Sunday, July 1st (All times eastern)
OAKLAND ATHLETICS (41-39) AT NEW YORK YANKEES (37-40), 1:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Oakland - Dan Haren (9-2, 1.91) New York - Andy Pettitte (4-5, 3.24)
After being nearly no-hit by a relative unknown on Saturday afternoon, the New York Yankees hit the diamond for the finale of a three-game set in the Bronx versus the Oakland Athletics.
Chad Gaudin posted his seventh win of the season in 10 decisions yesterday as he worked seven strong innings for the visitors, striking out four and walking three, while giving up just a single to former Athletic Johnny Damon in the sixth inning. Rich Harden then pitched two hitless innings in relief as the visitors posted the 7-0 triumph at Yankee Stadium.
Oakland, which snapped a two-game slide and won for just the second time in the last nine outings, saw both Shannon Stewart and Jason Kendall score a couple of runs as they both hit home runs. Dan Johnson, who also went deep, plated two as did Nick Swisher.
The Yankees, in third place in the AL East and with a home mark of 21-15, have now fallen in five of the last six games and eight of 10 after being held to just one hit for the first time since Baltimore turned the trick in September of last season.
Starting pitcher Kei Igawa threw 6 1/3 innings for the Bronx Bombers, permitting four runs on five hits, three of those home runs. In posting his second loss of the campaign Igawa also walked three and struck out four batters along the way.
Sporting a sensational 1.91 ERA through 17 games this season, Oakland’s Dan Haren tries to keep the Yankees bats silent as he takes the hill for the visitors this afternoon.
Already 3-0 in his career versus New York, Haren opened the 2007 campaign with two losses in as many decisions, but has since rattled off nine consecutive victories. On Tuesday the righthander did not factor in the 8-5 setback to Cleveland on the road, keeping his personal winning streak alive. In that contest Haren allowed just three runs on eight hits over 6 2/3 innings.
Now in his fifth year in the majors, the Pepperdine product has shown tremendous control on the mound with more than three times as many strikeouts (93) as walks (29) thus far.
Still 10 wins shy of 200 for his career, Andy Pettitte tries to inch closer to that magical number as he goes for the Yankees today.
Sporting an 8-4 career mark against the A’s over an illustrious 13-year career, the lefty last pitched on Tuesday in a 3-2 loss against the Baltimore Orioles. Control seemed to be an issue for the Louisiana native as he coupled eight hits with five walks over seven innings. The result was just two runs allowed, but he also struck out only two batters in the contest.
The setback versus the O’s dropped Pettitte to just 1-4 on the road, but here at home in the Bronx he’s still 3-1 this season and in day games he has a 1.84 ERA for the club.
Over the last six games Alex Rodriguez, the top home run hitter in the majors with 28, has failed to clear the fence, although he does have three doubles in 21 at-bats for the slumping Yankees. Derek Jeter has had a rough time over the last week of action, hitting just .208 with seven strikeouts in 24 at-bats.
Stewart has been tearing the cover off the ball over the last seven games for the A’s, posting 15 hits in 32 at-bats, resulting in eight runs scored. Johnson has accounted for 10 hits in 23 opportunities and has come up with five RBI along the way. Jack Cust has three home runs and seven knocked in over the last week, but he has also struck out nine times for the A’s, currently 8 1/2 games out of first in the AL West.
TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS (33-46) AT CLEVELAND INDIANS (48-32), 1:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Tampa Bay - James Shields (6-3, 3.81) Cleveland - Cliff Lee (4-4, 5.37)
Winners of three straight, the Cleveland Indians continue to increase their lead in the American League Central as they welcome the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to Jacobs Field this afternoon for the third of a four- game set.
On Saturday C.C. Sabathia became the league’s first 12-game winner as he allowed three runs — two earned — on six hits over seven innings of work. In picking up his third straight victory, Sabathia fanned eight and didn’t walk a single batter for the home team in an 8-6 decision. With the win the Tribe, an impressive 29-12 at home thus far, moved 1 1/2 games ahead of Detroit for first place in the division.
Grady Sizemore had three hits and knocked in three for the Indians, winners of seven in a row at home versus Tampa Bay, while Victor Martinez upped his batting average to .323 with three hits in five at-bats.
The Devil Rays, already 16 games out of contention in the AL East and just 14-22 on the road in 2007, put on a late surge with three runs in the top of the ninth inning, but it wasn’t quite enough to turn the tables. Josh Wilson had two hits and scored twice, while Raul Casanova knocked in three runs and Dustan Mohr two in the losing effort.
J.P. Howell was saddled with the loss, giving up five runs on eight hits over 4 1/3 innings. The starter also struck out five on the night.
After opening the 2007 campaign with six consecutive wins, James Shields tries to put an end to a three-game slide as he takes the hill for the Devil Rays this afternoon at the Jake.
Now in his second season in the majors, the righthander recorded a total of 11 strikeouts versus the White Sox on Tuesday and didn’t walk a single batter for the second straight outing, yet his efforts were still not enough in the 6-1 setback.
In that contest Shields gave up five runs on nine hits, two of which were home runs, over the course of seven innings. In five starts during the month of June the California native has surrendered a total of nine home runs, giving him 18 in 115 2/3 innings as he tries for his first-ever decision against the Tribe.
As for Cleveland, lefty Cliff Lee gets his first crack of the season against Tampa Bay, having put up a 3-2 mark in his previous five seasons in the majors versus the club.
The Indians have won each of Lee’s last three starts, but on Tuesday the 28- year old did not factor into the 8-5 triumph against Oakland at home. Allowing three runs on six hits and a pair of walks, while fanning three in six innings, Lee failed to be involved in the decision for the first time since the second week of May.
Over the last week of play Martinez has registered 10 hits for the Indians, including six doubles, yet has scored only once and has just a single RBI to show for his efforts. Travis Hafner on the other hand has six RBI and has scored five during that same stretch, thanks to three home runs.
With three runs scored on four hits and four walks over the last seven games, Akinori Iwamura is a perfect example of how much the Devil Rays continue to struggle, having struck out nine times in 26 at-bats. Carl Crawford, who has a mere three hits and has fanned five times in his last six games, is batting just .120 during the span, yet has three knocked in and crossed the plate three times for the enigmatic club.
LA ANGELS OF ANAHEIM (50-31) AT BALTIMORE ORIOLES (35-44), 1:35 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Los Angeles - John Lackey (10-5, 2.99) Baltimore - Jeremy Guthrie (4-1, 2.45)
The Baltimore Orioles try to even their home record this afternoon as they close out a three-game set against the LA Angels of Anaheim at Camden Yards.
On Saturday night the O’s moved to 19-20 in their own ballpark thanks to a 6-3 victory against the top team in the American League. The victory was the third in the last four outings for Baltimore, yet the team is still fourth in the AL East and 14 games out of contention.
