A capacity crowd hoping for home-run history saw Ken Griffey Jr. settle for a single, then reveled in another late comeback Wednesday night that rallied the Cincinnati Reds to a 7-4 victory over the Texas Rangers.
Ryan Freel had a tiebreaking two-run double in the eighth inning, and Barry Larkin followed with a two-run single as the Rangers' bullpen suffered a second straight meltdown.
PHOTO: AFP
"Anytime you get a chance to do something, it means a lot," said Griffey, who was 1-for-4 with a walk. "When the little guys do it, it helps the big guys. We get more of a spark from them than they do from us."
The crowd of 42,000 stood and screamed encouragement every time Griffey came to bat, hoping to see his 500th career homer. Instead, the night belonged to his teammates.
"I think we're feeling the intensity," Freel said. "It's like chasing history with him. If you look in the dugout when he comes up, you see everybody up at the railing."
Frank Francisco (1-1) allowed the Reds to load the bases with none out in the eighth, and Freel doubled to center to break the tie and send the Rangers to their third straight loss. Phil Norton (1-2) pitched the last two innings, giving up a solo homer to Michael Young.
Indians 9, Mets 1
In New York, C.C. Sabathia allowed one run and six hits in eight impressive innings as Cleveland thrashed the New York Mets .
Sabathia (4-3) shut down the Mets a night after they had 14 hits in a 7-2 win after firing batting coach Denny Walling. The big left-hander struck out three and walked one.
Casey Blake hit a two-run homer, and Omar Vizquel and Victor Martinez each drove in two runs for the Indians, who have won five of six.
Matt Ginter (1-1) allowed five runs -- three earned -- in 5 1-3 innings for the Mets, whose modest two-game winning streak was stopped.
Marlins 4, White Sox 0
In Miami, Carl Pavano pitched a three-hitter, and Mike Lowell homered for the second straight game as Florida blanked the Chicago White Sox.
Carlos Lee's hitting streak ended at 28 games, a team record and the longest in the majors this season. He was 0-for-4 with a groundout, two strikeouts and a flyout. Lee hit .369 (45-for-122) during the streak.
Pavano (7-2) won his third consecutive start and had his second career shutout.
Scott Schoeneweis (5-5) lost his third straight start. He allowed 10 hits and four runs in 6 1-3 innings.
Pirates 5, Angels 3
In Pittsburgh, Daryle Ward's three-run homer finished off Pittsburgh's five-run fifth inning as the Pirates beat Anaheim to avoid matching their longest losing streak in 36 years.
The Pirates averted their first 10-game losing streak since July 6-15, 1968, or two ballparks ago for them.
Jose Mesa struck out Chone Figgins and Adam Kennedy with runners at second and third to end it for his 15th save in 15 chances.
Josh Fogg (4-5) became the first Pirates starter to win since he beat the Cubs on May 29, limiting the Angels to two runs over five innings.
John Lackey (4-8) has lost five of six decisions.
Cardinals 6, Athletics 2
In St. Louis, Jason Marquis pitched seven sharp innings and hit a two-run double as St. Louis downed Oakland.
Jim Edmonds and Reggie Sanders homered for the Cardinals, who have won 12 of 15 to move a season-best 11 games above .500.
Marquis (6-4) held the Athletics to two runs on five hits in seven innings. Before the homers, he retired 14 of 15 batters, and he won his third straight outing.
Kiko Calero got six outs for his first save.
Rich Harden (3-4) pitched 6 1-3 innings and gave up three runs on six hits with seven strikeouts, losing for the first time since May 18.
Twins 5, Expos 4, 11 innings
In Montreal, Luis Rivas hit a disputed home run in the 11th inning for Minnesota's win over Montreal.
His drive off Jeremy Fikac (0-2) over the wall in the left-field corner was called fair by third base umpire Brian O'Nora. However, television replays clearly showed the ball sailed to the left of the net that serves as a foul pole at Olympic Stadium and should have been ruled foul.
Expos left fielder Brad Wilkerson immediately jumped up and down when he saw O'Nora signal a fair ball. Wilkerson ran in to join third baseman Tony Batista and manager Frank Robinson, who came out of the dugout to argue.
O'Nora was joined by umpires Phil Cuzzi, Mike Fichter and Brian Knight, who conferred but let the decision stand.
Robinson was ejected after repeatedly berating the entire crew.
Juan Rincon (8-3) allowed one hit in two innings for the win. Joe Nathan pitched the 11th for his 17th save in 18 opportunities.
Dodgers 6, Orioles 3
In Los Angeles, Odalis Perez got his second win in nine starts and Jayson Werth hit a three-run homer as LA downed Baltimore.
Perez struck out eight and walked two batters in seven innings. He gave up five hits, including Javy Lopez's ninth home run on the first pitch of the seventh.
Eric Gagne got four outs for his 15th save and major league-record 78th in a row.
Perez (4-3) has pitched well but been hurt by a lack of offensive support much of this season, with his two losses in his last nine outings a 4-0 defeat against Cincinnati and a 2-0 loss to Atlanta.
Matt Riley (1-2) allowed five runs on seven hits in four innings. He struck out five.
Rockies 7, Red Sox 6
In Denver, Colorado, Vinny Castilla drove in three runs and Jason Jennings worked out of two bases-loaded jams for his fourth win in five starts as Colorado edged Boston.
Closer Shawn Chacon allowed a pair of RBI singles in the ninth inning before retiring pinch-hitter David McCarty with runners at second and third for his 12th save in 17 chances.
The Rockies knocked around Curt Schilling (8-4) to beat the Red Sox for the second straight night, winning for just the sixth time in 26 games.
Jennings (6-6) allowed six hits and five walks.
Giants 10, Blue Jays 2
In San Francisco, Pedro Feliz and A.J. Pierzynski each hit two-run homers, and Kirk Rueter pitched seven strong innings as San Francisco trounced Toronto.
Edgardo Alfonzo drove in two runs and Rueter (3-6) didn't allow an earned run. He gave up six hits, struck out three and walked two.
Barry Bonds went 2-for-3 with an intentional walk, a groundout, a double in the third and a sixth-inning single. It was his major league-leading 91st walk -- 49th intentional.
Yankees 9, Diamondbacks 4
In Phoenix, Bernie Williams, Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter homered as the Yankees beat Arizon to win for the 18th time in 21 games.
Williams hit his first leadoff home run in nine years and Rodriguez reached base safely for the 52nd consecutive game.
Casey Fossum (1-5) allowed eight runs, six earned, in 4 2-3 innings. Tanyon Sturtze (2-0), in his first start for the Yankees, gave up three runs on six hits in six innings and retired the last 10 he faced.
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