Lee became the first Indians pitcher to win his first six starts since Greg Swindell in 1988 and lowered his major league-best ERA to a microscopic 0.81 in a 3-0 win over the New York Yankees on Wednesday night.

"Cliff is in the groove right now," Indians manager Eric Wedge said.

That assessment could apply to Carlos Gomez, too. He became the first Twins player to hit for the cycle since Kirby Puckett on Aug. 1, 1986. Gomez helped Minnesota rout Chicago 13-1.

He couldn't fathom his name in the same sentence as Puckett's.

"It's amazing," Gomez said. "Kirby Puckett, I saw the video of the player. He is an All-Star and I can't explain it to you. That's unbelievable."

Lee helped Cleveland secure its first winning series at Yankee Stadium since June 2001. The Indians improved to 4-2 against New York this season, clinching their first season series win since they went 7-6 against the Yankees in 1992.

The left-hander has allowed just four earned runs in 44 2-3 innings after a rough 2007 that included a stint in the minors. On Wednesday, he gave up just six hits and struck out seven.

At Detroit, Placido Polanco hit a broken-bat, tiebreaking single with two outs in the ninth off Jonathan Papelbon.

Boston had everything set up for its sixth straight win, rallying from a four-run deficit with its star closer on the mound.

Royals 9, Angels 4

At Kansas City, Mo., David DeJesus and Alex Gordon both homered and Kansas City, the lowest-scoring team in the AL, banged out 14 hits.

Zack Greinke (4-1) went seven innings for the victory as the Royals snapped the Angels' four-game winning streak.

Blue Jays 6, Rays 2

At Toronto, Shaun Marcum came one out away from a shutout and Scott Rolen hit a two-run homer.

Marcum (4-2) struck out nine, allowing two runs in 8 2-3 innings.

Athletics 6, Orioles 5, 10 innings

At Oakland, Calif., Mark Ellis broke out of his offensive funk in a big way, hitting the first game-ending home run of his career with two outs in the 10th inning.

Ellis connected on a 1-0 pitch from loser Lance Cormier (0-1), a solo shot that hit the left-field foul pole.

Rangers 2, Mariners 0

At Seattle, Vicente Padilla allowed two hits over seven innings to outpitch Erik Bedard and Milton Bradley homered as the Rangers beat the struggling Mariners.

Bradley hit his fourth home run in the sixth and scored both runs.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Mets 12, Dodgers 1

At Los Angeles, John Maine became the first New York starter this season to pitch more than seven innings, taking a shutout into the ninth.

Maine (4-2) hit a two-run single and finished with one earned run and four hits allowed in 8 1-3 innings.

Braves 5, Padres 2

At Atlanta, pinch-hitter Greg Norton broke a seventh-inning tie with a bases-loaded single and Atlanta won its fifth straight.

With the game tied 2-2, Padres starter Randy Wolf (2-2) was lifted after loading the bases in the seventh on Brian McCann's double, Matt Diaz's single and Mark Kotsay's walk.

Pirates 3, Giants 1

At Pittsburgh, Xavier Nady hit a two-run homer to spoil Barry Zito's mostly effective return to the Giants rotation and Pittsburgh's Phil Dumatrait pitched 5 2-3 scoreless innings for his first career win.

Zito (0-7) worked five innings, allowing three hits, two runs, two walks and five strikeouts.

Marlins 6, Brewers 2

At Miami, Florida rookie Burke Badenhop pitched 5 2-3 innings for his first major league victory and Milwaukee lost its fifth game in a row.

Jorge Cantu and Dan Uggla hit back-to-back homers for Florida.

Astros 4, Nationals 3

At Houston, Carlos Lee drove in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning with a single to lift Houston to its fifth straight win.

Matsui walked and stole second in the ninth before Joel Hanrahan (0-2) intentionally walked Lance Berkman.

Phillies 5, Diamondbacks 4

At Phoenix, Eric Bruntlett tied the game in the eighth with an RBI double and Chase Utley followed with an run scoring single to put the Phillies on top to stay.

Conor Jackson went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, including a run-scoring double that put Arizona up 4-3 in the seventh, but he left the game after a nasty head-to-head collision with the Phillies' Shane Victorino in the eighth.

Chad Qualls (0-3) gave up two runs on two hits in 2-3 inning to take the loss. J.C. Romero (3-0) pitched 2-3 inning to get the victory. Brad Lidge pitched a perfect ninth for his seventh save.