While the Red Sox and the Yankees dueled four hours north before an overflow crowd at Fenway Park, Nomar Garciaparra took his spot at shortstop for the Chicago Cubs at Shea Stadium on Friday night before a crowd that could hardly fill a Boston watering hole.
For Garciaparra, that was not all bad. He found himself comfortable in front of a sparse crowd that was dotted with more Cubs jerseys than Mets shirts. There were few of the taunts Garciaparra used to endure whenever he played for the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium.
He smiled when he was asked if he missed the Yankee-Red Sox rivalry, and if he kept tabs on his former team.
"No, I'm a Chicago Cub," Garciaparra said before the game. "I love the uniform I'm wearing right now."
It was easy to understand the smile. He is still on a contending team, although no longer compared with Derek Jeter and held up against the glare of the Yankees' championship rings. It took the Cubs 10 innings to beat the Mets, 2-1, putting them a full game ahead of the Giants in the race for the National League wild-card spot pending the outcome of the Giants' game against the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
The Mets saw the Expos creep within two games in the NL East as the two teams battled to stay out of last place.
Garciaparra can decide his own fate at the end of the season, when he becomes a free agent. While his departure from Boston in a trading deadline deal might have seemed shocking in a previous season, the off-season machinations that almost brought Alex Rodriguez to Boston, the injuries that sidelined Garciaparra and the criticism he drew from fans and former teammates made the separation seem beneficial.
"I don't have to worry about what comes out of there," Garciaparra said of Boston, where he had long been an icon. "The only thing I have to worry about is where I'm at now, the guys I'm surrounded by and the place I play. That's really what my focus is. That's all I can control."
Garciaparra did not have to control even that Friday night. He left the game for a pinch-runner in the ninth after going 1 for 4, and the Cubs took the game in the 10th after Mark Grudzielanek led off with a walk from Mets reliever Braden Looper and scored on a single by Derrek Lee.
The smile was equally bright at the shortstop position for the Mets on Friday night with Jose Reyes returning after spending five weeks out of action with a stress fracture of his left fibula. Reyes played flawlessly at short, his natural position and one he will reclaim next season.
Kazuo Matsui, who pushed Reyes to second base this season but struggled mightily at shortstop, was also activated Friday, but the team made it clear that the switch would occur as soon as Matsui completed his crash course at second base. "It's like old times," Reyes, who made three assists, said after the game. "I played there all my life. I'm comfortable."
Matsui was not as enthusiastic about the shift, but after working at Port St. Lucie, Fla., while rehabilitating his strained lower back, he said he would continue to work to smooth out the rough edges that are still apparent in his game.
"I would like to play at second base," Matsui, who struck out as a pinch-hitter in the seventh Friday night, said through an interpreter. "It's going to have to be a joint opinion with the manager and the organization. If they feel I'm ready for it, then I'm ready for it."
While the game Friday night meant little to the Mets except for their desire to finish out of the cellar, the Cubs had a lot on the line.
Kris Benson and the former Met Glendon Rusch engaged in a crisp pitching duel, each leaving the game without a decision. The Mets scored first in the second inning on back-to-back doubles by Victor Diaz and Jason Phillips. After the Mets squandered numerous chances to add to their lead, the Cubs struck in the seventh when Aramis Ramirez hit a leadoff homer into the left-field bleachers to tie the score at 1-1.
National League
The Atlanta Braves clinched their 13th consecutive division title Friday night, winning the NL East with an 8-7 victory over the Florida Marlins.
Marcus Giles' go-ahead single capped Atlanta's three-run rally in the eighth inning. The Braves' record streak of division championships began with the 1991 NL West title and excludes the 1994 strike-shortened season.
Giles delivered a two-run single against Marlins closer Armando Benitez, who took over for Guillermo Mota (9-7) in the eighth.
The Braves have relied on strong pitching through their run, but they used seven relievers Friday night after starter Russ Ortiz was chased in the third inning.
John Smoltz pitched the ninth for his 41st save in 46 chances. Smoltz got Jeff Conine to ground into a game-ending double play, and Braves players rushed to the mound around Smoltz, the only current Brave to play on each of the 13 division championship teams.
Travis Smith (2-3) earned the win with one inning of relief.
Cubs 2, Mets 1, 10 innings
In New York, Derrek Lee hit an RBI single in the 10th inning and Aramis Ramirez homered in the seventh for Chicago.
The Cubs won their fourth straight and 13th in 16 games to maintain their lead in the NL wild-card race. They began the day a half-game ahead of the San Francisco Giants, who hosted Los Angeles later Friday night.
The Cubs (87-66) moved more than 20 games over .500 for the first time since Oct. 1, 1989, when they finished 93-69.
Mark Grudzielanek was walked by Braden Looper (2-4), pitching for the third straight night, to lead off the 10th. Grudzielanek advanced to second on Corey Patterson's tapper in front of the plate -- he failed twice at a sacrifice attempt -- and scored on Lee's single to center with one out.
Mike Remlinger (1-1) got two outs for the win, and LaTroy Hawkins got Mike Piazza to ground out to third with a runner on first for his 24th save in 31 chances.
Astros 1, Brewers 0, 10 innings
In Milwaukee, Craig Biggio's sacrifice fly in the top of the 10th inning lifted Houston.
The Astros remained 2 1/2 games behind the Chicago Cubs, who beat the New York Mets, in the NL wild-card race.
Roger Clemens was denied his 19th victory and took a no-decision, but struck out a season-high 12 to surpass 200 for the 12th time in his career. He allowed five hits in 7 1-3 innings and lowered his ERA to 2.89.
