(Saturday, June 9th)
Final Score: NY Yankees 9, Pittsburgh 3
Bronx, NY - Roger Clemens made his much anticipated 2007 debut and pitched six innings as the New York Yankees downed the Pittsburgh Pirates, 9-3, in the second of a three-game set at Yankee Stadium.
Clemens (1-0) struck out seven and walked two while giving up three runs on five hits. He threw a total of 108 pitches, 69 for strikes.
“It was great to be back,” said Clemens. “Health wise I did what I expected. Now I can settle into a routine and be in one place at a time. There was good energy here and the guys played great. I expect to get stronger with each start I have. I’ll sleep a little better tonight and come back to work tomorrow.”
Clemens was initially slated to start this past Monday against the White Sox, but he developed a fatigued groin during his final minor league outing on Memorial Day and an MRI exam revealed disrupted scar tissue.
The seven-time Cy Young Award winner made three minor league starts to ready himself for a return to the majors. He signed a prorated $28 million contract on May 6 to begin a second tenure with the Yankees.
Clemens spent the past three seasons with the Houston Astros after his first retirement following the 2003 campaign with New York. He pitched with the Yankees from 1999 through 2003, winning a pair of World Series titles during his five years with the club.
An 11-time All-Star, Clemens’ 349 victories rank eighth in big league history. He is also one of just four pitchers with more than 4,000 strikeouts, as his 4,611 trails only Nolan Ryan on the all-time list.
Alex Rodriguez drove in two runs while Johnny Damon went 2-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored for the Yankees, who are on a season-high five-game winning streak.
“We’re playing well right now and feeling pretty good about ourselves,” said Yankees manager Joe Torre. “I think with Roger going out there we felt we were gonna do anything we could to help him. The players were really upbeat today and part of that was Roger, but a lot of it was how we’re feeling about ourselves right now.”
Jack Wilson hit a two-run double and Paul Maholm (2-9) lost his fifth straight decision as he was charged with five runs — three earned — on six hits in 5 1/3 innings of work for the Pirates, who have dropped three of their last four games.
“I thought we did an adequate job taking the kind of at-bats we’d like to see against him,” said Pittsburgh manager Jim Tracy about his teams performance against Clemens. “We didn’t give him too many easy outs. To his credit, when he needed outs he got them.”
The scored was tied in the fifth, but the Yankees grabbed the lead in the frame with one run. Derek Jeter led off with a walk, Bobby Abreu followed with a single and Rodriguez walked to load the bases. Jorge Posada’s sacrifice fly to right scored Jeter to make it a 4-3 game.
In his last inning of work in the sixth, Clemens retired the Pirates in order, striking out the final two batters. Also, he retired the final seven batters he faced.
“Overall it was a good win and a good day for him,” said Torre about Clemens’ performance. “He wasn’t as sharp as he could be. In the last inning he was looking like he wasn’t throwing hard, he just tried to make pitches. We wanted to commit to 100 pitches or at least five innings and we got that. That was enough for the day.”
New York padded its lead in the bottom of the sixth with two more runs. After Melky Cabrera worked a one-out walk, John Grabow entered the game. Damon beat out an infield single and Jeter walked to load the bases. Abreu followed with a single to right to score Cabrera and a sacrifice fly from Rodriguez scored Damon to make it a 6-3 game.
The Yankees plated another two runners in the seventh for an 8-3 lead. Tony Armas started the inning on the mound and Robinson Cano led off the frame with a double. Miguel Cairo failed in his sacrifice attempt as he fouled out his bunt attempt, but Cabrera followed with a single to left to score Cano. Cabrera made it to third on the play as Jason Bay was charged with a throwing error. Damon’s fielder’s choice then scored Cabrera for the five-run lead.
Hideki Matsui’s sacrifice fly in the eighth scored Abreu to make it a 9-3 contest.
Luis Vizcaino retired the Pirates in the ninth to close the game.
It was a rough start to the game for Clemens as he gave up a run in the first inning and Pittsburgh took a 1-0 lead. Jose Bautista led off with a single and, after Freddy Sanchez flied out, he advanced to second with Bay at the plate on a wild pitch. Clemens got Bay to strike out, but Adam LaRoche punched a single to center to score Bautista. Clemens then got Xavier Nady to strike out and end the inning.
The Yankees answered in the bottom of the first with three runs to grab the lead. Damon led off with a single and moved to third on a Jeter double. Abreu then grounded out to the pitcher, but Rodriguez followed with a ground out to deep third to plate Damon. Posada followed with a single to left to score Jeter and moved to second on an error from Ronny Paulino. Matsui worked a walk and Cano punched a single to left to score Posada for a 3-1 lead.
The Pirates leadoff hitter got to base in the second and third innings, but Clemens kept Pittsburgh from getting on the board.
Pittsburgh, though, tied the game in the fourth with a pair of runs. Nady punched a one-out single to center and, after Ryan Doumit struck out, Paulino worked a walk. Wilson then nailed a double to right to plate Nady and Paulino to make it a 3-3 game.
Game Notes
To make room for Clemens, who had his contract purchased from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre before the game, the Yankees optioned pitcher Chris Britton to Scranton. Also, New York transferred pitcher Phil Hughes from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list…Before the game, the Pirates placed pitcher Salomon Torres on the 15-day disabled list and purchased the contract of pitcher Masumi Kuwata from Triple-A Indianapolis…Clemens is 6-1 in nine appearances against the Pirates…Rodriguez has 58 RBI on the season…Abreu has a nine-game hit streak and is 15-for-34 over that stretch with a .441 hitting average…The Yankees are a major league best 106-73 in interleague play…Pittsburgh is 52-86 in interleague play…Sanchez finished 0-for-4 and had a nine-game hitting streak ended. Also, he had a 13-game road hitting streak stopped…The Yankees stole five bases in the game, a season-high.
