The Associated Press

BALTIMORE - Mike Cuddyer snapped a tie with a two-run homer in the ninth inning, and the Minnesota Twins rallied to beat the Baltimore Orioles 3-1 Tuesday night.

The Twins pulled even with an eighth-inning run, then took control in the ninth against Jorge Julio (2-4). Pinch-hitter Jason Kubel drew a one-out walk, and after Cristian Guzman hit a fly ball, Cuddyer drove a 1-0 pitch deep into the left-field seats.

It was his ninth home run this season, and first since July 31.

Julio then threw a high inside pitch that nearly hit Augie Ojeda in the head, and plate umpire Ron Kulpa promptly ejected the right-hander.

J.C. Romero (7-1) pitched a scoreless eighth for the Twins, extending his club-record run of shutout innings to 34. Joe Nathan worked the ninth for his 39th save.

Pitching in the majors for the first time since July 2, Orioles starter Matt Riley blanked the American League Central-leading Twins on two hits before being lifted after walking the first two batters he faced in the eighth with Baltimore up 1-0.

Jason Grimsley then gave up a bunt single to Shannon Stewart to load the bases for Lew Ford, who hit into a 4-6-3 double play that enabled pinch-runner Ojeda to score from third.

It was a disappointing finish to a fine outing by Riley, who entered with an 8.39 ERA. He walked five and struck out four while locked in a duel with Brad Radke, who allowed one run and five hits in seven innings.

Radke extended his run of scoreless innings to 13 before Baltimore scored in the sixth on a two-out single by David Newhan and a double by Melvin Mora.

Yankees 11, Devil Rays 2

NEW YORK - Alex Rodriguez and Hideki Matsui each hit two-run doubles, and Jon Lieber struck out a season-high nine to help New York win its third consecutive game.

Gary Sheffield had four hits and Bernie Williams homered for the Yankees, who entered Tuesday with 2 1/2-game lead over Boston in the American League East. The Red Sox played late Tuesday at Oakland.

Rocco Baldelli hit a two-run homer in the first inning for Tampa Bay, which lost its ninth straight game.

Royals 6, Tigers 2

DETROIT - Dee Brown homered twice and drove in four runs to lead Kansas City to just its fifth win in 16 games.

Jimmy Serrano (1-1) picked up his first major-league victory with three scoreless innings of relief.

Carlos Pena and Craig Monroe homered for Detroit, which had its winning streak stopped at two games. Nate Robertson (12-8) allowed five runs and nine hits in six-plus innings, losing for the first time in four starts.

Rangers 10, White Sox 3

ARLINGTON, Texas - Kenny Rogers allowed three runs over seven innings, David Dellucci keyed a seven-run second with a three-run double and Texas beat the White Sox, snapping Chicago's four-game winning streak.

Rogers (16-7) is now one win shy of matching the best season of his 16-year career - 17-7 for the Rangers in 1995. He gave up eight hits, struck out two and didn't walk a batter.

Alfonso Soriano homered and Mark Teixeira went 2-for-4 with three RBIs for the Rangers, who have won just two of nine.

Texas got just three hits while scoring seven times against Jose Contreras (12-8) in the second to open an 8-1 lead. Contreras walked five and hit a batter during the inning.

Dellucci had a bases-loaded double and Laynce Nix added an RBI single. Contreras issued bases-loaded walks to Hank Blalock and Teixeira, and he hit Soriano with a pitch to force in another run.