Major League Baseball
Braves rally in ninth to edge Cubs, 6-5 CHICAGO (AP) – Atlanta rallied for three runs in the ninth inning, taking the lead when second baseman Neifi Perez mishandled a relay and then threw it away, and beat Chicago 6-5 on Friday.
Carlos Zambrano overcame early wildness and held Atlanta hitless for 6 2-3 innings before pinch-hitter Wilson Betemit lofted a fly that right fielder Jacque Jones lost in the glare for a double.
Atlanta loaded the bases against closer Ryan Dempster (0-3) with no outs on two singles and a walk. Edgar Renteria drew a walk that pulled the Braves within 5-4. After an out, Andruw Jones hit a sacrifice fly to right. Perez dropped Jones’ throw, allowing Marcus Giles to score from second, and made a wild throw home.
Ken Ray pitched the ninth for the Braves for his first save. Mike Remlinger (2-2) got two outs in the eighth for the win.
Diamondbacks 3, Reds 0
CINCINNATI – Brandon Webb became the first Arizona pitcher to open a season 8-0 when he threw his second straight shutout.
The sinker-throwing Webb allowed seven hits and induced 17 groundball outs, including two double plays, to become the major leagues’ first eight-game winner. Webb, who went into the game leading the NL with an average of one walk per nine innings, matched that and had five strikeouts while earning his 11th win in 12 decisions.
Arizona’s first run came in the second inning on an error by third baseman Edwin Encarnacion and Shawn Green added a two-run homer, his fourth, in the ninth.
Marlins 5, Mets 1
MIAMI, Fla. – Josh Johnson outpitched Pedro Martinez and had a career-high eight strikeouts to lead Florida to its fourth straight victory.
The 6-foot-7 rookie allowed two hits in seven innings in his longest outing for the Marlins (15-31). The only run allowed by Johnson (4-2) was unearned.
Martinez (5-1) allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings, striking out 10. It was the 108th time the three-time Cy Young Award winner struck out at least 10.
Nationals 10, Dodgers 4
WASHINGTON – Brett Tomko was pounded by resurgent Washington in his worst outing of the season.
Alfonso Soriano hit his 17th homer and two doubles, scored three runs and got his NL-leading ninth outfield assist, and Brian Schneider went 2-for-4 in his return from the disabled list as the Nationals won their fourth straight and stopped the Dodgers’ seven-game winning streak.
Livan Hernandez (3-5) allowed six hits over seven innings – two through the first six – to win his second straight start. The Nationals have won six of seven.
Tomko (5-2) allowed runs in four of the five innings in which he pitched and gave up five extra-base hits. He was gone after 4 2-3 innings, allowing nine hits and a season-high six runs.
Brewers 6, Phillies 5
PHILADELPHIA – Prince Fielder’s RBI single off Tom Gordon in the 10th inning sent Milwaukee over Philadelphia.
Ryan Howard had a tying, two-run double in the ninth against Derrick Turnbow, who blew his second save in 16 chances. But the Brewers answered against Gordon (2-2).
Carlos Lee started the inning with a double to left and scored on Fielder’s liner off the right-field fence.
Blue Jays 8, White Sox 2
TORONTO – Troy Glaus homered and made three plays in his first major league start at shortstop, and Alex Rios homered and had three hits in the Toronto Blue Jays’ 8-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Friday night.
Vernon Wells and Reed Johnson also connected for the Blue Jays, who have won five of six.
The 6-foot-5 Glaus cleanly fielded two grounders and caught a popup in his 11th career appearance at shortstop and first since June 6, 2002, with the Angels.
Twins 3, Mariners 1
MINNEAPOLIS – Rookie Francisco Liriano outpitched fellow young gun Felix Hernandez, and Joe Mauer homered to lead Minnesota.
Fans got a glimpse into the future when two of the hottest prospects in baseball squared off, and neither team should be disappointed with what they saw.
Tigers 8, Indians 3
DETROIT – Curtis Granderson drove in a career-high five runs and Detroit won its seventh straight game.
Detroit, which hadn’t won seven in a row since 1993, has now done it twice this season.
Nate Robertson (5-2) moved to 4-0 in his last seven starts, allowing three runs – two earned – and seven hits in six-plus innings. He walked one and struck out two.
Red Sox 8, Devil Rays 4
BOSTON – David Ortiz drove in four runs, Mike Lowell added a two-run homer and Boston beat Tampa Bay despite losing David Wells to another knee injury.
Jonathan Papelbon set a rookie record for most successful save opportunities to start a season with his 17th. Gregg Olson of Baltimore had 16 in 1989.
Rangers 5, Athletics 3
ARLINGTON, Texas – Hank Blalock hit a two-run single with two outs in the eighth inning, and Texas handed Oakland its seventh straight loss.
Chad Gaudin (0-2), the third Oakland pitcher, struck out the first two batters in the eighth, then walked the bases loaded. Ron Flores relieved and surrendered the hit to Blalock.
Gary Matthews Jr. had put Texas ahead 3-2 in the sixth with a solo homer to left-center off reliever Randy Keisler.