

Scott Downs worked a perfect ninth for his ninth save.

Scutaro ss 4   0   1   0   .283      B.Roberts 2b 4   0   0   0   .271   

A.Hill 2b 4   0   0   0   .295      Ad.Jones cf 4   0   1   0   .308   

Lind dh 4   0   1   0   .308      Markakis rf 4   0   1   0   .289   

Rolen 3b 4   0   0   0   .325      A.Huff 1b 4   0   0   0   .259   

V.Wells cf 4   0   0   0   .261      Reimold lf 4   0   0   0   .257   

Overbay 1b 2   1   1   0   .251      Scott dh 4   0   2   0   .307   

Rios rf 4   1   2   0   .265      Mora 3b 3   0   1   0   .262   

Dellucci lf 4   0   0   1   .193      Wieters c 3   0   0   0   .260   

Bautista lf 0   0   0   0   .263      C.Izturis ss 2   0   0   0   .257   

R.Chavez c 3   0   1   1   .264      Totals 32   0   5   0      

Totals 33   2   6   2                        

LOB: Toronto 6, Baltimore 8. 2B: Rios 2 (22), R.Chavez (4). RBIs: Dellucci (2), R.Chavez (10). RLSP: Toronto 4 (Dellucci 2, A.Hill, Rios); Baltimore 4 (C.Izturis 2, Wieters, Ad.Jones). RA: Scutaro, Dellucci, B.Roberts, Mora.

Toronto walks (2): Overbay 2. Baltimore walks (3): Mora, Wieters, C.Izturis. Toronto strikeouts (2): A.Hill 2. Baltimore strikeouts (7): Ad.Jones, A.Huff, Reimold, Scott 2, Mora, Wieters.

Toronto IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO   NP   ERA   

Cecil (W) 6   4   0   0   2   5   96   5.40   

Camp (H) 1/3   1   0   0   1   0   10   3.76   

Carlson (H) 11/3   0   0   0   0   0   14   4.61   

Frasor (H) 1/3   0   0   0   0   0   4   2.53   

S.Downs (S) 1   0   0   0   0   2   15   1.91   

Baltimore IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO   NP   ERA   

Berken (L) 52/3   5   2   2   2   1   88   5.87   

Albers 21/3   1   0   0   0   1   27   3.58   

Mickolio 1   0   0   0   0   0   8   0.00   

W: Cecil, 3-1. L: Berken, 1-6. S: Downs, 9. H: Carlson, 6. H: Frasor, 4. H: Camp, 3. IR-S: Carlson 2-0, Albers 2-0. Umpires: Home, Jerry Meals; first, Mike DiMuro; second, Ron Kulpa; third, Dale Scott.

T: 2:38. A: 30,574 (48,290).

Tigers 5, Indians 1

DETROIT - All-star Edwin Jackson pitched seven strong innings and Detroit beat Cliff Lee and Cleveland.

Marcus Thames hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning for Detroit, which has won three straight. Josh Anderson had a two-run single.

Jackson (7-4) struck out four and allowed four hits, including Ryan Garko's homer.

Three Tigers relievers combined to no-hit the Indians over the final two innings.

Lee (4-9) gave up three runs and five hits in seven innings. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner has lost three straight starts.

A.Cabrera ss 3   0   1   0   .298      Raburn lf 3   0   0   0   .272   

Sizemore cf 5   0   0   0   .229      Polanco 2b 2   1   0   0   .263   

V.Martinez 1b 3   0   0   0   .295      Mi.Cabrera 1b 4   0   1   0   .322   

1-BFncsco pr-rf 0   0   0   0   .242      Thames dh 4   1   1   2   .248   

Choo lf 2   0   0   0   .295      Inge 3b 4   1   1   0   .264   

Hafner dh 4   0   1   0   .281      Ordonez rf 3   1   1   0   .260   

Jh.Peralta 3b 4   0   0   0   .257      Thomas rf 1   0   1   0   .244   

Garko rf-1b 3   1   1   1   .280      Laird c 3   1   1   1   .244   

Valbuena 2b 4   0   1   0   .211      Everett ss 3   0   0   0   .260   

Shoppach c 4   0   0   0   .194      J.Anderson cf 1   0   1   2   .257   

Totals 32   1   4   1         Granderson cf 1   0   0   0   .254   

                  Totals 29   5   7   5      

1-ran for V.Martinez in the 8th. E: Inge (10). LOB: Cleveland 10, Detroit 5. 2B: A.Cabrera (18), Thomas (7), Laird (12). HR: Garko (9), off E.Jackson; Thames (9), off Jo.Smith. RBIs: Garko (34), Thames 2 (21), Laird (23), J.Anderson 2 (16). S: Raburn. RLSP: Cleveland 6 (Garko, Jh.Peralta, Hafner 2, Sizemore 2); Detroit 3 (Thames 2, Laird). RA: Jh.Peralta, Mi.Cabrera 2.

