Rayborn wins duel with 'Little Chick'

Pan Chung-wei of the Bears bats against the Cobras in Kaohsiung, Friday. Pan's solo homer in the second inning gave the Bears a 1-0 win. PHOTO COURTESY OF LA NEW BEARS

Pan Chung-wei's solo blast to deep-left field off Macoto Cobras starter Lin "Little Chick" En-yu for the game's lone run in the bottom of the second inning spoiled another stellar outing for the Cobras ace as the Bears edged the Cobras 1-0 at Kaohsiung Friday night.

The Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player winner from last season lost his second straight start in which he has allowed only one earned run over six-plus innings to even his record at 2-2.

"Not many people in the league could hit a pitch like that out of the park, but Pan did it," Cobras manager Wu Fu-lien said.

Topping Lin's effort was Bears starter Kenny Rayborn, whose one-hit gem in eight magnificent innings was the reason that the Bears were able to fend off the serpents for their league-leading 10th victory of the season.

Hsu Wen-hsiung allowed a ninth-inning single to the Cobras' Amaury Garcia with two outs in relief of Rayborn to put the tying run on base, but fellow righty Hsu Chih-hua was able to get the last Cobra batter to pop up to right to preserve the win for Rayborn.

Tom Glavine of the Mets delivers against the Brewers during the first inning at Shea Stadium in New York, Friday. PHOTO: AP

The Cobras had two decent scoring chances in the sixth and seventh innings with the leadoff man reaching first via a single off Rayborn and a Bears throwing error, respectively, putting a runner in scoring position with one out in both innings.

Whales 4, Bulls 2

Three unearned runs against the Sinon Bulls in the bottom of the eighth inning turned a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 win for the Chinatrust Whales in Chiayi to even the first two games of the series at 1-1.

The self-destructing Bulls all but gift wrapped the win for the Whales as catcher Yeh Jung-chang's poor throw to second base on a sacrifice bunt put runners on first and second with no outs to start off the eighth inning.

After the Whales advanced the runners to second and third with a sacrifice bunt on the ensuing play, the Bulls then coughed up the lead on a passed ball by Yeh that scored both runners. Kao Jung-chiang's one-run single off Bulls starter Alfredo Gonzalez then gave the Whales a 4-2 lead.

Starter Tseng Jau-hao picked up the complete-game victory with nine innings of two-run ball, allowing seven hits while fanning and walking a pair.

On the verge for his second win of the season with eight innings of one-run ball on seven hits and eight strikeouts, Gonzalez found himself tagged for the loss instead.

Bulls outfielder Tseng Hua-wei's 2-for-4 hitting with an RBI extended his hitting streak to nine straight games.

American League

Pitching at home for the first time this season, Curt Schilling allowed one run and three hits in eight innings to lead the Boston Red Sox over the Seattle Mariners 2-1 on Friday.

Schilling (3-0) has won his first three starts for the first time since 2002, showing once again that the right ankle that bothered him the last two years is strong. His ERA dropped from 1.93 to 1.64 as he struck out seven and didn't allow a walk.

"I wasn't sure what I was going to be this year," said Schilling. "I feel I'm pitching better than I ever have."

Schilling got all the support he needed from an unlikely source. Alex Gonzalez, signed as a free agent for his fielding prowess at shortstop and not his hitting ability, drove in both runs with a double in the fourth and went 3-for-4 with two doubles off Jamie Moyer (0-2).

Jonathan Papelbon finished the four-hitter for his fifth save in five opportunities.

Moyer threw 51 pitches in the first two innings and left after six. His record dropped to 0-5 in his last seven starts against Boston.

"I threw the ball decently. It seemed like I had to pitch out of trouble every inning," Moyer said in a hoarse voice caused by a sickness he's had for a few days. He said it didn't affect his performance.

Richie Sexson got Seattle's second hit, a leadoff double in the fifth, and scored on Carl Everett's one-out groundout.

Orioles 6, Angels 5

At Baltimore, Ramon Hernandez hit a tiebreaking solo homer with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning for Baltimore.

Hernandez connected on a 3-2 pitch from Scot Shields (1-1), his homer the fourth by the Orioles in a game that featured eight.

Los Angeles trailed 5-4 in the ninth when LaTroy Hawkins entered for Baltimore, seeking his first save. He struck out Tim Salmon and Casey Kotchman and went to 3-2 on Jeff Mathis before the rookie drove a fastball into the left-field seats for his first major league homer.