Ramon Hernandez connected on his fourth home run of the season as he knocked in three runs for the victors, with Kevin Millar plating two and scoring twice himself. Brian Burres picked up the win for the club with three runs allowed on five hits and four walks, while striking out four over 7 2/3 innings. Paul Shuey, who last appeared in the majors in 2003, contributed his first save of 2007 and his first since 2002.
Chone Figgins and Orlando Cabrera both tallied two hits and scored once in the setback for the Angels, who are 21-18 on the road and hold a four-game lead over Seattle for first place in the AL West entering play on Sunday.
Starter Bartolo Colon suffered his fourth loss of the season as Baltimore registered three runs on eight hits over six innings. Colon walked two and struck out six. Hector Carrasco made it through just one inning for the visitors, permitting three runs.
Searching for his second win of the season, the sixth of his career, versus Baltimore, John Lackey makes his way to the mound for the Angels this afternoon.
The righthander, who began 2007 with a mark of 9-3, has won only one of his last four outings, that coming against the lowly Cincinnati Reds in the middle of June.
More recently Lackey was tabbed with his fifth loss of the season in a 5-3 setback to Kansas City on Monday. The Texas native made it through eight innings in that contest, allowing three earned runs on seven hits and fanned seven, yet still was dealt the loss.
While the Angels bank on a veteran getting the job done on the road, the Orioles are hoping that Jeremy Guthrie continues to give the home team a fighting chance to pick up victories.
While he’s been in the majors for parts of the past four years, it wasn’t until 2007 that Guthrie actually earned a decision and is currently showing an impressive 4-1 mark for his efforts.
The Stanford product spent much of April coming out of the bullpen for the O’s but has since found himself in the starting rotation and has been able to help the club post back-to-back wins in his last two appearances. On Tuesday Guthrie allowed the slumping Yankees to post a mere two earned runs on seven hits, while walking one and striking out six over 6 1/3 innings.
The righthander has yet to earn a decision against the Angels in his career.
Over the last week of play Melvin Mora has tallied 10 hits, knocked in five and scored four times for the O’s, while Brian Roberts and Aubrey Huff have matched him with two home runs apiece during that span.
While the Angels have three players listed in the AL’s top-10 in batting with averages of .329 or better, Figgins is not one of them despite producing 12 hits in his last 22 at-bats. The fifth-year player has appeared in only 52 games thus far, carrying a 12-game hit streak into Sunday’s game. He finished with an incredible 53 hits for the month of June (.496).
TEXAS RANGERS (33-47) AT BOSTON RED SOX (49-30), 2:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Texas - Kameron Loe (4-6, 6.02) Boston - Julian Tavarez (5-5, 4.60)
Having snapped a five-game losing streak to the Boston Red Sox on Saturday night, the Texas Rangers shoot for back-to-back victories at Fenway Park when the clubs collide in the third of a four-game set this afternoon.
Trailing by four runs, Texas picked up a crucial home run from Sammy Sosa, his 14th of the season and the 602nd of his career, giving it the lead as it moved on to the 5-4 triumph. Sosa finished with two hits and a pair of runs scored, while Frank Catalanotto tallied three hits. Kenny Lofton and Marlon Byrd each registered a couple of hits as well.
Ron Mahay ended up with the victory for the visitors as he pitched two scoreless innings in relief of Robinson Tejeda who managed to go just four innings, allowing four runs on five hits and six walks. Eric Gagne posted his ninth save of the campaign as well.
Josh Beckett was saddled with the loss for the Sox, his second in 13 decisions in 2007. Beckett was touched for five runs on 10 hits over five innings, fanning four without a single walk to his credit.
Kevin Youkilis, now batting .326 on the season, scored twice and knocked in two as he worked a trio of walks on the night. Alex Cora contributed a double and a triple in the setback as well.
Righthander Kameron Loe faces off against the Red Sox for the third time already this season as he takes the hill for Texas this afternoon.
Loe, who is 1-1 in his four-year career versus Boston, last pitched on Monday against Detroit on the road and managed to post his third consecutive victory in as many opportunities. The California native, who began the campaign a disappointing 1-6, limited the high-powered Tigers to just two runs on seven hits and a pair of walks, all while striking out just a single batter in seven innings of work.
Already with more wins at this point than all of last season when he was just 3-6, Loe brings an ERA of 6.02 into the weekend through 18 appearances.
As for the Sox, Julian Tavarez searches for his third win in the last four outings when he counters for the home team.
The 15-year veteran, who has suffered only one loss in the last eight games, was knocked out after only 4 1/3 innings versus Seattle on the road on Monday, allowing six runs (three earned) on six hits and a trio of walks.
In his two previous games versus the Rangers this season, Tavarez has thrown 9 2/3 innings and given up a total of eight runs on 12 hits, while issuing six walks. For his career, the righthander is 2-4 with a lofty 6.20 ERA against the squad from Arlington.
Over the last week of play Lofton has shown significant signs of life with 10 hits in 22 at-bats and has also stolen four bases for the Rangers. Although he has struck out five times in six games, Byrd has added nine hits, leading to seven RBI and five runs.
While he has a mere four hits in his last six games, Youkilis has produced a team-high seven RBI and scored three times himself, thanks in large part to six walks, matched J.D. Drew in that department of the last week as well.
CHICAGO WHITE SOX (34-43) AT KANSAS CITY ROYALS (34-47), 2:10 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Chicago - Jon Garland (5-5, 3.36) Kansas City - John Thomson (1-0, 2.57)
Following an exciting extra-inning affair on Saturday, the Chicago White Sox gun for their sixth win in seven chances this afternoon as they contend against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium in the finale of a three-game set.
Yesterday the White Sox rebounded from a disappointing 8-1 loss to KC in the series opener when Tadahito Iguchi singled home two in the top of the 10th inning to claim a 3-1 triumph in the second contest. Scott Podsednik scored two of the team’s three runs as the Sox were limited to just six hits.
Ryan Bukvich was credited with his first win of the season even though he threw just a single pitch. Bobby Jenks earned his 21st save. John Danks had a strong outing for the visitors as he allowed just a single run on four hits and struck out six over eight innings.
Kansas City starter Odalis Perez failed to figure into the decision, permitting one run on three hits and four walks, striking out three over seven innings. Octavio Dotel was saddled with the loss.
Emil Brown connected on a solo home run for the home team, now just 16-25 at Kauffman stadium and already 14 1/2 games out of contention in the American League Central. Mark Teahen contributed two hits in the faulty offensive attack.
Already 1-0 against the Royals this season, Jon Garland tries to add to his career success versus the club from Kansas City when he takes the hill for the Sox this afternoon.
The righthander, who is 14-5 with a 3.86 ERA over eight seasons in the majors versus KC, managed to get his record back to .500 at 5-5 on Tuesday, thanks to a 6-1 win over Tampa Bay on the road. In that contest Garland, who began 2007 with five straight appearances in which Chicago came out on the short end, allowed just one run on five hits, striking out three and walking two, over seven innings versus the Devil Rays.
