Sat, Apr 28, 2007 - Page 19 News List

Sosa totals 594 as Indians top Rangers

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL While Cleveland notched up their fifth consecutive win, Pittsbugh pulled off their second three-game sweep of the Astros this season

AP , CLEVELAND, OHIO AND PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA

Houston Astros starting pitcher Wandy Rodriguez winds up in the second inning of baseball action against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Thursday. The Pirates beat the Astros 5-3 to sweep the three-game series.

PHOTO: AP

American League

Sammy Sosa hit two homers to reach 594 for his US Major League Baseball career, but Paul Byrd and the Cleveland Indians beat the Texas Rangers 9-4 on Thursday for their fifth straight win.

Sosa's drive into the left-field seats leading off the sixth inning off Byrd (2-1) made Jacobs Field the 44th MLB ballpark in which he has homered.

That broke a tie with Ken Griffey Jr. and Fred McGriff for the most in a big league career.

Sosa hit his sixth of the season in the eighth against Tom Mastny to move closer to joining Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds, Babe Ruth and Willie Mays with 600 for his career.

Angels 11, Devil Rays 3

In Anaheim, California, Bartolo Colon struck out 11 and Vladimir Guerrero homered during a five-run first inning for the Angels.

Colon (2-0) allowed four hits in seven innings, including a two-run homer by Carlos Pena in the fourth.

The 2005 AL Cy Young Award winner struck out the side in the seventh. Jae Seo (1-2) lasted one-and-one-third innings for Tampa Bay. He was charged with six runs and seven hits.

Twins 1, Royals 0, 11 innings

In Minneapolis, Mike Redmond hit a run-scoring single in the 11th inning and Minnesota snapped a four-game losing streak.

Justin Morneau and Jason Tyner hit consecutive singles off Todd Wellemeyer (0-1) with one out in the 11th to put runners on first and second.

Redmond, who finished 2-for-5, then hit a line drive to right-center field to score Morneau.

Torii Hunter received three stitches to close a cut on the inside of his mouth after he was hit by a pitch from Royals pitcher Zack Greinke in the second inning.

Mariners 4, Athletics 2

In Oakland, California, Jose Lopez hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the sixth inning and the Mariners beat the A's for the fourth time in five meetings this season.

Richie Sexson hit an RBI double in the seventh that snapped an 0-for-20 streak, giving Seattle an unearned insurance run.

Miguel Batista (2-2) went five-and-one-third innings for Seattle, allowing two runs and five hits. He struck out six and walked two.

J.J. Putz recorded the final five outs for his second save in as many chances.

Red Sox 5, Orioles 2

At Baltimore, Wily Mo Pena hit a grand slam in the eighth inning to rally Boston, and Josh Beckett became the majors' first five-game winner.

The Red Sox trailed 2-1 before Pena hit a shot to center off Chris Ray (2-2) that traveled an estimated 430 feet (131m).

Beckett (5-0) allowed two runs and eight hits in eight innings, helping Boston to a two-game sweep. He became the 11th Red Sox pitcher to win his first five starts in a season, joining a list that includes Babe Ruth, Roger Clemens, Lefty Grove and Pedro Martinez.

Jonathan Papelbon pitched the ninth for his seventh save in seven tries.

Blue Jays 6, Yankees 0

At New York, Phil Hughes received a rough welcome to the big leagues from hard-hitting Toronto, and last-place New York lost its sixth straight.

Missing injured Derek Jeter, the Yankees (8-12) are on their longest skid since also dropping six in a row from May 28 to June 3, 2005. They managed only four singles and are percentage points behind fourth-place Tampa Bay in the AL East.

Hughes, in the big leagues because of a rash of injuries to the pitching staff, allowed four runs and seven hits in four-and-one-third innings in his debut.

A.J. Burnett (2-1) allowed four hits, walked four and struck out five in seven innings.

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