Final Score: Houston 3, Chicago White Sox 2
Chicago, IL - Lance Berkman had three hits, including an RBI single in the top of the ninth to lift the Houston Astros over the Chicago White Sox, 3-2, in the second of a three-game interleague series at U.S. Cellular Field.
Adam Everett opened the ninth with a single off Bobby Jenks (2-2). Orlando Palmeiro lined out, but Mark Loretta punched a base hit to right field before Berkman’s single to center scored Everett and broke a 2-2 tie.
“I felt lucky just to hit the ball in that situation because of the sun and shadows,” said Berkman. “The ball was hard to see. Fortunately, I got enough on it for the hit.”
The three-hit performance was a highlight in an otherwise tumultuous week for Berkman, who is appealing a suspension by Major League Baseball for his outburst following an ejection on Tuesday against Colorado. He was ejected again Friday night in the top of the fourth inning after arguing a called third strike.
Chad Qualls (5-3), who got the final out of the eighth, also came back for the ninth, striking out Rob Mackowiak with a runner on third to end the game.
Eric Munson homered for the Astros, who have won two straight. Houston starter Jason Jennings, bidding for his first win with the team, took a 2-0 lead into the eighth inning before Chicago eventually tied the game. Jennings departed with an official line of one run on six hits, with a walk and six strikeouts over seven-plus innings.
Jon Garland gave up a run and eight hits in seven innings for the White Sox, who have dropped five straight and 11 of their last 13 games overall. Jim Thome added a two-run double.
“They should be embarrassed, they should be upset, they should feel the same way I feel because we are here together,” White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said of his team. “We hit together, we win together, we lose together. The way our coaching staff looks at it is ‘hey, we’ve got to keep fighting.’ When you come with a nice smile in the morning or in the afternoon, you don’t want to leave the ballpark real upset. My job is to get up in the morning and make sure these guys keep fighting. And we’re not going to give up.”
Munson’s leadoff homer in the top of the third gave the Astros a 1-0 lead.
The White Sox, meanwhile, had at least a runner on in every inning through the fourth, before back-to-back, one-out singles by Luis Terrero and Josh Fields in the fifth. Mackowiak and Tadahito Iguchi both flied out to end the inning, however, as the Sox continued to struggle with runners in scoring position.
Houston tacked on a run in the eighth, loading the bases against reliever Bret Prinz. Loretta drew a leadoff walk, Berkman doubled, and Prinz intentionally walked Carlos Lee before he was replaced by Boone Logan. Luke Scott grounded into a force out, with Iguchi cutting down the lead runner at the plate, but Mike Lamb’s sacrifice fly plated Berkman for a 2-0 edge.
Chicago then managed to scrape two together in the eighth. Fields started things with a leadoff single, chasing Jennings, and Mackowiak was hit by a pitch from reliever Trever Miller. Iguchi’s sacrifice bunt moved the runners, and Thome followed with a two-run double to make it a 2-2 game.
Game Notes
White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski was suspended for one game and fined an undisclosed amount by Major League Baseball for his inappropriate actions during the bottom of the eighth inning of Thursday’s game against the New York Yankees. Pierzynski appealed, and the suspension will be held in abeyance until the process is complete….Houston improved to 81-73 all-time in interleague play, while the White Sox fell to 101-79 versus the NL.
Final Score: Detroit 8, NY Mets 7
Detroit, MI - Ivan Rodriguez drove in the go-ahead runs with a two-run single in the fifth inning and the Detroit Tigers held on for an 8-7 win over the New York Mets at Comerica Park.
Rodriguez ended 2-for-4 and Carlos Guillen had two hits, including a three-run homer, for the Tigers, who evened this three-game set at a game apiece. Placido Polanco went 4-for-5 with two runs scored and Magglio Ordonez drove in a pair and scored twice for Detroit, which has won five of seven.
Jeremy Bonderman (6-0) began the game on the mound for the Tigers and picked up his sixth win in as many starts. The right-hander, who had five consecutive no-decisions to start the season before picking up his first win on April 30, allowed six runs — five earned — on eight hits with four strikeouts in six- plus innings.
“We’re playing great,” said Bonderman. ” We got shut down last night but it’s the first time all year. I knew we were going to come out and score some runs. I just wanted to come out and be efficient and get deep into the game, keep the score down.”
David Wright extend his hitting streak to 11 games, going 2-for-4 with a homer, for the Mets, who have lost five of six. Ricky Ledee also had two hits and drove in a run, and Jose Reyes drove in two runs for New York, which has lost seven of 11.
“It was a solid effort on our part,” said Wright. “We battled back but couldn’t get the result we wanted.”
New York starting pitcher Oliver Perez (6-5) lost his second straight start, surrendering five runs on seven hits, walking five and striking out four, in five innings.
“I didn’t have my slider going for strikes,” said Perez. “I had to find another pitch, so I tried to throw the fastball more, and it was up in the zone. I was trying to throw first-pitch strikes, but I couldn’t always do it.”
After the Mets tied the game in the top half of the inning, the Tigers went in front for good in the fifth. Ordonez walked to begin the inning and moved to third when Guillen followed with a ground-rule double. Rodriguez then singled home both runners for a 5-3 lead.
Perez rebounded to retire the next three batters in order, but the damage was done.
Detroit added to its lead with a three-run sixth. Gary Sheffield singled home the first run of the frame and then scored along with Polanco on an Ordonez double.
All three runs were charged to New York reliever Guillermo Mota, who began the inning in relief of Perez. Mota, though, lasted just six batters, recording one out before Aaron Sele needed to come on and finish the inning.
