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Marlins hold on for third clear sweep over Phillies

Texas Rangers second baseman Alfonso Soriano, right, leaps over Anaheim Angels runner Chone Figgins to make the out, but was unable to deliver his throw in time to get David Eckstein at first base for a double play, during fifth inning American League baseball action in Anaheim, California, on Thursday. PHOTO: REUTERS

Mike Lowell homered again and Mike Redmond also connected, helping Florida beat Philadelphia 9-7 on Thursday in a game that featured a bench-clearing brawl.

Phillies catcher Todd Pratt and Marlins shortstop Alex Gonzalez were ejected after starting a melee in the second inning following a high and inside pitch from Brett Myers to Gonzalez.

"You can't take that. You do nothing, the next time he hits you," Gonzalez said, adding that he wasn't going to charge the mound.

"I wasn't trying to hit him. He overreacted," said Myers, who had hit Miguel Cabrera in the first inning.

Lowell, who homered three times in Florida's 8-7, 12-inning victory on Wednesday night, struck out his first three at-bats, but hit a two-run shot off Rheal Cormier in the ninth.

The World Series champion Marlins held on for their third straight three-game sweep over Philadelphia. The Phillies scored twice in the ninth before Jim Thome, who homered earlier, struck out against Armando Benitez with two on to end it.

Florida has won 18 of the last 20 games -- six in a row this year -- against the Phillies, who blew a slim wild-card lead over Florida down the stretch last season.

Darren Oliver (2-1) allowed five runs and six hits in 5 1-3 innings. Benitez got his eighth save in eight chances, including five against the Phillies. Myers (0-1) gave up seven runs and 11 hits in six innings.

Diamondbacks 11, Brewers 9

In Milwaukee, Danny Bautista homered twice and singled home the go-ahead run in Arizona's win over Milwaukee -- a game that took a major league season-longest 5 hours, 22 minutes.

Bautista set career highs with five hits and five RBIs. He extended his hitting streak to 14 games to help Arizona stop its losing streak at four.

The Brewers scored three runs in the ninth, tying it at nine on pinch-hitter Brooks Kieschnick's two-run homer off Matt Mantei.

Steve Sparks (1-1) pitched two scoreless innings for the win, snapping his personal 12-game losing skid dating to Aug. 16, 2002. Adrian Hernandez (0-2) was the loser.

Reds 5, Braves 3

In Cincinnati, Ken Griffey Jr. hit a two-run single as the Cincinnati took advantage of Jaret Wright's wildness to beat Atlanta in a rain-shortened game.

Wright (1-1) sat out a one-hour rain delay before the first pitch, then lasted only 43 minutes in a wild outing. Nine of the 13 batters he faced reached on hits or walks.

Cincinnati sent 10 batters to the plate for five runs in the second, the biggest inning against Atlanta this season. Two of the runs scored on a passed ball by Johnny Estrada and a bases-loaded walk to D'Angelo Jimenez, who was in an 0-for-22 slump at the time.

Griffey had a bases-loaded single off Wright, who walked five and threw only 23 strikes out of his 53 pitches.

Cory Lidle (2-1) pitched through the rain for five innings, giving up three runs and five hits.

Padres 9, Giants 4

In San Francisco, Phil Nevin hit a two-run homer, and San Diego's Ismael Valdez (2-0) pitched 5 2-3 strong innings to beat San Francisco on a day Giants slugger Barry Bonds was held out of the lineup to rest.

San Diego took three out of four from the Giants, pounding out 52 hits -- 12 on Thursday, a season-high 17 on Wednesday, and 15 on Tuesday.

After allowing two runs in the first, Valdez cruised until giving up a two-run triple to Neifi Perez in the sixth that chased the right-hander. Valdez gave up two earned runs on six hits.

Kirk Rueter (0-2) had a 1-2-3 first inning before the Padres scored six times in the second.

Mets 3, Expos 2

In New York, Steve Trachsel and two relievers combined on a five-hitter, and Mike Piazza hit a go-ahead double as New York edged Montreal.

Down to their final out, the Expos caught a break when left fielder Shane Spencer dropped Brian Schneider's fly ball, scoring a run. But Braden Looper got pinch-hitter Jamey Carroll to ground out with runners on the corners for his fourth save.

With 26 runs this season, Montreal is the first team not to score more than four runs in any of its first 16 games since the 1968 Chicago White Sox, according to Elias Sports Bureau.

Trachsel (2-2) allowed four hits in seven innings, including a homer by Schneider in the seventh. Chad Bentz (0-1) was the loser.

Rockies 7, Dodgers 1

In Denver, Shawn Estes (3-1) allowed only two hits for Colorado, and Matt Holliday hit his first major league homer and drove in three runs against Los Angeles.

