INTERLEAGUE PLAY
Jon Lester tossed two-hit ball over seven shutout innings, Jason Varitek homered twice and the Boston Red Sox avoided a three-game sweep with a 5-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in interleague play on Thursday.
The Phillies got a scare when pitcher Cole Hamels was forced to leave soon after being struck on the glove hand by Adrian Gonzalez’s line drive in the fourth. The Phillies said X-rays were negative and Hamels will make his next start.
Photo: AFP
The three-game series was hyped as a potential World Series preview. If it is, do not look for much offense in October: Philadelphia outscored the Red Sox 9-6.
Dustin Pedroia and Varitek hit back-to-back homers in the eighth to make it 5-0.
Ryan Howard hit his 17th homer in the ninth, a two-run shot off Bobby Jenks.
YANKEES 5, BREWERS 0
In New York, C.C. Sabathia tied his career high with 13 strikeouts and Mark Teixeira hit his 300th homer to help New York finish off last month with a season-best five-game winning streak.
Sabathia (11-4) won for the eighth time in nine starts. In 7-2/3 innings, Sabathia gave up six hits and two walks. When Sabathia left after throwing 118 pitches, he got a roar from the fans.
MARLINS 5, ATHLETICS 4
In Oakland, California, Chris Volstad allowed one unearned run in seven innings and John Buck hit a two-run double to help Florida cap a miserable month by beating Oakland for its first consecutive wins in more than a month.
Strong starts by Ricky Nolasco and Volstad (4-7) gave the Marlins their first consecutive victories and first series win since sweeping the Giants across the bay in San Francisco on May 24 to May 26.
Nothing went right for the Marlins in between their two trips to the Bay Area as they fell from second place to last and had manager Edwin Rodriguez resign during a span that included 14 straight losses in one-run games.
CUBS 5, GIANTS 2, 13 INNINGS
In Chicago, pinch-hitter Geovany Soto’s three-run homer capped a four-run 13th inning and sent the Chicago Cubs to a wild victory over San Francisco.
Soto’s drive finished off an eventful day for the Cubs. Starter Carlos Zambrano left in the second inning because of soreness in his lower back, then Aramis Ramirez hit a tying home run in the ninth off San Francisco closer Brian Wilson.
TIGERS 5, METS 2
In Detroit, Justin Verlander slowed down the rampaging Mets, pitching seven solid innings to lead Detroit to victory.
The Mets had scored a team-record 52 runs in their previous four games, including 30 in the first two of this series. Verlander (11-3) prevented a sweep, holding New York to one run and seven hits.
Verlander finished last month with a 6-0 record and a 0.92 ERA, and tied CC Sabathia for the major league lead in wins this season. Verlander has won his last seven starts, allowing two or fewer runs in each.
CARDINALS 9, ORIOLES 6
In Baltimore, Lance Berkman homered twice and Jon Jay hit a three-run shot as St Louis completed a three-game sweep of Baltimore.
Berkman hit a two-run drive in the second inning and led off the seventh with a homer for his 29th career multihomer game and fourth this season.
Nolan Reimold homered and had four RBIs and Mark Reynolds hit a two-run drive for the Orioles, who fell a season-worst eight games under .500 (35-43).
PIRATES 6, BLUE JAYS 2
In Toronto, Jeff Karstens capped a brilliant month with another strong start and Brandon Wood hit a two-run homer as Pittsburgh won its first interleague road series since 2003.
The Pirates, who have won six of eight, had lost 17 straight interleague series away from home since taking two of three at Tampa Bay in June 2003.
Karstens (6-4) allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings.
Solo home runs by J.P. Arencibia and Yunel Escobar were the only blemishes for Karstens, who has allowed five home runs in his past two starts, all solo.
WHITE SOX 6, ROCKIES 4, 10 INNINGS
In Denver, light-hitting Juan Pierre laced a tiebreaking, two-run single off the wall in the 10th inning, helping the Chicago White Sox rally past the Colorado Rockies.
With the bases loaded, Pierre, who is known for his speed more than his power, turned on a pitch from Clayton Mortensen (2-4) that hit off the top of the wall in right.
The ball was hit so hard and on such a line that the runners held up on the bases, limiting Pierre to just a single. A.J. Pierzynski and Gordon Beckham scored on the play as the White Sox took two of three from the Rockies in the series.
ASTROS 7, RANGERS 0
In Houston, Jason Michaels homered and drove in three runs, while Wandy Rodriguez and three relievers combined on a four-hitter as Houston snapped an eight-game home losing streak.
In the National League, it was:
‧ Cubs 5, Giants 2, 13 innings
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