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Baseball: Oakland spoils Sosa's return to Cubs' lineup
By The Associated Press
Saturday, June 19, 2004 | No comments posted.
CHICAGO - Mark Kotsay homered and drove in another run, and the Oakland Athletics spoiled Sammy Sosa's return from a month on the disabled list with a 2-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday.
Sosa, who went 0-for-4 in his first game since May 15, had a chance to tie the score with two outs in the ninth. With fans standing and chanting "SAM-MY! SAM-MY," Sosa grounded out to short to end the game.
"You guys expect me to hit two or three home runs in one at-bat. You're talking about over a month I've been out," said Sosa, who sprained a ligament in his back with two hard sneezes before the Cubs' game in San Diego on May 16.
"Today was the first game, be patient. I just want to go out and do the best that I can right now."
And to be fair to Sosa, the rest of the Cubs weren't much better as their six-game winning streak ended. Chicago managed only an RBI single by Ramon Martinez, and had just one hit the last four innings.
The Cubs are 6-10 in one-run games.
"It's tough to lose another one-run game, but what can I say?" manager Dusty Baker said. "Matty (Clement) threw a great game. If it hadn't been for Kotsay, they wouldn't have gotten anything."
Kotsay finished 2-for-4, improving to .466 with four homers and 19 RBIs in his last 19 games. Mark Redman (5-3) scattered four hits and an unearned run over eight innings. Chad Bradford pitched the ninth for his first save in two chances.
Matt Clement (7-5) was solid, giving up seven hits and two runs in eight innings.
Mariners 5, Pirates 4
PITTSBURGH - Jamie Moyer pitched six solid innings and hit a two-run single, leading Seattle over the Pirates.
Moyer (6-2) hasn't pitched in the NL since 1991, but he seems to enjoy facing his old league. He's allowed one run in 13 innings in consecutive interleague starts.
He also hasn't forgotten how to swing the bat, delivering a bases-loaded single over third base in a three-run second inning against Ryan Vogelsong (1-7), his first two RBIs in 16 years.
Moyer struck out four, walked one and allowed three hits in his first start in Pittsburgh since May 21, 1991, when he gave up two homers to Barry Bonds while pitching for St. Louis.
Royals 10, Phillies 4
PHILADELPHIA - Matt Stairs homered twice and Benito Santiago hit a three-run shot to lead Kansas City.
Chris George (1-0) allowed four runs and nine hits - all singles - in 6 2-3 innings, helping the Royals win their third straight game - each by the same score.
Kansas City, which has the AL's worst record, has won five of seven and is 18-18 since an 8-20 start.
Santiago's three-run homer off Paul Abbott (0-1) gave the Royals a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Santiago left in the sixth after a pitch by Geoff Geary hit the back of his left hand.
White Sox 11, Expos 7
MONTREAL - Carlos Lee went 4-for-6 with four RBIs and the Chicago White Sox extended the Expos' losing streak to seven.
Lee, who fell a triple short of the cycle, drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth with an RBI single off Luis Ayala (0-6) that made it 8-7.
Neal Cotts (1-3) pitched a perfect seventh and doubled in his first major league plate appearance before James Burke was thrown out at the plate to end the eighth.
Jose Valentin doubled in the first and hit RBI triples in the fourth and eighth. He also had two triples in the same game on Sept. 29, 1999.
Rangers 8, Marlins 1
MIAMI - John Wasdin (1-0) won his first start in nearly six years, Alfonso Soriano drove in two runs and Texas snapped a four-game losing streak.
Brad Fullmer's ninth homer, a three-run shot in the seventh, put the game out of reach.
Wasdin allowed six hits and a run in seven innings. He walked two and struck out one, winning his first start since July 29, 1998, as a member of the Boston Red Sox.
The Rangers hit Marlins starter Brad Penny hard, handing him his third loss in as many starts.
Brad Penny (6-5) struck out 10 but also allowed four runs on eight hits and a walk.
In his Marlins debut, Billy Koch gave up a run on two hits.
Indians 4, Braves 2
ATLANTA - Cliff Lee outpitched Mike Hampton to win for the first time in six starts, and Casey Blake hit a tiebreaking homer to lift Cleveland over the Braves in their first meeting since the 1995 World Series.
Lee, who had four no-decisions and a loss after a 5-0 start, did not walk a batter in seven innings. The left-hander gave up two runs and six hits, striking out seven.
Lee (6-1) has allowed no more than three runs in 11 of 13 starts this season.