In the top of the 10th, Brad Ausmus singled off Mike Adams (2-3) and was replaced by pinch-runner Willy Taveras. Orlando Palmeiro blooped a single into short left field and Taveras, watching where the ball fell, raced to third. Biggio followed with a sacrifice fly to right.
Lidge (6-5) pitched 1 2-3 perfect innings for the win, and Dan Miceli worked the 10th for his second save.
American League
With an eerie similarity to last year's postseason debacle, Pedro Martinez took a lead into the eighth inning before tiring and the New York Yankees rallied past Boston 6-4 Friday night to open a 5 1/2-game advantage in the American League East.
Last fall in the eighth inning of Game 7 in the AL championship series, the Yankees overcame a 5-2 deficit to tie it against Martinez, then earned a World Series berth when Aaron Boone homered in the 11th.
"It had a lot of similarities to the playoff game last year," Yankees starter Mike Mussina said. ``History tends to repeat itself -- but usually not that quickly.''
Martinez (16-8) went back out for the eighth despite needing 101 pitches to get through the first seven innings. Hideki Matsui homered on pitch No. 103 to make it 4-4, and Bernie Williams followed with a ground-rule double. Martinez struck out Jorge Posada, but Ruben Sierra singled home the go-ahead run and chased Martinez.
``It's just frustrating for me not to do the job,'' Martinez said. "It was all me. I wanted to bury myself on that mound."
Tom Gordon (8-4) pitched two innings and allowed a solo homer to Johnny Damon that gave Boston a 4-3 lead. Mariano Rivera pitched the ninth for his 51st save; he had blown four saves all season, two against the Red Sox.
Manny Ramirez hit his AL-leading 42nd homer and Trot Nixon also connected for Boston.
Royals 8, White Sox 6
In Chicago, John Buck hit two solo homers to lead Kansas City over Chicago.
Jimmy Gobble (9-8) allowed four runs and eight hits in six-plus innings to remain the only Kansas City starter with a non-losing record. Mike MacDougal allowed Joe Crede's two-run double in the ninth, which made it 8-6. But with runners on first and second and nobody out, MacDougal got Aaron Rowand to pop up a bunt. Juan Uribe then grounded into a double play.
Mariners 8, Rangers 7
In Arlington, Texas, Ichiro Suzuki had two more hits to move within eight of George Sisler's major league record, and Randy Winn's infield single in the ninth helped Seattle end Texas' five-game winning streak.
The Rangers started the night tied for second in the AL West.
Suzuki singled in the third and sixth innings and has 249 hits this season. Sisler had 257 in 1920.
Ron Villone (7-5) allowed one hit in one-plus inning for the win, and J.J. Putz got three outs for his ninth save. With the game tied at 7, Francisco Cordero (3-3) came in to start the ninth. Scott Spiezio and Dan Wilson had one-out singles, pinch-hitter Edgar Martinez struck out, and Cordero intentionally walked Suzuki to load the bases.
Winn beat out an infield chopper to drive in pinch-runner Willie Bloomquist.
Athletics 6, Angels 3
In Anaheim, California, Rich Harden pitched seven strong innings, Eric Byrnes hit a two-run homer as Oakland took a three-game lead in the AL West with a 6-3 victory over Anaheim.
Anaheim remained tied for second with Texas, who are both six games back of Boston in the wild-card race.
Byrnes went 3-for-4, and Erubiel Durazo also had three hits for Oakland, which won for just the fourth time in 10 games.
‘AWFUL PERFORMANCE’: Golden State were always chasing the game after failing to threaten from long range, making just eight of 33 three-point attempts Aaron Gordon on Monday scored 38 points as the Denver Nuggets shrugged off the absence of Nikola Jokic to halt the Golden State Warriors’ seven-game winning streak with a 114-105 victory over their Western Conference rivals. A dazzling display from Gordon inspired what was ultimately a comfortable win for Denver, who were missing regular starters Jokic and Jamal Murray from their lineup. The absentees were barely felt by Denver, who startled the Warriors early at San Francisco’s Chase Center and led for most of the game. The Warriors threatened to stage a late rally after slashing the Nuggets’ fourth-quarter lead from 15 points
The US’ bid for a fourth consecutive CONCACAF Nations League title came to a stunning end as they fell 1-0 to Panama after a stoppage-time goal from Cecilio Waterman on Thursday in Inglewood, California. Despite dominating possession, the US struggled to break down a resilient Panama side for long periods. Panama spent the bulk of the match defending, but pounced on a giveaway by the US before substitute forward Waterman sent a shot from the right side of the area to the bottom left corner late in stoppage time. Up next for Panama in tomorrow’s final is to be Mexico, who beat
Barcelona’s Ferran Torres scored twice on Sunday to help secure a late 4-2 comeback win at Atletico Madrid in a pulsating La Liga clash that took the Catalan side back to the top of the table. Barca have 60 points and a game in hand after last week’s postponement of their home game with CA Osasuna. They are level on points with Real Madrid, who won 2-1 at Villarreal on Saturday. “I am happy and proud of this team,” Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick told a news conference. “They never give up... It’s a great three points and we are happy to
Chris Wood has fired Nottingham Forest into surprise UEFA Champions League contention and now the striker wants to score the goals to help New Zealand make history at the FIFA World Cup. New Zealand are strong favorites to qualify out of the Oceania region over the next week and reach the World Cup for only the third time. At the country’s two previous appearances at the finals, in 1982 and 2010, they have failed to win a match in six attempts. With Wood captaining the side and leading from the front, he told local media yesterday that the current squad can finally deliver
RSS