Wang Chien-ming (王建民) gave up only one home run by J.D. Drew that was nearly caught and a bunt single as the New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 4-1 in the American League on Friday.
Wang (3-0) allowed only one other runner, on an error.
A struggling Jason Giambi gave New York a 2-1 lead with a leadoff homer in the seventh inning off Mike Timlin (0-1). Jose Molina then doubled, took third on Alberto Gonzalez’s sacrifice and scored on Melky Cabrera’s sacrifice fly.
PHOTO: AFP
Bobby Abreu singled in the final run in the ninth.
Blue Jays 8, Rangers 5
At Arlington, Texas, Lyle Overbay hit a three-run double, Vernon Wells drove in two runs and Toronto ended a three-game losing streak.
Jesse Litsch (2-0) allowed two runs and six hits over 5 2-3 innings.
Josh Hamilton homered and had a career-high four RBIs for Texas.
Vicente Padilla (1-1) was perfect over the first three innings, but Toronto broke through for four runs in the fourth.
Athletics 9, Indians 7
At Cleveland, C.C. Sabathia was pounded for nine runs and 12 hits in his shortest outing in nearly two years, and Oakland held on to beat Cleveland.
Sabathia (0-2) was pulled after three-and-one-third innings, but by then Mark Ellis, Mike Sweeney and Donnie Murphy had all driven in two runs apiece. It was Sabathia’s shortest start since yielding nine runs in two-and-one-third innings to the Chicago Cubs on June 21, 2006.
Joe Blanton (1-2) allowed eight hits and five runs over 7 2-3 innings to win for the first time in six starts since last Sept. 15.
Rays 10, Orioles 5
At St. Petersburg, Florida, Carlos Pena homered twice and drew a bases-loaded walk in the eighth inning to finish with six RBIs for Tampa Bay.
Pena hit a two-run homer off Jeremy Guthrie in the first. He made it 5-5 in the seventh with a three-run shot off left-hander Jamie Walker. He then drew the bases-loaded walk off Dennis Sarfate (2-1) on a check swing that could have been called a third strike to put Tampa Bay ahead 6-5.
Al Reyes (1-1) pitched two-thirds of an inning to get the win after being arrested early Friday at a Tampa bar and charged with being in a fight that disturbed the peace.
Twins 5, Royals 0
At Kansas City, Missouri, Livan Hernandez scattered seven hits over seven innings to win his third straight start, and is off to his best start since 2002.
Six of the hits Hernandez allowed were singles. He struck out three and walked one.
Carlos Gomez doubled, tripled and drove in two runs, while Justin Morneau homered to lead off the third inning on the first pitch from Gil Meche (0-3) was pulled after six innings. He allowed five runs on five hits and four walks, while striking out six. His earned run average rose to 7.13.
Tigers 5, White Sox 2
At Chicago, Detroit regrouped after losing Dontrelle Willis to a knee injury in the first inning, and Magglio Ordonez had a bases-loaded single to help the Tigers to their third win.
Willis slipped as he delivered a pitch in the first, hyperextended his right knee and managed to throw only 14 pitches before being removed. But Detroit’s bullpen was solid on a blustery, cold and wet night at US Cellular Field.
Aquilino Lopez (1-0) gave up three hits and a run in four innings to earn the win.
Jose Contreras (0-1) allowed six hits and four runs in 6 2-3 innings.
AP, PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania
Pat Burrell hit a two-run homer and had a tiebreaking double in the sixth inning, helping the Philadelphia Phillies beat Chicago 5-3 and snap the Cubs’ five-game winning streak in the National League on Friday.
Brett Myers (1-1), who finished last season as Philadelphia’s closer, allowed three runs on solo homers, five hits and struck out five in eight innings.
Carlos Zambrano (1-1) gave up five runs and nine hits in six innings.
Mets 4, Brewers 2
At New York, Nelson Figueroa earned his first major league win in five years, and New York got a good effort from its bullpen to win its third straight.
Carlos Delgado hit one of New York’s three RBI singles.
Prince Fielder and J.J. Hardy each had an RBI double for Milwaukee, which dropped its third straight. Manny Parra (1-1) allowed three runs and six hits in four innings.
Braves 3, Nationals 0
At Washington, Tim Hudson scattered three hits over eight innings to improve to 6-1 all-time against Washington, outpitching starter Matt Chico.
Hudson (2-0) struck out five and walked two. Yunel Escobar hit a solo home run in the sixth inning, and Atlanta added two runs in the ninth on a bases-loaded single by Matt Diaz.
Chico (0-2) gave Washington eight strong innings in the longest outing of his career, but his only pitch to Escobar in the sixth inning cost him the game.
Marlins 10, Astros 6
At Houston, Jeremy Hermida hit two of Florida’s team-record six home runs and the Marlins roughed up Roy Oswalt for their fourth straight victory.
Oswalt (0-3) gave up four home runs in a game for the first time in his career. Hermida had his first multihomer game in the majors.
Oswalt allowed nine hits and eight runs in four innings. The three-time All-Star has allowed a combined 30 hits and 17 runs in three starts this year.
Ricky Nolasco (1-0) got the win in his first start of 2008 after two appearances in long relief.
Pirates 1, Reds 0
At Pittsburgh, Jason Bay hit a home run in the sixth inning that gave Pittsburgh a rain-soaked win over Cincinnati.
Paul Maholm, John Grabow (1-0), Damaso Marte and Matt Capps combined on a seven-hit shutout. The Pirates ended a three-game losing streak and won for the first time at home this season.
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