American League Roundup: Seattle surges past Mets
Suzuki, Moyer lift Mariners to 13-1, 7-0 sweep
New York ? Ichiro Suzuki started the day with a single, then stole two bases and scored. The Seattle Mariners kept going in the right direction all afternoon.
Jamie Moyer became the majors’ first 10-game winner, and the Mariners, with Suzuki leading the way, beat the New York Mets, 7-0, Sunday to complete a doubleheader sweep.
Suzuki got four hits in the opener as the Mariners bolted to a 12-run lead and routed the Mets, 13-1, behind Freddy Garcia’s six-hitter.
Seattle set a team record for wins on a road trip, going 11-1 during stops in Kansas City, Minnesota, Philadelphia and Shea Stadium. The club was 10-0 in April 2002.
“This is our longest trip of the year,” Suzuki said through a translator. “This result is not a small result.”
Suzuki led off the second game with a bunt single and scored, then hit an RBI single the next inning.
“Ichiro … it all starts with him,” Mariners manager Bob Melvin said. “He did it to them again.”
The Mariners improved to 17-0 in day games this season. They did it by outscoring the Mets 20-1 and outhitting them 31-9 on a cloudy afternoon.
“We try to get ahead fast, and that makes the other team play our game,” Suzuki said.
The Mariners made fast work of the Mets, too. Both games were played in 2 hours, 26 minutes.
The Mets, meanwhile, have played three doubleheaders this year and been swept each time, all at home — Milwaukee did it Thursday and Arizona April 27.
“We’re 0-3 in these doubleheaders. We have to find a formula to win one game in there,” Mets manager Art Howe said.
Moyer (10-2), who blanked the Mets on two hits for seven innings. He won his seventh straight start, striking out four and walking one.
“I’m more excited about how our team is playing,” Moyer said.
The 40-year-old lefty faced the Mets for the first time since Aug. 2, 1988, when he pitched for the Chicago Cubs and gave up a home run to Darryl Strawberry in a 3-1 loss to David Cone.
“I’ve seen him do it dozens of times,” said Howe, who formerly managed Oakland and faced Moyer. “He changes speeds so well. He’s a master at it. He just pitches around the edges.”
Relievers Shigetoshi Hasegawa and Jeff Nelson finished the combined three-hitter.
The Mariners made it easy for Moyer. After Suzuki bunted for a single, Carlos Guillen doubled him home, and Cameron hit an RBI single. It was a rough beginning for Mike Bacsik (0-1), making his first start this season.
Moyer singled with two outs in the second, setting up Suzuki’s single that made it 3-0. Dan Wilson hit an RBI single in the sixth, and another run scored on the play on center fielder Tsuyoshi Shinjo’s error.
Bret Boone extended his hitting to 14 games, tying a career high, with an RBI single in the ninth. Another run scored when second baseman Jay Bell bobbled a grounder by Mike Cameron and made a wild flip, drawing two errors on the play and boos from the crowd.
Phillies 7-8,
Athletics 1-3
Philadelphia — Jim Thome and Bobby Abreu each homered and drove in two runs as Philadelphia finished a doubleheader sweep of Oakland. Kevin Millwood pitched seven strong innings in the opener, and Pat Burrell hit a three-run homer to help the Phillies snap a four-game losing streak.
Despite waking up with flulike symptoms, Millwood (8-3) outpitched Mark Mulder (8-4) to end a personal two-game losing streak with his first win since May 23. The right-hander scattered six hits, struck out six and walked one. Randy Wolf (7-3) also went seven innings in the nightcap as Philadelphia completed its longest homestand of the year with a 6-6 record, including two doubleheader sweeps. The Phillies swept the Expos June 1.
Expos 3, Rangers 2
San Juan, Puerto Rico — Brad Wilkerson’s second run-scoring double broke a tie in the eighth inning and helped Montreal send Texas to its ninth straight loss. The powerful Rangers were held to two runs over their final 16 innings at cozy Hiram Bithorn Stadium and are on their longest skid since also dropping nine straight in June 2000. Carl Everett and Juan Gonzalez hit consecutive homers for Texas.