The California native, who has produced back-to-back 18-wins seasons, is already two shy of his loss total for all of 2006.
As for the Royals, they’re ready to put John Thomson on the hill for his second appearance after he was snatched up by the club once he was given his unconditional release from Toronto while languishing in the club’s minor league system.
The 10-year veteran, now on his fifth team in his professional career, made his first appearance at the major league level this season with a 5-3 win over the Angels on the road on Monday. In that contest Thomson allowed two earned runs on six hits, yet failed to register a single strikeout or walk over seven innings of work.
Now three strikeouts shy of 800 for his career, the righthander is 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA all-time versus Chicago.
Podsednik has seven hits over his last seven games, yet has scored a team-best six times during that stretch. Andy Gonzalez has knocked in six over 29 at- bats, but has more strikeouts (nine) than hits (six) for the White Sox.
Aside from his home run last night, Brown has been in a slump for the Royals, now hitting just .083 (1-of-12) over his last four games. On the other hand, David DeJesus has picked up some of the slack with eight hits in 21 trips to the plate for a team that had a five-game win streak snapped on Saturday and has six more home games against the likes of Seattle and Tampa Bay leading up to the All-Star Break.
TORONTO BLUE JAYS (39-41) AT SEATTLE MARINERS (44-33), 4:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Toronto - Shaun Marcum (4-2, 3.13) Seattle - Jeff Weaver (2-6, 7.71)
The hottest team in the majors tries to keep up the pace this afternoon as the Seattle Mariners close out a three-game set against the Toronto Blue Jays at Safeco Field.
On Saturday the Mariners, now just four games out of first place in the American League West, won their seventh straight contest with an 8-3 triumph against Toronto. The win streak is the longest for the club since the 2003 campaign and gave them the most victories (18) in the majors for the month of June.
Ben Broussard registered four hits and a pair of RBI for Seattle, while Ichiro Suzuki posted three hits in five at-bats, giving him a batting average of .427 for June which is a new team record for batting average in a single month. It also marks the sixth time in his career that he has hit at least .400 in any one month for the Mariners.
Starting pitcher Miguel Batista allowed just one run on five hits, although he did get himself into some trouble with five walks and only two strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings for the home team.
Roy Halladay was saddled with the loss, his third of the season, as he surrendered three runs on 10 hits over the course of six innings of action. Vernon Wells scored two of the team’s three runs, with the other being notched by Alex Rios.
Sporting a record of just 5-9 with a 5.68 ERA in his career versus the Blue Jays, Jeff Weaver hopes to continue his strong pitching in recent games as he takes the hill for the home team this afternoon.
The righthander opened 2007 with six straight losses, but has beaten both Pittsburgh and Boston in back-to-back starts, throwing a complete-game shutout versus the former back on June 20 at home.
Against the Sox Weaver permitted two runs –one earned– on six hits, while walking two and fanning three in 5 2/3 innings of action on Monday. The nine- year veteran from Fresno State has managed to pare his ERA this season down from an astronomical 31.50 to a low of 7.71 entering this contest as a result.
As for the Jays, they’re ready to hand the ball to Shaun Marcum, a youngster who is just 7-6 in his career, with one of those setbacks coming against Seattle.
Marcum began 2007 working out of the bullpen, but the second week of May say him inserted into the starting rotation and the exposure has proven to be a positive outcome for the 25-year old who is now in just his third major league season.
On Tuesday Marcum failed to figure into the 2-1 loss against Minnesota on the road, allowing just a single run on six hits over eight innings of work. While he has permitted a total of 12 home runs in just 72 innings of action, the righthander is close to averaging one strikeout per inning (64).
Over the last week of play Ichiro has 10 hits in 22 at-bats and has also walked four times for the Mariners, now 26-15 at home. Richie Sexson has 10 total bases during that time and has scored five times, but with seven strikeouts he is hitting only .217 over the past six outings.
The Jays, who are two games under .500 yet still in second place in the AL East behind Boston by 10 1/2 games, have their share of power with Rios tied for fourth in the league with 17 home runs and Frank Thomas accounted for 13 long balls, even though the latter is hitting a mere .243 this season for a team that is 15-23 on the road thus far.
MINNESOTA TWINS (42-37) AT DETROIT TIGERS (46-33), 8:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Minnesota - Scott Baker (2-2, 5.77) Detroit - Jeremy Bonderman (8-1, 3.90)
Losing ground in the American League Central, the Detroit Tigers try to snap a two-game slide this evening as they host the Minnesota Twins in the finale of a three-game set at Comerica Park.
On Saturday the Twins, winners of three straight and four of the last five, scored in five of the first six innings as they pulled out the 8-5 triumph to move to 20-17 on the road this season.
Michael Cuddyer posted a triple and a home run for the visitors, knocking in three and scoring twice, while Lew Ford and came up with three RBI as he belted his second home run of the campaign.
Kevin Slowey posted his third win in as many decisions this season as he permitted four runs on nine hits over six innings of action for Minnesota. Joe Nathan pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his 16th save.
Andrew Miller was saddled with the loss as the Twins touched him for five earned runs on six hits, while striking out four and walking two. Curtis Granderson, Ivan Rodriguez and Marcus Thames all homered for the Tigers, now just 19-18 at home and 1 1/2 games behind Cleveland for first place in the division.
Up in the majors for about six weeks now, Minnesota’s Scott Baker get’s his first crack at the Tigers in 2007 when he takes the hill tonight.
The Louisiana native posted his second-longest outing of the season thus far on Tuesday when he lasted seven innings against Toronto, allowing one run on four hits, while fanning a season-high nine batters, and yet he failed to figure into the decision.
Baker, who is just 10-13 during his three-year career to this point, has already had his share of success versus Detroit with a mark of 2-1 and a 4.13 ERA entering this contest.
As for the Tigers, they are expecting Jeremy Bonderman to bounce back after suffering his first loss of the season on Monday versus Texas in an 8-3 decision. After throwing seven strong innings in which he allowed just two earned runs on seven hits and four walks, while fanning nine, Bonderman was left with his first setback in nine decisions this season.
Now in his fifth season in the majors, the righthander is a mere 2-6 with a 6.08 ERA versus the Twins and has an overall mark of 53-54 because of those efforts.
With two hits in five trips to the plate on Saturday, Jason Bartlett now has 10 hits in his last seven games, leading to four RBI and nine runs scored. Just as impressive is the fact that he has seven stolen bases during that stretch as well. He now has 16 thefts on the season and has yet to be caught. Joe Mauer is hitting a mere .207 over the last week, yet he has a team-high eight RBI thanks to three home runs.
