Oakland's Braden is perfect against Rays

• AMERICAN LEAGUE

Dallas Braden definitely owns the mound now.

Braden pitched the 19th perfect game in major league history on Sunday, shutting down the majors' hottest team and leading the host Oakland Athletics to a 4-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Braden threw his arms in the air after Gabe Kapler grounded out to shortstop for the final out, his simmering feud with Yankees star Alex Rodriguez merely a footnote to the first perfect game for Oakland in 42 years.

The closest the Rays got to a hit was Jason Bartlett's liner to third leading off the game. Evan Longoria tried to bunt leading off the fifth, drawing boos from the small crowd.

"Pretty cool," Braden said. "I don't know what to think about it just yet. There's definitely a select group. I'd like to have a career more than today."

Before this gem, Braden was best known for his enraged reaction to Rodriguez walking across the mound on April 22. Still angry after the game, he told the slugger "to go do laps in the bullpen" if he wanted to traipse across a mound.

"I've learned in my career that it's always better to be remembered for some of the good things you do on the field, and good for him," Rodriguez said before facing Boston. "He threw a perfect game. And, even better, he beat the Rays."

Braden pitched the A's first perfect game since Hall of Famer Jim "Catfish" Hunter's gem on May 8, 1968, against the Minnesota Twins. Only 6,298 were there to witness it. Sunday's crowd at the Coliseum wasn't much better: 12,228.

Braden wasn't fazed by anything, locating his fastball in every spot, throwing two-strike changeups and getting quick outs against a Rays team that lost on the road for just the third time this year. He struck out six in the improbable 109-pitch performance, throwing 77 strikes in his 53rd career start and first complete game.

Rangers 6, Royals 4: At Arlington, Texas, David Murphy had three hits and drove in two runs, Max Ramirez contributed the go-ahead RBI in the fifth and Texas completed a four-game sweep.

Red Sox 9, Yankees 3: Jon Lester pitched seven strong innings and Jeremy Hermida homered and drove in three runs as host Boston beat New York.

Indians 7, Tigers 4: Andy Marte drove in three runs and host Cleveland snapped a five-game skid while ending a 10-game losing streak to Detroit.

Blue Jays 9, White Sox 7: Fred Lewis hit a three-run homer off Bobby Jenks and visiting Toronto rallied to beat Chicago, getting homers from Vernon Wells and Adam Lind along the way.

Twins 6, Orioles 0: At Minneapolis, Denard Span had his third three-hit game of the month and Minnesota beat Baltimore.

• NATIONAL LEAGUE

Phillies 5, Braves 3: Placido Polanco, Jayson Werth and Shane Victorino homered and host Philadelphia beat Atlanta.

Giants 6, Mets 5: Aaron Rowand hit a two-run homer to lift visiting San Francisco over New York.

Dodgers 2, Rockies 0: Clayton Kershaw threw eight innings of two-hit ball, leading host Los Angeles over Colorado.

Reds 5, Cubs 3: Joey Votto hit a three-run homer and host Cincinnati beat Chicago.

Nationals 3, Marlins 2: Josh Willingham homered and host Washington held off Florida.

Cardinals 11, Pirates 4: Yadier Molina drove in three runs and visiting St. Louis beat Pittsburgh.

Brewers 6, Diamondbacks 1: At Phoenix, Chris Narveson gave up three hits pitching into the sixth inning and Milwaukee beat Arizona.

Astros 4, Padres 3, 11 inn.: Hunter Pence's 11th-inning RBI lifted host Houston past San Diego.