Print

Mail

wiki links

Yankees get bats working

Mike Piazza, right, of the Mets, celebrates with Karim Garcia after scoring the go-ahead solo home run against the Dodgers in the top of the sixth inning in Los Angeles, Tuesday. The run was Piazza's 351st and ties him with Carlton Fisk for the record of most home runs scored by a major league catcher. PHOTO: REUTERS

American League

Pinch-hitter Ruben Sierra delivered a go-ahead double down the left-field line, highlighting a six-run rally in the eighth inning that sent the New York Yankees past the Oakland Athletics 10-8 Tuesday night.

"For a minute, I thought the ball was going to hook outside," Sierra said. "I saw the ball was turning to the line."

Bernie Williams began the Yankees comeback with a single that ended his 0-for-13 rut and capped it with an RBI grounder. Sierra's double off Ricardo Rincon put the Yankees ahead 9-8.

A crowd of 33,191 that had booed Derek Jeter -- he was hitless in three at-bats, extending his career-worst slump to 0-for-28 -- cheered wildly when Sierra came through.

"Hopefully, it does relax them," manager Joe Torre said. "It was a good way to win, coming back late with a lot of people contributing."

Donovan Osborne (1-0) got one out for the victory after Mike Mussina allowed five runs and 10 hits in six innings. Jim Mecir (0-2) took over for Tim Hudson after seven innings and let the first five batters reach safely.

Derek Jeter of the Yankees lays down a sacrifice bunt to advance Miguel Cairo to third base against the Athletics during the third inning in New York, Tuesday. PHOTO: AP

Mariano Rivera pitched the ninth for his sixth save.

Angels 10, Tigers 4

In Detroit, Darin Erstad hit a three-run double and Troy Glaus had two RBIs to help Anaheim beat Detroit for its fifth straight.

Glaus fell a home run short of the cycle and Valdimir Guerrero added three hits for the Angels.

Brandon Inge hit his second grand slam in less than a week for the Tigers.

John Lackey (1-3) allowed three runs and four hits in 6 2-3 innings.

Scot Shields went 2 1-3 innings for his first save.

Detroit starter Nate Cornejo (1-2) allowed four runs and seven hits in five innings.

Rangers 3, Royals 2

In Kansas City, Missouri, the Royals loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth against Texas closer Francisco Cordero, but couldn't drive home the tying run.

After allowing a single and two walks, Cordero forced Ken Harvey at home for the first out. Mendy Lopez ended it by grounding into a double play.

Twins 7, Blue Jays 4

In Minneapolis, Jacque Jones hit a game-winning three-run homer as Minnesota snapped Toronto's three-game winning streak.

Torii Hunter's RBI single with one out in the ninth tied the game before Jones sent a 1-2 pitch from Justin Speier (1-2) into the left-field seats for his fourth home run.

Juan Rincon (3-0) worked two scoreless innings for the win.

Mariners 7, Orioles 5

In Baltimore, Dan Wilson homered in the fourth and drove in the tiebreaking run in the seventh, helping Seattle edge Baltimore and snap a five-game skid.

John Olerud had three of Seattle's 13 hits, and the Mariners improved to 1-11 when allowing five or more runs in a game. It was the 100th win for Seattle manager Bob Melvin, who accomplished the feat in 182 games -- fastest in franchise history.

Indians 11, White Sox 7

In Chicago, Omar Vizquel had four hits and Cleveland scored four times in the 10th to edge Chicago.

Ronnie Belliard had three hits for the Indians and Victor Martinez added a solo home run.

National League

Chad Moeller hit for the cycle, and pinch-hitter Bill Hall's two-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning gave Milwaukee a 9-8 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

"Once it got to 2-0, I was selling out and trying to drive one," Hall said. "You only get one chance."

Moeller homered in the second inning, doubled in the fourth, tripled in the fifth and singled in the seventh, becoming the first Brewers player to complete the cycle since Paul Molitor in 1991.

Still, the Reds led 8-6 entering the bottom of the ninth. Milwaukee rallied against closer Danny Graves (0-2), who blew his third save in 13 chances, and the Reds' five errors kept the Brewers in it.

Phillies 7, Cardinals 3

In St. Louis, Pat Burrell had four hits and three RBIs, and Mike Lieberthal hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the sixth as Philadelphia downed St. Louis.

Burrell, who batted .190 against the Cardinals last season, went 4-for-4. Bobby Abreu hit a home run and the Phillies' 3-4-5 batters reached base 11 times in their first 12 at-bats, going 6-for-7 with five walks.

Colorado 13, Marlins 10

In Denver, Vinny Castilla hit a tiebreaking, three-run double in the eighth inning, and Jeromy Burnitz homered twice to lead Colorado past Miami.

Burnitz, Charles Johnson and Matt Holliday hit consecutive home runs to start the third inning, the second time in franchise history Colorado has hit three straight homers.

Vladimir Nunez (2-0) won despite giving up Miguel Cabrera's tiebreaking home run in the eighth.

Diamondbacks 10, Cubs 1

In Phoenix, Brandon Webb allowed four hits in seven scoreless innings as Arizona crushed Chicago for the second straight night.

Chad Tracy hit his first major league homer for the Diamondbacks. Luis Gonzalez added a three-run homer and Steve Finley had a two-run shot in Arizona's third straight victory and fifth in six games.

The Cubs failed to score for 18 consecutive innings before Todd Hollandsworth led off the ninth with a homer.

Padres 3, Expos 0

In San Diego, Ismael Valdez allowed just four hits in eight innings as San Diego blanked Montreal.

Valdez (3-0) didn't allow a baserunner past second. He has the best record of any Padres starter after beginning the season in the bullpen.

Trevor Hoffman pitched a perfect ninth for his fourth save.

Braves 12, Giants 3

In San Francisco, J.D. Drew and Johnny Estrada each homered and Marcus Giles had four hits as Atlanta trounced San Francisco.

The Braves scored seven times in the ninth inning and snapped a four-game losing streak in San Francisco.

Mets 9, Dodgers 5

In Los Angeles, Mike Piazza tied Carlton Fisk's major league record of 351 home runs as a catcher, hitting a tiebreaking shot against his former team as New York beat LA.

Piazza, who hit his first 177 homers with the Dodgers, went 16 games without one after connecting twice at Atlanta on April 7.

The 10-time All-Star ended the drought against former batterymate Hideo Nomo, lining his fourth homer of the season to left-center in the sixth inning for a 4-3 lead.

It was Piazza's 362nd home run overall, moving him past Joe DiMaggio for 58th place on the career list -- seven behind Mets broadcaster Ralph Kiner.

Nomo (3-2) also allowed home runs to Shane Spencer and Todd Zeile. Tom Glavine (3-1) gave up three runs and 10 hits in six innings.
This story has been viewed 1900 times.