Angels 8, Marlins 5
Miami — Adam Kennedy and Garret Anderson hit run-scoring singles in a three-run fifth as Anaheim took advantage of an error by first baseman Derrek Lee to rally from a four-run deficit and beat Florida. Ramon Ortiz (6-5) won his second straight start after going 0-3 in his previous five. Ben Weber, Brandon Donnelly and Troy Percival combined for three innings of hitless relief.
Red Sox 9, Brewers 1
Milwaukee — Kevin Millar homered twice and drove in four runs, backing a strong outing by Derek Lowe (6-3) as Boston beat Milwaukee. Todd Walker added a two-run double for the Red Sox, who became the latest team to tee off against struggling lefty Glendon Rusch (1-9).
Astros 2, Devil Rays 1
Houston — Tim Redding combined with two relievers on a three-hitter as Houston beat Tampa Bay and matched its longest winning streak of the season at seven games. Redding (4-4) allowed one run and two hits in seven innings, struck out five and walked one, retiring his final 18 batters. He has won three straight starts.
Cardinals 11, Orioles 10
St. Louis — Scott Rolen hit a tiebreaking grand slam, and Jim Edmonds drove in three runs on two homers, powering St. Louis over Baltimore. Rolen went 4-for-5, his fifth career four-hit game, as St. Louis finished with 18 hits. Edmonds had three hits, a walk and three runs scored. The Cardinals, who have won six of seven overall, took two of three in the first series between the former city rivals.
Blue Jays 5, Reds 0
Cincinnati — Kelvim Escobar pitched a four-hitter for his third career shutout and drove in a run with his first hit, leading Toronto to a rain-delayed victory over Cincinnati. The Reds had an unannounced visitor — hits king Pete Rose watched the first couple of innings from a seat behind home plate — but were shut out for the first time.
White Sox 10, Dodgers 3
Los Angeles — Frank Thomas hit a two-run homer, and Tony Graffanino had a two-run double during a five-run fifth inning that carried Chicago over Los Angeles. Esteban Loaiza (9-2) allowed three runs and seven hits in seven innings, striking out nine and walking none to improve to 5-0 on the road. His 2.06 ERA ranks second in the majors to St. Louis’ Woody Williams (1.99).
Giants 7, Tigers 6
San Francisco — Pinch-hitter Edgardo Alfonzo had a tiebreaking double with two outs in the eighth inning as San Francisco rallied to complete a three-game sweep of Detroit. The NL West-leading Giants wrapped up their season-long 12-game homestand with a 9-3 record, and now leave town for two weeks.
Diamondbacks 13, Indians 3
Phoenix — Robbie Hammock had four hits, including a pair of triples that tied a team record, to lead Arizona over Cleveland. Chad Moeller had three hits, Hammock had three RBIs, and Alex Cintron and Junior Spivey each homered for the Diamondbacks, who have won four of six. Arizona had a season-high 18 hits.
Padres 9, Twins 4
San Diego — Mark Loretta had four hits, including a go-ahead, two-run single in the eighth inning, as San Diego rallied past Minnesota. Ryan Klesko and Brian Buchanan each added a two-run homer to complete a six-run outburst in the eighth against LaTroy Hawkins (4-1) and Mike Nakamura.
Cubs 8, Yankees 7
Chicago — Sammy Sosa capped a tumultuous weekend with his 2,000th career hit, Mark Prior struck out 10 in six innings, and Moises Alou and Ramon Martinez homered as the Cubs held on to beat the New York Yankees to take two of three in the teams’ first meeting since the 1938 World Series. Sosa, who drew an eight-game suspension Friday for using a corked bat, was allowed to play in the series because he appealed, and his hearing is expected within the next couple of days.