The AL’s top hitter at .370, Magglio Ordonez has a total of just six singles in his last six games for Detroit. Picking up some of the slack for the club, even with the Tigers having dropped four of the last five, Granderson has hit a pair of homers and scored five times, yet has a mere three RBI and has struck out seven times in six games as well.
ATLANTA BRAVES (43-38) AT FLORIDA MARLINS (37-44), 1:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Atlanta - Buddy Carlyle (2-2, 5.14) Florida - Dontrelle Willis (7-7, 4.83)
Enthusiastic left-hander Dontrelle Willis tries to snap a five-start winless skid today, when the Florida Marlins host the Atlanta Braves in the finale of a three-game series at Dolphin Stadium.
Willis, who won 22 games in 2005 before slumping to just 12 last season, has not won since a 9-4 defeat of the Chicago Cubs on May 29 at Wrigley Field. He’s 0-4 with a no-decision since, though he pitched well in a 3-2 loss to Pittsburgh in his last outing on June 26.
In that game, the 25-year-old Californian allowed seven hits and three runs in seven innings.
He’s 6-4 in 16 career starts against the Braves, posting a 4.85 earned run average in 104 innings.
Journeyman right-hander Buddy Carlyle starts against the Marlins for the second time this season.
In his first try on June 5 in Atlanta, the 29-year-old allowed just one hit and one run over seven innings in the Braves’ 3-1 victory. The win was the first of his career in an Atlanta uniform after he entered the season 1-3 lifetime after previous stints with San Diego and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Most recently, the native of Omaha, Nebraska allowed five hits and a run over seven innings in downing Washington, 6-2, on June 26.
Carlyle has made two road appearances this season and has posted a 2.57 ERA in seven innings.
On Saturday, Edgar Renteria doubled home the go-ahead run during a five-run eighth inning as the Braves held on to defeat the Marlins, 6-5.
Jeff Francoeur went 2-for-5 and drove in two runs during the decisive eighth inning for the Braves, who have won five straight, including the first two games of this three-game set. Chipper Jones and Kelly Johnson also drove in a run each for Atlanta, which has scored 41 runs during its current winning streak — 31 in the last three games.
Tim Hudson (8-5) started on the mound for the Braves and got the win. The right-hander allowed one run on seven hits, striking out six and walking one, over seven innings. Hudson has now won two straight starts after going 0-2 over his previous four starts.
Dan Uggla and Miguel Olivo homered and Miguel Cabrera went 3-for-4 with an RBI for the Marlins, who have lost six of seven.
Armando Benitez (2-4) got the loss, allowing five runs — four earned — on two hits with two walks in just one-third of an inning.
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (35-42) AT CINCINNATI REDS (31-50), 1:15 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: St. Louis - Mike Maroth (0-0, 1.23) Cincinnati - Homer Bailey (2-1, 6.41)
Rookie Homer Bailey will try to bounce back from the first loss of his big-league career today, when the Cincinnati Reds take on the St. Louis Cardinals in the finale of a three-game series at Great American Ball Park.
Bailey, a 21-year-old right-hander who was the seventh overall pick in the 2004 draft, was ripped for six hits and six runs in just 1 2/3 innings of the Reds’ 11-4 loss to Philadelphia on June 26.
He fared much better in his initial three outings, allowing 14 hits and eight runs over 18 innings while defeating interleague foes Cleveland and Oakland and getting a no-decision against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
In 19 2/3 innings this season, the 6-foot-4, 205-pounder has walked 14 and struck out eight.
Mike Maroth will make his second start in a St. Louis uniform this afternoon and is 5-2 with a 4.73 ERA in 14 starts with Detroit and the Cardinals this season.
Maroth, who was traded to the Cardinals last Friday, did not post a decision in his National League debut on June 25 against the New York Mets. He pitched 7 1/3 innings of one-run ball in a 2-1 loss at Shea Stadium.
The left-hander was 5-2 with a 5.06 ERA in 13 starts this season with Detroit before being dealt to the Senior Circuit. Maroth has made one appearance in his career against Cincinnati and yielded three runs in 6 1/3 innings for the no decision on May 20 last year during a 7-6 victory.
On Saturday, Kyle Lohse bounced back from three consecutive bad starts and gave up just one run as the Reds downed the Cardinals, 5-1.
Lohse (4-10) pitched seven-plus innings and gave up just one run on five hits with three walks and eight strikeouts. He also drove in a run.
He had been pounded in his previous three starts as he gave up 17 earned runs in 17 2/3 innings of work.
David Ross hit a two-run homer and Josh Hamilton scored a run and drove one in for the Reds, who had lost five of six coming into the game.
Yadier Molina knocked in the lone run and Adam Wainwright (6-7) lasted five- plus innings and gave up five runs on five hits with four walks and five strikeouts for the Cardinals, who have dropped two of three.
NEW YORK METS (46-33) AT PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (41-40), 1:35 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: New York - Mike Pelfrey (0-5, 6.53) Philadelphia - Kyle Kendrick (2-0, 5.00)
The National League East-leading New York Mets will try for a four-game series sweep of the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies this afternoon from Citizens Bank Park.
The Mets swept a doubleheader on Friday and recorded an 8-3 victory yesterday afternoon, as Carlos Beltran hit a pair of homers for the second straight game and drove in three runs to lead the way. Beltran, who ended 4-for-5 on Saturday, had a pair of solo homers in Friday’s second game of a day/night doubleheader.
David Wright and Paul Lo Duca also homered for New York, which is on the verge of a four-game sweep of the Phillies for the first time since September, 2002. New York, which has won four straight and eight of nine, is now six games ahead of the Phillies in the NL East.
New York was getting a good outing from starting pitcher Jorge Sosa until the right-hander left the game with a strained left hamstring in the sixth inning. When running out a sacrifice bunt attempt, Sosa pulled up lame after touching the bag. He stayed on the ground for a few minutes before walking off the field under his own power.
Sosa had a big enough lead to earn the win, allowing three runs on four hits in five innings to pick up his first victory in three decisions. He struck out four and walked three, earning his first triumph since June 8.
Oliver Perez was supposed to take the hill in Sunday’s series finale, but a back problem will keep him sidelined. The Mets will go with Mike Pelfrey, who was with New York’s minor-league affiliate in New Orleans.
Pelfrey will make his first start since May 12 against Milwaukee. He gave up four runs and eight hits in five innings of a 12-3 defeat that day. The young right-hander, who has lost his last five decisions, has never faced Philadelphia in his career. Pelfrey is 0-5 with a 6.53 ERA this season.
Meanwhile, Ryan Howard homered and scored a pair of runs on Saturday for Philadelphia, which fell six games behind the Mets and two games behind Atlanta in the division. Carlos Ruiz added two hits and drove in a run for the Phillies, who are now just five losses shy of becoming the first franchise to reach 10,000 defeats.
