Mark Buehrle pitched a two-hitter, Paul Konerko knocked in three runs and Jim Thome hit his 17th homer to send the Chicago White Sox over the Chicago Cubs 6-1 before a spirited sellout crowd at US Cellular Field on Friday.
Buehrle (5-2) gave up a leadoff infield single to Juan Pierre and no more hits until it was two out in the seventh. Buehrle finished his first complete game of the season with a perfect ninth inning. He struck out two and walked two, and the only run he allowed was unearned.
Konkero, now 6-for-13 against Greg Maddux with seven RBIs, had a two-out RBI single in the first and a two-run double in the third. Thome, the American League home run leader, made it 6-1 with his drive in the fifth.
PHOTO: AP
Maddux (5-3), who started 5-0 for the first time in his career, but is 0-3 in four starts since, gave up nine hits, six runs and an uncharacteristic five walks in 5 2-3 innings.
Indians 4, Pirates 1
At Cleveland, Ohio, C.C. Sabathia pitched a three-hitter, and Grady Sizemore hit his third homer in four games to lead Cleveland over Pittsburgh.
Sabathia (3-1) improved to 8-3 in 20 interleague appearances as the Indians won for the 12th time in their last 13 games against a National League team. Cleveland had the best interleague record last season at 15-3.
The Indians have won four in a row following a season-high six-game losing streak. Pittsburgh has lost two in a row and fell to 3-18 on the road.
Sabathia struck out nine and walked one in Cleveland's second complete game in three nights.
Sizemore hit a 1-1 pitch from Zach Duke (2-5) over the wall in right for his seventh homer of the season and fifth in 12 games.
Reds 9, Tigers 4
At Detroit, Brandon Phillips drove in four runs, Adam Dunn and Rich Aurilia homered, and Cincinnati ended Detroit's seven-game winning streak.
Brandon Claussen (3-4) ended a four-start winless streak, giving up four runs and 11 hits in seven innings for Cincinnati, which has won two straight since snapping a five-game losing streak.
Jeremy Bonderman (4-3) lost for the first time since April 15, a span of five starts. He allowed seven runs, six hits and three walks in a season-low three-plus innings.
Detroit, which slipped a game behind the White Sox in the AL Central, was on its longest winning streak since 1993.
Red Sox 5, Phillies 3
At Philadelphia, Mike Lowell, David Ortiz and Jason Varitek homered to lead Boston over suddenly struggling Philadelphia.
Matt Clement pitched 6 2-3 solid innings, helping the AL East-leading Red Sox to their ninth win in 12 games. The Phillies have lost four straight after a 13-1 stretch.
Shane Victorino homered and Chase Utley drove in two runs for Philadelphia.
Clement (4-3) allowed three runs and five hits. He left after allowing consecutive two-out singles in the seventh. Keith Foulke entered and allowed Utley's two-run double into the right-field corner before striking out Bobby Abreu to preserve a two-run lead.
Jonathan Papelbon earned his major league-leading 15th save in as many chances.
Jon Lieber (3-5) gave up five runs and seven hits in five innings for his first loss since April 21.
Orioles 5, Nationals 1
At Washington DC, Kris Benson allowed only one run in his sixth career complete game, and Baltimore beat Washington in the first regular-season major league game between the cities since 1971.
Five Orioles each drove in one run, and third baseman Melvin Mora delivered three singles and added a diving defensive play.
The Nationals dropped to 3-11 at home after being shut out in two of their previous three games. They appeared headed for another blanking until Alfonso Soriano drove a solo shot to left in the eighth for his 14th homer.
That was the only blip for Benson (6-3), who gave up five hits in his longest outing of the season. It was his first complete game since Sept. 14, 2004, for the Mets against the Braves.
Nationals starter Mike O'Connor (2-2) left after six innings. The Orioles broke the game open with three runs off reliever Felix Rodriguez.
Mets 7, Yankees 6
At New York, David Wright hit an RBI single off Mariano Rivera (1-3) with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the New York Mets a thrilling home victory over the New York Yankees in the Subway Series opener.
On a night when Yankees starter Randy Johnson struggled yet again, allowing home runs to Carlos Beltran and Xavier Nady, Mets starter Jeremi Gonzalez got just nine outs.
But Darren Oliver, Aaron Heilman and Billy Wagner (3-0) combined for six innings of shutout, two-hit relief, retiring the Yankees' final 16 batters. Wagner struck out Jason Giambi, Alex Rodriguez and Kelly Stinnett in the ninth on 12 pitches.