Holliday, promoted from the minors on April 14, also doubled. Vinny Castilla went 3-for-3 with a home run Jose Lima (2-1) was tagged for seven runs and six hits in three innings.

The Rockies won two of three at Coors Field, the first series the Dodgers have lost this season.

Cardinals 2, Astros 1

In Houston, Hector Luna's sacrifice bunt scored Reggie Sanders in the top of the 12th inning to give St. Louis a win over Houston for its best road start in more than 60 years.

Scott Rolen also drove in his National League-leading 26th run for the Cardinals, 6-0 on the road -- the team's best start since 1941.

Jason Isringhausen (1-0) was the winner, and Julian Tavarez finished for the save. Dan Miceli (0-1) took the loss.

Omar Vizquel's 2,000th career hit helped set up Cleveland's three-run rally in the eighth inning on Thursday, giving the Indians a 5-4 win over the Kansas City Royals.

Vizquel's milestone and the Indians' win was tempered by an injury to Cleveland ace C.C. Sabathia, who didn't pitch because of a sore left shoulder.

"What made it so special was that we came from behind," said Vizquel, who started his career with Seattle. "That's something we've struggled with all year."

Vizquel became the 230th player to reach 2,000 hits when he singled off Jason Grimsley (1-1) in the eighth. Three batters later, D.J. Carrasco allowed Victor Martinez's game-winning RBI double for the Indians.

"I knew he wanted to do that at home, and for our squad," Indians manager Eric Wedge said.

Rafael Betancourt (1-2) pitched one inning for the win, and David Riske gave the Indians' bullpen a lift by working the ninth for his second save.

Twins 4, Tigers 3

In Minneapolis, fill-in Lew Ford kept up his strong hitting with a three-run homer and Johan Santana picked up his first victory as Minnesota beat Detroit.

Ford extended his hitting streak to a career-best eight games and now has a team-high 15 RBIs since being called up to replace Twins injured outfielder Torii Hunter on April 10.

Juan Rincon and J.C. Romero each threw a scoreless inning, and Joe Nathan worked the ninth for his fourth save.

Mike Maroth (2-1), who last year became the first AL pitcher to lose at least 20 games since 1980, took his first loss of the season.

Athletics 8, Mariners 2

In Seattle, Eric Chavez hit a three-run homer and Mark Mulder worked six strong innings to lead Oakland past Seattle to split the four-game series.

Mark Kotsay led off the game with a double to the right-field corner, Eric Byrnes singled to right and Chavez drove a 1-2 pitch from Jamie Moyer over the wall in right.

Jermaine Dye added a single and Moyer (1-2) gave up four straight hits to start the day.

Mulder (2-1) allowed two runs and five hits. It was the first time in four starts that he didn't go seven innings.

Angels 7, Rangers 5

In Anaheim, California, Troy Glaus hit a three-run homer, Jeff DaVanon also homered and Anaheim beat Texas to end a three-game losing streak.

Glaus gave Anaheim a 3-0 lead in the first inning with a line drive into the left-field bullpen. Glaus' 31 homers and 66 RBIs against the Rangers are his highest totals against any team.

Bartolo Colon (3-1) allowed three runs, five hits and three walks over five innings while striking out four.

Troy Percival pitched a scoreless ninth for his third save.

South Korea's Chan Ho Park (1-3) allowed seven runs and six hits in 5 1-3 innings and hit two batters. The Angels also tagged him for six runs and 10 hits on April 11.

David Dellucci had his first career two-homer game for the Rangers.

Blue Jays 7, Red Sox 3

In Toronto, Chris Gomez hit a tiebreaking grand slam off Curt Schilling in the eighth inning as Toronto beat Boston for its first home victory of the season.

Gomez drove in five runs for the Blue Jays, 1-8 at home.

Gomez hit his first career slam after Schilling (2-1) allowed singles to Carlos Delgado and Eric Hinske and walked Orlando Hudson.

The homer gave Toronto its first lead at home since Delgado hit a three-run homer in the first inning on April 7.

Orioles 7, Devil Rays 6

In Baltimore, Rafael Palmeiro hit a long overdue homer at Camden Yards, and Miguel Tejada had a season-high three RBIs to lead Baltimore to a comeback victory over Tampa Bay.

John Parrish (1-0) retired all six batters he faced to earn his second major league victory, and Jorge Julio got three outs for his second save. Chad Gaudin (0-1) was the loser.

White Sox 4, Yankees 3

In Chicago, Joe Crede homered as the Chicago sent New York's Mike Mussina to his fourth loss in five starts.

Mussina (1-4) gave up three first-inning runs and then settled down before Crede -- hitting just .184 entering the game -- lifted his second homer to left in the sixth to make it 4-2.

Mussina gave up nine hits in the eight-inning outing, his longest of the season.
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