Stories related to: baseball

Jim Thome hit a go-ahead RBI single in the ninth inning, A.J. Pierzynski's RBI double capped a three-run second against Jon Garland, and the Chicago White Sox beat the Los Angeles Angels 4-3 last night. Pierzynski led off the ninth with his third hit, a double against Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez (0-1).  Prior to last night he was 0-13 in the series. More »

Backed by Stephen Drew's career-high four hits, Brandon Webb became the major leagues' first nine-game winner when the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Colorado Rockies 8-5 last night. Webb (9-0) – who has won his first nine starts - allowed three runs on six hits, walked one and struck out eight. He has now won 11 straight starts dating to last September. More »

Jason Bergmann never got a chance to plead his case to stay in the game after seven shutout innings. No matter. The pinch hitter who replaced him made Bergmann a winner. Willie Harris helped put Washington ahead with a key sacrifice bunt, then saved the slick-fielding Nationals by making a sensational catch in the ninth inning of yesterday's 1-0 victory over the New York Mets. More »

Jose Guillen homered and drove in three runs, Gil Meche pitched seven solid innings and the Kansas City Royals beat Detroit 8-4 yesterday to sweep the Tigers. Kansas City won its season-best fourth straight and improved to 6-0 this season against the Tigers, who have lost four in a row and 10 of 12 while falling into last place in the AL Central. More »

Still stuck in last place and minus injured leader Vernon Wells, the streaky Toronto Blue Jays needed to reconstruct their confidence. This was a successful first step: A three-game sweep at Minnesota. Dustin McGowan survived his wildness without much damage, the bullpen was spotless and Joe Inglett picked up his first career pinch-hit lift the Blue Jays past the Twins 3-2 yesterday. More »

Andruw Jones, Jeff Kent and Gary Bennett homered during a six-run seventh inning, leading Chad Billingsley and the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Milwaukee Brewers 7-2 yesterday. After Jones and Kent hit solo shots, Bennett capped the burst with a three-run homer. Billingsley (3-5) didn't allow a hit until Brewers starter Ben Sheets, a career .078 hitter, singled with two outs in the fifth. More »

Lance Berkman splashed his major league-leading 15th home run into McCovey Cove, breaking a ninth-inning tie and helping the Houston Astros rally past the San Francisco Giants 8-7 last night. Houston came back from a 6-0 deficit to take three of four from the Giants, its first series win at San Francisco since a three-game sweep in September 2001. More »

Cole Hamels pitched his first career shutout, Ryan Howard homered and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves 5-0 last night. Pedro Feliz and Shane Victorino also homered and drove in two runs each for Philly, who lead the majors with 59 homers. Hamels (5-3) gave up just four hits, struck out six and walked two in his first complete game of the season. More »

Scott Kazmir sparkled in his first start since agreeing to a $28.5 million contract extension, and the surprising Tampa Bay Rays dropped the New York Yankees into last place with a 5-2 victory Thursday. Kazmir allowed three singles in six scoreless innings, and Akinori Iwamura and Shawn Riggans homered off Ian Kennedy for the AL East-leading Rays. More »

Ryan Braun grinned. He had just agreed to the largest contract in Milwaukee Brewers' history. "I really believe in the direction this franchise is headed," the NL Rookie of the Year said Thursday after his $45 million, eight-year deal was announced. "I'm extremely excited in our future." More »

Ryan Dempster struck out a career-high 12 and hit a go-ahead single against Greg Maddux during a four-run fifth inning, leading the Chicago Cubs over the punchless Padres 4-0. Jim Edmonds singled in his debut with the Cubs, who won three of four from the team with the worst record in the major leagues (15-27). More »

Pinch-hitter Jason Bay's three-run homer off Jason Isringhausen snapped an eighth-inning tie and capped the Pittsburgh Pirates' rally from an early four-run deficit in an 11-5 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday. Nate McLouth added his 11th homer for the Pirates. More »

An unearned run against Aaron Laffey caused by his own throwing error ended the scoreless streak by Cleveland Indians' starters at 44 1-3 innings but didn't interrupt their string of dominant outings. Laffey pitched the Indians to a 4-2 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Thursday, completing a three-game sweep. More »

Robinson Cano went 4-for-4 and drove in a run to back the pitching of Mike Mussina, helping the New York Yankees end the Tampa Bay Rays' six-game winning streak with a 2-1 victory on Wednesday. Mussina (6-3) allowed one run and five hits over 6 1-3 innings to win his fifth consecutive decision. More »

Ryan Zimmerman hit a long homer and Tim Redding pitched two-hit ball for six innings, sending the Washington Nationals to a 5-3 victory over the New York Mets on Wednesday night. Jesus Flores hit a tiebreaking single with two outs in the seventh off Aaron Heilman, who was booed on and off the mound by the Shea Stadium crowd. More »

Tom Glavine pitched 5 2-3 effective innings to earn his first win for Atlanta in six years and the Braves held on for an 8-6 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night. Chipper Jones, Yunel Escobar and Kelly Johnson each hit solo homers and Brian McCann drove in three runs to support Glavine (1-1). More »

The Cincinnati Reds blew a six-run lead in the ninth, but Paul Janish singled home the tiebreaking run in only his second big-league at-bat for a 7-6, 10-inning victory over the Florida Marlins on Wednesday night. Renyel Pinto (1-2) walked two with two outs before Janish, who arrived from the minors earlier in the day, singled to right field to end it, raising his right fist in triumph. More »

Luke Hochevar pitched six strong innings and Joey Gathright drove in the only runs, helping the Kansas City Royals beat the Detroit Tigers 2-0 on Wednesday night and hand Justin Verlander his AL-leading seventh loss. Hochevar (3-2), the first overall pick in the 2006 draft, limited the Tigers to four singles while striking out five and walking three. More »

Todd Wellemeyer allowed two hits into the eighth inning and Albert Pujols had two hits, reaching base for the 41st straight game to start the season, helping the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-1 on Wednesday night. Cesar Izturis and Troy Glaus both had three hits and an RBI for the Cardinals, who ended a three-game losing streak. More »

Ted Lilly struck out 11 in six innings to win his third straight start, and Alfonso Soriano and Geovany Soto homered to lead the Chicago Cubs over the San Diego Padres 8-5 Wednesday night. Backed by three RBIs apiece from Soriano and Soto, Lilly (4-4) allowed six hits and four runs in six innings. More »