The Mets did get three runs back in the seventh. Ledee doubled home the first run, forcing Bonderman from the game. Ramon Castro followed with a sacrifice fly to plate Paul Lo Duca and pinch-hitter Ruben Gotay’s infield hit plated Ledee to make it an 8-6 contest.
Wright made it a one-run game, leading off the eighth with a homer against reliever Fernando Rodney, but that was it for the Mets. Rodney got out of the eighth without any further damage and Todd Jones worked around a two-out seeing-eye bloop base hit by Carlos Beltran to record his 16th save of the season.
“I thought I threw the ball really well,” said Bonderman. “I just got in trouble that inning (seventh) and ended up giving up some runs. We won so that’s all that really matters.”
The Mets got going in the first inning. Beltran singled with two outs and, when stealing second, the throw from Rodriguez hit Beltran and went into no- man’s land in left-center. This allowed Beltran the time to go to third and score when the throw was up the first-base line.
Detroit, though, answered in the home half of the frame when Guillen hit a three-run homer.
The Mets tied the game in the fifth. With the bases loaded, Reyes singled home a pair of runners, but Reyes was eventually picked-off at first to end the inning.
Game Notes
Wright has homered in three straight games and has 11 HRs for the year…Guillen has eight HRs this season…Perez has not won since May 23, a span of three starts…Detroit’s Curtis Granderson went 1-for-2 and extended his hit streak to a career-high 10 games…Polanco recorded his 26th multi-hit game of the season and his third four-hit contest…Ordonez has an eight-game hit streak…Craig Monroe finished 0-for-4 and is hitless in his last 16 at- bats.
Final Score: Colorado 3, Baltimore 2 (10 innings)
Baltimore, MD - Kaz Matsui slapped the go-ahead RBI double with two outs in the 10th inning, as the Colorado Rockies topped the Baltimore Orioles, 3-2, in the middle contest of a three-game set.
Colorado starter Rodrigo Lopez, in his first appearance against his former team, scattered six hits and two runs over seven innings, fanning two and walking one. Lopez spend the last five seasons in Baltimore, until the Orioles dealt him to Colorado this past offseason.
Jeremy Affeldt (4-1) tossed a scoreless ninth, and Brian Fuentes picked up his 18th save with a scoreless 10th. Matsui, Brad Hawpe, and Ryan Spilborghs each had two hits for the Rockies, who have won three of four and five of seven.
Baltimore’s Jeremy Guthrie pitched well enough to win, giving up just six hits and two runs in eight innings with six strikeouts and one walk, but was stuck with the no-decision. Todd Williams (0-1) gave up Matsui’s double in the 10th. Brian Roberts went 3-for-5 and scored for the Orioles, who have dropped six of eight.
Chris Iannetta poked a one-out single to center in the 10th, and moved to second on Willy Taveras’ sacrifice bunt. Matsui followed with a clutch two-out hit, slicing a double down the left-field line to put the Rockies ahead.
The Orioles jumped on top with a two-run first. Roberts laced a leadoff single to left and moved to second on Nick Markakis’ infield single. Both runners moved up on a double steal, and Roberts came home on a Miguel Tejada groundout. Aubrey Huff followed with a single to left, plating Markakis, and giving Baltimore a 2-0 edge.
The Rockies wasted no time evening things, as they plated two in the second. Garrett Atkins walked and Hawpe doubled, moving Atkins to third. Troy Tulowitzki brought one run home with a groundout, and the other was knocked in on a Spilborghs single.
Game Notes
Twelve of Baltimore’s last 14 losses have come by two runs or less. The Orioles are 6-15 in one-run games, the most one-run losses in the majors…Rockies starting pitchers have issued three walks or less in their last 13 games, as they have given up just 17 total free passes during the stretch…Taveras singled in the first inning to extend his hitting streak to 14 games.
Final Score: Philadelphia 4, Kansas City 0
Kansas City, MO - Jon Lieber tossed a three-hit shutout, as the Philadelphia Phillies blanked the Kansas City Royals, 4-0, at Kauffman Stadium.
Lieber (3-4), who won for the first time since May 18, set a season-high with 11 strikeouts. It was his first complete game of the season and third overall for the Phillies, who have won four of five.
Lieber has 25 complete games in his career. It was also his fifth career shutout, and first since August 16, 2006 against the New York Mets.
“I don’t feel like I’ve changed anything,” said Lieber, comparing this outing to his last, when he allowed five runs and 10 hits against San Francisco on June 4. “It’s just being able to throw the ball, get strikes, pitch ahead and get the guys on and off the field.”
Greg Dobbs went 2-for-3 and knocked in a pair of runs, while Pat Burrell and Rod Barajas each contributed an RBI double for Philadelphia.
Gil Meche (3-6) allowed four runs on eight hits, walked one and struck out a season-high eight batters, but lost his fifth straight start for Kansas City. Meche is now winless in his last six outings, since a 3-1 start to the season. He’s seen his ERA swell from 1.91 to 3.16 in the stretch, in which he’s yielded 45 hits and 20 earned runs in 42 2/3 innings.
The Phils grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second, as Aaron Rowand punched a leadoff single to center, Burrell walked and Dobbs followed with a single to right, scoring Rowand.
Lieber, meanwhile, looked nearly untouchable after allowing a leadoff single to David DeJesus in the first. He fanned the next six batters, retiring 11 straight overall before Shane Costa’s two-out bunt single in the fourth.
Philadelphia added three more in fourth. Rowand singled, then scored on Burrell’s double to left. Dobbs’ two-bagger plated Burrell, and after Abraham Nunez went down swinging, Barajas hit a line drive to right that deflected in and out of the glove of Mark Teahen. Barajas ended up on second, while Dobbs scored on the play to give the Phils a 4-0 lead.
