ATLANTA - Kenny Rogers picked up right where he left off in October.

Making his first start of the season after a blood clot was removed from his pitching shoulder in the spring, Rogers allowed only two hits in six innings to lead the Detroit Tigers past the punchless Atlanta Braves 5-0 on Friday night.

“This surpasses what I would have expected,” Rogers said. “I don't ever go into a game saying I'm going to shut a team out. I've always been willing to give up a run here and there to minimize the damage.”

Maybe it's time to change those expectations. The 42-year-old lefty played a vital role in Detroit's run to the World Series last year, winning all three of his postseason starts and pitching 23 straight scoreless innings.

Eight months later, having recovered from scary surgery on his left shoulder, the oldest starting pitcher to win a World Series game got started on a new streak.

“Kenny was Kenny,” manager Jim Leyland said. “He did what he usually does, a little of this, a little of that, in and out, changing speeds. He picked right up where he left off.”

Rogers (1-0) got off to an ominous start - he hit Kelly Johnson with the very first pitch - then breezed through a Braves lineup that's having trouble scoring off anyone.

“The first inning felt weird,” Rogers said. “It was a very uncomfortable feeling for me. I was a little tentative in my approach. But I got more relaxed the last couple innings.”

The Tigers broke up a scoreless duel in the top half with five runs against John Smoltz (8-4).

Rogers threw 75 pitches, struck out five and didn't walk anyone. Jason Grilli, Bobby Seay and Eulogio De La Cruz finished off the two-hitter.

The Tigers' potent offense finally broke through in the sixth, scoring all five runs with two-out hits.

Magglio Ordonez had an RBI single, Carlos Guillen a two-run double and Ivan Rodriguez another double that made it 4-0. Inge hit Smoltz for another RBI single.

Cubs 5, White Sox 1

CHICAGO - Carlos Zambrano matched a career-high with 12 strikeouts as the Cubs handed their crosstown rival its 20th loss in 25 games.

Alfonso Soriano homered off Mark Buehrle leading off the game and Aramis Ramirez added a solo shot two outs later.

Zambrano (8-6) struck out seven and allowed three hits.

Paul Konerko homered in the seventh for the White Sox.

Buehrle (4-4) allowed two runs and four hits in seven innings.

Marlins 5, Twins 4

MIAMI - Hanley Ramirez hit a tie-breaking homer with two outs in the eighth inning to lead Florida to its third straight win.

Dan Uggla hit his 14th home run and had three RBIs for Florida, while Kevin Gregg pitched the ninth to earn his 14th save in as many chances.

Ramirez's homer came off Juan Rincon (2-1) after the Twins had scored twice in the eighth against Armando Benitez (2-3) to tie the game.

Nationals 4, Indians 1

WASHINGTON - A few days after earning a promotion based on a 43-game minor league hitting streak, Brandon Watson went 2-for-4 with two RBIs to lead Washington.

Watson got his first multi-RBI game in the majors.

Saul Rivera (2-2) threw a perfect sixth to get the win, and Chad Cordero pitched the ninth for his 12th save.

Fausto Carmona (8-3) took the loss.

Mets 9, Athletics 1

NEW YORK - Tom Glavine picked up his 296th victory by ending a five-start winless streak.

Glavine pitched into the ninth inning and added two hits and two RBIs. Shawn Green hit a solo home run and a two-run double, and Carlos Beltran homered and drove in two runs for the Mets.

Glavine (6-5) doubled and scored the go-ahead run in the second. He added a two-run single to cap the Mets' five-run sixth. Glavine allowed six hits, walked two and struck out five.

Lenny DiNardo (2-4) gave up six runs - two earned - and seven hits in 5 1-3 innings.

Dodgers 6, Devil Rays 3

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Luis Gonzalez homered and had two RBIs, and Russell Martin hit a two-run single to lead Los Angeles.

Gonzalez hit a solo homer in a two-run second and added an RBI triple in a two-run eighth that put the Dodgers ahead 6-3.

Derek Lowe (8-6) gave up three runs and five hits in 6 2-3 innings. Takashi Saito pitched the ninth for his 20th save.

Delmon Young homered and drove in two runs for the Devil Rays. Andy Sonnanstine (1-2) allowed four runs and 10 hits in seven innings.

Blue Jays 9, Rockies 8, 10 innings

TORONTO - John McDonald's two-run single in the 10th inning tied it and Curtis Thigpen scored the winning run on catcher Chris Iannetta's throwing error to give Toronto the wild victory.

Toronto loaded the bases in the 10th on three straight singles from Matt Stairs, Aaron Hill and Thigpen. McDonald followed with a single to left off Brian Fuentes (0-1).

Brad Hawpe homered and had three RBIs and Todd Helton had three hits for the Rockies.

Adam Lind, Alex Rios and Vernon Wells homered for Toronto.

Brian Wolfe (1-0) pitched to one batter in the 10th to record his first major league win.

Brewers 11, Royals 6

MILWAUKEE - Corey Hart homered and drove in four runs and rookie Ryan Braun had four hits for Milwaukee.

Jeff Suppan struggled but won for the third time in nine starts.

Mark Teahen had four hits for Kansas City.

Suppan (8-7) gave up nine hits and five earned runs.

Former Brewer Jorge De La Rosa (4-9) gave up 10 hits and seven earned runs in five innings.

Rangers 11, Astros 3

ARLINGTON, Texas - Sammy Sosa hit career home run No. 601, the first of three Texas hit in an eight-run fifth inning.

Kevin Millwood (4-6) won his second straight start after going seven games without a victory since April 13 with two stints on the disabled list.

Craig Biggio singled in the fifth inning for his 2,993rd career hit and Mike Lamb went 2-for-4 for Houston.

Sosa's two-run homer off Woody Williams (3-10) started the scoring.

Orioles 7, Diamondbacks 1

PHOENIX - Brian Roberts tripled and homered and drove in three runs and Baltimore took advantage of three Arizona errors for its third straight win.

Daniel Cabrera (6-8) held the Diamondbacks hitless for five innings.

Reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Brandon Webb (7-5) went five innings, allowing seven runs - three earned - and six hits.

Red Sox 2, Padres 1

SAN DIEGO - Daisuke Matsuzaka escaped a first-inning jam to outpitch Greg Maddux.

Matsuzaka (9-5) allowed one run and five hits, struck out nine and walked five.

Maddux (6-4) lost to the Red Sox for the first time in six career decisions over eight starts against them.

Jonathan Papelbon pitched the ninth for his 17th save in 18 chances.

Marcus Giles scored on Michael Barrett's single to left.

Phillies 6, Cardinals 1

ST. LOUIS - Anthony Reyes lost his 11th straight decision, failing to make it out of the fifth inning of Philadelphia's 6-0 victory over St. Louis on Friday night.

Jamie Moyer (7-5) threw six scoreless innings and Chase Utley had three hits and an RBI for the Phillies

Reyes (0-9) allowed five runs and nine hits in 4 1-3 innings.

Shane Victorino and Utley had RBI singles and Ryan Howard hit an RBI double in the third before Greg Dobbs' sacrifice fly ended the string of hits.

Yankees 7, Giants 3

SAN FRANCISCO - Barry Bonds got the home run. Alex Rodriguez helped the New York Yankees earn the win.

Bonds' 749th career home run wasn't enough to overcome four hits and two RBIs for Rodriguez. Bonds connected for his 15th home run of the season in the eighth inning off Scott Proctor.

Luis Vizcaino (4-1) got the win in relief for New York. The Yankees scored three times in the second against Matt Cain (2-8).