(Tuesday, September 25th)
Final Score: Toronto 11, Baltimore 4
Baltimore, MD - Frank Thomas moved into 18th place on the all-time home run list with a three-run blast in the third as the Toronto Blue Jays crushed the Baltimore Orioles, 11-4, in the opener of a three-game set at Camden Yards. Thomas’ home run was the 513th of his career, moving him past Eddie Matthews and Ernie Banks into sole possession of 18th place on the all-time home run list. He finished the game 4-for-4 with three runs scored. Aaron Hill hit a two-run home run while John McDonald went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored for the Blue Jays, who have won six of their last eight. A.J. Burnett (10-7) got the win as he gave up four runs on 10 hits with three walks and seven strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings of work.
Final Score: Detroit 8, Minnesota 0
Detroit, MI - Magglio Ordonez hit a two-run home run and drove in three as the Detroit Tigers kept their slim playoff hopes alive with an 8-0 rout of the Minnesota Twins in the second of a three-game set at Comerica Park. The Tigers now sit 4 1/2 games behind New York for the AL wild card lead. The Yankees lost to Tampa Bay, 7-6, in 10 innings in Tampa. Timo Perez and Placido Polanco both went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for the Tigers, who have won two of their last three. Yorman Bazardo (2-1) got the win for pitching seven innings of six-hit ball with three walks and five strikeouts. Joel Zumaya and Chad Durbin each pitched a scoreless inning of relief.
Final Score: Boston 7, Oakland 3
Boston, MA - David Ortiz and Jacoby Ellsbury both drove in a pair of runs to send Boston over Oakland, 7-3, in the opener of a brief two- game set at Fenway Park. Curt Schilling (9-8), who hurled a one-hitter in his last start against Oakland on June 7, allowed six hits and one run over six full innings, fanning six without walking a batter. The veteran right- hander picked up his first win since August 24. Mike Lowell, J.D. Drew and Bobby Kielty each drove in a run for the Red Sox, who have won three of four and extended their lead in the AL East to three games and cut their magic number to clinch the division to three after the Devil Rays topped the Yankees, 7-6, in 10 innings. Manny Ramirez, in the lineup for the first time after missing 24 games with a strained muscle in his left side, finished 1-for-2 with a run scored before leaving the game for a defensive replacement. Oakland starter Chad Gaudin (11-13) took the loss, charged with three hits and three runs in four-plus innings, walking seven with three strikeouts. Daric Barton homered for the Athletics, who have dropped seven of eight. Jack Hannahan and Kurt Suzuki each knocked in a run in defeat.
Final Score: Tampa Bay 7, New York 6 (10 innings)
St. Petersburg, FL - Dioner Navarro led off the bottom of the 10th inning with a game-winning home run as Tampa Bay edged New York, 7-6, at Tropicana Field. Navarro, an ex-Yankee farmhand, crushed a hanging changeup from Jeff Karstens (1-4) over the wall in right to win it. Jorge Velandia added a grand slam for the Devil Rays, who won their second straight game after losing the previous five. Jason Hammel started on the hill for Tampa Bay and allowed five runs on seven hits en route to the no-decision. Gary Glover (6-5) won it by pitching a perfect 10th.
Final Score: Texas 3, LA Angels of Anaheim 1
Arlington, TX - David Murphy went 2-for-3 and drove in a run as Texas topped Los Angeles, 3-1, in the middle contest of three between the clubs. Jamey Wright (4-5) finished off the game with four innings of two- hit ball to pick up the win. Starter A.J. Murray allowed just five hits and a run over five full innings. Hank Blalock knocked in a run and scored once for the Rangers, who have won three in a row and four of five. Ian Kinsler finished 3-for-4 with a run scored. Darren Oliver (3-1) was tagged with the loss, charged with three runs on three hits in 1 1/3 innings in relief of starter Dustin Moseley. Moseley allowed four hits in four innings with three strikeouts and a walk.
