CLEVELAND — C.C. Sabathia took the mound almost certain he needed to pitch a shutout. So he did.

Sabathia (4-8) pitched a five-hitter for his seventh career shutout as the Cleveland Indians defeated Minnesota, 1-0, extending the Twins' season-high losing streak to six games last night.

"He was outstanding in every way," Indians manager Eric Wedge said of the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner. "He was as strong late, if not stronger, than he was early. He's one of the greatest pitchers in the game."

Sabathia has received an average of only 2.1 runs a game over his last nine starts, so when Ryan Garko doubled home a first-inning run off Scott Baker (2-1), the left-hander figured he had better make it stand up.

"My job is to keep it close and give us a chance to win," Sabathia said after pitching Cleveland's first 1-0 decision over the Twins since Sam McDowell in 1969. "If that means giving up five and we score six, fine. Tonight, though, I felt it was the best I've been all year."

Sabathia didn't allow a baserunner after the fourth, striking out five without a walk in his second shutout of the season. He blanked Oakland, 2-0, on May 14 — but had been 0-3 in four starts since.

Cleveland's ace, a 19-game winner a year ago, retired his last 17 batters. He was helped by some bad baserunning by the Twins. Minnesota has lost six straight for the first time since Sept. 12 to 16.

The Indians earned their second win in a row for the first time since sweeping three games from Oakland, May 13 to 15.

"C.C. was the story," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "He shut us down, used all his pitches. I know what his record is this year, but he's tough. The home plate umpire (Joe West) said that's the best he's seen him the last two or three years."

Blue Jays 3, Mariners 1: Dustin McGowan (5-4) scattered five hits in pitching his third career complete game, and Vernon Wells and Brad Wilkerson each homered to help host Toronto hand Seattle its seventh loss in nine games.

Orioles 10, Red Sox 6: Aubrey Huff matched his career high with four hits, including a two-run single to tie the game at 6 in the sixth, and Kevin Millar followed with a sacrifice fly as Baltimore came from behind twice to hand Boston just its second home loss in 17 games.

Tigers 6, White Sox 4: Nate Robertson (4-6) allowed three runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings, and Miguel Cabrera hit a go-ahead, two-run single in the bottom of the fifth inning to help Detroit snap Chicago's seven-game winning streak.

Rangers 6, Royals 5: Ian Kinsler led off the top of ninth with a double against Yasuhiko Yabuta (1-1), advanced on a groundout and scored from third when Ramon Ramirez's pitch got away from catcher John Buck to break a 5-all tie and lead Texas over Kansas City.

Angels 6, Rays 1: Garret Anderson and Vladimir Guerrero each hit two-run home runs and Jered Weaver (6-6) allowed three hits over the first seven innings before giving up a solo homer to Gabe Gross in the eighth as host Los Angeles beat Tampa Bay.

Yankees 3, Athletics 1: Chien-Ming Wang (7-2) gave up a run on seven hits in 7 1/3 innings for his first win in his last seven starts, Alex Rodriguez and Jason Giambi hit RBI singles in the first, and Melky Cabrera added a solo homer in the ninth to help visiting New York turn back Oakland.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

MARLINS 5, PHILLIES 4: Hanley Ramirez led off the game with a homer and Jorge Cantu added a two-run homer to cap a three-run first inning against Philadelphia starter Brett Myers, helping Florida close to three games of the NL East-leading Phillies.

Cardinals 7, Reds 2: Ryan Ludwick homered and drove in four runs, and Albert Pujols also went deep before being helped off the field in the top of the seventh inning with a strained left calf he suffered while running out a ground ball as St. Louis beat Cincinnati.

Nationals 7, Pirates 6: Ronnie Belliard hit two homers and an RBI single in his first game back from the disabled list (injured calf), and Lasting Milledge's two-run shot with two outs in the top of the ninth lifted Washington over Pittsburgh.

Astros 6, Brewers 1: Lance Berkman homered and hit a three-run triple, and Roy Oswalt (5-6) gave up a run and five hits over seven innings to break a three-game losing streak with his first win since May 12 to lead host Houston over Milwaukee.

Cubs 10, Braves 5: Ted Lilly (6-5), after giving up Greg Norton's three-run homer in the top of the first, settled down and left after 6 2/3 innings with a 5-3 lead for Chicago. Derrek Lee and Geovany Soto hit homers to lead the NL Central-leading Cubs over Atlanta and Tom Glavine (2-3), who left after three innings with a left elbow strain.

Diamondbacks 9, Mets 5: Orlando Hudson, Stephen Drew, Conor Jackson and Chris Snyder hit homers, powering visiting Arizona past New York, which has lost five straight. The Mets squandered a 5-1 lead to drop to 30-33, matching a season worst at three games below .500.

Rockies 10, Giants 5: Aaron Cook (9-3) allowed three runs and nine hits over seven innings, Todd Helton hit a three-run homer and Garrett Atkins added a two-run shot as Colorado won for the 600th time at Coors Field, while ending San Francisco's seven-game road winning streak.

Dodgers 7, Padres 2: Russell Martin and Matt Kemp drove in two runs each in a four-run seventh inning as visiting Los Angeles ended San Diego's five-game winning streak and deprived Greg Maddux of his 351st victory for the sixth straight start.

SHORT HOPS

Blue Jays: First baseman David Cooper, the 17th overall selection, yesterday became the first player picked in the first round of last week's amateur draft to agree to a contract, getting a $1.5 million signing bonus from Toronto.

Braves: Atlanta third baseman Chipper Jones, leading the major leagues in hitting at .420, was out of the lineup for a second straight game. He missed last night's game against the Chicago Cubs because of a small tear in his right quadriceps.

Padres: San Diego right-hander Jake Peavy, who had no physical setbacks to his strained right elbow after his four-inning simulated start Saturday, will come off the disabled list and face the Los Angeles Dodgers tomorrow.