Cleveland walks (6): A.Cabrera 2, V.Martinez, Choo 2, Garko.

Detroit walks (3): Polanco 2, Laird.

Cleveland strikeouts (5): Choo, Jh.Peralta, Garko, Shoppach 2.

Detroit strikeouts (9): Raburn 2, Thames 2, Inge 2, Laird 2, Everett.

Cleveland IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO   NP   ERA   

Cl.Lee (L) 7   5   3   3   2   8   122   3.47   

Jo.Smith 1   2   2   2   1   1   18   4.58   

Detroit IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO   NP   ERA   

E.Jackson (W) 7   4   1   1   2   4   110   2.52   

Zumaya 0   0   0   0   1   0   2   4.20   

Seay (H) 1   0   0   0   1   1   14   3.00   

Rodney 1   0   0   0   2   0   28   3.92   

W: Jackson, 7-4. L: Lee, 4-9. H: Seay, 19.

Zumaya pitched to 1 batter in the 8th. IR-S: Seay 1-0. HBP: by Cl.Lee (J.Anderson). WP: Seay. PB: Laird.

Umpires: Home, John Hirschbeck; first, Wally Bell; second, Mike Estabrook; third, Marty Foster.

T: 2:43. A: 35,592 (41,255).

Rays 6, Athletics 0

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Jeff Niemann pitched a six-hitter and Tampa Bay got home runs from Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria in the victory over Oakland.

Niemann (8-4), the Rays' No. 5 starter, has two shutouts this season. The 6-foot-9 righthander, who is 6-1 over his last 10 starts, allowed two hits in a 2-0 win over Kansas City on June 3.

Pena hit his 24th homer of the season and Longoria added a solo shot for Tampa Bay, which has won nine in a row at home. The Rays are 19-8 overall since June 10.

Kennedy 3b 4   0   0   0   .289      B.Upton cf 5   1   3   0   .246   

O.Cabrera ss 4   0   2   0   .255      Crawford lf 4   0   1   1   .312   

Hairston cf 4   0   1   0   .295      Longoria 3b 5   1   1   1   .285   

Holliday lf 3   0   0   0   .272      C.Pena 1b 3   1   1   1   .233   

Cust dh 3   0   1   0   .233      Zobrist 2b 2   1   1   1   .290   

K.Suzuki c 4   0   1   0   .289      Burrell dh 4   0   2   1   .230   

Giambi 1b 3   0   0   0   .193      Gross rf 4   0   0   0   .270   

R.Sweeney rf 4   0   1   0   .265      Bartlett ss 3   0   0   0   .350   

M.Ellis 2b 4   0   0   0   .214      Navarro c 3   2   1   0   .224   

Totals 33   0   6   0         Totals 33   6   10   5      

E: O.Cabrera (13). LOB: Oakland 9, Tampa Bay 9. 2B: B.Upton 2 (20), Burrell 2 (8). HR: C.Pena (24), off Mazzaro; Longoria (17), off S.Casilla. RBIs: Crawford (39), Longoria (66), C.Pena (58), Zobrist (51), Burrell (26). SB: O.Cabrera 2 (6), Hairston (9), Zobrist (11). CS: B.Upton (8). RLSP: Oakland 5 (Cust, Giambi, K.Suzuki, M.Ellis 2); Tampa Bay 4 (Bartlett, Burrell 2, Navarro). RA: Crawford, Longoria. GIDP: M.Ellis. DP: Tampa Bay 1 (Bartlett, Zobrist, C.Pena).

Oakland walks (3): Holliday, Cust, Giambi.

Tampa Bay walks (5): Crawford, C.Pena, Zobrist 2, Bartlett.