Final Score: Kansas City 9, Chicago 5
Chicago, IL - Tony Pena homered and matched a career-high with four hits as the Kansas City Royals rallied to beat the Chicago White Sox 9-5 in the opener of a three-game series at U.S. Cellular Field. Ross Gload drove in two runs while Joey Gathright, Mark Teahen and Emil Brown had two hits apiece for the Royals, who had lost three of their previous four. Brandon Duckworth (3-5) pitched two scoreless innings of relief for the win. Kansas City starter Brian Bannister struggled mightily, allowing five runs on four hits in just two-thirds of an inning. Paul Konerko had two hits and two RBI while A.J. Pierzynski had two hits and drove in a run for the White Sox, who have lost two in a row. Chicago starter Jose Contreras went 6 1/3 frames, yielding five runs — four earned — on six hits.
Final Score: Cleveland 4, Seattle 3 (12 innings)
Seattle, WA - Kenny Lofton’s sacrifice fly in the top of the 12th inning lifted Cleveland over Seattle, 4-3, and eliminated the Mariners from the AL playoff picture. Victor Martinez clubbed a three-run home run for the Indians, who have a half-game lead over Boston for the AL’s best record. Travis Hafner finished 3-for-5 with a run scored. Adrian Beltre was 3-for-5 with a two-run homer for the Mariners, who have lost two straight.
Final Score: Washington 10, New York 9
Flushing, NY - Tom Glavine suffered a loss for the first time since early July and Washington held off a furious late rally by New York to post a 10-9 win over the Mets at Shea Stadium. Austin Kearns hit a three-run homer and Tony Batista finished 3-for-5 with a solo blast for the Nationals, who have won the first two of this three-game series. Brian Schneider drove in three runs in the win. For the playoff-hopeful Mets, it was the second consecutive loss after the club won three of four from the Florida Marlins over the weekend. New York, however, did not lose any ground and maintained its two-game lead atop the NL East after the Philadelphia Phillies lost to Atlanta, 10-6, earlier Tuesday. Glavine (13-7) had been unbeaten in his last 14 straight starts but allowed six runs and nine hits in five innings of work with four strikeouts and one walk. Jose Reyes hit two home runs while Moises Alou registered three RBI in the loss. Jason Bergmann (6-5) earned the win after he was charged with three runs on seven hits through 5 2/3 innings with three strikeouts and three walks.
Final Score: Atlanta 10, Philadelphia 6
Philadelphia, PA - Mark Teixeira and Chipper Jones both homered, and the Atlanta Braves dealt a potentially crushing blow to the Phillies’ playoff hopes in the form of a 10-6 win over Philadelphia. The Phillies fell one game behind San Diego in the NL wild card race and remained two games behind the Mets in the NL East. The Nationals edged the Mets, 10-9, Tuesday, while the Padres defeated the Giants, 6-4. Edgar Renteria finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored for the Braves, who have won three straight and eight of nine to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. Atlanta now trails the Mets by four games in the NL East, and the Padres by three for the wild card. Braves starter Chuck James gave up three hits and four runs in 3 2/3 innings, fanning six and walking one. Jeff Bennett (2-0) got the win for holding the Phils to one run on two hits in 1 1/3 innings of relief. Jamie Moyer (13-12) was ripped for six runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings, fanning four and walking three. Geoff Geary came on for Moyer, and was rocked for three hits and two runs in two- thirds of an inning. Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth, Jimmy Rollins, and Chase Utley all homered in vain for the Phillies, who have dropped two straight.
Final Score: San Diego 6, San Francisco 4
San Francisco, CA - Brian Giles’ two-out, three-run home run capped a four-run ninth-inning rally, as the San Diego Padres ended a four-game losing streak with a 6-4 win against the San Francisco Giants in the middle contest of a three-game series at AT&T Park. Hairston and Greene also homered for the Padres, who are now two games behind National League West- leading Arizona which lost to Pittsburgh 6-5. San Diego is a game ahead of Philadelphia, which lost to Atlanta 10-6, and Colorado in the wild card race. Kevin Kouzmanoff and Brady Clark both had a pair of hits in the win. Randy Winn homered for the Giants, who had a three-game winning streak snapped. Kevin Frandsen went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Matt Cain, who lost his second straight start and third consecutive decision on Thursday against Cincinnati, allowed two runs on five hits with a walk and eight strikeouts over seven innings for the Giants.
