Major League Baseball
Yankees beat Red Sox in first game of doubleheader BOSTON (AP) – Johnny Damon tripled into the Fenway Park triangle to start a rare five-game series, and later homered and drove in four runs to lead the New York Yankees over the Boston Red Sox 12-4 Friday in the opener of a day-night doubleheader.
A day after losing 12-2 to Baltimore, the Yankees moved 21/2 games ahead of Boston in the AL East. Bobby Abreu, a newcomer to this rivalry, got four of New York’s 17 hits.
Eric Hinske, playing his first game since being traded from Toronto, and Mark Loretta each hit three doubles for the Red Sox. But Boston finished 0-for-16 with runners in scoring position and lost for the eighth time in 12 games.
Manny Ramirez added a home run for Boston, which got routed despite getting nine extra-base hits.
Royals 7, Athletics 1
Royals 5, Athletics 3
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Mike Sweeney hit a go-ahead, two-run double off Huston Street (4-4) in a four-run eighth as Kansas City completed a doubleheader sweep.
Luke Hudson (6-4) combined with Jimmy Gobble and Joel Peralta on a six-hitter in the opener, and Jorge De La Rosa, Ambiorix Burgos (3-5) and Joe Nelson teamed on a three-hitter in the second game, with Nelson getting his second save.
Coming in, the Athletics had won six straight, 13 of 14 and 17 of 20. Oakland, which began the day with a six-game AL West lead, had won 12 in a row at Kansas City since May 30, 2003, outscoring the Royals 95-30 in that span.
Rangers 2, Tigers 1
DETROIT – Kevin Millwood (12-8) allowed one run and three hits in seven innings to win his second straight start after going 0-3 in his previous four.
Mark Teixeira hit a tiebreaking homer in the sixth against Zach Miner (7-4), who has won only one of his last seven starts after winning six straight.
Akinori Otsuka allowed a leadoff triple in the ninth before getting three straight outs for his 24th save. Texas has won seven of nine – after losing 11 of 16 – to stay in the AL West race.
Orioles 7, Blue Jays 2
BALTIMORE – Kris Benson (10-9) gave up two runs and six hits in seven innings for his first win since June 28, and Melvin Mora went 3-for-4 with a homer and four RBIs.
Nick Markakis and Miguel Tejada also had three hits for the Orioles, who took a 6-0 lead against Scott Downs (6-2) in the second inning. Baltimore have won three straight following a five-game skid.
Devil Rays 6, Indians 5
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Carl Crawford hit a two-run single off Jason Davis that capped a three-run ninth as Tampa Bay rallied from a 5-1 deficit.
Travis Lee opened the ninth with a double off Brian Sikorski (1-1) and took third on pinch-hitter Dioner Navarro’s single. One out later, Rocco Baldelli’s single cut the Devil Rays’ deficit to 5-4.
Twins 7, White Sox 3
MINNEAPOLIS – Torii Hunter homered for the first time in 62 at-bats since July 31, putting the Twins ahead 4-3 in the sixth against Freddy Garcia (11-8).
Pat Neshek (3-0), Dennys Reyes, Jesse Crain and Matt Guerrier limited Chicago to one hit over 3 2-3 scoreless innings.
Cardinals 11, Cubs 3
CHICAGO – Preston Wilson was a smash in his first game with St. Louis, hitting one of the Cardinals’ six home runs in a romp over the Chicago Cubs.
The NL Central-leading Cardinals lost leadoff man David Eckstein, however, with a strained muscle in his left side. The All-Star shortstop was hurt when he slid into Cubs catcher Michael Barrett in the third inning.
Both teams were warned by plate umpire Ed Hickox after Cubs rookie Carlos Marmol (5-6) hit Scott Rolen with a pitch in the third inning. Marmol made two throwing errors in the inning.
Wilson went 2-for-5 and stole a base. He and Gary Bennett hit solo home runs in the sixth off Roberto Novoa that gave the Cardinals a 6-3 lead.
Nationals 6, Phillies 4
PHILADELPHIA – Alfonso Soriano hit a leadoff homer and Ryan Zimmerman went deep and drove in a career-best five runs for the Nationals.
Soriano became the third player in major league history to have at least four seasons of 30 homers and 30 stolen bases, and Tony Armas Jr. pitched 5 1-3 effective innings for Washington.
Soriano, who was 4-for-6, led off the game with his 39th homer and stole his 30th base in the second inning. Only Bobby and Barry Bonds have reached those numbers five times.
Mets 6, Rockies 3
NEW YORK – David Wright broke out of a slump with a pair of run-scoring hits and Steve Trachsel won his fourth straight start for the Mets.
Endy Chavez hit a two-run homer and Trachsel (12-5) worked seven innings, matching his longest outing of the season. He allowed seven hits, struck out six and walked three.
Billy Wagner pitched the ninth for his 29th save in 34 chances.
Braves 6, Marlins 1
MIAMI – Tim Hudson pitched 7 2-3 innings for Atlanta, departing after an injury to plate umpire Jerry Layne caused a 13-minute delay.
Layne was hurt in the eighth inning when the barrel of a shattered bat hit him in the side of the head. He was moving his arms and talking before being taken off the field on a stretcher loaded onto a cart.
Hudson (10-10) threw 96 pitches, allowing one run and four hits.
Marlins rookie Scott Olsen (9-7) allowed five runs in 1 2-3 innings, his shortest outing this year.
Adam LaRoche hit his 25th homer and Chipper Jones had a two-run triple for the Braves.