Major League Baseball
Tigers cool off Red Sox, Wakefield BOSTON (AP) – Justin Verlander gave up six hits over 7 2-3 innings, and Brandon Inge and Magglio Ordonez homered to cool off Tim Wakefield and lead the Detroit Tigers to a 7-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night.
Verlander (4-1) allowed two runs and struck out seven before leaving the game when Kevin Youkilis hit a solo home run in the eighth. The reigning AL Rookie of the Year, Verlander has allowed four earned runs in four road starts this season.
The Tigers have won 12 of their last 15 games despite losing their previous two. They faced another strong pitcher in Wakefield (4-4), who was leading the AL in opponents’ batting average, second in the league in ERA and hadn’t allow a run in his two previous starts.
Indians 15, Twins 7
CLEVELAND – Paul Byrd won for the first time in three starts in May and the Indians had two six-run innings in accumulating season highs in hits and runs.
Jhonny Peralta homered and had four RBIs, Grady Sizemore had four hits, including a two-run homer, and Josh Barfield had three hits and three RBIs for the Indians.
Peralta’s three-run homer keyed a six-run first off Ramon Ortiz (3-4). Cleveland had 17 hits and improved baseball’s best home record to 12-3.
Justin Morneau, in his second game since having his nose broken Saturday, hit two solo homers for Minnesota. It was his sixth career two-homer game.
Michael Cuddyer had a two-run homer and Jason Kubel added a solo shot for the Twins, who came in with a league-low 23 homers in their first 37 games.
Byrd (3-1) allowed five runs and seven hits over seven innings. The right-hander struck out seven without a walk.
Blue Jays 2, Orioles 1
TORONTO – Jesse Litsch pitched into the ninth inning in his major league debut and Troy Glaus singled in the go-ahead run in the sixth.
Litsch walked Miguel Tejada with two outs in the ninth and Jeremy Accardo relieved. Accardo allowed a single to Ramon Hernandez before retiring Aubrey Huff on a groundout to second to earn his third save.
Cubs 10, Mets 1
NEW YORK – Aramis Ramirez hit a grand slam and Carlos Zambrano pitched eight sharp innings, sending the Chicago Cubs to a rout of the New York Mets.
Cliff Floyd had three hits and an RBI in his first start at Shea Stadium since spending the previous four seasons with the Mets, and Chicago handed John Maine (5-1) his first loss of the year.
Daryle Ward hit a two-run double in the first, Michael Barrett doubled twice and drove in two runs, and left fielder Alfonso Soriano threw out a runner at the plate in the second to keep the score 3-0.
Phillies 4, Brewers 3
PHILADELPHIA – Carlos Ruiz hit a solo homer with two outs in the ninth to lift the Phillies.
Brett Myers allowed Johnny Estrada’s tying solo homer in the ninth for his first blown save, but Ruiz connected off Derrick Turnbow (1-2) for his first career game-winning homer.
Estrada led off the ninth with his fifth homer. Myers (1-2) had converted his first four save opportunities since replacing injured closer Tom Gordon, and hadn’t allowed a run since his first relief appearance. Myers, who was the opening-day starter, has a 1.08 ERA in 16 2-3 innings as a reliever.
Braves 6, Nationals 2
WASHINGTON – Edgar Renteria hit two home runs, Tim Hudson allowed three hits over seven innings, and the Braves ended the Nationals’ four-game winning streak.
Renteria went 3-for-5, homering in the first and seventh innings as the Braves snapped a two-game losing streak. Atlanta has won six of its last eight.
Hudson (5-1), inducing ground ball after ground ball, had a perfect game through 4 2-3 innings and lowered his ERA to 1.77. Hudson walked one and struck out four before leaving for a pinch hitter in the eighth.