Lieber finished the game with 106 pitches, 78 for strikes, and went to a three-ball count on only two hitters while finishing with no walks.
“From the standpoint of (Lieber) just pitching - in and out and never being in the middle of the plate - yeah, I think that was probably as good as we’ve seen all year,” added Royals manager Buddy Bell.
Game Notes
Phillies left-hander Cole Hamels has tossed two complete games this season…The Phillies signed right-hander and former closer Jose Mesa on Saturday, less than a week after he was released by the Detroit Tigers. The 41-year-old Mesa was in uniform for the game…Philadelphia also placed starting pitcher Freddy Garcia on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right shoulder. Garcia, who is 1-5 with a 5.90 ERA this season, will be examined by team physician Dr. Michael Ciccotti on Monday…The Phillies have won seven of their last eight games on the road…Lieber fell one strikeout shy of tying his career-high of 12, which came against the Chicago White Sox on July 8, 2000.
Final Score: Washington 3, Minnesota 1
Minneapolis, MN - Ryan Zimmerman belted a three-run homer and Levale Speigner threw six solid innings as the Washington Nationals edged the Minnesota Twins, 3-1, in the second game of a three-game set at the Metrodome.
Speigner ( 2-2), a former member of the Twins organization, allowed just one run on two hits, while walking one and striking out three. Ray King, Jesus Colome and Jon Rauch blanked the Twins for two innings and Chad Cordero recorded the final three outs for his eighth save of the season.
Cristian Guzman, also a former Twin, had three hits for the Nationals, who have won three of four overall and seven of their last eight road games.
Johan Santana (6-6) went seven frames, surrendering three runs — two earned — on seven hits. He walked none and struck out five for the Twins, who have lost six of seven.
“I’m feeling good,” said Santana. “I mean, I’m doing my job but it’s not working. It takes more than one guy. It’s not just about one pitcher or one player. I would say it’s a team effort.”
Justin Morneau hit his 17th homer of the season and Lew Ford had two hits for Minnesota, which finished with just five hits.
Morneau’s lead-off homer to center in the second put Minnesota on the board, but Washington responded with three in the third.
Nook Logan reached first on Nick Punto’s fielding error and stole second before Felipe Lopez struck out. Guzman followed with a single to center, putting runners on first and third for Zimmerman, who’s shot into the left- field seats gave the Nationals a 3-1 lead.
“He left the change-up up and I hit it good,” said Zimmerman. “Fortunately he made a mistake and I put a good swing on it.”
Minnesota threatened in the ninth. Michael Cuddyer led off with a single to center off Cordero, who struck out Morneau and Torii Hunter before Ford kept the inning alive with a single to right. Cordero, though, got Jason Tyner to ground into a fielder’s choice to end the game.
Game Notes
Twins’ outfielder Jason Kubel left the game with a sprained right knee. He was to be re-evaluated Sunday…Cordero’s save was the 99th of his career…Washington is guaranteed its third consecutive series win away from home…Speigner had a 14.44 ERA over his four previous starts…Guzman is 23- for-39 over his last nine games. He has raised his average to .352…The Twins were born as the original Washington Senators before moving to Minnesota in 1961…Attendance was 39,742.
Final Score: Texas 4, Milwaukee 3
Arlington, TX - Michael Young capped a string of four straight two-out RBI singles in the bottom of the ninth, as the Texas Rangers rallied for a 4-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in the second contest of a three-game set.
Trailing 3-0, the Rangers rallied for four runs off closer Francisco Cordero (0-1), who made his return to Texas after getting dealt to Milwaukee by the Rangers in July of last season, and had converted all 22 of his save opportunities coming into the game.
After Cordero struck out Frank Catalanotto swinging and induced an Ian Kinsler groundout, Brad Wilkerson singled, advanced to second on defensive indifference, and Ramon Vazquez walked. Gerald Laird, Kenny Lofton, Marlon Byrd and Young proceeded to hit RBI singles. Young lined the ball straight up the middle for the game-winner.
“It was a great win; that’s the fight I told you we had,” Texas manager Ron Washington said. “We’ve always been one hit away, one play away. Tonight, we got the right guy up last and he did what he does best, shot the ball to right field.”
Young and Lofton both had two hits for the Rangers, who won their second straight. Sammy Sosa, who failed to homer for the 15th straight game in his pursuit of becoming the fifth player to hit 600, ended 1-for-4.
The Rangers placed first baseman Mark Teixeira on the 15-day disabled list Saturday with a strained left quadriceps, after he had left Friday’s 9-6 victory, snapping a streak of a franchise-record 507 consecutive games played.
Brandon McCarthy is currently dealing with a callous on his pitching hand, but despite the sore, gave up one run on four hits with five strikeouts over five frames in his first-ever appearance against Milwaukee.
“I wanted to give us a chance to win,” McCarthy said. “I was sharp early and for the first time back, I felt pretty good. My finger felt fine.”
Tony Graffanino went 2-for-4 with an RBI and scored a run for the Brewers, who lost their third straight. Ace pitcher Ben Sheets, who entering the contest won four of his last five games, allowed just five hits with six strikeouts and two walks over seven innings in his first-ever appearance against Texas.
After four scoreless innings, Milwaukee got going with a run in the fifth when Graffanino doubled and came home on Craig Counsell’s double.
The Brewers added a pair of would-be insurance runs in the ninth on new reliever Frank Francisco (1-0). Ryan Braun doubled, and Prince Fielder and Corey Hart both walked to load the bases for Geoff Jenkins, who plated Braun on a sacrifice fly. Graffanino next singled home Fielder before Damian Miller struck out swinging to end the frame.
