ANAHEIM, Calif. — After challenging the Yankees' powerful lineup, Joe Saunders stood at his locker with a bulging wrap around his left shoulder and another on his left knee.

Despite how worn out he looked afterward, Saunders was plenty strong on the mound last night.

Saunders pitched into the ninth inning and the Los Angeles Angels prevented New York from wrapping up a playoff spot, winning, 5-2, in a matchup of division leaders.

"I threw the ball well, especially against a great-hitting club like they are," he said. "I didn't have my best stuff, but I located it when I needed to and got some big double plays. The hitters did a great job for me, giving me a little bit of a cushion there in the first."

Vladimir Guerrero and Torii Hunter hit consecutive RBI doubles in the first inning off Yankees starter Andy Pettitte (13-7), who said his troublesome shoulder felt fine. Kendry Morales added a pinch-hit homer.

The Angels earned their 90th victory for the seventh time in nine seasons and reduced their magic number to six for clinching their third consecutive AL West title.

The Yankees, who have dropped six of 10, could have secured a postseason spot with a win or a Texas loss at Oakland. The Rangers beat the Athletics, 10-3.

"We'd like to get it locked up, but we haven't been winning," Pettitte said. "We've been playing so well the second half, but we're kind of in a little lull right now. So more than anything, we just want to get it going again and get back on the winning ways."

That's not a problem for the Angels.

They've won two in a row, four of five and remained a season-best 7 1/2 games ahead of Texas. They moved within 4 1/2 games of New York in the race for the best record in the AL and home-field advantage throughout the postseason.

Saunders (14-7) gave up two runs and seven hits in 8 1/3 innings, struck out three and walked none.

RANGERS 10, ATHLETICS 3:

David Murphy had three hits and drove in two runs, and Kevin Millwood pitched seven solid innings to help visiting Texas beat Oakland. Millwood (11-10) did not allow an earned run and struck out two. Millwood completed enough innings (180) to guarantee himself a $12 million contract next season.

TWINS 7, WHITE SOX 0:

Nick Blackburn pitched seven innings, and Orlando Cabrera had two RBIs and scored three runs to lead visiting Minnesota. The Twins, who have won five of six, moved within 2 1/2 games of first-place Detroit, which was idle, in the AL Central. Blackburn (11-11) allowed eight singles with no walks and six strikeouts.

ROYALS 12, RED SOX 9:

Mike Jacobs hit a three-run homer and Alberto Callaspo's two-run double keyed host Kansas City's biggest inning in almost a year. After falling behind 8-2 in the fifth, the Royals took an 11-9 lead with six runs in the sixth, the most they have scored in one inning since Sept. 24, 2008.

BLUE JAYS 9, ORIOLES 2:

Lyle Overbay and John McDonald homered, and David Purcey won for the first time in more than a year as host Toronto handed Baltimore its fifth straight loss. Purcey (1-2) allowed one run and four hits in a season-high 7 2/3 innings.