Nomar Garciaparra enjoyed a dream return to Fenway Park as he received a hero's welcome.
He helped the Oakland Athletics to a 6-0 win over the Boston Red Sox.
The long-time Boston favourite played a big part as he went 2-for-4 with an RBI single off John Smoltz, but rookie left-hander Brett Anderson deserved a big slice of the spotlight as he struck out nine in holding the Red Sox to two hits in a complete game shutout.
While Garciaparra received the adulation of the Boston crowd, former New York Yankees slugger Jason Giambi got the opposite treatment, but responded by hitting the double that sparked a four-run fourth inning for the A's.
Jarrod Washburn shut out the Baltimore Orioles in a one-hitter as the Seattle Mariners edged their contest 1-0.
Nick Markakis hit a fourth-inning single for Baltimore's only hit, and was the only man to reach base in a masterful performance from Washburn.
Russell Branyan's home run won it for Seattle.
Josh Hamilton returned for the Texas Rangers, but could not help them in a 9-4 loss to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in a battle for first place in the American League West.
Hamilton went 2-for-4 with a double, but that was no match for the Angels, who got a three-run homer from Jeff Mathis and two-run singles from Torii Hunter and Juan Rivera.
Rookie righthander Ricky Romero turned in an impressive performance to lead the Toronto Blue Jays to a 7-6 win over the New York Yankees.
Romero gave up three runs on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings before the Blue Jays survived some late-inning drama to come away with the win and avoid a four-game sweep at Yankee Stadium.
Mike Jacobs smashed a ninth-inning home run to lift the Kansas City Royals to a 4-3 win over the Detroit Tigers.
Willie Bloomquist scored Kansas' first three runs with a homer and a triple, but Jacobs stole the headlines by driving a 1-1 pitch from Tigers closer Fernando Rodney into the right-field seats.
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