Jose Jimenez worked a perfect ninth for his sixth save.
Blake's leadoff shot against Hampton (1-7) in the sixth inning broke a 2-2 tie.
Mets 3, Tigers 2
NEW YORK - Mike Cameron homered with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the New York Mets a victory over Detroit.
Cameron's ninth home run - and second in as many nights - came on a 2-2 pitch from reliever Danny Patterson (0-4) and sent the Mets to their second win in a row.
Richard Hidalgo, acquired the previous day from Houston, was 0-for-4 in his debut for the Mets. Tom Glavine pitched seven solid innings and hit a two-run single.
In the top of the ninth, Detroit had runners at first and third with one out, but Braden Looper (1-1) pitched out of the jam.
Astros 5, Angels 0
HOUSTON - Pete Munro combined with three relievers on a five-hitter, and Jeff Kent drove in three runs to lead Houston past Anaheim.
The Astros snapped a four-game losing streak and gave manager Jimy Williams his 900th career victory. Williams is 900-778 in the majors.
Munro (1-0) allowed three hits in 6 1-3 innings in his second start of the year. Dan Miceli, Brad Lidge and Octavio Dotel finished Houston's fifth shutout this season.
Kent had an RBI double and a two-run triple, and Jeff Bagwell hit his 10th homer for the Astros, who sent the Angels to their 10th loss in 13 games. Jose Vizcaino had four hits.
Kelvim Escobar (4-3) allowed four runs and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings. He tied a career high with seven walks.
Brewers 4, Twins 1
MILWAUKEE - Ben Sheets pitched four-hit ball for six innings, and Chad Moeller homered in Milwaukee's victory over Minnesota.
Keith Ginter drove in two runs, and Brady Clark had an RBI single for the Brewers, who snapped Minnesota's three-game winning streak. The AL Central-leading Twins lost for only the third time in 11 games.
Sheets (6-4) struck out six and walked two. Jeff Bennett pitched two perfect innings before Danny Kolb worked the ninth for his 20th save, finishing the five-hitter.
Carlos Silva (7-4) gave up three runs and eight hits in four innings.
Rockies 5, Orioles 3
DENVER - Shawn Estes allowed two runs in seven innings for his first win in a month, and Todd Helton drove in three runs to help Colorado beat Baltimore.
Rafael Palmeiro hit career home run No. 538 and Jerry Hairston was a homer short of the cycle, but the rest of the Orioles managed just five hits in losing their sixth straight.
Sidney Ponson (3-9) dropped his sixth consecutive decision.
Estes (7-3) worked his way out of trouble all night, and Shawn Chacon pitched the ninth for his 13th save in 18 chances. He allowed a solo homer to pinch-hitter David Newhan.
Colorado center fielder Preston Wilson returned to the lineup ahead of schedule after missing 58 games because of knee surgery. He went 0-for-4.
Blue Jays 3, Padres 2
SAN DIEGO - Frank Menechino homered on David Wells' fifth pitch and Ted Lilly became the latest starter to shut down San Diego.
The Blue Jays snapped their four-game losing streak, winning for just the fourth time in their last 14 road games.
Lilly (6-3) and two relievers combined on a six-hitter. The left-hander allowed one run and three hits in 6 1-3 innings. Rookie Jason Frasor allowed an RBI single by Ryan Klesko in the ninth before finishing for his fifth save in six chances.
The Padres lost their season-high sixth straight game and dropped to .500 - at 33-33 - for the first time since April 20.
Wells (2-5) allowed three runs and five hits in eight innings, struck out three and walked none.
Devil Rays 6, Diamondbacks 2
PHOENIX - Tampa Bay stretched its franchise-record winning streak to nine games, beating Randy Johnson and Arizona behind Jose Cruz Jr.'s three-run homer.
Rey Sanchez added a run-scoring triple and Geoff Blum an RBI double for the streaking Devil Rays, who have won 20 of 26 overall. They also snapped Johnson's six-game winning streak in the first meeting between these 1998 expansion teams.
Winning pitcher John Halama (3-1) allowed two runs in five innings in his first start since Sept. 4 with Oakland. Jorge Sosa threw three scoreless innings in relief for Tampa Bay.
Johnson (9-5) was charged with five runs and eight hits in six innings. He struck out four, matching a season low.
Cardinals 4, Reds 3, 11 innings
ST. LOUIS - Ken Griffey Jr. came up empty again in his bid to hit his 500th homer.