After Mathis' homer, Tim Byrdak (1-0) got the final out in the ninth.

Jay Gibbons, David Newhan and rookie Nick Markakis homered for the Orioles.

The Angels had gone five straight games without a homer and ranked last in the American League before Garret Anderson, Juan Rivera and Adam Kennedy connected in the first two innings against Baltimore starter Rodrigo Lopez.

Tigers 5, Indians 1

At Detroit, Kenny Rogers won his home debut for the Tigers and Brandon Inge homered twice.

Rogers (2-1) allowed one run and seven hits in eight innings, struck out five and walked three. Fernando Rodney finished with a one-hit ninth for Detroit, which had lost four straight following a 5-0 start under new manager Jim Leyland.

Chris Shelton had a triple and a double, and he is hitting .512. Detroit has 13 extra-base hits in its last two games.

Jake Westbrook (2-1) allowed five runs -- two more than in his first two starts combined -- and nine hits in six innings. Cleveland lost its third in a row.

Curtis Granderson also homered for the Tigers.

Devil Rays 7, Royals 2

At St. Petersburg, Florida, Jorge Cantu hit a go-ahead, three-run double with two outs in the seventh inning for Tampa Bay.

Kansas City lost its fifth straight game.

Trailing 2-0, Tampa Bay loaded the bases against Scott Elarton with one out in the seventh on two walks and a bunt single. Elmer Dessens relieved and retired Carl Crawford on a grounder, and Cantu doubled to center for a 3-2 lead.

Travis Harper (1-0) threw three shutout innings for Tampa Bay.

Elarton (0-3) gave up three runs, three hits and six walks in 6 1-3 innings. Kansas City pitchers walked seven, raising their total to 27 in their last four games.

Twins 5, Yankees 1

At Minneapolis, Scott Baker (1-1) gave up one run, three hits and one walk in seven innings while striking out four as Minnesota extended its winning streak to four.

Juan Castro's two-out RBI single pushed the Twins' lead to 3-1 in the seventh and chased Mike Mussina (1-1). Justin Morneau added an RBI single in the eighth against Kyle Farnsworth and scored on Tony Batista's double.

New York, which had won four in a row, lost a run in the fifth when plate umpire Ed Montague called out Jorge Posada at the plate trying to score on Bernie Williams' flyout. Replays showed he eluded the tag by catcher Joe Mauer.

Blue Jays 13, White Sox 7

At Chicago, Troy Glaus put Toronto ahead with a two-run double in a five-run fifth and added a two-run homer in the third. Vernon Wells homered for the third straight game.

Pete Walker (1-1) pitched three scoreless innings in relief of Scott Downs, who started in place of Roy Halladay, who has a tender forearm.

Javier Vazquez (0-1) failed to hold a 5-2 lead and allowed seven runs and nine hits in six innings.

Rangers 6, Athletics 3

At Oakland, California, Kevin Millwood struck out seven in his first win for Texas.

Millwood, the Rangers' top signing in free agency in the offseason, took a one-hitter into the fifth inning, retiring 12 of the first 13 batters he faced. Frank Thomas broke up the shutout with his 450th career homer leading off the fifth.

Millwood (1-2) went seven innings, allowing seven hits as he beat the A's for the third time in three career starts.

D'Angelo Jimenez drove in a pair of runs for the Rangers, Rod Barajas and Mark DeRosa also had RBIs, and Michael Young had two hits.

Barry Zito (1-2) allowed five runs and six hits in seven innings and Milton Bradley homered for Oakland.

National League

Jeff Francoeur homered for the second night in a row, hitting a two-out shot in the eighth inning for the Atlanta Braves to edge the San Diego Padres 5-4 in the National League on Friday.

After starting the season with only two hits in 36 at-bats, last year's rookie sensation homered twice on Thursday in a loss to Philadelphia. He followed up with three hits against the Padres, including a liner off Scott Linebrink (0-1) that barely cleared the left-field wall.

Oscar Villareal (4-0) became the first four-game winner in the majors with a scoreless eighth. Chris Reitsma worked around two hits in the ninth to earn his fourth save.

Tim Hudson got off to another rough start for the Braves, giving up a run-scoring double to Brian Giles in the first. But he finally made it beyond four innings for the first time this season, coming out with two outs in the seventh in a 4-4 game.

