Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
AL: Kazmir, Lester give teams a big boost
By The Associated Press
Tuesday, July 22, 2008 | No comments posted.
Scott Kazmir gave the Tampa Bay Rays an All-Star performance. Jon Lester provided Boston with a much-needed lift on the road in Seattle.
Tampa Bay’s ace won for just the second time in his last eight starts, allowing a season-low two hits in seven innings of the Rays’ 4-0 victory over the struggling Oakland Athletics on Monday night.
“It feels great. I feel like it’s long overdue,” said Kazmir after his first start since the All-Star break. “This is certainly something to build on, but it’s just huge that we set the tone for the series with this win.”
Lester (8-3), who was born in nearby Tacoma and starred at that city’s Bellarmine Prep high school, pitched 7 1-3 shutout innings before leaving the game after a hard one-hopper went off his right shin.
“It’s nice to come back home and pitch halfway decent,” he said.
He left the game with a trainer and the bases loaded but did not appear injured while watching from the bench as Jonathan Papelbon got Raul Ibanez to ground into a double play.
Papelbon finished the ninth for his 29th save in 33 chances in Boston’s major league-best 11th shutout. The Red Sox held on for a 4-0 victory.
After losing all three weekend games to the Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Boston entered Monday 21-32 (.396) away from Fenway Park, 11th in the American League.
In Tampa, the A’s lost their sixth in a row for their longest skid since they dropped nine straight from July 6-17, 2007. They’ve been held to nine runs during the slide.
The Rays gave Kazmir (8-5) an extra day to get ready for his first start since July 13, and the left-hander responded with his longest outing since he went eight innings to beat Texas on June 6.
“This is really going to boost his confidence going into the next start,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “Oakland is the type of team that will take pitches and try to push up the pitch count, and they’re willing to accept their walks.”
Yankees 12, Twins 4
At New York, Alex Rodriguez had a two-run homer and RBI single to help New York to its eighth straight home win.
Robinson Cano and Derek Jeter also homered for the Yankees, who have won four straight overall.
Alexi Casilla had three hits for the Twins, but the second baseman’s throwing error led to three unearned runs in New York’s four-run second.
Minnesota dropped to 3-17 at Yankee Stadium since the start of the 2002 season. The Twins have lost six straight series in the Bronx.
Orioles 8, Blue Jays 3
At Baltimore, Adam Jones homered in the third, then got a key infield single in a three-run fifth for Baltimore.
Jones hit a two-run homer and scored twice. He has reached base safely in 20 straight games, going 29-for-78 (.372) with 15 RBIs.
Ramon Hernandez homered for the Orioles, who climbed out of last place in the AL East, moving ahead of Toronto.
Rangers 6, White Sox 1
At Chicago, Josh Hamilton hit a three-run homer and Hank Blalock added a two-run shot to power Texas.
Hamilton hit his 22nd homer in the third off Javier Vazquez, as the White Sox lost their third straight, all at home.
Blalock added his fourth homer in the eighth and Texas (52-48) tied its season-best mark, at four games over .500.
Chicago’s Carlos Quentin led off the fourth with his 24th homer.
Tigers 19, Royals 4
At Kansas City, Mo., Miguel Cabrera had five hits and six RBIs and Matt Joyce added four hits and five RBIs for Detroit.
It was the third time this season that the Tigers scored 19 runs. The Boston Red Sox were the last team to accomplish that feat, scoring 19 or more four times in 1950, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Detroit beat Texas 19-6 on April 23 and Minnesota 19-3 on May 24.
Joyce hit a three-run homer in the third and had two singles in the Tigers’ 10-run eighth, which also included a three-run homer by Gary Sheffield. Cabrera singled and doubled and drove in two runs in the inning when the Tigers sent 15 men to the plate.
Royals reserve infielder Tony Pena Jr. pitched a perfect ninth, including striking out Ivan Rodriguez. He was the first Royals position player to pitch in a game since Shane Halter on July 19, 1998, at Seattle.
Indians 5, Angels 2
At Anaheim, Calif., Andy Marte, Casey Blake and Jhonny Peralta homered for Cleveland as it snapped Los Angeles’ five-game winning streak.
