DETROIT (AP) -Justin Verlander pitched the first no-hitter in Comerica Park history, mixing 100 mph heat with crazy curveballs to lead the Detroit Tigers over the Milwaukee Brewers 4-0 on Tuesday night.
Verlander struck out a career-high 12 and got a huge assist from shortstop Neifi Perez, who turned a possible single up the middle in the eighth into an inning-ending double play. The 2006 AL Rookie of the Year benefited from several other stellar defensive plays and worked around four walks in the Tigers’ first no-hitter since Jack Morris in 1984.
Verlander (7-2) trotted to the mound for the ninth to a standing ovation. He struck out Craig Counsell and Tony Graffanino before getting J.J. Hardy to fly out to the warning track in right field.
It was the second no-hitter of the season in the majors, with Mark Buehrle of the Chicago White Sox doing it against the Texas Rangers on April 18. This was the first no-hitter in Detroit since Nolan Ryan of the Angels did it at Tiger Stadium in 1973. Comerica opened in 2000.
Milwaukee was last no-hit on April 27, 1994, by Scott Erickson at Minnesota.
The best play belonged to shortstop Neifi Perez in the eighth. After Bill Hall walked for the third time, Gabe Gross hit a hard grounder up the middle. Perez skidded to his left to glove it, but the force of the ball knocked him over. Perez managed to flip the ball to second baseman Placido Polanco, who completed the inning-ending double play. Verlander pumped his fist near the mound and was one of the first to congratulate Perez in the dugout.
Brandon Inge homered and drove in two runs. Jeff Suppan (7-7) took the loss.
Marlins 3, Indians 0
MIAMI (AP) – Scott Olsen allowed three hits in seven innings to outpitch Fausto Carmona, and Miguel Olivo’s three-run double helped the Florida Marlins beat the Cleveland Indians.
Olivo chopped a ball over the head of Cleveland third baseman Casey Blake, clearing the bases with one out in the seventh and delivering the blow that sent Carmona (7-2) to his first loss in his last 11 starts. Carmona hadn’t been beaten since his 2007 debut, April 13 against the Chicago White Sox.
Armando Benitez pitched a perfect eighth for Florida, and Kevin Gregg finished it off for his 10th save in as many chances.
Olsen (5-5) issued no walks, marking the first time in his career that he’d pitched more than five innings in a game without allowing a free pass. He only allowed one runner to reach third base; David Dellucci was stranded there in the third.
Phillies 7, White Sox 3
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Chase Utley drove in four runs to help Cole Hamels become the National League’s first nine-game winner in the Phillies’ victory.
Hamels (9-2) allowed two runs and six hits and struck out eight in eight innings, Utley was 3-for-3 with a two-run homer and the Phillies moved a season-best three games above .500 (34-31) with their sixth win in eight games.
Paul Konerko and Jermaine Dye hit consecutive homers in the first inning, but the White Sox couldn’t manage any more runs off Hamels.
White Sox starter Jose Contreras (4-7) allowed seven runs – five earned – and seven hits in 3 1-3 innings. It was his shortest outing since lasting one inning against Cleveland on opening day.
Red Sox 2, Rockies 1
BOSTON (AP) – Tim Wakefield pitched eight innings of four-hit ball, and David Ortiz went 3-for-3 with a double that helped break an eighth-inning tie for the Red Sox.
Wakefield (6-7) won for just the second time in six starts. He struck out three and walked one before Jonathan Papelbon pitched the ninth for his 15th save.
Aaron Cook (4-3) allowed two runs on seven hits and struck out four in 7 1-3 innings, as the Rockies failed to return to .500 for the first time since April 13.
Cook held Boston to just one run before Dustin Pedroia singled to lead off the eighth. One out later, Jeremy Affeldt gave up a double to Ortiz and pinch-runner Alex Cora was held up at third base. Manny Ramirez was intentionally walked, then J.D. Drew hit a sacrifice fly to center to give Boston the lead.
Devil Rays 11, Padres 4
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – Carlos Pena hit an eighth-inning grand slam and Delmon Young delivered a pair of run-scoring singles off Greg Maddux as Tampa Bay came from behind three times before pulling away against San Diego.
Pena, who also had a RBI double in the seventh, hit his fourth career grand slam off Doug Brocail to finish a five-run eighth. Young had RBI singles in the second and fourth as Maddux, eyeing a major league-best 20th career interleague win, was unable to hold leads of 1-0, 2-1 and 4-3.
Maddux allowed four runs and six hits in 6 1-3 innings. He struck out four and walked a season-high three, including Elijah Dukes with one out in the seventh. The next two batters singled off reliever Cla Meredith (2-4), then first baseman Adrian Gonzalez booted Greg Norton’s sharp grounder for an error that allowed two runs to score. Pena followed with a RBI double to put Tampa Bay up 6-4.
Casey Fossum (4-6) pitched one perfect inning in relief of Scott Kazmir for the victory.
Pirates 7, Rangers 5
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Jose Bautista homered and had three hits as the Pittsburgh Pirates snapped a three-game losing streak.
Xavier Nady and Adam LaRoche also homered for the Pirates, who won their first interleague game of the season after getting swept by the New York Yankees.
Texas closed within 7-5 in the ninth on an RBI double from Brad Wilkerson and a base hit by pinch-hitter Adam Melhuse. But Matt Capps got Ramon Vazquez to line into a double play and struck out pinch-hitter Kenny Lofton for his third save in as many chances.
Zach Duke (3-6) gave up two runs on eight hits in six innings. He struck out three and walked two.
Kevin Millwood (2-6) allowed six runs – five earned – on eight hits in 4 1-3 innings. He walked two and struck out one, and has not won since April 13.
Nationals 7, Orioles 4
BALTIMORE (AP) – Ryan Church hit the first of three home runs off Daniel Cabrera, and the Washington Nationals received another strong performance from converted reliever Micah Bowie in a victory over the Baltimore Orioles.
Church hit a solo shot, and Ryan Zimmerman and Brian Schneider both connected with a man on for the Nationals. Felipe Lopez ended an 0-for-19 skid with a two-run double and received three of the 10 walks allowed by Baltimore pitchers.
Bowie (3-2) allowed three runs and three hits in six innings. Since leaving the bullpen to replace injured Jerome Williams in the starting rotation, Bowie is 3-0 in five starts, and the Nationals are 5-0 in those games.
Cabrera (5-7) gave up seven runs and seven hits in 4 2-3 innings, matching his shortest appearance of the season. Melvin Mora and Miguel Tejada homered for the Orioles, who have lost eight of 10.
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