Rookie pitcher J.A. Happ made his major league debut for Philly and was pounded for five runs on seven hits, striking out five and walking two, in four-plus innings of work. The left-hander had made just 13 starts with Triple-A Ottawa before being called up prior to the game.
Kyle Kendrick hopes the Phillies can continue to give him the run support he needs when he toes the rubber this afternoon against the Mets. He is 2-0 in three starts with a 5.00 earned run average.
Kendrick posted a no decision in his major league debut on June 13 against the White Sox, allowing three runs in six innings of an 8-4 victory. He then earned his first win on June 19 when he hurled six innings of three-run ball in a 9-6 triumph over the Indians.
The young right-hander last pitched on June 26 against the Reds and recorded his second career win with six more decent innings. He allowed four runs in an 11-4 pounding of Cincinnati.
Kendrick will face the Mets for the first time in his career today.
New York is 6-4 against the Phillies this season.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS (32-48) AT PITTSBURGH PIRATES (35-45), 1:35 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Washington - Mike Bacsik (1-5, 5.08) Pittsburgh - Paul Maholm (4-10, 4.80)
Former first-round draft pick Paul Maholm can continue a recent run of success today, when the Pittsburgh Pirates host the Washington Nationals in the third and final game of a three-game series at PNC Park.
Maholm, 25, was the eighth overall pick in 2003 for the Pirates. He was a full-time starter in Pittsburgh last season, going 8-10 with a 4.76 earned run average in 30 outings.
The 6-foot-2, 230-pounder has recovered somewhat after a 2-9 start this year, winning two of his last three starts. Included in that span was a 3-2 defeat of Florida on June 26 in Miami in which he gave up three hits and two runs in 7 2/3 innings.
He is just 2-5 in eight home starts, however, posting a 4.65 ERA in 50 1/3 innings.
Journeyman Mike Bacsik takes the mound for the Nationals in search of his first victory since May 24.
Since that win, a 4-3 defeat of Cincinnati, the 29-year-old southpaw is 0-5 with a no-decision in six starts. In his last outing on June 26 at Atlanta, Bacsik allowed eight hits and five runs over six innings in a 6-2 loss.
The stint with the Nationals is his first in the big leagues since 2004, when he made three appearances with Texas. Previously, he had pitched in Cleveland in 2001 and with the New York Mets in 2002 and 2003.
He dropped a 7-6 decision to Pittsburgh on June 5, allowing six hits and six runs in 4 1/3 innings.
On Saturday, Adam LaRoche homered and drove in three runs while Tom Gorzelanny threw 7 1/3 solid innings as the Pirates downed the Nationals, 7-2.
Gorzelanny (8-4) allowed just five hits and two runs, while walking three and striking out six in the win.
Freddy Sanchez and Jack Wilson had two RBI apiece for the Pirates, who scored six times in the second inning to win for the fourth time in five games.
Belliard homered and Dmitri Young drove in a run for the Nationals, who have dropped five in a row and 11 of 14.
Washington starter Jason Bergmann (1-5) was tagged for six runs on eight hits in just four innings.
COLORADO ROCKIES (39-42) AT HOUSTON ASTROS (34-47), 2:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Colorado - Rodrigo Lopez (4-1, 4.09) Houston - Wandy Rodriguez (4-7, 4.57)
Now with their eight-game losing streak behind them, the Colorado Rockies will shoot for a series split with the Houston Astros when they wrap up a four-game set this afternoon at Minute Maid Park.
Colorado posted its first win on Saturday since sweeping the New York Yankees in three games at Coors Field from June 19 - 21. Jeff Francis tossed seven shutout innings and scattered just three hits with four walks and four strikeouts before LaTroy Hawkins and Jeremy Affeldt completed the 5-0 win.
Kaz Matsui finished 3-for-5 and scored twice for the Rockies, who are eight games off the lead in the NL West standings. Matt Holliday ended 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored in the win.
Rodrigo Lopez will try to get back in the win column on Sunday when he takes the mound for the Rockies.
Lopez, who is 4-1 with a 4.09 ERA in nine starts this season, suffered his first loss of the 2007 campaign on June 26 against the Chicago Cubs. He was reached for eight runs and nine hits over 4 2/3 innings of an 8-5 loss.
The right-hander has faced Houston just once in his career on June 15 of the 2005 season. Lopez pitched eight brilliant innings of one-run ball in a 5-1 triumph at Camden Yards as a member of the Orioles.
Meanwhile, the Astros had a two-game winning streak stopped and lost for the seventh time in 10 tries yesterday. Craig Biggio had two of the four hits for the Astros, who are 13 1/2 games off the lead in the NL Central division.
Former Rockies starter Jason Jennings, who was traded to the Astros in December in a multi-player deal, allowed three runs on five hits with six strikeouts and two walks over seven innings for the loss.
Houston will hand the ball to Wandy Rodriguez for Sunday’s series finale and he is 4-7 with a 4.57 earned run average over 15 starts this season.
Rodriguez is just 1-2 over his last four starts and was saddled with the loss his last time out on June 26 against Milwaukee. He gave up six runs through five innings of an 11-5 setback to the Brewers.
The left-hander is 2-1 with a 4.88 ERA in four career starts against Colorado. He beat the Rockies on June 5 this season after permitting just one run in five innings of a 4-1 victory at Coors Field.
The Rockies took two of three games from Houston at Coors Field earlier this month and have claimed seven of 12 matchups between the clubs since the beginning of the 2006 season.
MILWAUKEE BREWERS (47-33) AT CHICAGO CUBS (39-40), 2:20 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Milwaukee - Dave Bush (6-6, 5.06) Chicago - Jason Marquis (5-4, 3.46)
The National League Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers shoot for their sixth straight series win today, when they wrap up a three-game set with the division-rival Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.
The Brewers lost the opener of this series on Friday, but rebounded with a 13-4 pounding of the Cubs yesterday afternoon. Ryan Braun hit a two-run homer and went 4-for-5 with four RBI to lead the way, as the Brewers extended their lead over Chicago in the NL Central to 7 1/2 games.
Craig Counsell homered and Prince Fielder added three RBI for Milwaukee, which has won 13 of its last 16 games. Milwaukee starter Ben Sheets won his sixth straight decision, allowing four runs on six hits with one walk and a season- high 11 strikeouts in eight innings of work.
Dave Bush gets the nod for the Brewers on Sunday and he is 6-6 with a 5.06 earned run average in 16 games (15 starts) this season.
Bush has won three straight decisions and recorded the victory his last time out in a relief role. Bush pitched two shutout innings during a 6-3 triumph over Houston on June 27 at Miller Park.
The right-hander owns a 1-4 record with a 4.15 ERA in seven career starts against the Cubs. He is 0-2, however, with a 7.50 earned run average in two outings versus Chicago this season.
Chicago had its seven-game winning streak stopped with Saturday’s loss. Mark DeRosa drove in two runs for the Cubs, while starting pitcher Sean Marshall was tagged for seven runs — six earned — on seven hits in just two innings for the loss.