Game Notes
Oakland traded catcher Adam Melhuse to the Rangers in exchange for cash considerations prior to the game…These two clubs last met in 1997, with the Brewers winning seven of 11 encounters. That included three wins in five matchups at Texas…The Brewers are 65-79 all-time in interleague play, while the Rangers are 86-95.
Final Score: Oakland 6, San Francisco 0
San Francisco, CA - Bobby Crosby and Mark Ellis homered and Dan Haren threw seven scoreless innings as the Oakland Athletics shut out the San Francisco Giants 6-0 in the second of a three-game set at AT&T Park.
Haren (7-2) won his seventh straight decision, yielding just five hits, while walking none and striking out six. Ron Flores and Colby Lewis pitched an inning each to finish the six-hitter.
Travis Buck, Crosby and Mark Kotsay each had three hits for the A’s, who have won seven of their last eight games
Former Athletic Barry Zito (6-6) struggled allowing four runs — three earned — on nine hits, while walking one and striking out two in just four innings for San Francisco.
Barry Bonds went 2-for-4 with two singles and two strikeouts for the Giants, who have lost six of eight. Bonds remains stuck at 746 career home runs, nine behind Hank Aaron for first on the all-time list.
Kotsay and Jason Kendall started the second with back-to-back singles, before a one-out RBI single by Buck later gave the A’s a 1-0 edge.
Crosby’s two-out solo shot to left in the third put the A’s up 2-0.
The A’s chased Zito from the game with a three-run fifth. Eric Chavez tripled and scored when Dan Johnson reached on Ray Durhams’s error at second. Back-to-back singles by Crosby and Kotsay and a sacrifice fly by Kendall put Oakland ahead 5-0.
Ellis’ lead-off homer to left-center in the eighth capped the scoring.
Game Notes
San Francisco catcher Eliezer Alfonzo and right fielder Fred Lewis have been placed on the 15-day disabled list. The club also recalled Dave Roberts from his rehab assignment at Triple-A Fresno. Roberts started and went 0- for-4. The center fielder underwent surgery on his left elbow to remove bone chips and spurs three days shy of a month ago. The club also brought up Guillermo Rodriguez to be catcher Bengie Molina’s backup…The shutout was Oakland’s AL-leading sixth of the year….Haren saw his ERA drop to 1.58, which leads the league by nearly half a run….Bonds has just one homer in 73 at-bats since connecting May 8 off the Mets’ Tom Glavine…Zito lost for the second time this season against his former squad. The last was on May 18, when he was tagged for seven runs in four innings of a 15-3 loss…Attendance was 42,526.
Final Score: Atlanta 9, Chicago 5
Atlanta, GA - Edgar Renteria went 3-for-5 with a two-run homer and four RBI, as Atlanta pounded Chicago, 9-5, in the third part of a four-game weekend series at Turner Field.
Peter Moylan (2-1) got the win by turning in three scoreless innings in relief. Starter Tim Hudson allowed five runs and five hits over two-plus innings before leaving the game with a left leg injury. The plucky right- hander was diagnosed with a left leg contusion, and X-rays were negative. There is no timetable on his return.
“It’s pretty sore. It’s not the best one I’ve ever gotten,” said Hudson. “He got me pretty flush, and luckily nothing’s broken. It’ll be sore for a couple of days, though.”
Andruw Jones hit his 11th homer of the season and knocked in three for the Braves, who snapped a four-game slide. Willie Harris had two hits and scored three runs, while Kelly Johnson and Brian McCann had an RBI each.
Chicago hurler Jason Marquis (5-3) had a rough start, touched up for four hits and six runs — only two earned — with three walks over 1 2/3 innings.
Mark DeRosa had a two-run single for the Cubs, who saw their three-game win streak ended. Derrek Lee drove in and scored a run, while Jacque Jones and Mike Fontenot added RBIs.
In the second, Atlanta put up a four-spot to turn the contest around. Scott Thorman reached on Marquis’ throwing error and Yunel Escobar walked. Hudson sacrificed both runners up a base, then Johnson grounded out to second which scored Thorman to make it 4-3.
Harris walked and Renteria then broke an 0-for-14 streak with an RBI single to tie the game. Jones laced a single for another run, and Marquis exited. Sean Gallagher took the hill and allowed an RBI single to McCann which put the Braves ahead 6-4.
Lee led off the third with a single, and went to third on Escobar’s throwing error trying to force him at second. Jones then lined a ball off Hudson’s left shin, but he recovered to grab the ball, only to make a wide throw of home allowing Lee to arrive safely and make it 6-5. Hudson left the game for Moylan, who retired the side.
Renteria added a two-run homer in the fourth, and an RBI double in the sixth which put the game out of the Cubs’ reach.
“It’s definitely a tough loss for us tonight,” DeRosa said. “Any time you take on a Tim Hudson, one of the best pitchers in the game and have a 4-0 lead in the first inning, you have to get it done. We had one of their aces on the ropes, but it’s a testament to them, they battled hard and got back into the game.”
Chicago put their first three men on base against Hudson, and picked up a run on Lee’s RBI single which scored Alfonso Soriano, and moved Felix Pie to third. Lee took second on the throw, but Michael Barrett was retired and Jones was walked intentionally. DeRosa followed with a two-run single to boost the Cubs lead to 3-0. Fontenot singled to score another run, but Jeff Francoeur nailed DeRosa at third for the second out. Cesar Izturis grounded out to end the inning.
Jones put the Braves on the board with a two-out, two-run blast to dead center in the bottom of the frame.
“It’s tough when they jumped right out in the first inning, like they’ve been doing since the series started,” Atlanta’s hard-swinging outfielder noted. “We kinda had to go out there and take our chance, but we said we’re gonna get back in the game and get a chance to score some runs.”
