Tigers snap A's nine-game winning streak

Prince Fielder homered for the second straight game, Torii Hunter hit his first clout since joining Detroit to help back Verlander and the Tigers snapped the Oakland Athletics' nine-game winning streak with a 7-3 win yesterday in Oakland.

Oakland nemesis Justin Verlander (2-1) outpitched A's lefty Brett Anderson before a sellout crowd of 35,067, similar to those spirited fans who packed the Coliseum for last fall's division series between these clubs.

Even dropping to 9-3, the A's have tied the second-best mark in club history after 12 games.

Jhonny Peralta added a three-run homer in the fourth, and the Tigers didn't let the A's back into this one a day after losing 4-3 in 12 innings.

After hitting a three-run homer during a four-hit game Friday, Fielder extended his hitting streak to eight games with a two-out single in the first and connected for his fourth homer. He walked in the fifth and seventh.

"I don't think it's any stretch of the imagination that he's got a good chance to win the MVP in this league," Verlander said.

Verlander pitched the Tigers past the A's 6-0 in the Game 5 clincher at the Coliseum last October after winning the opener.

Red Sox 2, Rays 1: Shane Victorino had a well-placed RBI single into a five-man infield in the 10th inning to score Jacoby Ellsbury with the winning run. David Ross had a solo homer for Boston.

Blue Jays 3, Royals 2: R.A. Dickey won his first game for visiting Toronto. The NL Cy Young Award winner allowed one run and five hits in 62/3 innings, and Jose Bautista backed him with a two-run homer. James Shields (1-2) was a hard-luck loser for the Royals, pitching a two-hitter with six strikeouts and three walks.

Indians 9, White Sox 4: Mark Reynolds hit a grand slam off White Sox ace Chris Sale in a six-run fifth and tied a career high with five RBIs for host Cleveland. Sale gave up a career-high eight runs in 41/3 innings. The loss was Chicago's fifth straight, all on the road.

Braves 3, Nationals 1: Tim Hudson pitched seven innings of four-hit ball, Evan Gattis homered, and visiting Atlanta beat Stephen Strasburg and host Washington for the Braves' eighth straight victory.

Hudson (2-0) allowed one run, walked none and struck out three in improving his lifetime record against Washington to 15-5. Strasburg (1-2) gave up two unearned runs and five hits in six innings. He struck out seven, walked one and hit a batter.

Marlins 2, Phillies 1: Chris Coghlan hit a game-ending single against a draw-in infield with one out in the bottom of the ninth and Miami (2-9) became baseball's last team to win two games this year.

Giants 3, Cubs 2: Madison Bumgarner (3-0) allowed two runs while pitching neatly into the seventh inning, Marco Scutaro had three hits for visiting San Francisco.

Cardinals 8, Brewers 0: Adam Wainwright threw a four-hitter as host St. Louis shut out Milwaukee for the second straight game. Brewers ace Yovani Gallardo dropped to 1-10 with a 6.83 ERA against St. Louis after allowing five earned runs in 51/3 innings. -- AP