Major League Baseball
Johjima leads Mariners past slumping Tigers DETROIT (AP) – Kenji Johjima’s RBI single in the 10th inning put the Seattle Mariners ahead, and J.J. Putz held the lead in a 5-4 win over the slumping Detroit Tigers on Wednesday.
After Johjima’s bloop single, Joel Zumaya (6-3) prevented further damage by getting out of a bases-loaded jam.
Jon Huber (1-0) struck out one and gave an intentional walk in the ninth inning, and Putz got three outs for his 31st save, sending the AL Central leaders to their 19th loss in 28 games.
Yankees 8, Royals 3
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Randy Johnson took a no-hit bid into the seventh inning and Jorge Posada hit a pair of three-run homers, leading the New York Yankees over the Kansas City Royals .
Johnson (16-10) didn’t give up a hit until David DeJesus tripled to deep left-center leading off the seventh inning. Center fielder Johnny Damon slid to keep the ball from going by him, but came up well short.
Earlier Wednesday, Florida’s Anibal Sanchez pitched a no-hitter against Arizona, the first no-hitter in the major leagues since Johnson’s perfect game for Arizona at Atlanta on May 18, 2004.
Johnson allowed just the one hit and struck out eight in seven shutout innings, walking two. He had faced the minimum 18 batters before the triple – he walked Emil Brown in the second, but Ryan Shealy grounded into an inning-ending double play.
After his triple, DeJesus was picked off third by Posada.
Johnson stood in the dugout at times between innings, rather than sitting. It was not immediately known if his back was bothering him.
Derek Jeter extended his hitting streak to a career-high 17 games, going 2-for-4. He raised his batting average to .344, one point behind Minnesota’s Joe Mauer, the AL leader.
With the win, the Yankees reopened a nine-game lead over second-place Boston in the AL East, matching their season high.
Athletics 9, Rangers 6
OAKLAND, Calif. – Mark Kotsay hit a go-ahead three-run double and matched his career high with four RBIs, Frank Thomas homered for the second straight day and Oakland overcame a 4-0 deficit to avoid a three-game sweep. The A’s maintained their 51/2-game AL West lead.
Joe Blanton (15-10) won for the fourth time in five starts despite allowing six runs and 11 hits in six innings, and Justin Duchscherer pitched two innings for his fifth straight save.
Mark Teixeira homered twice and drove in five runs for the Rangers. Josh Rupe (0-1) gave up three runs, three hits and a walk without retiring a batter.
Angels 8, Orioles 4
ANAHEIM, Calif. – Chone Figgins drove in the go-ahead run with a sixth-inning double off Chris Britton (0-2) and Howie Kendrick as Los Angeles completed a three-game sweep that extended its winning streak to five.
Vladimir Guerrero drove in two to back Ervin Santana (14-7), who allowed four runs and seven hits in seven innings.
Mets 8, Braves 0
NEW YORK – Shawn Green busted out of his slump with a huge day at the plate, Oliver Perez pitched his second career shutout for his first win since May and the New York Mets completed a doubleheader sweep of the Atlanta Braves with an 8-0 rout Wednesday.
Carlos Delgado hit a tiebreaking homer off John Smoltz (12-8) in the sixth inning of the opener to back Dave Williams (5-3), who cruised through six innings on only 72 pitches, allowing five hits, no walks and striking out four. Billy Wagner got three outs for his 35th save.
Green homered late in that one, then connected again in the nightcap and finished the day 6-for-8 with four runs scored and three RBIs, earning a curtain call.
Jose Reyes hit his sixth leadoff homer of the season in the second game, a Mets record. Chris Woodward added a two-run double off Kyle Davies (2-5) and pinch-hitter Endy Chavez delivered a two-run triple.
Giants 3, Reds 2
CINCINNATI – Jonathan Sanchez (3-0), who had made 22 relief appearances, allowed one run and two hits in 5 2-3 innings in his first major league start, striking out seven and walking two. Mike Stanton pitched a perfect ninth for his seventh save, completing a six-hitter.
Ray Durham homered twice for the Giants, who have won eight of 12. The Reds lost for the 10th time in 12 games.
Sun-Woo Kim (0-1), obtained by the Reds on Tuesday from Colorado, allowed two runs and four hits in five innings.
Nationals 7, Cardinals 6
WASHINGTON – Jose Vidro ended a game of comebacks, lining a two-run single in the bottom of the ninth against Jason Isringhausen (4-8), who has 10 blown saves in 43 chances.
Washington led 5-4 before Preston Wilson’s two-run, upper-deck homer in the top of the ninth off Chad Cordero (7-4), who blew a save for the fourth time in 28 chances – but first since the All-Star break.