Final Score: Colorado 9, Los Angeles 7
Los Angeles, CA - Todd Helton posted three hits and two RBI while Troy Tulowitzki homered, as the Colorado Rockies matched a franchise- best winning streak with their ninth consecutive victory in a crucial 9-7 decision over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opener of a three-game series at Dodger Stadium. With the win, the Rockies moved into a tie with the Philadelphia Phillies in the wild card race. Both teams now trail the San Diego Padres by one game after the Padres rallied for a 6-4 win over San Francisco. Ryan Spilborghs posted two hits, two runs scored and an RBI for the Rockies, who also won nine straight from August 26 - September 5, 1997. Kaz Matsui added two runs scored and an RBI in the win. James Loney drilled a three-run homer for the Dodgers, who were eliminated from playoff contention. Chin-Lung Hu also homered in the losing effort. Mark Hendrickson (4-8) took the loss, while Ryan Speier (3-1) earned the win with one inning of scoreless relief.
Final Score: Florida 4, Chicago 2
Miami, FL - Dontrelle Willis pitched eight solid frames to lead the Florida Marlins to a 4-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs at Dolphin Stadium. The victorious Brewers now trail the Cubs by two games in the National League Central race. Jeremy Hermida and Miguel Olivo each doubled twice with Hermida driving home a pair of runs for the Marlins, winners in eight straight against the Cubs. Willis (10-15) surrendered two hits and two runs with seven strikeouts and three walks. Chicago hasn’t beaten Florida since April 25, 2006, and was knocked out of the 2003 National League Championship Series by the Marlins. Ted Lilly (15-8) couldn’t register his career-best 16th victory after giving up four runs on eight hits through just five innings. The Cubs had won the southpaw’s previous five starts.
Final Score: Milwaukee 9, St. Louis 1
Milwaukee, WI - Prince Fielder became the youngest player in major league history to hit 50 home runs in a season, clubbing a pair of long balls as Milwaukee moved closer in the National League Central race with a 9-1 victory over St. Louis at Miller Park. The Brewers victory coupled with Chicago’s loss at Florida moved Milwaukee within two games in the division race. At 23 years old, Fielder hit home runs 49 and 50 to pass Willie Mays as the youngest player in history to hit 50-plus homers. Jeff Suppan (11-12) recorded the victory after yielding just one run on nine hits with three walks and four strikeouts over eight strong frames. Milwaukee won the first two games of this series to cut 1 1/2 games off the Cubs’ division cushion. Rickie Weeks hit a solo homer and Bill Hall clubbed a three-run shot for the Brewers. Braden Looper (12-12) took the loss, giving up seven runs on seven hits with three walks and one strikeout through five innings. Jim Edmonds drove in the only run for the Cardinals, losers in two straight and four of six.
Final Score: Houston 8, Cincinnati 5
Cincinnati, OH - Hunter Pence homered and Lance Berkman doubled twice as the Houston Astros downed the Cincinnati Reds, 8-5, in the first of a three-game set at Great American Ball Park. Craig Biggio and Josh Anderson drove in two runs apiece for the Astros, who have won four of six. Houston starter Felipe Paulino (1-1) recorded his first career win in his second start, allowing five runs on eight hits over five innings. Dave Borkowski and Chad Qualls combined for three innings of shutout relief, and Brad Lidge struck out Joey Votto with the bases loaded in the ninth to pick up his 17th save in 24 chances.
Final Score: Pittsburgh 6, Arizona 5
Pittsburgh, PA - Josh Phelps’ eighth-inning single drove in the winning run, as the Pittsburgh Pirates edged the Arizona Diamondbacks, 6-5, in the first of three straight games at PNC Park. Nyjer Morgan hit his first major league home run for the Pirates, who stopped a nine-game losing streak that dropped them into last place in the NL Central. Ian Snell allowed one run on seven hits with four walks and six strikeouts over six innings for the Bucs, and Matt Capps tossed a perfect ninth for his 18th save in 21 chances. Tony Clark ended 2-for-4 and scored twice for the Diamondbacks, who lost their second straight trying to close in on their first National League West title in five years. Arizona, which is 38-38 as the visitor this season, is now 2 1/2 games up on second-place San Diego as the Padres play San Francisco Tuesday night. Doug Davis (0-1) allowed two runs on five hits with two strikeouts. On a four-start winless stretch, Davis has failed to make it past the fifth inning in each of those outings.