Albert Pujols homered off Mike Matthews (1-1) to lead off the bottom of the 10th inning to give the St. Louis Cardinals a 4-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night, extending their winning streak to five games.
Griffey was 0-for-4, taking a called third strike in the second, lining out to shortstop in the fourth, flying out to center in the seventh and tapping out on a checked swing in the ninth. He's 3-for-17 with two RBIs in four games since he homered Sunday against the Indians.
The Reds got key RBIs from pinch-hitter Jacob Cruz and Barry Larkin against a tiring Chris Carpenter in a two-run eighth to take a 3-2 lead.
The Cardinals tied it with a two-out rally in the ninth off closer Danny Graves, who has blown seven saves in 34 chances.
Julian Tavarez (1-0) struck out the side in the top of the 10th for St. Louis.
Dodgers 6, Yankees 3
LOS ANGELES - Jeff Weaver beat his former team, Juan Encarnacion drove in the go-ahead run and Los Angeles beat New York in the first regular-season meeting between two of baseball's most storied franchises.
Playing before the largest regular-season crowd in Dodger Stadium history (55,207), the Yankees lost back-to-back games for the first time since May 21-22 at Texas.
The teams hadn't played in a game that meant anything since the 1981 World Series, which the Dodgers won 4-2 by sweeping the final four games. Of their 11 World Series meetings, the Yankees won eight titles. Seven of the Dodgers' appearances came when they played in Brooklyn.
Weaver (5-7) gave up three runs in six innings against his former teammates. He also shut down Alex Rodriguez, who had reached base safely in 53 straight games.
Eric Gagne got three outs for his 17th save, extending his major league record to 80 in a row.
Yankees starter Javier Vazquez (7-5) struggled with his control and made a key throwing error.
Red Sox 14, Giants 9
SAN FRANCISCO - Pinch-hitter Kevin Millar delivered a go-ahead three-run homer in the fifth inning, and Boston beat San Francisco.
David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez also homered in the fifth, and Trot Nixon and Doug Mirabelli hit back-to-back home runs in the ninth for the Red Sox.
Marquis Grissom homered twice for the Giants, who had their nine-game home winning streak snapped in the first regular-season meeting between two old franchises.
Their last game that counted was in the 1912 World Series, when Boston beat the New York Giants in eight games.
Mike Timlin (4-2) pitched 2 2-3 scoreless innings for the win.
Jerome Williams (6-5) lost for the first time in eight career interleague starts.
Sosa, who went 0-for-4 in his first game since May 15, had a chance to tie the score with two outs in the ninth. With fans standing and chanting "SAM-MY! SAM-MY," Sosa grounded out to short to end the game.
"You guys expect me to hit two or three home runs in one at-bat. You're talking about over a month I've been out," said Sosa, who sprained a ligament in his back with two hard sneezes before the Cubs' game in San Diego on May 16.
"Today was the first game, be patient. I just want to go out and do the best that I can right now."
And to be fair to Sosa, the rest of the Cubs weren't much better as their six-game winning streak ended. Chicago managed only an RBI single by Ramon Martinez, and had just one hit the last four innings.
The Cubs are 6-10 in one-run games.
"It's tough to lose another one-run game, but what can I say?" manager Dusty Baker said. "Matty (Clement) threw a great game. If it hadn't been for Kotsay, they wouldn't have gotten anything."
Kotsay finished 2-for-4, improving to .466 with four homers and 19 RBIs in his last 19 games. Mark Redman (5-3) scattered four hits and an unearned run over eight innings. Chad Bradford pitched the ninth for his first save in two chances.
Matt Clement (7-5) was solid, giving up seven hits and two runs in eight innings.
Mariners 5, Pirates 4
PITTSBURGH - Jamie Moyer pitched six solid innings and hit a two-run single, leading Seattle over the Pirates.
Moyer (6-2) hasn't pitched in the NL since 1991, but he seems to enjoy facing his old league. He's allowed one run in 13 innings in consecutive interleague starts.
He also hasn't forgotten how to swing the bat, delivering a bases-loaded single over third base in a three-run second inning against Ryan Vogelsong (1-7), his first two RBIs in 16 years.
Moyer struck out four, walked one and allowed three hits in his first start in Pittsburgh since May 21, 1991, when he gave up two homers to Barry Bonds while pitching for St. Louis.
Royals 10, Phillies 4
PHILADELPHIA - Matt Stairs homered twice and Benito Santiago hit a three-run shot to lead Kansas City.
