American League
After doubling in the sixth inning on Tuesday for his third hit of the game, Jason Giambi was replaced by a pinch-runner. As he trotted off the field, the Yankee Stadium crowd rose and applauded, and Giambi doffed his helmet. He was congratulated by teammates in the dugout.
"It was awesome," Alex Rodriguez said of the standing ovation. "He's gotten beat up from all angles this year. And for him to come out and keep fighting, keep working hard and get that ovation, I'm sure it was a very magical day for him."
PHOTO: AFP
Giambi hit a solo homer to right field in his first at-bat, in the second inning, to give the Yankees their first lead against Baltimore. In the next inning, Giambi's run-scoring double gave the Yankees a four-run lead and helped secure a 12-3 victory.
Giambi finished 3 for 4 with two runs batted in and raised his batting average 10 points, to .268.
On Monday, Giambi also showed flashes of the power that earned him the American League's Most Valuable Player award five seasons ago, hitting two homers. And the crowd responded to his first multihomer game during the regular season in nearly two years with wild cheers.
"I'm sure it meant a lot," manager Joe Torre said of the fans' reaction. "He's worked hard for this. The two home runs yesterday followed by giving us a jump-start today with the home run. It was good. I think he's starting to have fun again."
Torre added that the Yankees had been relying on a handful of players for offensive production, mainly Derek Jeter, Gary Sheffield, Hideki Matsui and Rodriguez. The recent re-emergence of Giambi's power, the hitting coach Don Mattingly said, "makes it tougher on the pitcher."
Earlier in the season, the 34-year-old Giambi was struggling at the plate and found himself on the receiving end of boos. He was coming off a season in which he played in only 80 games because of illness and injury and had testified to a federal grand jury in the BALCO inquiry that he previously used steroids, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. During the off-season, the Yankees looked into ways of voiding Giambi's contract, or at least making it nonguaranteed; he began this season due US$82 million over four years.
On the field, Giambi reached a low point on May 9, when having batted mostly as a designated hitter, his average dipped to .195. But since mid-May, his production has steadily increased, and now his power seems to be resurfacing, too.
"I went through a rough spot where I was kind of not doing too well, where I was kind of off," Giambi, who has eight homers this season, said before the game. "Then I started to put it back together slowly but surely. I had to change a few things with my swing. Like I said, getting jammed a little too much."
Mattingly has been working on shortening Giambi's route to the ball and getting him squared up. While they have not discussed hitting home runs, Mattingly said he was not surprised at Giambi's power surge during the last two games. "Once you start getting hits, and you keep getting them over time, your confidence grows," Mattingly said.
The more Giambi has produced at the plate, the more playing time he has received at first base. Tino Martinez, playing first base, carried the Yankees earlier in the season, but his production has dropped since mid-May, due partly to an injured foot.
Giambi has picked up the slack, going 37 for 117 (.316) and hitting five homers since May 13, when the Yankees began a six-game trip and gave Giambi the opportunity to prove himself at first base. He also had two game-winning hits in June, including a homer against Pittsburgh in the 10th inning on June 15.
"It's been more than two games," Jeter said, referring to Giambi's offensive production. "He's been swinging the bat for a while now."
Giambi devoured the Orioles for five hits in seven at-bats, five RBIs and four runs in the two-game series.
Giambi did not speak with reporters after Tuesday's game, but he said before the game that "it's starting to come together."
After Giambi was removed from Tuesday's game, Jeter was the first player to greet him. "When he's swinging the bat well," Jeter said, "we're a lot better."
Alex Rodriguez, Gary Sheffield and Hideki Matsui also homered for New York on Tuesday.
"Today was just one of those magical days where everyone was swinging the bat well," Rodriguez said.
Derek Jeter and Ruben Sierra each had three hits for the Yankees, who swept the two-game series and have won four straight to move within a half-game of second-place Baltimore in the American League East.
The Orioles have lost 11 of 13.
Starting on three days' rest in the regular season for the first time in 10 years, Johnson (8-6) retired his first 12 batters with five strikeouts before Miguel Tejada's infield single. He lasted seven innings and gave up seven hits and struck out eight without walking a batter for his 254th career win.
Rodrigo Lopez (7-5) gave up a career-high 10 runs -- five earned -- and a season-high 11 hits in three-plus innings, dropping his third straight start.
White Sox 6, Devil Rays 4
At Chicago, Frank Thomas hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning, and the White Sox rallied to go 30 games over .500.
Scott Podsednik started the inning with a double, and Tadahito Iguchi singled before Thomas connected off Lance Carter (1-2) for his 10th homer in just 69 at-bats this season.
Cliff Politte (6-0) got the final out of the eighth, and Dustin Hermanson pitched the ninth for his 21st save. Jermaine Dye hit his 19th homer for Chicago, which improved to 56-26 and sent Tampa Bay to its seventh straight loss.
Red Sox 7, Rangers 4
At Arlington, Texas, Manny Ramirez hit his 20th career grand slam, and Boston also got home runs from David Ortiz and Bill Mueller.
Ramirez hit his third grand slam of the season in the third inning off Chris Young (8-5), tying him for the AL lead with 22 homers.
The 20 grand slams are the second-most in major league history, trailing only Lou Gehrig's 23. Hall of Famer Eddie Murray had 19.
Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield (8-6) won his fourth straight decision. Gary Matthews had a two-run homer and Kevin Mench a two-run single for Texas.
Angels 2, Twins 1
At Anaheim, California, Bengie Molina drove in the go-ahead run with a homer and Los Angeles defeated Minnesota for its 12th win in 15 games.
