MAJOR LEAGUES
AP, TORONTO
Scott Rolen and Matt Stairs hit back-to-back home runs as the Toronto Blue Jays edged the Chicago Cubs 3-2 in Major League Baseball interleague play on Friday.
Toronto pitcher A.J. Burnett won for the first time in four starts and improved to 3-0 in four career starts against the Cubs.
The Cubs, which have the majors best record, lost a series-opening game for the first time in five weeks, ending a run of 10 such wins.
Stairs and Rolen homered in the third, the first time this season the Blue Jays hit back-to-back homers.
REDS 3, RED SOX 1
In Cincinatti, the home team beat Boston in the Red Sox first game in Cincinatti since the 1975 World Series.
Jay Bruce and Adam Dunn hit solo homers and Aaron Harang got his first victory in a month for the Reds.
The match brought back memories of the 1975 World Series, which the Reds won in Game 7 following Carlton Fisk’s dramatic homer won Game 6 for Boston.
Harang had lost his previous four starts. Coming off his worst performance of the season — eight runs in 5 1-3 innings — he allowed only one run over seven.
RAYS 7, MARLINS 3
In St. Petersburg, Florida, Eric Hinske and Dioner Navarro both drove in two runs to lead Tampa Bay past state rivals Florida.
Hinske’s first-inning double wiped out a two-run Marlins lead.
Navarro’s RBI grounder put Tampa Bay up 5-3 in the fifth, then he added a run-scoring single in the eighth.
BRAVES 5, ANGELS 2
In Anaheim, California, Gregor Blanco was 3-for-4 with two RBI singles as Atlanta won its first game in Anaheim.
Jeff Francoeur and Omar Infante had RBI doubles for the Braves.
Braves third baseman Chipper Jones, who leads the majors with a .414 batting average, was scratched from the lineup after being struck under his left eye by a foul ball during batting practice.
It was only the eighth road win of the season for Atlanta, which has the majors’ worst away record.
WHITE SOX 5, ROCKIES 4
In Chicago, the home team rallied with three runs in the seventh inning to edge Colorado.
With the White Sox trailing 4-2 in the seventh, Juan Uribe drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single and scored from third on A.J.
Pierzynski’s single that hit off the Rockies shortstop.
The win was the ninth straight at home for Chicago.
The teams combined for six solo homers.
TWINS 10, BREWERS 2
In Milwaukee, Kevin Slowey pitched eight effective innings and hit a two-run single — his first career hit — to lead Minnesota over Milwaukee.
The win was respite for the Twins on a previously miserable road trip that began with six losses in seven games, conceding 10 runs or more in four of those games.
Slowey ensured his batters had an easier task Friday, as he allowed only two runs, looking little like the pitcher who had been shelled for 12 runs in nine innings in his previous two starts.
The Brewers had won six straight at home.
YANKEES 2, ASTROS 1
In Houston, Derek Jeter hit a solo homer in the eighth inning as New York edged Houston.
Joba Chamberlain pitched six strong innings in his first career road start, allowing six hits.
Astros reliever Doug Brocail started the eighth, and Jeter drove his second pitch for his fourth homer of the season.
ORIOLES 9, PIRATES 6
In Baltimore, the home team rallied from a five-run deficit to down Pittsburgh.
Luke Scott homered and Melvin Mora had three hits and a key RBI for the Orioles.
A three-run homer put Pittsburgh up 6-1 in the third inning before the home team came back.
METS 7, RANGERS 1
In New York, Oliver Perez pitched seven stellar innings and drove in two runs as New York beat Texas for a much-needed win.
Victory gave embattled Mets manager Willie Randolph some breathing space and momentarily eased the tension in a clubhouse desperate for something good to happen. New York had lost six of its past seven and rumors were ramping up again that Randolph’s job was on the line.
The Rangers did not live up to their record as the best hitting club in the American League, getting just three hits in their first game against the Mets at Shea Stadium.
ATHLETICS 5, GIANTS 1
In San Francisco, Oakland pitcher Greg Smith won for only the second time in his past nine starts and got his first career hit as the A’s beat neighbor San Francisco.
Smith overcame a season-high six walks to outduel San Franciso’s Barry Zito in a matchup of struggling pitchers.
PHOENIX 1, ROYALS 0, 10 INNINGS
In Phoenix, Chad Tracy homered in the bottom of the 10th inning as Arizona denied Kansas City.
Arizona won despite managing only five hits and leaving 12 runners on base.
In other games it was:
• Indians 9, Padres 5
• Tigers 5, Dodgers 0
• Nationals 7, Mariners 6
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