Johnson, who gave up six runs and eight hits in five innings, has allowed four runs or more in five straight starts for the first time in his major league career, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Gonzalez lasted just three-plus innings.
Devil Rays 5, Marlins 4,
10 innings
At St. Petersburgh, Florida, Toby Hall homered in the ninth to get Tampa Bay to extra innings and Aubrey Huff's solo shot in the 10th lifted the Devil Rays over Florida.
The Devil Rays ended a seven-game losing streak in an intrastate rivalry that's never really taken off with fans in the Sunshine State. Attendance at Tropicana Field was announced as 10,017 -- lowest ever for a home game against the Marlins.
Hall led off the ninth with a first-pitch homer off Joe Borowski.
Huff, who has struggled at the plate since coming off the disabled list with a sprained knee, hit his first of the season off Yusmeiro Petit (0-1).
Tyler Walker (1-2) pitched one inning to get the win, Tampa Bay's first in 21 tries when trailing after eighth innings.
Twins 7, Brewers 1
At Milwaukee, Tony Batista hit a grand slam, and Francisco Liriano pitched five innings in his first start of the season to help Minnesota snap a five-game losing streak.
Batista hit his ninth career grand slam in the eighth against reliever Jose Capellan as part of a five-run inning. Milwaukee starter Doug Davis (2-3) entered the inning with the Brewers trailing 2-1.
Milwaukee had been streaking during its nine-game homestand by winning five of the first six, including a sweep of Philadelphia.
But Liriano (2-0), on a pitch count, allowed just one run and two hits with three walks before giving way to Matt Guerrier.
Liriano was promoted from the bullpen in the hope that he'll provide much needed stability to the Twins rotation. The 22-year-old Dominican left-hander also had an RBI single and stymied the Brewers bats with a fastball that reached 97mph in his final inning.
Cardinals 9, Royals 6
At Kansas City, Missouri, Albert Pujols hit a two-run homer and St. Louis overcame a five-run deficit in a victory over reeling Kansas City.
Scott Rolen and So Taguchi also drove in two runs in the interleague matchup between the team with the best record in the NL and the team with the poorest record in the majors.
The Royals' seventh straight loss dropped them to 10-29, the worst mark after 39 games in the history of a franchise which has lost at least 100 games in three of four seasons.
Pujols hit Mark Redman's 1-1 pitch over the wall in center field after Scott Spiezio led off the fourth with a single. Pujols' major league-leading 20th homer snap-ped an 0-for-13 skid and gave him 50 RBIs, also baseball's best.
Chris Carpenter (4-2) went six innings for the win and was charged with six runs and nine hits. His ERA rose from 1.98 to 2.63.
Adam Wainwright tossed 2 2-3 shutout innings for his first save.
Astros 5, Rangers 3
At Houston, Adam Everett hit a two-out, three-run double in the eighth inning to lift Houston over Texas.
Texas reliever Joaquin Benoit (0-1) walked the bases loaded before Everett's shot just short of the left-field wall on a full count scored Lance Berkman, Brad Ausmus and Eric Munson.
The victory snapped a three-game losing streak for the Astros, who had lost 10 of 13.
Chad Qualls (2-1) tossed 1 2-3 perfect innings for the win, and Brad Lidge got the last three outs for his first save since May 4 and 12th this season.
Gary Matthews Jr. hit his second double of the game in the seventh inning and scored on Michael Young's single to give Texas a 3-2 lead.
Houston's Roy Oswalt allowed a season-high 11 hits with three runs and three strikeouts.
Robinson Tejada, recalled by Texas from Triple-A on Friday, allowed two hits and one run in five innings.
Rockies 8, Blue Jays 3
At Denver, Clint Barmes drove in four runs, and Jamey Carroll ended the majors' second-longest active homerless streak, lifting Colorado against Toronto.
Carroll had gone 663 at-bats -- second to Oakland's Jason Kendall -- without a homer before he hit a solo shot off Francisco Rosario in the sixth inning. It was his first homer since Aug. 1, 2003, and the third of his career.
Todd Helton and Garrett Atkins also homered, Barmes had a pair of two-run doubles to end a 5-for-57 slump, and the Rockies had 12 hits to win for the third time in nine games.
Aaron Cook (5-3) got 12 outs on groundballs in 5 1-3 innings to win his fourth straight decision. The right-hander gave up seven hits and two runs, the ninth time in as many starts he's allowed four runs or fewer.
