Sports NewsCalendar

Mayfield's Mutterings -- Current posting: Summer report cards

Sports News Elsewhere (fresh daily from the Web)

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

AL roundup

Angels beat Schilling and Red Sox          Send a link to a friend

[August 07, 2007]   (AP) Maicer Izturis and Jered Weaver combined to ruin Curt Schilling's return from the disabled list.

Izturis hit a tiebreaking leadoff homer in the seventh inning, helping the Los Angeles Angels beat the Boston Red Sox 4-2 in a matchup of division leaders Monday night.

Weaver, winless in three career starts against Boston, allowed two runs and six hits in six innings.

Izturis turned on a 1-1 pitch and drove it into the lower seats in the right-field corner -- his third homer in 187 at-bats this season. Jeff Mathis chased Schilling with a double that snapped an 0-for-18 drought and scored on Chone Figgins' sacrifice fly against Julian Tavarez.

"I could have very easily shut those guys out tonight if I had executed some pitches tonight," Schilling said. "But I didn't do that, they took advantage of it and we lost. While I'm not throwing the ball 95 anymore, I didn't get beat by my fastball tonight. I got beat making some horrible off-speed pitches."

In other AL games, it was Cleveland 4, Minnesota 0; New York Yankees 5, Toronto 4; Oakland 9, Texas 7 in 13 innings; and Detroit 6, Tampa Bay 4.

At Anaheim, Calif., Schilling (6-5) gave up four runs and nine hits in six-plus innings and struck out five in his first start since June 18 in Atlanta. The right-hander went on the DL the following day with tendinitis in his shoulder. He made three rehab starts with Triple-A Pawtucket, pitching 15 scoreless innings with 18 strikeouts and no walks.

Justin Speier (1-2) pitched a scoreless seventh for his first victory with Los Angeles. Scott Shields struck out Coco Crisp looking with two on in the eighth, and Francisco Rodriguez got three outs for his 28th save in 31 chances, striking out Brandon Moss with two on to end the game.

Moss made his major league debut, entering when Manny Ramirez was ejected by plate umpire James Hoye in the fourth for arguing a checked-swing third strike. It was the first ejection this season for Ramirez.

While the Angels' boosted their AL West lead to four games over second-place Seattle, Boston's AL East margin over the second-place Yankees was cut to six games -- the smallest since May 11.

Indians 4, Twins 0

Paul Byrd threw his first shutout in more than two years and Travis Hafner homered for Cleveland.

Byrd (10-4) needed 99 pitches to complete the four-hitter, his first shutout since July 1, 2005, at Kansas City.

Michael Cuddyer, Justin Morneau and Torii Hunter -- Nos. 4-6 in the Minnesota order -- were a combined 1-for-10 Monday night and 3-for-31 in the series in Minneapolis.

Casey Blake's RBI single in the fourth snapped a season-high 17-inning scoreless streak for Twins pitchers.

Hafner's homer in the seventh made it 2-0.

Carlos Silva (9-12) tied a season high with six strikeouts and allowed six hits in seven innings.

[to top of second column]

   

Yankees 5, Blue Jays 4

Robinson Cano hit a go-ahead, two-run double in a four-run sixth inning and Andy Pettitte won consecutive starts for the first time this season for New York.

The Yankees won their fourth straight, improved to 19-7 since the All-Star break and stopped Toronto's home winning streak at eight.

Pettitte (8-7) allowed three runs and six hits in 5 2-3 innings with seven strikeouts and four walks. Mariano Rivera pitched the ninth for his 18th save.

Cano's double off Scott Downs (1-2) made it 4-3, and one out later, Melky Cabrera hit an RBI single.

Athletics 9, Rangers 7, 13 innings

At Arlington, Texas, Mike Piazza singled in the go-ahead run in the 13th inning and seven Oakland pitchers combined for 21 strikeouts.

Marco Scutaro hit a grand slam in the first inning to help Oakland build a 7-0 lead. Texas tied it in the ninth on Michael Young's solo homer off Alan Embree.

Rob Bowen led off the 13th with a walk and was sacrificed to second. Willie Eyre (3-5) got a foul out before intentionally walking Nick Swisher. Piazza then lined a single to right -- Oakland's first hit since the fifth inning. Mark Ellis drove in another run with an infield single.

Andrew Brown (2-0) struck out five in two innings. Kiko Calero pitched the 13th to earn his first save, striking out Marlon Byrd with runners on the corners to end it.

Tigers 6, Devil Rays 4

Ryan Raburn hit a tiebreaking single in a four-run seventh for Detroit, which snapped its longest losing steak of the season.

The defending AL champions had lost five straight and 12 of 15 since they had baseball's best record on July 21.

Sean Casey hit a one-out homer to spark the seventh, Carlos Guillen had an RBI triple and Raburn singled for a 5-4 lead.

Reliever Gary Glover (5-4) was chased after getting only one out in the inning, allowing four runs and five hits. Edwin Jackson gave up two runs and seven hits in six innings for the Devil Rays, who have lost seven straight road games and 18 of their last 20 away from home.

Zach Miner (2-3) earned the win after retiring a batter in the seventh. Todd Jones finished with a perfect ninth for his 29th save.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

      

< Sports index

Back to top


 

News | Sports | Business | Rural Review | Teaching & Learning | Home and Family | Tourism | Obituaries

Community | Perspectives | Law & Courts | Leisure Time | Spiritual Life | Health & Fitness | Teen Scene
Calendar | Letters to the Editor