Mets open game with back-to-back HRs for first time in team history
NEW YORK (AP) – Jose Reyes and Ruben Gotay opened with consecutive home runs, the first time that happened in the Mets’ 46-season history, and New York beat Cincinnati 3-2 on Thursday night. Reyes led off the bottom of the first with his fifth homer and Gotay followed with his fourth, both against Bronson Arroyo (3-10). It was the third time this season the Mets hit back-to-back homers.
Orlando Hernandez (5-4) allowed three hits and two runs in six innings. He struck out seven and walked three.
Scott Hatteberg hit a two-run single in the second to tie it at 2.
Lastings Milledge, recalled from the minors earlier in the day, led off the New York fifth with a single. After two outs, Gotay’s drive fell just in front of diving center fielder Ryan Freel. Milledge barely beat the play at home.
Billy Wagner got the last three outs for his 18th save.
Red Sox 7, Blue Jays 4
BOSTON – David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez combined for five hits and five RBIs and Tim Wakefield won his third straight start as Boston beat Toronto.
Ortiz went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and Ramirez went 2-for-4 with three RBIs to help the Red Sox end a three-game losing streak.
Wakefield (10-8) scattered nine hits and walked none in six innings, allowing four runs, including back-to-back homers by Matt Stairs and Alex Rios in the sixth when Toronto cut a 5-2 deficit to one run. But in the bottom half Ortiz hit an RBI double and scored on Ramirez’s single to give Boston a 7-4 lead.
Jonathan Papelbon pitched the ninth for his 21st save.
Roy Halladay (10-4) allowed the first four Red Sox batters to reach base and score, giving up five runs in all and eight hits in five innings.
White Sox 9, Orioles 7
BALTIMORE – Jim Thome’s 487th career homer ignited a four-run first inning for Chicago and the White Sox held on.
Jermaine Dye had a season-high three hits, including a homer, and Rob Mackowiak had three hits for the White Sox, who began an 11-game road trip with their third straight victory. Chicago has won 11 of 16.
Jon Garland (7-6) allowed two runs and eight hits over seven innings in winning his fourth straight start against Baltimore.
Kevin Millar had three hits, including a homer, and four RBIs for the Orioles.
The Orioles trailed 9-2 before scoring five runs in the ninth, including Millar’s three-run homer.
Yankees 7, Devil Rays 3
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Bobby Abreu homered to back New York starter Andy Pettitte.
Rodriguez hit his major league-leading 31st homer five pitches after Jeter hit his first in nearly a month. Abreu finished the fourth-inning power surge with a two-out solo shot off right-hander James Shields (7-5) that made it 4-1.
Pettitte (5-6) rebounded from allowing eight runs in consecutive starts for the first time in his career, giving up six hits and three runs in 5 2-3 innings.
Mariano Rivera pitched a perfect ninth for the Yankees (43-43), who climbed back to .500 for the first time since June 23.
Abreu was 3-for-4 and drove in three runs.
Tampa Bay has lost 14 of 15.
Twins 6, Athletics 2
MINNEAPOLIS – Michael Cuddyer tied a career high with four hits and Minnesota took advantage of Oakland starter Chad Gaudin’s lack of control for the victory.
Gaudin (8-4) entered the game fourth in the AL with a 2.88 ERA, but he walked five hitters – four in the first inning. He allowed five runs and six hits in four-plus innings, and has walked 29 batters in his last eight outings.
Scott Baker (4-3) gave up two runs and six hits in six innings for the Twins, who handed the A’s their fifth loss in six games.
Shannon Stewart had two hits and an RBI for Oakland, extending his hitting streak to 15 games – the longest active streak in the AL.
Gaudin walked Luis Castillo to start the first, then walked Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau before walking Torii Hunter with the bases loaded to make it 2-0. Cuddyer, who finished a homer shy of the cycle, had an RBI single in the inning.