Game Notes
It was Renteria’s second four-RBI game in 2007…The Cubs had won three in a row in the season series…Piniella is one game away from becoming the 17th manager to reach the 3,000-game plateau…Atlanta pitcher Lance Cormier was placed on the 15-day disabled list and Buddy Carlyle was called up from Triple-A Richmond to take his roster spot. Carlyle will start on Sunday in place of John Smoltz…Attendance was 51,816, the sixth-largest crowd in Atlanta history and fourth-largest in Turner Field history, putting the Braves over one million fans for the year.
Final Score: Tampa Bay 7, Florida 2
James Shields struck out nine batters over seven innings to remain unbeaten in six decisions this year, and Carlos Pena and Raul Casanova hit back-to-back homers to highlight Tampa Bay’s 7-2 win over the Florida Marlins.
Shields (6-0) allowed six hits and two runs while not walking a batter. He is one of three Tampa Bay pitchers to win at least six straight decisions, joining Mark Hendrickson and Victor Zambrano. Hendrickson holds the team record at seven, from July 31 - September 25, 2005.
“It’s been unbelievable,” Shields said. “I don’t want to dwell on it too much, but it’s been unbelievable. When you make your pitches and go deep in the game, that’s what happens.”
Ty Wigginton had three hits and scored once for the Devil Rays, who won for the fifth time in seven games.
Dontrelle Willis (7-5) was saddled with the loss after surrendering eight hits and four runs over seven innings.
Miguel Cabrera had three hits, including a two-run homer for Florida, which had a three-game winning streak broken.
With Wes Obermueller on the mound, Pena, who came into the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh, homered to right-center field with one out in the eighth. Casanova then crushed a ball over the wall in right for a 6-2 Tampa Bay lead.
“It’s a tough one to choke down, but they say, as a reliever, you’re supposed to have a short memory,” Obermueller said. “Sometimes they are hard to forget. They hit me. I hung my curveball to the two lefties and they got me.”
The veteran switch-hitting Casanova, starting in place of an injured Dioner Navarro, homered for the first time since May 12, 2002 for Milwaukee against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.
Navarro was back with the Devil Rays Saturday, a night after being taken off the field on a stretcher following being hit in the throat by an errant pitch. However, Navarro sat out in favor of Casanova.
Akinori Iwamura almost made it three homers in the inning, but flew out to the wall in right field.
The Devil Rays, who blew a six-run lead and lost 14-8 on Friday, got out of trouble on a few occasions a night later in the middle installment of the three-game series. The Marlins, who left nine men on base, had runners on first and second with nobody out in the eighth, but couldn’t score.
Florida had trouble all night with men in scoring position, finishing 0-for-8 in such situations.
Wigginton singled in Tampa Bay’s final run in the ninth.
The Devil Rays scored four times in the third inning. Iwamura legged out an infield hit, and Brendan Harris walked. With two outs, Wigginton singled in the infield, and Delmon Young’s infield hit made it 1-0. Elijah Dukes then tapped a ball past Willis. Shortstop Hanley Ramirez charged the ball, but threw wide of first base, as Tampa Bay widened its lead to 3-0. Jorge Cantu followed with an RBI single to left field, as Young slid safely, barely beating the high tag attempt from Miguel Olivo.
It was a case of wasted opportunities for the Marlins. Ramirez singled in the bottom of the first, but was left stranded at third. They had runners at second and third in the fifth, but Alfredo Amexaga grounded out to end the inning.
The Marlins finally broke the shutout in the sixth when Ramirez was hit by a pitch with one out, and Cabrera came up next and walloped a ball over the wall in left field for his 13th homer of the year.
However, the Marlins continued to fail with men on base. Olivo and Aaron Boone started the bottom of the seventh with singles, but Shields retired the next three batters, striking out pinch-hitter Jason Wood and Amezaga before getting Dan Uggla to fly out.
Game Notes
Navarro was taken to Broward General Hospital after being hit in the sixth inning of Friday’s game when right-hander Brian Stokes bounced a pitch in front of the plate that deflected up and under Navarro’s mask…Gary Glover threw the final two innings for Tampa Bay…The Rays have won five of their last eight road games…The Marlins lost for the first time in five interleague games this year after sweeping Tampa Bay May 18-20…Dukes snapped an 0-for-23 slump with his hit in the third inning…Shields has thrown seven or more innings in 10 straight starts.
Final Score: Cleveland 8, Cincinnati 6 (11 innings)
Cincinnati, OH - Josh Barfield singled and then scored the winning run in the 11th inning for the Cleveland Indians, who downed the Cincinnati Reds, 8-6, in the middle contest of their three-game series at the Great American Ball Park.
With the score knotted at six, the Indians got the winning two runs in the 11th off reliever Victor Santos (1-2). Barfield singled, advanced to second on Mike Rouse’s sacrifice bunt, and Grady Sizemore walked before Casey Blake got hit by a pitch to load the bases for Travis Hafner, who grounded into a force out scoring Barfield. Sizemore followed with an insurance run on Victor Martinez’s single.
Joe Borowski retired three straight in the bottom half for his 18th save of the season. Tom Mastny (4-2) tossed the 10th for the win.
Sizemore finished 3-for-5 with a home run and three runs scored for the Indians, who have won two of three. Jhonny Peralta and David Dellucci also homered in the win.
Jeremy Sowers, who won seven games as a rookie last season, has been a bit of a disappointment this season for the Indians, remaining just 1-6 after allowing five runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and a walk over four- plus frames.
Ken Griffey Jr. homered in his third straight game for the Reds, who had a two-game winning streak snapped. Jeff Conine and Josh Hamilton also homered in the loss. Right-hander Matt Belisle gave up three runs on five hits with three walks and five strikeouts over six innings for Cincinnati.
