Matt Garza pitched a one-hitter, allowing only Hanley Ramirez’s home run leading off the seventh inning, as the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Florida Marlins 6-1 on Thursday to complete a three-game sweep.
Garza (6-4) struck out 10 and walked one in his first complete game in 38 major league starts.
He faced the minimum 18 batters through six innings on a humid afternoon in Miami, where weekday day games are unusual.
PHOTO: AP
Evan Longoria homered and had three hits for the Rays, who swept their Sunshine State rival for just the second time.
Athletics 5, Phillies 0
At Oakland, California, Rich Harden struck out a career-high 11, allowing two hits in eight innings to lead the Athletics over Philadelphia.
Harden (5-0) retired his first 14 batters before Shane Victorino singled cleanly into center field. Victorino got Philadelphia’s other hit off Harden, an infield single with one out in the eighth.
Alan Embree completed the three-hitter, allowing Pat Burrell’s two-out triple before retiring Ryan Howard on a groundout.
Tigers 3, Cardinals 2, 10 innings
At Detroit, Clete Thomas drew a bases-loaded walk in the 10th inning to give Detroit a win over St. Louis, spoiling Albert Pujols’ return for the Cardinals.
St. Louis reliever Mike Parisi (0-4) gave up a leadoff single to Curtis Granderson and intentionally walked Carlos Guillen and Miguel Cabrera before Thomas drew his second run-scoring walk of the day.
Pujols, in his first game back from the disabled list, hit an RBI single in the ninth to give the Cardinals the lead. But Gary Sheffield, who returned from the disabled list on Tuesday, answered with a solo homer for Detroit in the bottom of the inning.
Orioles 11, Cubs 4
At Chicago, Aubrey Huff had four hits and two RBIs, Jay Payton drove in three runs and Baltimore beat the Cubs to become the second team to win a series at Wrigley Field this season.
White Sox 2, Dodgers 0
At Los Angeles, John Danks pitched six sharp innings and combined with four relievers for a five-hitter, leading the White Sox over the Dodgers.
Bobby Jenks pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 17th save in 20 attempts.
Twins 4, Padres 3
At San Diego, Justin Morneau went 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs, and Minnesota beat San Diego to win its ninth straight game, all against the National League.
The Twins swept the Washington Nationals, Arizona Diamondbacks and now the Padres. Prior to that, they won two of three against Milwaukee. Minnesota is 12-3 overall against the National League this season going into their final interleague series at home this weekend against the Brewers.
Blue Jays 7, Reds 1
At Toronto, Scott Rolen hit a two-run homer off Edinson Volquez, Jesse Litsch pitched eight sharp innings and Toronto beat Cincinnati.
Astros 7, Rangers 2
At Houston, Wandy Rodriguez pitched eight solid innings and tied a career high with nine strikeouts, leading Houston past Texas.
Hunter Pence had a bases-clearing triple to help the Astros to a 2-1 series win over their state rivals, Houston’s second straight series win after taking two of three from Tampa Bay over the weekend.
Indians 4, Giants 1
At Cleveland, Cliff Lee struck out a career-high 11 over eight innings to help Cleveland down San Francisco and avoid a three-game sweep.
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
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