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West Coast boppers - Power helps Beckett claim 13th win (Jeff Horrigan, July 25, 2006, Boston Herald)

Alex Gonzalez, Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz each clobbered home runs off Zito to support the near-dominant pitching of Josh Beckett, who became the first 13-game winner in the majors. Jonathan Papelbon wrapped up the win with a scoreless ninth to lower his ERA to 0.53, and the Sox maintained their 2 -game lead over the New York Yankees in the American League East.

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Tigers making habit of big first innings (TOM WITHERS, July 25, 2006, Chicago Sun-Times)

With a five-run first inning, the Tigers became the first team in 115 years to score at least five runs in the first at-bat of three consecutive games, and they held on for a 9-7 victory against the Cleveland Indians. The Tigers scored five runs in the first Saturday and six in the first Sunday against the Oakland Athletics.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Tigers -- who opened a 71/2-game lead over the White Sox in the American League Central -- are the first team since the 1891 St. Louis Browns of the American Association to score five runs or more in the first inning three games in a row.