May 1, 2007 5 min read

MILWAUKEE (AP) – One day after the death of teammate Josh Hancock, the St. Louis Cardinals lost 7-1 to Milwaukee on Monday night, struggling at the plate and in the field. Starter Kip Wells (1-5) balked in a run in the second inning and gave up seven runs over six innings. Adam Kennedy was thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double in the fourth, and shortstop David Eckstein was left holding the ball with nowhere to throw as a second run crossed the plate after a triple by Milwaukee’s Kevin Mench in the sixth.

Jeff Suppan (4-2), a former Cardinal and teammate of Hancock’s, gave up one run and eight hits for the Brewers in his 16th career complete game.

The 29-year-old Hancock was killed shortly after midnight Sunday when his SUV struck the rear of a flatbed tow truck on a St. Louis highway. The Cardinals’ scheduled home game against Chicago on Sunday night was postponed.

Hancock is the second active major leaguer to die in the last six months. Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle died in a plane crash in October.

Braves 5, Phillies 2

ATLANTA – Andruw Jones hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning for Atlanta.

Pitching with a “JH” on the front of his jersey, Braves starter Hudson allowed only four hits over eight innings though he didn’t get a decision. Hudson was good friends with Josh Hancock, the St. Louis pitcher who died early Sunday in a car crash. The two played together at Auburn in 1997, leading the Tigers to the College World Series.

In the ninth, Kelly Johnson led off with a single, Chipper Jones walked and Andruw Jones hit a towering drive into the left-field seats off Antonio Alfonseca (1-1).

Chipper Jones also homered for the Braves.

Mike Gonzalez (1-0) picked up his first win for the Braves with a scoreless ninth.

Marlins 9, Mets 6

NEW YORK – Hanley Ramirez homered, Miguel Cabrera drove in two runs and Florida chased emergency New York starter Chan Ho Park early.

Alfredo Amezaga also homered and Josh Willingham had a two-run single during Florida’s five-run rally in the third inning, which started with a two-out single by pitcher Scott Olsen (3-1), who gave up four runs – two earned – and 10 hits in six-plus innings.

Carlos Beltran was 4-for-5 with a home run for New York, his third four-hit game this season, and Jose Reyes added three hits and two RBIs.

Park was recalled from Triple-A New Orleans to start in place of Orlando Hernandez, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list with bursitis in his right shoulder. Park retired his first eight batters but lasted only four innings, allowing seven runs and six hits.

Tigers 8, Orioles 4

DETROIT – Gary Sheffield homered off Daniel Cabrera two innings after the Baltimore starter hit him with a pitch, leading Detroit to victory over the Orioles.

Cabrera hit Sheffield in the third inning, and the two had to be pulled apart during a bench-clearing incident in the fifth before Sheffield broke a tie with a two-run homer estimated at 408 feet. Sheffield watched the drive sail into the left-field stands from home plate before he slowly trotted around the bases.

Detroit right-hander Jeremy Bonderman (1-0) picked up his first decision of the season in his sixth start, allowing four runs and nine hits with a walk in five-plus innings. Fernando Rodney pitched 2 1-3 scoreless innings for his first save.

Cabrera (1-3) issued a season-high six walks in five innings and has walked 11 in his last two starts. He allowed five runs and four hits as his winless streak stretched to four.

Jay Gibbons chased Bonderman with a homer leading off the sixth, but Detroit put the game away with three runs in the seventh.

Blue Jays 6, Rangers 1

TORONTO – Roy Halladay threw a five-hitter and Aaron Hill hit a two-run homer for Toronto.

Troy Glaus and rookie Adam Lind also homered for the Blue Jays (13-12).

Halladay (4-0) struck out eight and walked none in his second complete game of the season. He went 10 innings in his first, leading Toronto to a 2-1 victory over Detroit on April 13. Halladay has worked at least seven innings in each of his past five starts.

Vicente Padilla (0-4) gave up four runs and six hits over seven innings.

The Rangers got their only run in the first when Kenny Lofton singled, stole second and third and scored on a two-out double by Sammy Sosa.

Angels 3, Royals 1

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Vladimir Guerrero doubled home two runs in the first inning and John Lackey pitched into the seventh to lead Los Angeles.

Reggie Willits and Orlando Cabrera hit one-out singles off Odalis Perez (2-3) and Guerrero, who has 23 RBIs in 24 games, doubled high off the wall in straightaway center, missing a homer by about 18 inches.

Lackey (4-2) went 6 1-3 innings, giving up eight hits and one run. He struck out seven and walked only one.

Francisco Rodriguez pitched the ninth for his ninth save in 10 chances.

Perez went six innings, giving up three runs and 10 hits.