Chris George (1-0) allowed four runs and nine hits - all singles - in 6 2-3 innings, helping the Royals win their third straight game - each by the same score.
Kansas City, which has the AL's worst record, has won five of seven and is 18-18 since an 8-20 start.
Santiago's three-run homer off Paul Abbott (0-1) gave the Royals a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Santiago left in the sixth after a pitch by Geoff Geary hit the back of his left hand.
White Sox 11, Expos 7
MONTREAL - Carlos Lee went 4-for-6 with four RBIs and the Chicago White Sox extended the Expos' losing streak to seven.
Lee, who fell a triple short of the cycle, drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth with an RBI single off Luis Ayala (0-6) that made it 8-7.
Neal Cotts (1-3) pitched a perfect seventh and doubled in his first major league plate appearance before James Burke was thrown out at the plate to end the eighth.
Jose Valentin doubled in the first and hit RBI triples in the fourth and eighth. He also had two triples in the same game on Sept. 29, 1999.
Rangers 8, Marlins 1
MIAMI - John Wasdin (1-0) won his first start in nearly six years, Alfonso Soriano drove in two runs and Texas snapped a four-game losing streak.
Brad Fullmer's ninth homer, a three-run shot in the seventh, put the game out of reach.
Wasdin allowed six hits and a run in seven innings. He walked two and struck out one, winning his first start since July 29, 1998, as a member of the Boston Red Sox.
The Rangers hit Marlins starter Brad Penny hard, handing him his third loss in as many starts.
Brad Penny (6-5) struck out 10 but also allowed four runs on eight hits and a walk.
In his Marlins debut, Billy Koch gave up a run on two hits.
Indians 4, Braves 2
ATLANTA - Cliff Lee outpitched Mike Hampton to win for the first time in six starts, and Casey Blake hit a tiebreaking homer to lift Cleveland over the Braves in their first meeting since the 1995 World Series.
Lee, who had four no-decisions and a loss after a 5-0 start, did not walk a batter in seven innings. The left-hander gave up two runs and six hits, striking out seven.
Lee (6-1) has allowed no more than three runs in 11 of 13 starts this season.
Jose Jimenez worked a perfect ninth for his sixth save.
Blake's leadoff shot against Hampton (1-7) in the sixth inning broke a 2-2 tie.
Mets 3, Tigers 2
NEW YORK - Mike Cameron homered with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the New York Mets a victory over Detroit.
Cameron's ninth home run - and second in as many nights - came on a 2-2 pitch from reliever Danny Patterson (0-4) and sent the Mets to their second win in a row.
Richard Hidalgo, acquired the previous day from Houston, was 0-for-4 in his debut for the Mets. Tom Glavine pitched seven solid innings and hit a two-run single.
In the top of the ninth, Detroit had runners at first and third with one out, but Braden Looper (1-1) pitched out of the jam.
Astros 5, Angels 0
HOUSTON - Pete Munro combined with three relievers on a five-hitter, and Jeff Kent drove in three runs to lead Houston past Anaheim.
The Astros snapped a four-game losing streak and gave manager Jimy Williams his 900th career victory. Williams is 900-778 in the majors.
Munro (1-0) allowed three hits in 6 1-3 innings in his second start of the year. Dan Miceli, Brad Lidge and Octavio Dotel finished Houston's fifth shutout this season.
Kent had an RBI double and a two-run triple, and Jeff Bagwell hit his 10th homer for the Astros, who sent the Angels to their 10th loss in 13 games. Jose Vizcaino had four hits.
Kelvim Escobar (4-3) allowed four runs and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings. He tied a career high with seven walks.
Brewers 4, Twins 1
MILWAUKEE - Ben Sheets pitched four-hit ball for six innings, and Chad Moeller homered in Milwaukee's victory over Minnesota.
Keith Ginter drove in two runs, and Brady Clark had an RBI single for the Brewers, who snapped Minnesota's three-game winning streak. The AL Central-leading Twins lost for only the third time in 11 games.
Sheets (6-4) struck out six and walked two. Jeff Bennett pitched two perfect innings before Danny Kolb worked the ninth for his 20th save, finishing the five-hitter.
Carlos Silva (7-4) gave up three runs and eight hits in four innings.
Rockies 5, Orioles 3
DENVER - Shawn Estes allowed two runs in seven innings for his first win in a month, and Todd Helton drove in three runs to help Colorado beat Baltimore.
Rafael Palmeiro hit career home run No. 538 and Jerry Hairston was a homer short of the cycle, but the rest of the Orioles managed just five hits in losing their sixth straight.