The Cubs will hand the ball to Jason Marquis this afternoon and he is 5-4 with a 3.46 ERA in 16 starts this season.
Marquis, though, is 0-3 over his previous nine trips to the rubber and did not factor in the outcome his last time out on June 25 against Colorado. Marquis was reached for three runs in 5 2/3 innings of a 10-9 win over the Rockies.
The veteran right-hander is 4-6 with a 4.23 ERA in 14 career games (12 starts) against Milwaukee. Marquis faced the Brewers on June 4 this season and did not post a decision, yielding two runs — one earned — in 5 1/3 frames of a 7-2 Chicago victory.
Chicago is 6-5 against the Brewers this season, including a 2-3 record in the friendly confines of Wrigley Field.
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS (46-36) AT SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (34-45), 4:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Arizona - Micah Owings (5-2, 3.79) San Francisco - Tim Lincecum (2-2, 5.19)
The San Francisco Giants will aim for a series win today, when they wrap up a three-game set with the Arizona Diamondbacks at AT&T Park.
The Giants ended a three-game skid with Saturday’s 4-1 victory in the second test of this series, as Bengie Molina went 2-for-4 and drove in a pair of runs and Barry Bonds went 1-for-1 with three walks, an RBI double and scored twice.
Bonds is still five home runs shy of tying Hank Aaron’s all-time home run mark of 755. His double was the 376th in a Giants uniform, tying him with Willie Mays for most in San Francisco history.
Starting pitcher Noah Lowry allowed five hits and one run over 6 2/3 innings, fanning eight and walking three for the win. The Giants are still last in the National League West division — 12 games off the pace.
Giants rookie Tim Lincecum tries for his first win since May 22 when he takes the ball in Sunday’s series finale. Lincecum is 2-2 with a 5.19 ERA in 10 starts this season but is just 0-2 over the past six trips to the bump.
In his last outing on June 25 against the Padres, Lincecum threw seven shutout innings of four-hit ball for the no decision in a 4-3 victory over San Diego.
The right-hander will face Arizona for the first time in his career.
Arizona fell 1 1/2 games behind San Diego for the top spot in the NL West standings and lost for the fourth time in six tries. Starter Doug Davis absorbed the loss after allowing four runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 frames with four strikeouts and a season-high six walks.
Orlando Hudson finished 2-for-4 and drove in the lone run for Arizona.
Diamondbacks rookie Micah Owings gets the call today and he is 5-2 with a 3.79 in 14 games (12 starts) this season.
Owings is 0-1 in his last two trips to the mound after recording a 4-0 record over the previous 10 outings. He pitched a scoreless inning of relief his last time out on June 28 against Los Angeles after losing three days earlier to the Dodgers, giving up four runs — one earned — in six innings of a 8-1 loss.
The right-hander, who is 2-0 on the road this season, will make his first-ever appearance against San Francisco.
Arizona is 6-5 against the Giants in 2007, but was swept in three games at AT&T Park earlier this season from April 20 - 22.
SAN DIEGO PADRES (46-33) AT LOS ANGELES DODGERS (45-36), 4:10 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: San Diego - Justin Germano (5-1, 2.67) Los Angeles - Chad Billingsley (4-0, 4.01)
The National League West-leading San Diego Padres shoot for their fifth straight win and a series sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers when they play the finale of a three-game set tonight at Chavez Ravine.
San Diego, which is 1 1/2 games ahead of Arizona and owns a two-game lead over Los Angeles in the division, recorded a 3-1 win in 12 innings on Saturday. Jose Cruz Jr. and Geoff Blum doubled in runs in the 12th inning to keep the Padres in the win column and atop the NL West standings.
Josh Bard knocked in the other run for the Padres, who have won five straight over the Dodgers and own a 7-4 overall record against the club this season. They won 13 of the 18 meetings against Los Angeles in 2006.
Royce Ring got the final out of the 11th inning to record his first major league win, while Trevor Hoffman retired the side in order for his 23rd save. Starter Jake Peavy did not factor in the decision after yielding just one run over seven innings with six K’s and one walk.
Justin Germano gets the nod for the Padres today and he is 5-1 with a 2.67 ERA in nine starts this season.
Germano is 0-1 over his last two outings after going 5-0 through his first seven trips to the hill. On June 25 against San Francisco, Germano did not factor in the outcome after giving up two runs in six innings of a 4-3 loss.
The right-hander, who is 3-0 in five road starts this season, has faced the Dodgers twice in his career (one start) and is 0-1 with a 17.18 ERA.
Meanwhile, Nomar Garciaparra homered and starter Brad Penny did not post a decision, giving up only one run in seven frames with seven strikeouts and a pair of walks. Brett Tomko suffered the loss in relief, surrendering two runs and three hits in the decisive 12th inning.
On Sunday Los Angeles will hand the ball to Chad Billingsley, who is 4-0 with a 4.01 ERA in 25 games — two starts — this season.
Billingsley is taking over for the injured Jason Schmidt and did not post a decision his last time out on June 26 against Arizona. He was reached for five runs in four innings of a 6-5 win over the Diamondbacks.
The righty has made three relief appearances against San Diego this season and is 1-0 with a 3.17 earned run average. In six career games (three starts) against the Padres, Billingsley is 1-1 with a 4.24 earned run average.
(Saturday, June 30th)
Final Score: Oakland 7, New York 0
Bronx, NY - Chad Gaudin and Rich Harden combined to one-hit the Yankees, as the Athletics blanked New York, 7-0, at Yankee Stadium. Gaudin (7-3) started for Oakland and didn’t allow a hit until the sixth inning. He struck out four and walked three in seven innings while Harden pitched two scoreless frames. Gaudin and Harden pitched the first one-hitter for the A’s since April 8, 2006 when Barry Zito, Kiko Calero, Joe Kennedy and Huston Street combined to allow just one hit to Seattle. Jason Kendall, Shannon Stewart and Dan Johnson all hit home runs for the Athletics, who won for just the second time in their last nine games. New York starter Kei Igawa pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on five hits, including three home runs. Igawa (2-2) also fanned four and walked three. Johnny Damon had the lone hit of the contest for the Yankees, who have dropped five of their last six games and eight of their last 10.
Final Score: Minnesota 8, Detroit 5
Detroit, MI - Michael Cuddyer hit a three-run home run in the fifth inning, and the Minnesota Twins downed the Detroit Tigers, 8-5, in the second of a three-game set from Comerica Park. Lew Ford also homered for the Twins, who won their third straight. Jason Bartlett ended 2-for-5 with an RBI and scored a run in the win. Curtis Granderson, Marcus Thames and Ivan Rodriguez each homered for the Tigers, who lost their second straight. Magglio Ordonez finished 0-for-4, snapping a 15-game hitting streak. Both teams had inexperienced arms taking the hill as the Twins gave the ball to rookie Kevin Slowey and Detroit countered with Andrew Miller. Slowey (3-0), who was called up to the majors to start the month of June, allowed four runs on nine hits with a walk and two strikeouts over six innings. Joe Nathan tossed a perfect ninth for his 16th save of the season. Miller (3-2), in his second year in the majors after making eight appearances for the Tigers in 2006, gave up six runs — five earned — on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts over five frames.
