Ramirez homers twice as Cubs beat Reds
CINCINNATI (AP) – Aramis Ramirez homered twice – his third straight game with a homer – and drove in five runs Tuesday night, powering the streaking Chicago Cubs to a 7-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. Derrek Lee had three hits, including a two-run double in the fifth off Luke Hudson (1-5) – the latest meltdown by the NL’s worst starting rotation. Todd Walker singled twice, extending his hitting streak to 12 games.
The Cubs have won eight of nine on the strength of their rotation, which has allowed only 15 earned runs during the streak. Mark Prior (7-3) kept it going on another muggy evening that sapped pitchers and helped the ball fly.
Prior gave up seven hits and three runs in 6 2-3 innings. Will Ohman retired Ken Griffey Jr. on a grounder with two aboard to end the seventh.
Mets 3, Padres 1
NEW YORK – Pinch-hitter Chris Woodward hit a two-run homer with one out in the 11th inning, giving the Mets a victory over the San Diego Padres.
Woodward homered on an 0-1 pitch off Chris Hammond (5-1) after Mike Piazza, dropped to sixth in the order for the first time since May 12, 1993, singled with one out. It was Woodward’s first home run as a pinch-hitter and the second game-ending homer this season for the Mets, who moved above .500 at 47-46.
Phillies 5, Dodgers 4
PHILADELPHIA – Ryan Howard hit a two-run homer in the 10th inning to lift the Philadelphia Phillies to a victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Dodgers went ahead 4-3 in the top of the 10th on Billy Wagner’s bases-loaded walk to Jayson Werth.
Nationals 4, Rockies 0
WASHINGTON – John Patterson didn’t need much offense to work with, making due with what the Washington Nationals’ revamped lineup provided.
Patterson allowed just three hits in eight scoreless innings, and fill-in shortstop Jamey Carroll delivered two hits and an RBI to lead Washington past the Colorado Rockies, just the fourth victory in 13 games for the NL East leader.
Rangers 2, Yankees 1
ARLINGTON, Texas – Hank Blalock hit a two-run homer off Wayne Franklin in the eighth inning, rallying the Texas Rangers past the New York Yankees.
Blalock’s two-out homer off Franklin (0-1) skimmed over the top of the right-center field fence and dropped into the Rangers bullpen.
David Dellucci and Michael Young started the eighth with consecutive singles before Mark Teixeira grounded into a double play. Blalock then hit his 19th homer, the major league-leading 157th for the Rangers.
The Yankees lost for only the third time in 14 games and dropped a half-game behind Boston in the AL East, one day after taking sole possession of first place for the first time since a season-opening victory over the Red Sox.
A night after the Yankees won 11-10 in the opener of the series matching two of the three highest-scoring teams in the major leagues, pitching and defense dominated.
The Yankees didn’t score off Chan Ho Park until the eighth, when Bubba Crosby drew a leadoff walk, moved up on Derek Jeter’s sacrifice bunt and came around on Robinson Cano’s single.
Mike Mussina pitched six shutout innings without getting his 10th win, leaving with the game scoreless after throwing 109 pitches. Park struck out five, but allowed six hits and three walks while hitting two other batters over 109 pitches through 7 1-3 innings.
Kameron Loe (4-2) got two outs in the eighth, and Francisco Cordero worked the ninth for his 22nd save in 27 chances, getting pinch-hitter Tino Martinez to fly out with two on.
Mussina struck out seven while allowing four singles and three walks in the right-hander’s 29th career start against the Rangers.
After allowing two runners against the first three hitters, Mussina faced the minimum 11 batters over the next 3 2-3 innings. Two runners reached during that stretch, but both were caught stealing by catcher Jorge Posada.
Kevin Mench and Richard Hidalgo had consecutive singles to start the fifth, but Mussina got the next three batters out.
Felix Rodriguez, activated from the disabled list earlier Tuesday after missing 55 games recovering from left knee surgery, pitched the seventh for New York.
Park benefited from three double plays in a span of four innings, the most crucial being the last one in the sixth with runners at first and third.
Young snagged Alex Rodriguez’s grounder to shortstop to start an inning-ending double play. On the previous play, Young made a diving stop on Gary Sheffield’s ball up the middle to force Robinson Cano, who had reached on a one-out double, to hold at third base.
Alfonso Soriano fielded Jeter’s grounder near second base to start an inning-ending double play in the third. Two innings later, Soriano tagged Posada running in front of him before turning a full circle and throwing to first.