Molina had two hits, including his seventh homer of the season that gave the Angels a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning.
Rookie Ervin Santana (3-3) allowed one run and five hits in five innings, struck out three and walked two. Francisco Rodriguez, the third reliever, pitched a hitless ninth and struck out three for his 16th save in 17 chances.
The Angels had a chance to increase their lead later in the fifth with two runners on, but Vladimir Guerrero broke his bat grounding into an inning-ending double play.
Scott Baker (0-1) gave up two runs and five hits in five innings, struck out five and walked two in his first major league start and second appearance.
National League
AP, WASHINGTON
Esteban Loaiza outpitched Pedro Martinez, throwing eight strong innings to lead the surging Washington Nationals to a 3-2 victory Tuesday over the New York Mets.
Loaiza (5-5) allowed six hits, struck out eight and walked one for the Nationals, who have won seven of their last eight games.
"What I did today was amazing," Loaiza said. "I just hit both of my spots on the inside corner and the outside. I threw all of my pitches for strikes and did what I wanted to do with the ball."
Martinez (9-3) allowed three runs, eight hits, walked one and struck out six before leaving for a pinch-hitter after seven innings.
Brian Schneider had an RBI single in the second for Washington before a two-run seventh. Jose Vidro, activated from the disabled list earlier in the day, hit an RBI double and scored on Jose Guillen's third single of the game.
"Another one-run game, man," said Vidro, shaking his head with a big smile. "What excitement."
Loaiza left after Cliff Floyd singled to start the ninth. The Mets rallied for two runs against Chad Cordero before he retired pinch-hitter Brian Daubach on a popout with the tying run on third base to earn his major league-leading 30th save.
Pirates 3, Phillies 0
At Pittsburgh, Kip Wells pitched a four-hitter in his third career complete game and started a three-run Pittsburgh fifth inning with a double.
Jason Bay hit a two-run homer and Matt Lawton added a run-scoring double to support Wells (6-8).
The Phillies lost their 12th in 16 games and got a big scare in the first when Jose Castillo's hit a line hit off right-hander Jon Lieber's right elbow. X-rays did not reveal any broken bones.
Reliever Ryan Madson (4-3) took the loss.
Brewers 6, Marlins 4
At Miami, Russell Branyan, in the lineup for the first time since breaking a finger June 1, had three hits and two RBIs.
Geoff Jenkins added three hits and scored three runs for Milwaukee.
Marlins starter Josh Beckett (8-6) left the game in the third inning with a strained left side muscle. The injury will be re-evaluated Wednesday.
Chris Capuano (9-6) pitched into the eighth to win his fourth straight start. Derrick Turnbow got his 17th save.
Juan Encarnacion had a two-run double for Florida.
Astros 6, Padres 2
At Houston, Brandon Backe ended a personal three-game losing streak, and Jason Lane hit a three-run homer as the Astros won for the sixth time in seven games.
Backe (7-6) allowed one run and four hits in 5 2-3 innings.
Dennys Reyes (3-2) went 4 1-3 innings and allowed four runs and six hits in his first start of the season.
Brian Giles had three hits and two RBIs for San Diego.
Braves 5, Cubs 1
At Atlanta, rookie Roman Colon outpitched Greg Maddux in his much-anticipated return to Atlanta.
Colon (1-4), making only his third career start, gave up seven hits and one run in seven innings.
Maddux (7-6), making his 622nd start and first appearance in Atlanta since leaving the Braves to sign with the Cubs following the 2003 season, allowed eight hits and five runs in six innings in a game delayed by rain for 1 hour, 59 minutes.
Marcus Giles was 3-for-4 with three RBIs, including a two-run double in the Braves' four-run fifth.
Rockies 6, Dodgers 1
At Denver, Todd Helton tied the Colorado franchise record for home runs, and Jeff Francis pitched another fine game at Coors Field.
Helton's two-run homer in the seventh was the 258th of his career, tying Larry Walker for the team record. Helton finished with three hits and three RBIs, and struggling J.D. Closser hit a three-run homer off Odalis Perez (4-5).
That was more than enough for Francis (8-5), who allowed one run and 11 hits over 7 1-3 innings and extended his scoreless streak to 14 1-3 straight innings before an RBI groundout in the eighth made it 6-1.
Cardinals 7, Diamondbacks 1
At Phoenix, Albert Pujols drove in two runs with three hits -- including his 22nd homer -- to extend his hitting streak to 17 games for St. Louis.
Pujols had a 30-game hitting streak in 2003. Jeff Suppan (8-7) went 5 1-3 innings, allowing a run and five hits.
So Taguchi had a solo homer and two RBIs. Reggie Sanders, back in the lineup after missing two games because of a strained right foot, added two RBIs.
Arizona's Shawn Estes (6-7) allowed six runs in 6 1-3 innings.
Reds 7, Giants 4
At San Francisco, Wily Mo Pena hit a go-ahead single in the sixth inning and drove in two runs, and Cincinnati beat San Francisco to win consecutive road games for the first time all season.
Adam Dunn hit a two-run homer, Sean Casey had four hits, and Eric Milton (4-9) pitched 6 1-3 strong innings to earn his first win away from Great American Ball Park this season. Pena, who had three hits, extended his career-best hitting streak to 11 games with a second-inning RBI single. Dunn followed with his 22nd homer.
Rookie Lance Niekro hit a two-run homer in the first for San Francisco, which lost its fourth straight game.
Noah Lowry (5-8) allowed four runs on eight hits, struck out seven and walked two for the Giants.
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