Garland pitches White Sox to 6-4 win over Yankees
CHICAGO (AP) – With the Rocket grounded for at least a few more days, the Yankees turned to Matt DeSalvo to keep the good vibes generated over the weekend going. Jon Garland and the struggling Chicago White Sox quickly put an end to that.
Garland (4-3) pitched into the ninth inning, allowing seven hits and striking out three as the White Sox beat New York 6-4 on Monday night.
DeSalvo, starting because Roger Clemens pushed back his 2007 debut after experiencing some groin pain, left with one out in the second after the White Sox scored three times to take a 3-1 lead.
Jim Thome hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning, and Paul Konerko added a solo shot in the seventh. Konerko and Tadahito Iguchi had three hits each.
DeSalvo (1-3) allowed three runs – two earned – on four hits. He walked one batter and hit Rob Mackowiak after Konerko led off the second with a single.
Trailing 6-1 in the ninth, the Yankees got an RBI single from Josh Phelps to make it 6-2. Bobby Jenks came on to close and gave up a sacrifice fly to Melky Cabrera and an RBI single to Johnny Damon that made it 6-4, before retiring Derek Jeter for his 16th save in 17 chances.
Cubs 7, Brewers 2
MILWAUKEE – Alfonso Soriano had five hits, including a three-run homer, to help the Cubs beat the Brewers.
The win was the second in a row for the Cubs since manager Lou Piniella was ejected on Saturday in Chicago, after a dirt-kicking tantrum against an umpire following a close play at third base. Piniella was suspended four games by Major League Baseball for the incident.
Soriano, who also had four singles, has homered in each of his last three games. The last time he had five hits in a game was as a member of the New York Yankees on Sept. 17, 2002, a 9-7 loss to Tampa Bay.
Carlos Marmol (1-0) got the win, retiring two batters in the sixth inning in relief of starter Jason Marquis.
Dave Bush (3-6) gave up four runs on seven hits in six-plus innings.
Devil Rays 4, Royals 2
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – James Shields took a two-hitter into the eighth inning and Carlos Pena homered for the second straight day to lead the Devil Rays.
Shields (5-0) struck out five, walked one and appeared set to go for his second straight complete game before giving up John Buck’s second home run of the day and a single to Tony Pena with one out in the eighth.
Relievers Casey Fossum, Shawn Camp and Gary Glover protected the one-run lead through the eighth and closer Al Reyes came on in the ninth for his 14th save in as many chances
Pena’s homer to right-center off Gil Meche (3-5) was his 11th of the season. Meche, who has lost four straight decisions, allowed three runs and four hits in six-plus innings.
Marlins 6, Braves 4
ATLANTA – The Florida Marlins scored four runs off Tim Hudson during a strange fifth inning and went on to beat the Braves.
Wes Obermueller (2-3) hung around long enough for the win, giving up eight hits and three runs in five innings.
Florida sent eight hitters to the plate against Hudson (6-4) in the fifth, benefiting from a couple of walks, an error by left fielder Willie Harris and a strikeout that didn’t result in an out.
Giants 8, Phillies 1
PHILADELPHIA – Barry Zito allowed only an unearned run over six innings and Ryan Klesko hit a three-run homer to lead the Giants over the Phillies.
Zito (6-5) pitched out of trouble throughout the afternoon to win his third straight start.
Barry Bonds was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and a walk to remain at 746 career homers, 10 shy of breaking Hank Aaron’s record.
After homering 11 times in his first 76 at-bats, the Giants slugger has only one home run in 61 at-bats since connecting May 8.
Jon Lieber (2-4) allowed five runs and 10 hits in five-plus innings. He’s allowed 14 runs and 29 hits in three starts after posting a 2.50 ERA in his first six.