ST. LOUIS (AP) -The Detroit Tigers avoided a three-game sweep and put a halt to an offensive slump. At least for one game.
ored four runs in the first inning of a 6-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday night. Manager Jim Leyland, who benched struggling Magglio Ordonez indefinitely before the game, will need to see more games like this one before he’s convinced the drought is over for the AL Central leaders.
“I’m not a believer in momentum in baseball,” Leyland said after the Tigers wrapped up a 5-6 trip. “This is a grueling game and when you have to play the schedule that this team has to play, it’s tough.”
The Tigers scored three or fewer runs in their previous seven games. Detroit ended a four-game losing streak and won for the first time in six games at 4-year-old Busch Stadium – including three losses to end the 2006 World Series.
“Everybody here has a track record, and we’re too good of a team to not be doing what we’re doing,” Thames said. “We’ve just got to stay positive.”
Eighth-inning homers from Placido Polanco and Marcus Thames provided a cushion that the Tigers nearly needed after rusty closer Fernando Rodney, pitching for the first time in six days, walked the bases loaded in the ninth inning before finishing his 13th save in 13 chances.
“Maybe it was a little too long, and I’ll certainly take some blame for that,” Leyland said.
nd is 7-1 with a 2.64 ERA in his last nine starts.
“I thought I threw the ball OK,” Porcello said. “I’m getting there. The breaking ball is still a little sporadic.”
Cardinals starter Joel Pineiro (5-8) was carried off the field after cramping in his right leg on a strikeout against Josh Anderson to end the seventh. He allowed one earned run and retired 16 in a row after giving up four runs on four hits in the first.
“I threw that last pitch and my calf just like blew up,” Pineiro said. “My whole body, everything, went from there.”
Interleague
Cubs 6, White Sox 5
At Chicago, Derrek Lee and Geovany Soto hit consecutive homers to tie the game in a four-run eighth inning, then Alfonso Soriano singled home the winning run in the ninth.
The late comeback gave the Cubs a two-game split in a rain-shortened set at Wrigley Field. They are 34-34 against their crosstown rivals in interleague play.
Kevin Gregg (1-1) got the win with a scoreless ninth.
Blue Jays 8, Phillies 7
At Philadelphia, pinch-hitter Rod Barajas led off the ninth inning with a tiebreaking homer and Toronto completed a three-game sweep.
Raul Chavez and Adam Lind also homered for the injury-riddled Blue Jays, who were 0-6 in interleague play when they arrived in Philadelphia.
who dropped to 13-19 at home. The NL East leaders are a majors-best 23-9 on the road.
Jason Frasor (5-0) got one out for the win and Jeremy Accardo recorded two outs to earn his first save of the season.
Nationals 3, Yankees 0
At New York, Craig Stammen (1-2), after waiting out a 5 1/2-hour rain delay, earned his first major league victory, Julian Tavarez provided key relief and the last-place Nationals beat New York in the first game without a homer at the new Yankee Stadium.
Ryan Zimmerman got three hits off Joba Chamberlain (3-2) and Washington posted its first two-game winning streak since taking three straight May 7-9. The Nationals became the last team in the majors to pitch a shutout this season.
Rockies 4, Rays 3
At Denver, Clint Barmes hit a two-run homer to help Ubaldo Jimenez win his third straight start. Todd Helton and Carlos Gonzalez added solo homers for the surging Rockies, who have won 13 of 14.
Jimenez (6-6) allowed one run in 6 2-3 innings. He struck out seven and worked out of several jams.
Matt Garza (4-5) fell to 0-3 in his last six starts.
Padres 4, Mariners 3, 10 innings
At San Diego, Adrian Gonzalez matched his career high with four hits, including a homer, and scored the winning run with two outs in the 10th as San Diego ended its major league-record interleague losing streak at 13.
) and scored on Kevin Kouzmanoff’s single. Gonzalez also homered in the sixth, his first in 13 games, to tie Albert Pujols for the major league lead with 23.
Heath Bell (3-1) threw two innings for the win.
Twins 5, Pirates 1
At Minneapolis, Nick Blackburn pitched a six-hitter for his first career complete game.
Blackburn (6-2) struck out two and walked one. Michael Cuddyer and Brian Buscher homered for the Twins, who took two of three from the Pirates.
Zach Duke (7-5) allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings as Pittsburgh lost its 13th straight road series to an AL opponent.
Orioles 5, Mets 4
At Baltimore, Aubrey Huff drove in the winning run with a ninth-inning single off closer Francisco Rodriguez, capping a two-run rally.
Rodriguez (1-2) entered with a 0.56 ERA and 16 saves in 17 tries – the only blemish coming when second baseman Luis Castillo dropped a ninth-inning popup Friday night against the Yankees.
Matt Albers (1-2) pitched the ninth for the Orioles, who were 0-34 when trailing after eight innings.
Marlins 2, Red Sox 1, 6 innings
At Boston, Dan Uggla and Ronny Paulino homered in the second inning, and Ricky Nolasco pitched five solid innings before the game was called because of rain.
Nolasco (3-6) limited Boston to Kevin Youkilis’ homer in the first, striking out five for his first victory in five starts since May 8.
The Marlins avoided a sweep after being outscored 14-3 in the first two games.
Diamondbacks 12, Royals 5
At Kansas City, Mo., Chris Young had four hits and Dan Haren earned his sixth victory in seven decisions.
Gerardo Parra homered, tripled and drove in three runs and Justin Upton contributed three hits, including two doubles, as the Diamondbacks collected a 16 hits.
Haren (6-4), who has lost only once in his past 11 starts, limited the Royals to two runs on seven hits.
Astros 5, Rangers 3
At Arlington, Texas, Hunter Pence led off the eighth inning with a tiebreaking homer and the Astros beat the Rangers to avoid a season sweep.
Pence, who grew up in Arlington watching the Rangers play, hit the first pitch of the inning from Jason Jennings (2-2) over the center-field wall. Michael Bourn added a two-out RBI triple to make it 5-3.
Alberto Arias (1-0) got the win and Jose Valverde worked the ninth for his third save in five chances.
National League
Braves 7, Reds 0
At Cincinnati, Tommy Hanson allowed three hits in six impressive innings and Nate McLouth homered and drove in four runs.
Hanson (2-0) walked four and hit a batter with a pitch. He escaped two jams in his third career start. Peter Moylan, Mike Gonzalez and Rafael Soriano each pitched an inning to finish the five-hitter, Atlanta’s fourth shutout this season.
Reds lefty Matt Maloney (0-2) gave up six runs in 5 2-3 innings.
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