INTERLEAGUE PLAY
The Texas Rangers blanked the Major League-leading Los Angeles Dodgers on the back of a strong pitching effort to clinch a 6-0 inter-league victory on Friday.
Starter Vicente Padilla (5-3) pitched five scoreless innings while Jason Jennings and Jason Grilli combined on the final three as the Rangers (35-25) recorded a shutout win for the second straight night.
PHOTO: AP
Padilla needed 44 pitches to get through the first two innings as the Dodgers ground out at-bats but could not capitalize by putting any runs on the board.
“They worked him pretty good, but he was a warrior out there,” Texas manager Ron Washington told reporters. “It all starts with pitching and defense. We made more great plays out there. They had a lot of opportunities.”
After holding off the Toronto Blue Jays 1-0 on Thursday, the Rangers got off to a good start against the Dodgers, scoring two runs in the third inning where Michael Young had an RBI single.
Texas catcher Taylor Teagarden finished 2-for-4 with a two-RBI double in the sixth, when the Rangers scored three times to chase Los Angeles starter Hiroki Kuroda.
Kuroda, who spent two months out with an abdomen injury this year, struck out six but gave up eight hits and five runs in 5-1/3 innings.
The Dodgers, who are 40-22 for the year and have a seven-game advantage in the NL West Division, are now 6-13 against American League competition since the start of last season.
Juan Pierre and Casey Blake had two hits apiece for Los Angeles, while Andre Ethier went 0-for-2 to snap a nine-game hitting streak.
Hank Blalock added a solo home run for Texas, his 13th of the season.
ANGELS 11, PADRES 6
In Anaheim, California, Torii Hunter and Kendry Morales homered to help Los Angeles defeat San Diego.
Maicer Izturis tied a career high with four hits for the Angels.
Los Angeles pitcher Matt Palmer, a 30-year-old rookie, joined Jered Weaver as the only starting pitchers in franchise history to win their first six decisions with the club.
YANKEES 9, METS 8
In New York, Mets second baseman Luis Castillo dropped Alex Rodriguez’s popup with two outs in the ninth inning, allowing two runs to be scored and the Yankees to escape with victory in the all-New York showdown.
David Wright had put the Mets ahead 8-7 with an eighth-inning double, and Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez appeared to have gotten out of a ninth-inning jam on the popup by Rodriguez, but Castillo dropped the catch, allowing Derek Jeter to score from second and Mark Teixeira from first.
RED SOX 5, PHILLIES 2, 13 INNINGS
In Philadelphia, Jacoby Ellsbury hit a tiebreaking single in the 13th inning as Boston edged Philadelphia in the meeting of the two East division leaders.
Phillies slugger Ryan Howard hit a solo homer in the ninth to tie it, but the hosts couldn’t pull out their third straight comeback win in extra innings.
Also on Friday it was:
• Marlins 7, Blue Jays 3
• Tigers 3, Pirates 1
• Brewers 7, White Sox 2
• Indians 7, Cardinals 3
• Twins 7, Cubs 4
• Giants 3, Athletics 0
• Rockies 6, Mariners 4
• Royals 4, Reds 1
• Braves 7, Orioles 2
• Diamondbacks 8, Astros 1
• Rays 4, Nationals 3
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