Edgar Renteria homered in the first for Atlanta. He's hit safely in all 11 games this season.

San Diego starter Chan Ho Park was lifted after five innings. He gave up four runs and seven hits.

Cubs 11, Pirates 6

At Pittsburgh, Matt Murton tripled with the bases loaded and Todd Walker had four hits for Chicago.

Chicago withstood three homers in a span of four batters in the sixth inning -- by Nate McLouth, Craig Wilson and Jason Bay -- to win its eighth in a row at Pittsburgh. The Cubs have won 12 of 13 there since May 2004.

Victor Santos (1-2) gave up six runs and 10 hits in 4 1-3 innings for Pittsburgh. No Pirates starter has pitched into the seventh in 12 games, and Santos is the only one with a victory.

Murton also doubled and scored in the second.

Sean Marshall (1-0) got his first major league victory in his second career start. He allowed five hits and four runs in five innings.

Marlins 5, Nationals 3

At Miami, Dontrelle Willis got his first win of the season and also drove in a run with a bunt for Florida.

Josh Willingham homered, Chris Aguila had a two-run double and Miguel Cabrera a RBI single for Florida, which has won consecutive games for the first time under new manager Joe Girardi.

Willis (1-0) gave up three runs (two earned) and eight hits in 5 2-3 innings. Joe Borowski worked the ninth for his first save.

Ryan Drese (0-2) left because of a sore right elbow with two outs and two on in the fifth. Washington plan to place Drese on the 15-day disabled list on Saturday.

Drese was charged with four runs, four hits and four walks.

Reds 1, Cardinals 0

At St. Louis, Cincinnati starter Aaron Harang allowed four hits in seven-plus innings and drove in his fourth career run.

Harang (2-1) allowed four hits with four strikeouts and one walk to the only batter he faced in the eighth. Plus, he got the only RBI off NL Cy Young winner Chris Carpenter on a fifth-inning bloop single that fell just in front of center fielder Jim Edmonds.

Carpenter (1-1) was almost as stingy, allowing one run on four hits in eight innings. He struck out six, getting Adam Dunn three times, and walked three, while holding the Reds to one hit in 12 at-bats with runners in scoring position.

David Weathers pitched the ninth for his third save in three chances.

Mets 4, Brewers 3

At New York, Tom Glavine took advantage of the lowest-scoring team in the major leagues, striking out 11 batters over six innings as New York defeated Milwaukee.

Glavine (2-0) limited the Brewers to six singles and earned his 277th victory. The only run he allowed was unearned, just the 35th run scored by the Brewers in 10 games this season.

The Mets won their seventh straight, their longest winning streak since September 2002. New York is 8-1 for the first time since 1985.

Billy Wagner pitched a perfect ninth for this third save.

Xavier Nady homered after Chris Capuano (1-2) retired the first five New York hitters.

Phillies 10, Rockies 8

At Denver, Chase Utley hit his third career grand slam and homered twice for the second straight day. He had been in a 1-for-19 slide.

Pat Burrell and Aaron Rowand also homered for Philadelphia, which outhit Colorado 16-14. Ryan Madson (1-0) allowed four runs and 11 hits in seven innings and also went 3-for-3.

Matt Holliday hit a three-run double in the ninth off Julio Santana, and Miguel Ojeda hit a two-out RBI single off Tom Gordon. Left fielder Shane Victorino threw to third, and David Bell tagged Jason Smith, who was called out by umpire Mike Everitt on a close play. Gordon got his third save in as many chances.

Zach Day (1-1) gave up five runs and seven hits in 2 2-3 innings.

Diamondbacks 5, Astros 1

At Phoenix, Brandon Webb (1-0) allowed seven hits in eight innings to beat Houston's Andy Pettitte (1-2), who gave up three runs -- two earned -- and seven hits in six innings. Arizona's Craig Counsell hit an RBI groundout in the fourth for a 2-1 lead.

The Boston Red Sox sent South Korean first baseman Hee-Seop Choi to Triple-A Pawtucket for a rehabilitation assignment that began on Friday.

Choi, claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers on March 24, was placed on the 15-day disabled list on April 1, retroactive to March 29, with a strained left hamstring. He is Boston's third-string first baseman behind Kevin Youkilis and J.T. Snow.