Baseball roundup: Saturday's action on the diamonds
Published Sunday July 20th, 2008
American League
Jose Molina didn't need a bat to beat Oakland - his leg worked just as well.
Molina was hit by Lenny DiNardo's pitch with the bases loaded in the 12th inning, and the New York Yankees edged the Athletics 4-3 Saturday in a tense game that lasted four hours 45 minutes on a sultry afternoon.
"That's the way it goes sometimes. It was crazy," Molina said.
Robinson Cano had four hits for the Yankees and David Robertson earned his first major league win.
New York, which stranded a whopping 21 runners, was down to its final out in the ninth when Cano doubled off closer Huston Street. Wilson Betemit tied it with an opposite-field single on an 0-2 pitch, handing Street his fifth blown save in 22 chances.
"He put a good swing on a good pitch," Street said. "I wanted obviously to have it in the dirt, but if he didn't swing it was a ball. I guess if I could have that pitch back I would have bounced it instead of aiming at his ankles."
Long after Joba Chamberlain was lifted, Ryan Sweeney put Oakland ahead 3-2 with an RBI single off Mariano Rivera in the ninth. The all-star reliever struck out three straight batters with a runner on second to keep it a one-run game.
Yankees pitchers had 18 strikeouts in all, their most since fanning 19 on April 29, 2001, in a 17-inning game at Toronto.
The 21 runners left on base by New York were its most since stranding 22 on July 20, 1998, in a 17-inning game against Detroit. The three runners on base when the game ended Saturday count in the Yankees' total.
"It's more frustrating when you lose," manager Joe Girardi said.
The A's stole second twice in the ninth, taking advantage of Jorge Posada's sore hand and weak arm.
The 36-year-old catcher, hit by a foul ball in the eighth, missed 32 games this season with tendinitis in his right rotator cuff and has been relegated to part-time duty behind the plate. He is 3-for-37 throwing out base stealers.
"We'll have to see how he is tomorrow," Girardi said.
Posada was replaced defensively in the 10th by Molina, who wound up with two chances to win it. He grounded out with two on to end the bottom half, then sent the Yankees home happy in the 12th.
The last time New York won on a game-ending hit by pitch, it was Clete Boyer who was plunked on July 15, 1965, against the Washington Senators.
"I hate to say it, but I'm glad he got hit," Robertson said.
Elsewhere in the AL it was: Cleveland 9, Seattle 6; Los Angeles 4, Boston 2; Tampa Bay 6, Toronto 4; Minnesota 14, Texas 2; Kansas City 9, Chicago 1; and Baltimore 11, Detroit 10.
At New York, Edwar Ramirez struck out four in two shutout innings and Robertson (1-0) worked a scoreless 12th, helped by Brett Gardner's tough catch in deep left field.
Derek Jeter singled leading off the bottom half against DiNardo (1-2), recalled from the minors Friday. Jeter went to second on Bobby Abreu's tapper to the mound, and Alex Rodriguez was intentionally walked.
DiNardo then walked Richie Sexson, loading the bases, before hitting Molina on his right knee with a 1-2 delivery.
"It feels good because we won the game, but it hurts," Molina said.
Molina carried his bat all the way to first base, where he was mobbed by teammates after New York's season-best sixth consecutive win at home. The Yankees also improved to an AL-best 41-1 when leading after six innings.
Oakland, which stranded 14 runners, dropped its fourth straight overall and fell to 7-3 in extra innings.
"The last pitch I threw was just an inch off," DiNardo said. "I was trying to throw a cutter in and make him roll over it."
Throwing 100 m.p.h. fastballs on a sweltering day, Chamberlain struck out eight in six innings and left with a 2-1 lead. Still, he wound up with his seventh no-decision in nine major league starts.
The A's tied it on Jose Veras' bases-loaded wild pitch with two outs in the seventh.
The Yankees went ahead 2-0 with four consecutive hits to start the second against Sean Gallagher, making his second start for Oakland after coming over from the Chicago Cubs this month in a trade for Victoria's Rich Harden.
Gallagher limited the damage, however, using a sharp breaking ball to strike out Jeter, Abreu and Rodriguez in succession.
"We played well. It was a great game," Oakland manager Bob Geren said. "We were right there. We just didn't win."
Angels 4, Red Sox 2
At Anaheim, pinch-hitter Erick Aybar hit a bases-clearing triple to highlight a four-run seventh, and the Angels rallied to beat Boston.
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Indians 9, Mariners 6
At Seattle, one-time Mariners prospect Shin-Soo Choo homered and doubled in his first two at-bats, Jeremy Sowers picked up his first win of the season and the Indians snapped a 10-game road losing streak.
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Rays 6, Blue Jays 4
At St. Petersburg, Fla., rookie all-star Evan Longoria hit his first career grand slam during a five-run sixth and Matt Garza threw 7 2-3 scoreless innings to help the AL East-leading Rays beat Toronto.