Toronto had won nine of its previous 14 games. Josh Towers (1-8) became the majors' first eight-game loser by giving up five runs and eight hits in five innings.
Mariners 7, Padres 4
At Seattle, Jose Lopez doubled in the go-ahead run in the seventh and homered, Kenji Johjima and Richie Sexson also went deep, and Seattle defeated San Diego.
Mike Piazza and Josh Bard homered for the Padres, who lost for the fourth time in 18 games in May.
Facing Padres reliever Scott Cassidy (3-2), Yuniesky Betancourt singled, stole second and went to third on catcher Bard's throwing error. With the infield in, Ichiro Suzuki got aboard on shortstop Khalil Greene's fielding error.
Lopez then doubled in Betancourt for his second RBI to snap a 3-3 tie. Alan Embree came in and gave up an RBI single to Raul Ibanez to score Suzuki.
Rafael Soriano (1-1) got his first victory since Aug. 29, 2003, giving up one run, one hit and one walk, in two innings of relief.
Athletics 1, Giants 0
At Oakland, California, Barry Bonds' homerless streak extended to nine games after the San Francisco slugger went 0-for-3 with a walk as the designated hitter in a loss to Oakland. He remained stalled at 713 and one shy of tying Babe Ruth for second place on baseball's career list.
Dan Haren allowed two hits in eight innings to win his third straight start, Eric Chavez had an RBI groundout and Mark Kotsay doubled twice and singled in Oakland's fifth straight victory.
Haren (4-3) didn't allow a hit until Steve Finley's two-out single to right in the fourth and shut down the Giants' offense all game, escaping a jam with runners on first and second with one out in the eighth.
The A's have won the last four in the Bay Bridge series.
Haren won again against good friend and former Pepperdine teammate Noah Lowry (1-1), who made only his fourth start of the season after missing time with a strained muscle in his right side.
Shawn Green doubled in the tying run in the ninth inning and Craig Counsell singled home the game-winner, and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat Atlanta 10-9.
The Diamondbacks' final rally nullified a big night by Atlanta's Adam LaRoche, who hit a grand slam and singled home the go-ahead run in the ninth.
LaRoche went 3-for-5 and drove in a career-high five runs as the Braves snapped a four-game win streak.
The Diamondbacks beat Atlanta closer Chris Reitsma (1-2). Luis Gonzalez led off with a double and scored on Green's double one out later. The Braves intentionally walked Johnny Estrada, and after Orlando Hudson flied out, Reitsma hit Tony Clark, a .164 hitter. Counsell then lined a single to right to end it. Reitsma blew his third save in 10 chances.
Arizona came all the back from an early 5-0 deficit and took an 8-6 lead, but Chipper Jones hit a two-run single off Brandon Lyon to tie it in the eighth.
In the top of the ninth, it was Arizona's closer that failed. Jose Valverde (2-1) allowed a leadoff double to Brian McCann. Pete Orr pinch-ran for McCann, took third on Jeff Francoeur's fly ball and scored on LaRoche's line-drive single to center.
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
RALLY: It was only the second time the Taiwanese has partnered with Kudermetova, and the match seemed tight until they won seven points in a row to take the last set 10-2 Taiwan’s Chan Hao-ching and Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova on Sunday won the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix women’s doubles final in Stuttgart, Germany. The pair defeated Norway’s Ulrikke Eikeri and Estonia’s Ingrid Neel 4-6, 6-3, 10-2 in a tightly contested match at the WTA 500 tournament. Chan and Kudermetova fell 4-6 in the first set after having their serve broken three times, although they played increasingly well. They fought back in the second set and managed to break their opponents’ serve in the eighth game to triumph 6-3. In the tiebreaker, Chan and Kudermetova took a 3-0 lead before their opponents clawed back two points, but
Taiwanese gymnast Lee Chih-kai failed to secure an Olympic berth in the pommel horse following a second-place finish at the last qualifier in Doha on Friday, a performance that Lee and his coach called “unconvincing.” The Tokyo Olympics silver medalist finished runner-up in the final after scoring 6.6 for degree of difficulty and 8.800 for execution for a combined score of 15.400. That was just 0.100 short of Jordan’s Ahmad Abu Al Soud, who had qualified for the event in Paris before the Apparatus World Cup series in Qatar’s capital. After missing the final rounds in the first two of four qualifier