Trailing 6-4, Cleveland tied the score in the eighth on reliever Gary Majewski, who struck out Ryan Garko swinging but allowed a single to Peralta and then a long ball to Dellucci on a full count.
The Reds got runners on first and second in the 10th when Griffey walked and moved into scoring position on Conine’s sacrifice bunt followed by an intentional walk of Hamilton. Alex Gonzalez then sent a fly ball into deep right field where Franklin Gutierrez made a game-saving catch before crashing into the wall.
Cleveland got going with a run in the first on Sizemore’s homer to center field. Cincinnati assumed a one-run lead in the bottom half after Norris Hopper bunted his way to first and Conine smacked a 1-2 pitch over the left- field fence.
The Reds put up another run in the second on Hamilton’s lead-off homer to center.
The Indians scored a run in the third when Sowers walked, moved to third on Sizemore’s double, and came home on a Martinez sacrifice fly. Cincinnati responded with a run in the home half, as Griffey doubled and scored on an Edwin Encarnacion single two batters later.
The Tribe made it 4-3 in the fourth on Peralta’s lead-off homer to right field on the first pitch of the inning.
The Reds restored their two-run edge in the fifth when Hopper lined a lead-off triple, and came home on Brandon Phillips’ single.
Cleveland scored again in the seventh on reliever Marcus McBeth. Sizemore and Blake led off with singles, leading Jon Coutlangus to come on in relief. He got Hafner to ground into a forceout, but Sizemore scored on the play. Cincy answered right back with a run in the home half on Griffey’s solo shot to right field on a 2-2 pitch.
Game Notes
Blake extended his hitting streak to a career-high 18 games…Griffey passed Mel Ott for 18th place on the all-time extra-base hits list with 1,072…Cleveland took two of three from the Reds earlier in the year and is 16-10 in the series since the start of the 2003 campaign. The Tribe has also won five of their last eight in the Queen City.
Final Score: LA Angels of Anaheim 9, St. Louis 3
St. Louis, MO - Ervin Santana threw six solid inning and highlighted a four-run fourth-inning with a two-run double, helping the Angels down the Cardinals, 9-3, at Busch Stadium.
Santana (5-6) allowed three runs on six hits, striking out five and walking one for the Angels, who have won seven of eight, including the first two games of this three-game interleague set.
Garret Anderson added a two-run homer and Santana went 1-for-3 with a run scored for Los Angeles, which improved to 5-0 against the National League this season. Chone Figgins recorded four hits and two RBI and Orlando Cabrera went 3-for-5 with two RBI for the Angels, winners in 23 of their last 30 games.
Juan Encarnacion and Jim Edmonds each homered for the Cardinals, who have dropped three straight overall and fell to 0-5 versus the American League in 2007.
St. Louis starting pitcher Braden Looper (6-5) suffered the setback, his third in four decisions. The right-hander was charged with six runs on 11 hits, striking out one and walking three in six innings.
Anderson started the scoring for the Angels with his two-run homer in the second. He later left the game with stiffness in his right leg.
Santana then helped his cause in the fourth, driving in two runs with a bases- loaded double. Figgins then singled home Jose Molina before Santana crossed the plate on a Cabrera sacrifice fly for a 6-0 lead.
Encarnacion cut the deficit to 6-1 with his homer in the fifth. Edmonds then made it a three-run game with his two-run homer in the sixth.
The Angels, though, put the game out of reach in the ninth. Figgins and Cabrera each singled home a run and Figgins scored on a Vladimir Guererro ground out for a six-run lead.
Encarnacion extend his hit streak to 10 games, ending 2-for-4.
Game Notes
Santana has won three of his last four decisions…St. Louis fell to 2-3 on its current six-game homestand…The Angels are 2-0 on their nine-game road trip…Edmonds, who went 2-for-4, has a seven-game hit streak…Figgins has a nine-game hit streak, going 21-for-40 over that stretch…Molina ended 2-for-5 and now has a seven-game hit streak…Scott Rolen ended 1-for-4 and is one hit shy of 1,500 for his career…Angels first baseman Casey Kotchman left the game with a right elbow contusion suffered after being hit with a pitch in the sixth inning. He is day-to-day.
Final Score: Toronto 1, LA Dodgers 0
Los Angeles, CA - Matt Stairs homered for the game’s only run, as the Blue Jays overcame a masterful performance on the mound by Derek Lowe to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 1-0, in the middle contest of a three- game series.
Shaun Marcum (3-2) allowed seven hits and struck out three to get the win, and Casey Janssen threw the final two innings for his third save as the Blue Jays snapped a three-game skid.
Lowe (6-6) gave up four hits, including the homer to Stairs in the sixth inning, in his eighth career complete game. Lowe didn’t walk a batter and struck out three, but the Dodgers lost for the fourth time in five games.
Lowe, who also had two hits, recorded 17 groundouts and six through the air, but had a two-start winning streak broken.
“Sometimes it’s not your offense, you have to give credit to the other pitcher,” Lowe said. “That’s their lineup. They like to hit home runs and Matt got me early. I pitched a complete game and got two hits, I actually enjoyed tonight.”
Both teams had a runner in scoring position in the third, but failed to score before Stairs broke the tie with a blast to right field with two outs.
“When you face Derek, you hope he makes a mistake and he put it up in the zone,” Stairs said. “You have to tip your hat to our pitching staff and defense tonight.”
The Dodgers loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh thanks to singles from Juan Pierre, Lowe and Rafael Furcal, but Scott Downs got Tony Abreu to ground out to end the inning.
Marcum was lifted with two outs in the seventh, but the Blue Jays managed to escape the jam then and again in the eighth when LA left a runner at second base.