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Twins 14, Rangers 2
At Minneapolis, Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau each homered and drove in eight runs between them as Minnesota beat Texas.
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Royals 9, White Sox 1
At Chicago, Gil Meche and three relievers combined on a two-hitter, and John Buck and Billy Butler homered for Kansas City.
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Orioles 11, Tigers 10 (10 innings)
At Baltimore, Luke Scott homered in the bottom of the 10th, and the Orioles rallied from a six-run deficit to beat Detroit.
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National League:
It's too early to hit the panic button but the New York Mets should be wondering where the magic of their 10 game winning streak has gone.
Right-hander Josh Fogg extended his midseason resurgence by getting New York to hit into three double-plays, and Joey Votto of Toronto drove in three runs Saturday night, leading the Cincinnati Reds to a 7-2 victory over the Mets.
After winning 10 in a row and moving into a first-place tie with Philadelphia in the NL East, the Mets have dropped two in a row. In this one, their clutch hitting, their defence and their bullpen all let them down.
"We just didn't play good baseball tonight," manager Jerry Manuel said. "We had a chance to deliver some blows, and we didn't. We had a chance to catch the ball on defence, and we didn't. It wasn't a good game for us. This is really the first game in a long time we played this way. Hopefully it's an aberration kind of thing."
Votto had a run-scoring single off Oliver Perez (6-6), then broke the game open with a two-run triple in the seventh. Right-fielder Fernando Tatis dived but couldn't come up with the diving liner, allowing Votto to get his first triple.
"It took me, what, four months?" said Votto, who had everything except the triple. "But I finally got my cycle."
Ken Griffey Jr. also had a run-scoring double off Perez, who gave up three runs in six innings. Perez walked three batters, and two of them scored.
"It was one of those days where sometimes you don't feel good," Perez said. "You have to do your best and keep your team in the game."
The Mets remained a game behind Philadelphia, which lost to Florida 9-5 earlier in the day. The teams will play a three-game series at Shea Stadium beginning on Tuesday.
Elsewhere in the NL it was: Florida 9, Philadelphia 5; St. Louis 6, San Diego 5; Milwaukee 8, San Francisco 5; Houston 4, Chicago 1; Washington 8, Atlanta 2; Colorado 7, Pittsburgh 1; and Arizona 3, Los Angeles 2.
At Cincinnati, Fogg (2-2) escaped serious damage by inducing three double-plays in his six innings - just what he needed to get his first victory since April 9, when he was in his first stint in the rotation. He has overcome a demotion to the bullpen and a stint on the disabled list before settling in.
"The defence played great behind me," said Fogg, who gave up eight hits in six innings but only two runs. "I got into a little trouble here and there, and those guys bailed me out."
He wasn't the only one who gave the Mets fits with runners on base. New York loaded the bases with one out in the seventh, but David Wright - who was 3-for-3 with a homer at that point - and Carlos Beltran took full-count third strikes from Mike Lincoln. Those two pitches became a turning point.
Wright was frozen by a curve for strike three.
"He threw me a big 3-2 curveball," Wright said. "As a hitter, it's tough to do something when he throws good pitches like that."
Fogg started the season in the rotation but was hit hard in three starts, leading to his demotion to the bullpen. He was rarely used as a reliever, and went on the disabled list with a sore back.
Since his comeback, the right-hander has given up only five earned runs in 17 1-3 innings during three starts. Wright had three hits off him, leaving him 7-for-14 career off Fogg with three homers.
Before the game, the Reds inducted shortstop Barry Larkin, outfielder Cesar Geronimo, pitcher Joey Jay and executive Garry Herrmann into their Hall of Fame. The first pitch was 11 minutes late because the inductions went long.
Marlins 9, Phillies 5
At Miami, rookie catcher John Baker drove in four runs and hit one of three homers for Florida, which tightened the race in the NL East by beating Philadelphia.
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Brewers 8, Giants 5
At San Francisco, Rickie Weeks hit a two-run double to cap a four-run sixth inning, Prince Fielder homered and the Brewers remained unbeaten against the Giants.
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Nationals 8, Braves 2
At Atlanta, Willie Harris, a part-time starter for the Braves last season, had three hits, two RBIs, a stolen base and scored three runs in the Nationals' win over Atlanta.
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Cardinals 6, Padres 5
At St. Louis, Albert Pujols had three hits and four RBIs, helping the Cardinals rally from five runs down to beat San Diego for their fourth straight win.
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Astros 4, Cubs 1
At Houston, Wandy Rodriguez struck out seven, and the Astros again stifled the Cubs' offence.
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Rockies 7, Pirates 1
At Denver, Scott Podsednik had three doubles among his four hits and two runs scored, and Jorge De La Rosa pitched six gritty innings to give Colorado a win.
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Diamondbacks 3, Dodgers 2
At Phoenix, Dan Haren threw seven scoreless innings and Conor Jackson homered as Arizona beat Los Angeles.
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