Final Score: Baltimore 6, LA Angels of Anaheim 3
Baltimore, MD - Ramon Hernandez’s three-run homer in the seventh inning proved to be the difference, as Brian Burres tossed 7 2/3 strong innings to lead the Baltimore Orioles over the LA Angels of Anaheim, 6-3, at Camden Yards. Hernandez ended 2-for-4 and Kevin Millar added two RBI and scored twice for the Orioles, who evened this three-game set. Brian Roberts went 2-for-4 with a run for Baltimore, which has won three of four. Melvin Mora had three hits and an RBI. Burres (4-2) won his third straight decision, earning his first win since May 31. The left-hander allowed three runs on five hits, striking out four and walking four. Paul Shuey recorded the final four outs for his first save since 2002. Chone Figgins went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, and Orlando Cabrera also had two hits with an RBI and scored for the Angels, who have lost four of five. Bartolo Colon (6-4) started on the hill and suffered the loss. The right- hander allowed three runs on eight hits, striking out six and walking two in six innings.
Final Score: Texas 5, Boston 4
Boston, MA - Frank Catalanotto went 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored and Sammy Sosa hit the go-ahead run with a homer, as Texas rallied from four runs down to edge Boston, 5-4, in the second of a four-game series at Fenway Park. Ron Mahay (1-0) picked up his first win of 2007 by yielding one hit in two innings of relief. Eric Gagne set down the side in order in the ninth for his ninth save. Starter Robinson Tejeda was charged with five hits and four runs over four innings, striking out four but walking six on 101 pitches. Kenny Lofton finished 2-for-4 with a double for the Rangers, who snapped a modest two-game losing streak. Marlon Byrd collected two hits and an RBI and Brad Wilkerson drove in a pair. Josh Beckett (11-2) lasted only five innings, allowing 10 hits and five runs with four strikeouts, denied in his attempt to become a 12-game winner. Kevin Youkilis had a two-run homer and scored twice for the Red Sox, who have dropped three of four. Alex Cora was 2-for-4 with a triple, David Ortiz picked up an RBI single, Dustin Pedroia scored once and Jacoby Ellsbury picked up his first major-league hit in the loss.
Final Score: Cleveland 8, Tampa Bay 6
Cleveland, OH - C.C. Sabathia struck out eight batters over seven innings to continue his mastery of Tampa Bay and become the first 12- game winner, as Cleveland topped the Devil Rays, 8-6, in the continuation of a four-game series at Jacobs Field. Sabathia (12-2) continued his bid to be the starting pitcher at the All-Star Game, allowing six hits and three runs — two earned — while not walking a batter to pick up his third straight win. The lefty moved to 7-1 lifetime against Tampa Bay and incredibly equaled his victory total (12-11) from last season. He’s also the first Indian to have at least 12 wins by the All-Star break since Gaylord Perry in 1974. Grady Sizemore had three hits and knocked in three runs and Travis Hafner homered for the AL Central-leading Indians, who won for the fifth time in six games overall and moved to 29-12 at home this season. Victor Martinez had three of Cleveland’s 15 hits. Raul Casanova homered and had three RBI for the Devil Rays, losers of six in a row, tying a season-high. They’ve dropped nine of 11 overall and have fallen in 11 of the last 13 meetings to the Indians. J.P. Howell (1-2) allowed eight hits and five runs over 4 1/3 innings in the loss.
Final Score: Chicago 3, Kansas City 1 (10 innings)
Kansas City, MO - Tadahito Iguchi singled home the winning two runs in the 10th inning, as the Chicago White Sox downed the Kansas City Royals, 3-1, in the second of a three-game set at Kauffman Stadium. With the score knotted at one, Chicago got the winning runs in the 10th off Octavio Dotel (0-1). Pinch-hitter A.J. Pierzynski singled, Scott Podsednik got hit by a pitch, and both baserunners moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Dotel intentionally walked Paul Konerko to load the bases for Iguchi, who grounded a single to right field scoring the winning runs. Podsednik scored two runs for the White Sox, who have won five of their last six. John Danks gave up one run on four hits with six strikeouts and a walk over eight innings in his first-ever look at the Royals lineup in his young career. Matt Bukvich (1-0) threw one pitch to one batter in the ninth for the win, and Bobby Jenks tossed the 10th for his 21st save of the season. Emil Brown homered for the Royals, who were already assured of having their first winning month since July 2003. On Friday, following the team’s first three- game sweep of the Angels in California in 11 years, the Royals won their fifth straight outing with a convincing 8-1 thumping of the Sox in the series opener. Odalis Perez, still waiting for his first win over Chicago, allowed one run on three hits with four walks and three strikeouts over seven innings.
Final Score: Seattle 8, Toronto 3
Seattle, WA - Ben Broussard went 4-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored as the Seattle Mariners downed the Toronto Blue Jays, 8-3, in the second of a three-game set at Safeco Field. Yuniesky Betancourt had two hits, two RBI and a run scored while Miguel Batista (8-6) gave up just one run on five hits in 6 1/3 innings for the Mariners, who are on a season-high seven-game winning streak. Frank Thomas drove in two runs while Roy Halladay (9-3) was tagged with the loss as he gave up three runs on 10 hits in six innings for the Blue Jays, who have lost three straight and four of their last five.
Final Score: New York 8, Philadelphia 3
Philadelphia, PA - Carlos Beltran hit a pair of homers for the second straight game and drove in three runs to lead the New York Mets over the Philadelphia Phillies, 8-3, at Citizens Bank Park. David Wright and Paul Lo Duca also homered for New York, which scored all but two of its runs courtesy of the long ball and is now on the verge of a four- game sweep of the Phillies for the first time since September, 2002. Beltran, who ended 4- for-5, had a pair of solo homers in Friday’s second game of a day/night doubleheader that the Mets swept. New York has now won four straight and eight of nine to regain some control atop the National League East standings. New York was getting a solid effort from starting pitcher Jorge Sosa until the right-hander left the game with a strained left hamstring in the sixth inning. When running out a sacrifice bunt attempt, Sosa pulled up lame after touching the bag. He stayed on the ground for a few minutes before walking off the field under his own power. Sosa (7-3) did get the win for his efforts, allowing three runs on four hits in five innings to pick up his first win in three decisions. He struck out four and walked three, earning his first victory since June 8. Ryan Howard homered and scored a pair of runs, ending 2-for-4, for Philadelphia, which fell six games behind the Mets in the division. The Phillies began the series in second place, just three games back of the Mets, but after dropping the doubleheader on Friday the club fell to third place behind the Atlanta Braves. Carlos Ruiz added two hits and drove in a run for the Phillies, who are now just five losses shy of becoming the first franchise to reach 10,000.
