Major League Baseball roundup
Cardinals bash Red Sox in World Series rematch ST. LOUIS (AP) – Matt Morris gets excited for every start, it’s just his nature. Facing the Boston Red Sox got him really pumped up, even if it wasn’t the World Series.
Morris improved to 7-0 with his first complete game of the season and contributed a squeeze bunt to help St. Louis beat Boston 7-1 Monday night in the teams’ first meeting since last fall, when the Red Sox swept the Cardinals for their first World Series championship since 1918.
“We wanted this one bad,” Morris said. “It’s just another game but it was a little more meaningful with all the media around and the attention. So, it was fun today.”
David Eckstein had three RBIs, eighth-place hitter Yadier Molina had two and the Cardinals knocked out Tim Wakefield (4-6) in the sixth inning.
The largest crowd in eight seasons, a sellout of 50,270, watched the Cardinals win for the 16th time in their last 18 interleague games dating to 2003.
Brewers 4, Yankees 3
MILWAUKEE – Randy Johnson and the New York Yankees were no better in Milwaukee.
Geoff Jenkins ran down Derek Jeter’s drive in the right-field corner for the final out, preserving the Brewers’ victory and ruining New York’s first trip to Milwaukee since 1997.
Junior Spivey hit a go-ahead homer, Jeff Cirillo also connected and Derrick Turnbow escaped a ninth-inning jam to send the slumping Yankees to their eighth loss in nine games.
With pressure mounting from impatient owner George Steinbrenner, the Yankees fell to 1-6 on their 12-game road trip and dipped below .500 at 28-29.
With a runner on second and two outs in the ninth, Jeter sliced a drive to right that appeared headed for the corner – probably an extra-base hit that would tie the game. But Jenkins, running at full speed, reached out and made a terrific grab, leaving Jeter grimacing as he rounded first base.
Johnson (5-5) allowed four runs and seven hits in six innings. He walked three and struck out eight.
Doug Davis (8-5) worked out of trouble for Milwaukee, striking out eight in six innings. Matt Wise pitched two perfect innings and Turnbow earned his ninth save in 11 opportunities.
Angels 4, Braves 2
ATLANTA – Darin Erstad barreled over catcher Johnny Estrada to score on Garret Anderson’s go-ahead double, and Los Angeles beat Atlanta in the first meeting between the teams.
John Smoltz (4-5) retired his first 14 batters and carried a 2-1 lead into the eighth, but the Angels put runners at the corners with one out.
Anderson’s drive to right drove in Chone Figgins from third and Erstad, who scored from first base by knocking the ball from Estrada’s grasp in a violent collision that knocked Estrada out of the game.
Estrada caught second baseman Marcus Giles’ relay throw at the plate, but Erstad, a punter at Nebraska, delivered a shoulder-first blow, knocking the ball loose while also knocking off Estrada’s helmet. While a groggy Estrada reached for the ball, Erstad reached back to tag the plate for a 3-2 Angels lead.
Brendan Donnelly (3-1) earned the win in relief of starter John Lackey. Francisco Rodriguez got three outs for his 11th save.
Blue Jays 4, Cubs 1
CHICAGO – Gustavo Chacin pitched seven shutout innings, Reed Johnson hit a three-run homer and Toronto won in its first trip to Wrigley Field.
Chacin (6-4) won a matchup of rookie left-handers, outpitching John Koronka (1-1). Chacin allowed five hits, struck out six and was backed by two double plays.
The Blue Jays, struggling after losing series in Seattle and Oakland, had dropped seven of 10. But they succeeded in cooling off the Cubs, who had won nine of 10 and went 6-1 on their West Coast swing.
Miguel Batista got his 10th save in 11 chances.
D’backs 10, Phillies 8
PHILADELPHIA – Shawn Green put an emphatic end to Philadelphia’s six-game winning streak, driving in four runs in Arizona’s victory over the Phillies.
The Diamondbacks scored five times in the first inning off Cory Lidle (5-4).
and snapped a five-game losing streak – improving to 15-15 on the road.
Brandon Webb (7-2) had plenty of run support and snapped his two-game losing streak. He pitched out of a bases-loaded, two-out jam in the third, striking out Pat Burrell looking.