Major League Baseball roundup
Loretta’s 9th-inning homer caps Red Sox’ comeback win BOSTON (AP) – Mark Loretta hit a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning and the Boston Red Sox, saved by Kevin Youkilis’ hustle, rallied past the Seattle Mariners 7-6 Monday in the annual Patriots Day game.
David Ortiz homered twice for Boston. Carl Everett connected for Seattle, which took a 6-5 lead in the ninth on pinch-hitter Roberto Petagine’s RBI grounder.
Mariners reliever Eddie Guardado struck out the first two batters in the ninth. Youkilis then hit a grounder up the middle and second baseman Jose Lopez made a diving stop, but his throw to first was a shade late.
Youkilis raised his arms after beating the play for an infield single, and Loretta followed with his first home run for the Red Sox. Loretta’s shot landed in the Monster Seats, where moments earlier many fans turned around to watch the women’s leader of the Boston Marathon running through Kenmore Square.
“I’ve never hit a walkoff home run at any level,” Loretta said.
Mike Timlin (1-0) got the win and Guardado (0-1) took the loss.
Ortiz hit his fifth and sixth homers for the Red Sox, the second a two-run shot that tied it at 4 in the sixth. Trot Nixon doubled twice and singled for Boston.
It was 5-all when Adrian Beltre and Willie Bloomquist hit one-out singles in the Seattle ninth against Keith Foulke. Timlin relieved with runners at the corners and Petagine hit a hard grounder to second base that Loretta stopped with a dive. Loretta’s only play was to first base as the go-ahead run scored.
The Red Sox tied it at 5 against J. J. Putz in the eighth when Nixon doubled and Jason Varitek hit an RBI single.
The Mariners took advantage of backup Alex Cora’s error to move ahead 5-4 against Julian Tavarez in the seventh. Bloomquist reached on the error when his grounder tipped off the shortstop’s glove.
Bloomquist moved up on a sacrifice, stole third and scored on Ichiro Suzuki’s sharp grounder that sent Loretta diving. Ortiz flied out to the right-field warning track in the eighth, with Suzuki making a semi-leap at the short wall.
Everett’s two-run homer gave Seattle a 4-2 lead in the sixth.
Suzuki, 0-for-11 in the first three games of the series, lined a leadoff double in the first and scored on Raul Ibanez’s sacrifice fly. Boston tied it on Ortiz’s homer into the center-field bleachers.
Seattle moved ahead 2-1 in the second on Betancourt’s RBI double, but the Red Sox tied it on Cora’s run-scoring double.
Boston fill-in starter Lenny DiNardo, replacing David Wells, allowed two runs and six hits over five innings. Wells was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday with a right knee sprain.
Indians 10, Tigers 2
DETROIT – Paul Byrd pitched seven solid innings and Casey Blake’s solo homer sparked a six-run third inning for the Indians.
Chris Shelton hit his ninth homer for Detroit. He is tied for the major league lead. Despite the solo shot, the Tigers went 2-5 on their homestand after winning five of their first six games.
The Indians won minus manager Eric Wedge, who was back in Cleveland for the birth of his first child earlier in the day.
Byrd (2-1) also gave up a solo homer to Carlos Guillen, which made it 8-2 in the fourth, but quieted Detroit’s bats for the most part. He gave up four hits – after allowing 11 runs in his two previous starts.
Nate Robertson (1-2) gave up seven runs – six earned – and eight hits over 2 1-3 innings for the Tigers.
Orioles 4, Angels 2
BALTIMORE – Miguel Tejada hit a two-run homer and Daniel Cabrera allowed one run in seven innings for the Orioles.
Brian Roberts drove in two runs for Baltimore, which built a 4-0 lead in the first two innings against Jeff Weaver (0-2). Baltimore took three of four from Los Angeles after going 2-4 against the Angels a year ago.
Cabrera (1-1) came in with an 11.37 ERA after issuing 16 walks over 6 1-3 innings during his first two starts. The right-hander struck out six, did not allow an earned run and yielded his only walk with two outs in the seventh.
Chris Ray got three outs for his fifth save in five tries.
White Sox 9, Royals 0
CHICAGO – Jose Contreras and two relievers combined on a one-hitter, sending Kansas City to its eighth straight loss.
Paul Konerko and Joe Crede homered in a five-run first off Joe Mays (0-2) as Chicago sailed to its seventh win in eighth games.
Contreras (2-0), now 6-0 in his career against Kansas City, retired the first 10 batters before Mark Grudzielanek doubled with one out in the fourth.
Contreras, who won his final eight starts of the 2005 regular season to lead the White Sox into the playoffs, walked one and struck out six in seven strong innings. Boone Logan and Cliff Politte completed the shutout with one inning each.
Mets 4, Braves 3
NEW YORK – Pedro Martinez became the seventh active pitcher with 200 victories, and New York edged Atlanta in the first of 18 meetings this season between the NL East rivals.
Carlos Delgado and Xavier Nady each homered against Jorge Sosa to help the Mets (10-2) improve the best record in baseball and extended the fastest start in franchise history.
They did it without star center fielder Carlos Beltran, who sat out with a tight right hamstring. New York also lost left fielder Cliff Floyd to a strained muscle in his rib cage.
Andruw Jones hit his fifth homer and second in two days for the Braves, missing injured third baseman Chipper Jones and shortstop Edgar Renteria.
Martinez (3-0) struck out eight in 6 2-3 innings, allowing three runs and six hits. He is 200-84, the fewest losses for any pitcher with 200 wins.
Duaner Sanchez struck out two of his four batters, and Billy Wagner worked the ninth for his fourth save.
Reds 9, Marlins 1
CINCINNATI – Adam Dunn hit his eighth homer and Brandon Claussen pitched seven shutout innings, leading Cincinnati to a victory over Florida.
Dunn extended his week-long power surge with a two-run homer in the first inning – his last six hits have been homers. Austin Kearns also had a solo shot, and Brandon Phillips drove in four runs with a double and a pair of singles.
Claussen (1-1) gave up five hits and striking out seven in seven innings.
Brian Moehler (0-3) gave up eight runs in five-plus innings.
Center fielder Ken Griffey Jr. was out of the Reds’ lineup for the fifth straight game because of tightness behind his right knee.