Sidney Ponson (3-9) dropped his sixth consecutive decision.
Estes (7-3) worked his way out of trouble all night, and Shawn Chacon pitched the ninth for his 13th save in 18 chances. He allowed a solo homer to pinch-hitter David Newhan.
Colorado center fielder Preston Wilson returned to the lineup ahead of schedule after missing 58 games because of knee surgery. He went 0-for-4.
Blue Jays 3, Padres 2
SAN DIEGO - Frank Menechino homered on David Wells' fifth pitch and Ted Lilly became the latest starter to shut down San Diego.
The Blue Jays snapped their four-game losing streak, winning for just the fourth time in their last 14 road games.
Lilly (6-3) and two relievers combined on a six-hitter. The left-hander allowed one run and three hits in 6 1-3 innings. Rookie Jason Frasor allowed an RBI single by Ryan Klesko in the ninth before finishing for his fifth save in six chances.
The Padres lost their season-high sixth straight game and dropped to .500 - at 33-33 - for the first time since April 20.
Wells (2-5) allowed three runs and five hits in eight innings, struck out three and walked none.
Devil Rays 6, Diamondbacks 2
PHOENIX - Tampa Bay stretched its franchise-record winning streak to nine games, beating Randy Johnson and Arizona behind Jose Cruz Jr.'s three-run homer.
Rey Sanchez added a run-scoring triple and Geoff Blum an RBI double for the streaking Devil Rays, who have won 20 of 26 overall. They also snapped Johnson's six-game winning streak in the first meeting between these 1998 expansion teams.
Winning pitcher John Halama (3-1) allowed two runs in five innings in his first start since Sept. 4 with Oakland. Jorge Sosa threw three scoreless innings in relief for Tampa Bay.
Johnson (9-5) was charged with five runs and eight hits in six innings. He struck out four, matching a season low.
Cardinals 4, Reds 3, 11 innings
ST. LOUIS - Ken Griffey Jr. came up empty again in his bid to hit his 500th homer.
Albert Pujols homered off Mike Matthews (1-1) to lead off the bottom of the 10th inning to give the St. Louis Cardinals a 4-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night, extending their winning streak to five games.
Griffey was 0-for-4, taking a called third strike in the second, lining out to shortstop in the fourth, flying out to center in the seventh and tapping out on a checked swing in the ninth. He's 3-for-17 with two RBIs in four games since he homered Sunday against the Indians.
The Reds got key RBIs from pinch-hitter Jacob Cruz and Barry Larkin against a tiring Chris Carpenter in a two-run eighth to take a 3-2 lead.
The Cardinals tied it with a two-out rally in the ninth off closer Danny Graves, who has blown seven saves in 34 chances.
Julian Tavarez (1-0) struck out the side in the top of the 10th for St. Louis.
Dodgers 6, Yankees 3
LOS ANGELES - Jeff Weaver beat his former team, Juan Encarnacion drove in the go-ahead run and Los Angeles beat New York in the first regular-season meeting between two of baseball's most storied franchises.
Playing before the largest regular-season crowd in Dodger Stadium history (55,207), the Yankees lost back-to-back games for the first time since May 21-22 at Texas.
The teams hadn't played in a game that meant anything since the 1981 World Series, which the Dodgers won 4-2 by sweeping the final four games. Of their 11 World Series meetings, the Yankees won eight titles. Seven of the Dodgers' appearances came when they played in Brooklyn.
Weaver (5-7) gave up three runs in six innings against his former teammates. He also shut down Alex Rodriguez, who had reached base safely in 53 straight games.
Eric Gagne got three outs for his 17th save, extending his major league record to 80 in a row.
Yankees starter Javier Vazquez (7-5) struggled with his control and made a key throwing error.
Red Sox 14, Giants 9
SAN FRANCISCO - Pinch-hitter Kevin Millar delivered a go-ahead three-run homer in the fifth inning, and Boston beat San Francisco.
David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez also homered in the fifth, and Trot Nixon and Doug Mirabelli hit back-to-back home runs in the ninth for the Red Sox.
Marquis Grissom homered twice for the Giants, who had their nine-game home winning streak snapped in the first regular-season meeting between two old franchises.
Their last game that counted was in the 1912 World Series, when Boston beat the New York Giants in eight games.
Mike Timlin (4-2) pitched 2 2-3 scoreless innings for the win.
Jerome Williams (6-5) lost for the first time in eight career interleague starts.
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