Roger Clemens was center stage in the Bronx for a New York Yankees team on a nine-game roll. Oliver Perez, pitching for the reeling Mets, stole the show.
Perez outpitched Clemens, Jose Reyes was 3-for-3 with three steals, two RBIs and a home run and the Mets won the opener of the season’s second Subway Series 2-0 Friday night. The Mets ended their five-game losing streak and their rival’s nine-game winning streak.
“We ran into a buzz saw,” Yankees manager Joe Torre said.
Perez (7-5), a flamboyant lefty known for high-jumping foul lines, allowed five hits in 7 1-3 innings to beat the Yankees for the second time this season. He struck out six and walked three, combining with three relievers on a five-hitter.
“He pitched a big game for us in a huge situation,” said Billy Wagner, who pitched a perfect ninth for his 15th save in 16 chances.
The NL East-leading Mets staggered into the series with nine losses in their previous 10 games, including five straight, while the Yankees were on their longest winning streak in two years. But before a pumped up crowd of 55,159, the Mets (37-28) beat the Yankees (33-32) for the third time in four meetings this year.
In other interleague games, it was: Arizona 7, Baltimore 3; Boston 10, San Francisco 2; Detroit 12, Philadelphia 8; Pittsburgh 4, the Chicago White Sox 2; Atlanta 5, Cleveland 4; Toronto 7, Washington 2; Texas 7, Cincinnati 6; Houston 5, Seattle 1; Kansas City 6, Florida 2; Milwaukee 11, Minnesota 3; Colorado 12, Tampa Bay 2; the Los Angeles Dodgers 2, the Los Angeles Angels 1; and Oakland 14, St. Louis 3.
In the only National League game, it was the Chicago Cubs 4, San Diego 1.
Making his second start, Clemens (1-1) reached 92 mph with his fastball but was around 89 mph most of the time, a little more velocity than the seven-time Cy Young Award winner showed in Saturday’s 9-3 victory over Pittsburgh. The 44-year-old allowed two runs, seven hits and one walk in 6 1-3 innings. With eight strikeouts, he retook second place on the career list with 4,619, five more than Arizona’s Randy Johnson.
“I still feel I need to be better,” Clemens said.
Clemens, who threw 108 pitches, needs one win to become the first major leaguer to reach 350 since Warren Spahn in September 1963.
Braves 5, Indians 4
Yunel Escobar’s two-run double off C.C. Sabathia (10-2) in the ninth inning gave visiting Atlanta the victory. Bob Wickman allowed two baserunners in the ninth but survived for his 12th save.
Rafael Soriano (2-0) gave up a homer to Casey Blake in one inning of work, but got the win.
Red Sox 10, Giants 2
Dustin Pedroia had career highs of five hits and five RBIs, and J.D. Drew had three hits as the host Red Sox stopped a two-game skid. Julian Tavarez (4-4) pitched seven strong innings for the win.
Barry Zito (6-7) gave up seven runs and five hits in 5 1-3 innings for the Giants.
Tigers 12, Phillies 8
In Philadelphia, Ivan Rodriguez drove in five runs and Sean Casey had four hits and three RBIs to help Detroit’s Jeremy Bonderman (7-0) stay unbeaten.
Bonderman also started the Tigers’ five-run fifth inning with his first hit in 21 career at-bats, an infield single to third base off Jon Lieber (3-5), who gave up seven runs and 10 hits in five innings.
Pirates 4, White Sox 2
Paul Maholm (3-9) allowed three hits over seven innings to break a personal five-game losing streak, and the host Pirates handed Chicago its ninth loss in 10 games.
Jon Garland (4-4) allowed four runs and 11 hits in six innings for the White Sox.
Diamondbacks 7, Orioles 3
Pinch-hitter Orlando Hudson’s three-run homer off Todd Williams (0-2) capped a five-run eighth inning for the visiting Diamondbacks, who ended a three-game losing streak.
Doug Slaten (3-0) pitched the seventh for Arizona, which handed the last-place Orioles their season-high sixth straight loss.
Blue Jays 7, Nationals 2
Toronto’s Roy Halladay (7-2) won consecutive starts for the first time in more than a month, giving up two runs and seven hits over 7 1-3 innings.
Adam Lind hit a two-run homer in the fourth off starter Mike Bacsik (1-4). Troy Glaus also homered for the Blue Jays.
Rangers 7, Reds 6
Sammy Sosa hit a grand slam for his 599th career homer to lead Texas at Cincinnati.
His ninth career grand slam off Matt Belisle (5-5) was the most decisive of four homers in a game matching the AL’s worst starting rotation and the NL’s worst bullpen.
Vicente Padilla (3-8) got his first road win, and Eric Gagne retired the side in the ninth to remain perfect in seven save chances.
Astros 5, Mariners 1
Wandy Rodriguez (4-6) pitched into the eighth inning, Mike Lamb drove in three runs and the host Astros handed the Mariners their third straight loss.
Felix Hernandez (3-4) allowed four runs and a career-high 12 hits in six innings. The Astros tied a season high with 16 hits.
Royals 6, Marlins 2
Mike Sweeney hit a three-run double in the seventh inning for the host Royals, and Gil Meche (4-6) stopped a personal five-game losing streak.
Sergio Mitre (2-3), who hadn’t allowed an earned run in 23 2-3 innings coming in, worked 6 1-3 innings and saw his ERA climb from 1.59 – No. 2 in the major leagues – to 2.29. He was charged with six runs and 12 hits.
Brewers 11, Twins 3
Geoff Jenkins hit a grand slam and Prince Fielder added a two-run shot for visiting Milwaukee, making a winner out of Claudio Vargas (5-1).
Twins starter Scott Baker (1-2) cruised through the first three innings before loading the bases for Jenkins.
Rockies 12, Devil Rays 2
Garrett Atkins and Brad Hawpe hit back-to-back homers in the first inning and the host Rockies handed James Shields (6-1) his first loss of the season. Colorado gave Boston ace Josh Beckett his first loss the previous night.
Rodrigo Lopez (3-0) scattered eight hits over six innings. He has yet to allow more than three earned runs in a start.
Dodgers 2, Angels 1
Derek Lowe (7-6) allowed one run over seven innings and had a career-high 11 strikeouts, and Luis Gonzalez singled home both runs for the Dodgers. Takashi Saito pitched the ninth inning for his 19th save in 20 attempts.
Ervin Santana (5-7) allowed two runs and five hits over seven innings.
Athletics 14, Cardinals 3
Dan Haren (8-2) won his eighth consecutive decision and the host Athletics beat up on the beleaguered St. Louis pitching staff. Every A’s starter had at least one hit, and all but Bobby Crosby scored at least one run.
Braden Looper (6-6) gave up eight runs – seven earned – in 4 1-3 innings before he was taken out with an apparent injury. Outfielder Scott Spiezio pitched the eighth inning, becoming the first Cardinals position player to pitch since Cody McKay on April 8, 2004.
National League
Cubs 4, Padres 1
In Chicago, Mike Fontenot and Alfonso Soriano homered off David Wells (3-4) in the sixth inning for the Cubs.
Ted Lilly (5-4), ejected after two-thirds of an inning in his previous start against Atlanta for hitting Edgar Renteria with a pitch, allowed six hits over eight innings.
Ryan Dempster worked the ninth for his 15th save in 17 opportunities.
Add A Comment