Final Score: Milwaukee 13, Chicago 4
Chicago, IL - Ryan Braun hit a two-run homer and went 4- for-5 with four RBI as the Milwaukee Brewers pounded the Chicago Cubs, 13-4, in the second of a three-game set at Wrigley Field. Milwaukee starter Ben Sheets (10-3) won his sixth straight decision, going eight innings, allowing four runs on six hits with one walk and a season-high 11 strikeouts. Craig Counsell homered and Prince Fielder had three RBI for the Brewers, who have won 13 of 16. Mark DeRosa drove in two runs for the Cubs, who had a seven-game winning streak snapped. Cubs starter Sean Marshall (4-3) was tagged for seven runs - six earned — on seven hits in just two innings.
Final Score: Colorado 5, Houston 0
Houston, TX - Jeff Francis tossed seven shutout innings, as the Colorado Rockies blanked the Houston Astros, 5-0, in the third of a four- game set at Minute Maid Park. Francis (8-5) scattered just three hits with four walks and four strikeouts before LaTroy Hawkins and Jeremy Affeldt completed the shutout. Kaz Matsui finished 3-for-5 and scored twice for the Rockies, who had an eight-game losing streak snapped. Matt Holliday ended 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored in the win. Craig Biggio had two of the four hits for the Astros, who, after winning the opener by an 8-5 score in 11 innings on Thursday, recorded a 9-8 triumph in dramatic fashion in Friday’s second test of this series. Former Rockie Jason Jennings (1-3), who was traded to the Astros in December in a multi-player deal, allowed three runs on five hits with six strikeouts and two walks over seven innings.
Final Score: Atlanta 6, Florida 5
Miami, FL - Edgar Renteria doubled home the go-ahead run during a five-run eighth inning as the Atlanta Braves held on to defeat the Florida Marlins, 6-5, at Dolphin Stadium. Jeff Francoeur went 2-for-5 and drove in two runs during the decisive eighth inning for the Braves, who have won five straight, including the first two games of this three-game set. Chipper Jones and Kelly Johnson also drove in a run each for Atlanta, which has scored 41 runs during its current winning streak — 31 in the last three games. Tim Hudson (8-5) started on the mound for the Braves and got the win. The right-hander allowed one run on seven hits, striking out six and walking one, over seven innings. Hudson has now won two straight starts after going 0-2 over his previous four starts. Dan Uggla and Miguel Olivo homered and Miguel Cabrera went 3-for-4 with an RBI for the Marlins, who have lost six of seven.
Final Score: Pittsburgh 7, Washington 2
Pittsburgh, PA - Adam LaRoche homered and drove in three runs while Tom Gorzelanny threw 7 1/3 solid innings as the Pittsburgh Pirates downed the Washington Nationals, 7-2, in the second of a three game set at PNC Park. Gorzelanny (8-4) allowed just five hits and two runs, while walking three and striking out six in the win. Freddy Sanchez and Jack Wilson had two RBI apiece for the Pirates, who scored six times in the second inning to win for the fourth time in five games. Ronnie Belliard homered and Dmitri young drove in a run for the Nationals, who have dropped five in a row and 11 of 14. In a much-publicized effort to display fan discontent during the Pirates’ 15th consecutive losing season, a few thousand fans in the crowd of 26,959 left their seats in a planned protest following the third inning. Only about 100 fans were seen leaving the ballpark immediately following the third, and it appeared that many of the fans who left their seats returned soon after leaving. The protest included a pregame rally ridiculing the ownership for refusing to spend money on free agents and not upgrading the team’s talent. Washington starter Jason Bergmann (1-5) was tagged for six runs on eight hits in just four innings.
Final Score: Cincinnati 5, St. Louis 1
Cincinnati, OH - Kyle Lohse bounced back from three consecutive bad starts and gave up just one run as the Cincinnati Reds downed the St. Louis Cardinals, 5-1, in the second test of a three-game series at Great American Ball Park. Lohse (4-10) pitched seven-plus innings and gave up just one run on five hits with three walks and eight strikeouts. He also drove in a run. He had been pounded in his previous three starts as he gave up 17 earned runs in 17 2/3 innings of work. David Ross hit a two-run home run and Josh Hamilton scored a run and drove one in for the Reds, who had lost five of six coming into the game. Yadier Molina drove in the lone run and Adam Wainwright (6-7) lasted five-plus innings and gave up five runs on five hits with four walks and five strikeouts for the Cardinals, who have dropped two of three.
Final Score: San Francisco 4, Arizona 1
San Francisco, CA - Bengie Molina went 2-for-4 and drove in a pair of runs, and Barry Bonds nearly hit homer No. 751 as San Francisco beat Arizona, 4-1, in the middle contest of three at AT&T Park. Noah Lowry (8-6) allowed five hits and one run over 6 2/3 innings, fanning eight and walking three. Kevin Frandsen added a run-scoring single for the Giants, who snapped a three- game slide. Bonds, who came within five homers of Hank Aaron’s record on Friday, went 1-for-1 with three walks, an RBI double and scored twice. The double was his 376th in a Giants uniform, tying him with Willie Mays for most in San Francisco history. Bonds narrowly missed hitting a homer in the fifth, pounding a ball high off the bricks in right- center, but settled for the RBI double which made it 3-1, as the hit scored Ray Durham. Molina singled, then Frandsen’s base hit scored Bonds for a 4-1 game. Doug Davis (5-9) was tagged for four runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 frames, with four strikeouts and a season-high six walks for the D-Backs, who have dropped four of six. Orlando Hudson finished 2-for-4 and drove in the lone run.
Final Score: San Diego 3, Los Angeles 1 (12 innings)
Los Angeles, CA - Jose Cruz Jr. and Geoff Blum doubled in runs in the 12th inning, boosting the Padres to a 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Josh Bard knocked in the other run for the NL West-leading Padres, who won their fourth straight game and will go for the three-game sweep Sunday. Nomar Garciaparra homered for the Dodgers, losers of four in a row at home and five straight to the Padres. Khalil Greene singled up the middle off Brett Tomko (1-6) to start the 12th inning. Kevin Kouzmanoff put down a sacrifice bunt before Cruz lined a ball to left-center field. Left fielder Andre Ethier tried to make a sliding grab, but the ball short-hopped into his glove, allowing Greene to score. Blum then slapped a pinch-hit double down the right-field line. Royce Ring (1-0) got the final out of the 11th inning to record his first major league win, and Trevor Hoffman retired the side in order on fly outs to gain his 23rd save.
