INTERLEAGUE
REUTERS AND AP, NEW YORK
The New York Yankees smashed three home runs and drove ace pitcher Roy Halladay out of the game to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 8-3 on Tuesday in a rematch of last year’s World Series.
The Yankees, who beat the Phillies 4-2 to win the best-of-seven World Series, scored six times off Halladay and forced the Phillies to replace him after six innings in the interleague game at Yankees Stadium.
Halladay (8-5) allowed two runs in the second inning then surrendered home runs to Curtis Granderson and Nick Swisher in the third where New York took a 5-0 advantage.
“I made mistakes early on that put us in an early hole,” Halladay said. “I missed with location early on. That was the toughest part for me — I knew I was missing.”
“I didn’t get away with anything,” he said.
The Phillies (32-30) rallied with three runs in the fourth, but Mark Teixeira homered in the fifth and Francisco Cervelli hit a two-run single in the seventh to help the Yankees (41-23) to the comfortable victory.
New York starter CC Sabathia struck out seven and allowed three runs to improve to 7-3 this season.
The Yankees, who were without slugger Alex Rodriguez because of a groin injury for the fourth successive game, remained tied with the Tampa Bay Rays at the top of the American League East Division with the victory.
“We’ve got a good offense,” Sabathia said. “[Halladay] has pitched well against us a lot in the past, but guys have been swinging the bat well.”
“[Rodriguez] is out, but Swisher has picked up the slack. Curtis hit a big home run. We’ve got a pretty good team,” he said.
RAYS 10, BRAVES 4
In Atlanta, David Price pitched out of trouble to become the AL’s first 10-game winner as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Atlanta Braves.
After a rain delay of nearly 2 hours at the start, a throwing error led to three unearned runs in a four-run first that sent Kenshin Kawakami (0-9) to another loss. He became the first starting pitcher in Braves franchise history to begin a season with nine straight defeats.
Price (10-2) was hardly dominating, lasting only five innings and throwing 113 pitches. However, he got out of numerous jams, including striking out Brooks Conrad with two runners aboard on his final pitch of the night and he got some offensive help with Evan Longoria hitting a two-run homer.
The Braves’ day started with news that longtime star Chipper Jones is considering retirement at the end of another disappointing season. He met with team officials before the game and indicated that an official announcement could be coming soon.
However, the 38-year-old Jones showed he’s still got some pop in his bat. He doubled and scored in the third, then hit a solo homer into the center-field seats in the eighth.
CARDINALS 4, MARINERS 2
In St Louis, Jeff Suppan was a success in his comeback start with the St Louis Cardinals and Albert Pujols homered in a victory over the Seattle Mariners.
Pujols is 6 for 10 with five RBIs in three games, snapping a 1 for 18 skid that dropped him below .300. He’s a career .352 hitter in interleague play, best in the majors.
Suppan, signed this week after being cut by Milwaukee, worked hard to get through four innings in his first start for St Louis since Game 4 of the 2006 World Series. It was his first start since early April and, after working out of a bases-loaded jam in the first, he allowed only one run. Suppan also doubled and scored in a three-run fourth.
BREWERS 7, ANGELS 1
In Anaheim, California, Dave Bush took a shutout into the eighth inning, Prince Fielder homered and Corey Hart hit a three-run double as the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Los Angeles Angels.
Bush (2-5) allowed one run and seven hits over 7-1/3 innings in his longest outing of the season. It was the right-hander’s first victory in 10 starts since winning at Pittsburgh on April 20.
PADRES 8, BLUE JAYS 2
In San Diego, Aaron Cunningham hit his first career grand slam and Mat Latos outpitched Brett Cecil to send the San Diego Padres past the Toronto Blue Jays.
It was Cunningham’s first hit as a Padre, who was called up from Triple-A Portland on Friday after Matt Stairs went on the disabled list. Cunningham doubled in his next at-bat.
ORIOLES 4, GIANTS 1
In San Francisco, Jake Arrieta gave up three hits over seven-plus innings, Adam Jones hit a home run and the Baltimore Orioles ended a four-game losing streak with a victory over the San Francisco Giants.
Ty Wigginton drove in two runs and Miguel Tejada had three hits for the Orioles. Nick Markakis doubled twice and Corey Patterson had two hits and scored twice.
In other IL play, it was:
• Athletics 9, Cubs 5
• Twins 9, Rockies 3
• Royals 15, Astros 7
• Rangers 3, Marlins 2
• Mets 7, Indians 6
• Red Sox 6, Diamondbacks 3
• White Sox 6, Pirates 4
• Tigers 7, Nationals 4
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, CINCINNATI, OHIO
DODGERS 12, REDS 0
In Cincinnati, Ohio, Manny Ramirez homered and drove in four runs and Rafael Furcal tied his career high with five hits to help the Dodgers manhandle the Cincinnati Reds.
James Loney also had four hits as the Dodgers snapped a three-game losing streak.
The Reds, who spent the previous six days alone in first place in the NL Central Division, lost for the third time in four games and dropped into a tie with St Louis.
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