Associated Press
Associated Press
BOSTON (AP) — Pedro Ciriaco had four hits and four RBIs, fellow newcomer Mauro Gomez added three hits and the Boston Red Sox gained a split of their day-night doubleheader with a 9-5 win over the New York Yankees on Saturday.
Ciriaco drove in the runs with a pair of doubles one day after being called up from Pawtucket. Gomez is 8 for 17 in five games since being promoted from the Triple-A team Tuesday night.
Andruw Jones hit three homers in the doubleheader, including two of the Yankees’ four in their 6-1 win in the opener in which Freddy Garcia (3-2) pitched 6 2-3 solid innings in muggy conditions. They added three homers in the nightcap, running their baseball-high total to 133. They’re on a pace for a club-record 255. The 1997 Seattle Mariners hold the major league record with 264.
Boston’s Franklin Morales (1-2) lasted just 3 1-3 innings in the opener, yielding six runs and six hits, including all four homers.
Felix Doubront (9-4) got the win in the nightcap, while Phil Hughes (9-7) took the loss.
TIGERS 8, ROYALS 7
DETROIT — Prince Fielder hit a two-run, game-tying homer in the first, Delmon Young had a two-run home run to pad the lead in the seventh inning and the Detroit Tigers held on to beat the Kansas City Royals.
Detroit closer Jose Valverde started the ninth with a four-run lead and almost lost it. Billy Butler hit a two-run single with the bases loaded to pull Kansas City within two runs. Yuniesky Betancourt nearly hit a go-ahead, three-run homer on a fly center fielder Austin Jackson tracked down near the wall in left-center.
Jackson charged to make an underhanded catch on Mike Moustakas’ sacrifice fly for the second out and Jeff Francoeur struck out.
WHITE SOX 2
BLUE JAYS 0
CHICAGO — Gavin Floyd pitched 7 2-3 innings of four-hit ball and Kevin Youkilis hit a two-run homer to lead the Chicago White Sox past the Toronto Blue Jays.
Floyd (7-8) struck out three and walked two while improving to 3-1 with a 1.37 ERA in his last four starts. The 6-foot-6 right-hander received a standing ovation when he left in the eighth.
The White Sox have won five straight to move a season-high 10 games over .500. The AL Central leaders also have won a season-high seven straight at home.
INDIANS 7, RAYS 3
CLEVELAND — Ubaldo Jimenez struck out eight over six innings and Shelley Duncan hit a two-run homer to help the Cleveland Indians beat the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Indians got three doubles in the second inning off rookie Matt Moore (5-6) as they jumped to a 3-0 lead.
Jimenez (8-7) allowed a two-run homer to Luke Scott in the fourth, but otherwise was in command. The right-hander gave up five hits and walked only one.
RANGERS 4, TWINS 3 (10)
ARLINGTON, Texas — Nelson Cruz hit an RBI double in the 10th inning to lead the Texas Rangers over the Minnesota Twins, snapping their five-game losing streak.
Texas’ Josh Hamilton had a home run, walk and a run scored as the designated hitter one night after leaving in the fifth inning with back spasms. Cruz finished 3 for 5 with two doubles and two RBIs, and Adrian Beltre hit a home run that tied the game in the sixth as the Rangers improved to 41-5 the past two years in games in which Beltre has homered.
Kyle Waldrop (0-1) failed to get an out in the 10th and took the loss.
PIRATES 3, GIANTS 1
PITTSBURGH — James McDonald scattered four hits over seven innings, Mike McKenry homered and the Pittsburgh Pirates edged the San Francisco Giants 3-1.
Neil Walker doubled twice and drove in a run while extending his hitting streak to 11 games and Joel Hanrahan worked the ninth to pick up his 23rd save.
McDonald (9-3) struck out 10 and walked none, winning his fourth straight start and lowering his sparkling ERA to 2.37.
The Pirates have won nine of 11 and are guaranteed at least a share of the NL Central lead through the All-Star break.
NATIONALS 4, ROCKIES 1
WASHINGTON — Gio Gonzalez pitched six innings of three-hit ball to earn his 12th win and Ian Desmond homered to power Washington to the victory.
Gonzalez (12-3) won his fourth straight start to move into a tie with R.A. Dickey of the New York Mets for the major league lead in wins. Gonzalez allowed one run, walked three and struck out six.
It was the fifth victory in six games for the Nationals, who own the best record in the NL.
Colorado finished with four errors, tying a season high. Dexter Fowler had three hits for the Rockies, who have lost six of eight and totaled 14 runs in their last seven games.
The Nationals announced during the game that Desmond will miss Tuesday’s All-Star game with a left oblique strain. He has been dealing with the injury since mid-June and will use the break to rest.
CARDS 3, MARLINS 2
ST. LOUIS — Kyle Lohse tossed seven solid innings in 106-degree heat and Tony Cruz hit a go-ahead two-run triple to help St. Louis stop Miami’s three-game winning streak.
Allen Craig had three hits and Skip Schumaker added an RBI single in the fourth for the Cardinals, who have won five of seven. All-Star David Freese was hit by a pitch twice, walked and singled to reach base safely in all four trips.
ASTROS 6, BREWERS 3
HOUSTON — Scott Moore homered for the second straight day, J.D. Martinez and Jose Altuve had three hits apiece, and the Astros snapped a season-long nine-game slide.
Milwaukee starter Zack Greinke (9-3) was looking for his 10th win; instead he was gone after four pitches — ejected after spiking the ball following a close play at first base. Manager Ron Roenicke also was tossed for arguing the call and the Brewers were forced to piece together the game with six relievers.
Houston starter Wandy Rodriguez (7-6) yielded two runs and four hits in 5 1-3 innings. Brett Myers pitched a perfect ninth for his 18th save.
Jordan Schafer and Jed Lowrie collected two hits apiece and Jason Castro drove in two runs as the Astros scored more runs than they had in the last three games combined.
METS 3, CUBS 1
NEW YORK — Ike Davis homered, Jordany Valdespin hit one out for the second day in a row and Dillon Gee pitched one-run ball for eight innings to help the Mets get the win.
BRAVES 6, PHILLIES 3
PHILADELPHIA — Tommy Hanson pitched effectively into the eighth, Brian McCann homered and the Braves beat the struggling Phillies.
The five-time defending NL East champions are freefalling since Chase Utley returned to the lineup, losing nine of 10. They just got Ryan Howard back on Friday night and have lost two in a row, though the former NL MVP didn’t play in this loss.