Rivera homer propels Angels over Dodgers

ANAHEIM, California – Juan Rivera hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning for the Angels, delivering a 5-4 win over the Dodgers in their all-Los Angeles clash in interleague baseball on Friday.

Rivera’s shot over the left field wall wiped out earlier homers from the Dodgers’ James Loney and Rafael Furcal, and moved the Angels within half a game of the American League West division lead.

Justin Speier got the last out of the eighth and Brian Fuentes got his AL-leading 19th save by striking out Casey Blake and Matt Kemp to end it. In Detroit, Marcus Thames hit a pair of two-run homers as Detroit rallied to beat Milwaukee, 10-4, in a game stopped in the seventh inning by rain.

Miguel Cabrera and Curtis Granderson also homered for the Tigers in a game that was also halted by rain for 2 hours in the fourth inning.

Detroit maintained its two-game lead atop the AL Central, while Milwaukee’s advantage atop the NL Central was cut to half a game.

In San Francisco, Fred Lewis hit a go-ahead, two-run homer for San Francisco, overcoming Texas, 6-4..

The Giants used five relievers to maintain their lead, escaping a bases-loaded jam in the seventh.

In Boston, Atlanta’s Nate McLouth homered on the game’s first pitch and Kenshin Kawakami ouptiched his more-heralded countryman Daisuke Matsuzaka as Atlanta beat Boston, 8-2.

Kawakami allowed just two hits in six innings in his first start against Boston since signing a $23 million, three-year contract in January after 11 seasons in Japan.

Matsuzaka cost the Red Sox a lot more – $103 million over six years – and he failed to reach the sixth inning for the sixth time in his past eight starts. His position in the Boston rotation is under threat.

The Red Sox lead in the American League East division was cut to two games.

In Miami, veteran pitcher Andy Pettitte and two relievers combined on a three-hitter to lead New York over Florida, 5-1.

With Alex Rodriguez benched, the Yankees regrouped after two losses at home to lowly Washington. (AP)