“I don’t think anyone likes to come out,” Marcum said. “I was able to keep my pitch count down and throw a lot of strikes. The defense played well behind me.”
Game Notes
Furcal and Pierre had two hits…Lowe, who had the second multi-hit game of his career, fell to 5-9 lifetime against the Blue Jays…The Dodgers left nine men on base…Attendance was 51,057.
Final Score: Seattle 6, San Diego 5
San Diego, CA - Jose Lopez’s RBI single in the ninth capped a late comeback from four runs down by Seattle, as the Mariners topped the San Diego Padres, 6-5, in the second of a three-game interleague matchup.
Jeff Weaver, activated from the 15-day disabled list prior to the game, held the Padres to two runs — one earned — on two hits with three strikeouts, but left after four innings with stiffness in his lower back. The 30-year-old Weaver, 0-6 with a 14.32 ERA through six starts entering the game, was placed on the DL on May 11 with right shoulder tendinitis.
Ichiro Suzuki went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run, and Lopez also had two hits and two RBI for the Mariners, who have won six of seven. Richie Sexson hit the game-tying solo homer in the eighth for Seattle.
Sean Green (1-1) earned his first major league win with two scoreless innings of relief. J.J. Putz tossed the scoreless ninth for his 17th save in 17 opportunities.
“It’s always been my dream to make it to the major leagues,” said Green. “Getting the first victory of my career made that dream even sweeter.”
San Diego starter David Wells allowed six hits and three runs in six-plus innings, fanning two. Doug Brocail (2-1) allowed two hits and a run in the ninth. Jose Cruz Jr. and Adrian Gonzalez each had two hits with an RBI and a run for the Padres, who have dropped two straight after a five-game win streak.
Pinch-hitter Ben Broussard singled to left to lead off the ninth, and moved up on Suzuki’s sacrifice bunt. Lopez then poked a single to center, scoring Broussard and putting the Mariners on top.
“We’re so used to the bullpen’s perfection that a game like this is a shock for us,” said Padres manager Bud Black. “They’ve been so good for so long, we don’t expect them to lose anything.”
Raul Ibanez’s RBI double in the first gave the Mariners a 1-0 lead. The Padres answered with two in the home half, on Mike Cameron’s RBI double and Russell Branyan’s sacrifice fly.
Weaver settled down after the first inning, but was pulled after the fourth with the back injury. Reliever Jason Davis was immediately touched for three runs in the fifth.
Khalil Greene walked and Rob Bowen singled, and Adrian Beltre’s wide throw on Wells’ sac bunt loaded the bases. Davis uncorked a wild pitch, allowing Greene to score, and Cruz singled to right, bringing Bowen home. Gonzalez followed with another single to right, plating Wells and giving the Padres a 5-1 lead.
The Mariners cut the Padres’ lead to one with a three-run seventh. Kenji Johjima singled and moved to third on Beltre’s double to left. Beltre was thrown out at the plate on Yuniesky Betancourt’s grounder, but pinch- hitter Jose Vidro walked, and Suzuki poked a two-run single to left. Lopez’s infield single plated another run, pulling Seattle to within 5-4.
Sexson led off the eighth with his ninth homer of the season, a blast out to left on a 1-2 pitch.
Game Notes
Betancourt’s single in the fifth ran his hitting streak to 20 games…The Mariners placed pitcher Jon Huber on the 15-day DL on Saturday, retroactive to June 7, with a right forearm strain, opening the spot for Weaver…San Diego, which has dropped the first two of the three-game set, will see its streak of eight straight series wins come to an end…Wells has not allowed more than three runs in any of his last five starts, with 18 strikeouts and three walks in that stretch.
Final Score: Boston 4, Arizona 3 (10 innings)
Phoenix, AZ - Mike Lowell’s sacrifice fly in the 10th inning lifted Boston over Arizona, 4-3, in the second of a three-game interleague set.
The first three Red Sox reached base in the 10th as David Ortiz walked, and both Kevin Youkilis and J.D. Drew singled. Juan Cruz (2-1) got Jason Varitek to go down swinging, but Lowell answered with a pinch-hit sac fly to right to score Ortiz.
Jonathan Papelbon came on in the bottom of the frame to strike out Eric Byrnes, but hit Chris Young and gave up an infield single to Conor Jackson with two outs. However, Mark Reynolds hit a liner to second which ended the game and Papelbon earned his 14th save.
Varitek homered and drove in three runs for the Red Sox, who have won three in a row following a four-game slide. Drew had three hits and scored twice.
Hideki Okajima (2-0) pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth to get the win. Julian Tavarez turned in a solid performance for Boston, giving up six hits and three runs, fanning five and walking only one over six innings.
Starter Micah Owings yielded seven hits and two runs over six innings for Arizona, which has lost three straight.
Stephen Drew had a two-run homer for the D-Backs, who also got an RBI double from Miguel Montero.
Montero gave the D-Backs a 1-0 lead in the second with a one-out RBI double, and Stephen Drew stretched the margin to 3-0 on a long homer after Reynolds led off the fourth inning with a two-base hit.
Varitek brought the Sox within 3-2 on a two-out two-run blast to right field in the sixth. Owings began the frame by setting down Ortiz and Youkilis before allowing a single by J.D. Drew.
Boston’s captain did it again in the eighth, smacking an RBI double to tie the game, 3-3, with one down in the inning.
Game Notes
Arizona swept a three-game series in Boston June 7-9, 2002 in the clubs’ only prior meeting…The Sox improved to 20-3 against the National League since the start of the 2006 season, the best interleague record in the majors…Randy Johnson faces Daisuke Matsuzaka in the series finale on Sunday…Attendance was 49,826, helped by the sizeable presence of Red Sox fans.