Oakland strikeouts (6): Kennedy, Hairston, Holliday, K.Suzuki, Giambi 2.

Tampa Bay strikeouts (6): Longoria, C.Pena, Gross 3, Bartlett.

Oakland IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO   NP   ERA   

Mazzaro (L) 5   7   3   2   2   2   102   3.59   

Breslow 2/3   0   1   1   0   1   14   4.46   

S.Casilla 1/3   2   1   1   1   0   11   6.75   

G.Gonzalez 1   1   1   1   2   2   24   6.29   

Gray 1   0   0   0   0   1   9   0.00   

Tampa Bay IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO   NP   ERA   

Niemann (W) 9   6   0   0   3   6   118   3.73   

W: Niemann, 8-4. L: Mazzaro, 2-5.

S.Casilla pitched to 1 batter in the 7th. IR-S: S.Casilla 1-1. IBB: off Mazzaro (C.Pena). HBP: by Breslow (Navarro). WP: S.Casilla. Umpires: Home, Bob Davidson; first, Jeff Nelson; second, Chad Fairchild; third, Tim Tschida.

T: 2:46. A: 20,358 (36,973).

Twins 6, White Sox 4

MINNEAPOLIS - Joe Mauer's two-out single snapped a seventh-inning tie, and Nick Blackburn and Minnesota hung on for the win over Chicago.

Blackburn (8-4) went seven innings, but wasn't at his best. Matt Guerrier and Joe Nathan were, with a perfect eighth and ninth to preserve an important win for Minnesota and notch Nathan's 23d save.

The Twins took a 4-0 lead against Chicago starter John Danks in the first inning, but let the White Sox come back to tie it as former Minnesota catcher A.J. Pierzynski had three hits.

Podsednik cf 4   0   0   0   .306      Span cf-lf 2   1   0   0   .286   

Al.Ramirez ss 4   1   2   0   .278      B.Harris ss 3   1   1   0   .269   

Dye rf 3   0   1   1   .300      Mauer c 3   1   1   1   .388   

Thome dh 4   1   1   0   .254      Morneau 1b 2   1   0   1   .311   

Konerko 1b 4   1   1   0   .304      Kubel dh 4   0   3   2   .312   

Pierzynski c 4   1   3   0   .310      1-Tolbert pr-dh 0   1   0   0   .178   

Getz 2b 3   0   0   2   .254      Cuddyer rf 4   0   1   1   .274   

Beckham 3b 4   0   1   1   .245      Crede 3b 4   0   0   0   .226   

Wise lf 4   0   0   0   .190      Delm.Young lf 3   0   0   0   .266   

Totals 34   4   9   4         Gomez cf 1   0   1   1   .222   

                  Punto 2b 3   1   0   0   .207   

                  Totals 29   6   7   6      

1-ran for Kubel in the 8th. LOB: Chicago 5, Minnesota 6. 2B: Dye (15), Pierzynski 2 (12), Kubel 2 (20). RBIs: Dye (55), Getz 2 (22), Beckham (19), Mauer (48), Morneau (70), Kubel 2 (45), Cuddyer (47), Gomez (13). SB: Tolbert (5), Punto (8). S: Span. SF: Getz. RLSP: Chicago 2 (Thome, Wise); Minnesota 1 (Delm.Young). RA: Konerko, Getz. GIDP: Dye. DP: Minnesota 1 (Crede, Punto, Morneau).

Chicago walks (1): Dye.

Minnesota walks (6): Span, B.Harris, Mauer, Morneau 2, Punto.

Chicago strikeouts (4): Dye, Thome, Konerko, Beckham.

Minnesota strikeouts (6): Span, Kubel, Cuddyer, Crede 2, Delm.Young.

Chicago IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO   NP   ERA   

Danks 52/3   4   4   4   5   4   114   3.91   

Dotel (L) 1/3   0   1   1   1   1   9   3.38   

Thornton 1   1   0   0   0   0   13   2.48   

Jenks 1   2   1   1   0   1   15   3.34   

Minnesota IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO   NP   ERA   

Blackburn (W) 7   9   4   4   1   3   99   3.06   

Guerrier (H) 1   0   0   0   0   1   10   2.50   

Nathan (S) 1   0   0   0   0   0   17   1.31   

W: Blackburn, 8-4. L: Dotel, 1-3. S: Nathan, 23. H: Guerrier, 17.