Paul Byrd (4-10) allowed a run and nine hits over 5 1-3 innings for his first victory since June 6. He was 0-5 with a 7.76 ERA in his previous six starts.
Masa Kobayashi struck out the side in the ninth for his sixth save.
The Angels, coming off a three-game sweep of Boston, still own baseball’s best record (60-39) and hold a nine-game lead over Oakland in the AL West.
Ervin Santana (11-4) was charged with four runs — three earned — and seven hits over seven innings, striking out eight.
Tampa Bay’s ace won for just the second time in his last eight starts, allowing a season-low two hits in seven innings of the Rays’ 4-0 victory over the struggling Oakland Athletics on Monday night.
“It feels great. I feel like it’s long overdue,” said Kazmir after his first start since the All-Star break. “This is certainly something to build on, but it’s just huge that we set the tone for the series with this win.”
Lester (8-3), who was born in nearby Tacoma and starred at that city’s Bellarmine Prep high school, pitched 7 1-3 shutout innings before leaving the game after a hard one-hopper went off his right shin.
“It’s nice to come back home and pitch halfway decent,” he said.
He left the game with a trainer and the bases loaded but did not appear injured while watching from the bench as Jonathan Papelbon got Raul Ibanez to ground into a double play.
Papelbon finished the ninth for his 29th save in 33 chances in Boston’s major league-best 11th shutout. The Red Sox held on for a 4-0 victory.
After losing all three weekend games to the Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Boston entered Monday 21-32 (.396) away from Fenway Park, 11th in the American League.
In Tampa, the A’s lost their sixth in a row for their longest skid since they dropped nine straight from July 6-17, 2007. They’ve been held to nine runs during the slide.
The Rays gave Kazmir (8-5) an extra day to get ready for his first start since July 13, and the left-hander responded with his longest outing since he went eight innings to beat Texas on June 6.
“This is really going to boost his confidence going into the next start,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “Oakland is the type of team that will take pitches and try to push up the pitch count, and they’re willing to accept their walks.”
Yankees 12, Twins 4
At New York, Alex Rodriguez had a two-run homer and RBI single to help New York to its eighth straight home win.
Robinson Cano and Derek Jeter also homered for the Yankees, who have won four straight overall.
Alexi Casilla had three hits for the Twins, but the second baseman’s throwing error led to three unearned runs in New York’s four-run second.
Minnesota dropped to 3-17 at Yankee Stadium since the start of the 2002 season. The Twins have lost six straight series in the Bronx.
Orioles 8, Blue Jays 3
At Baltimore, Adam Jones homered in the third, then got a key infield single in a three-run fifth for Baltimore.
Jones hit a two-run homer and scored twice. He has reached base safely in 20 straight games, going 29-for-78 (.372) with 15 RBIs.
Ramon Hernandez homered for the Orioles, who climbed out of last place in the AL East, moving ahead of Toronto.
Rangers 6, White Sox 1
At Chicago, Josh Hamilton hit a three-run homer and Hank Blalock added a two-run shot to power Texas.
Hamilton hit his 22nd homer in the third off Javier Vazquez, as the White Sox lost their third straight, all at home.
Blalock added his fourth homer in the eighth and Texas (52-48) tied its season-best mark, at four games over .500.
Chicago’s Carlos Quentin led off the fourth with his 24th homer.
Tigers 19, Royals 4
At Kansas City, Mo., Miguel Cabrera had five hits and six RBIs and Matt Joyce added four hits and five RBIs for Detroit.
It was the third time this season that the Tigers scored 19 runs. The Boston Red Sox were the last team to accomplish that feat, scoring 19 or more four times in 1950, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Detroit beat Texas 19-6 on April 23 and Minnesota 19-3 on May 24.
Joyce hit a three-run homer in the third and had two singles in the Tigers’ 10-run eighth, which also included a three-run homer by Gary Sheffield. Cabrera singled and doubled and drove in two runs in the inning when the Tigers sent 15 men to the plate.
Royals reserve infielder Tony Pena Jr. pitched a perfect ninth, including striking out Ivan Rodriguez. He was the first Royals position player to pitch in a game since Shane Halter on July 19, 1998, at Seattle.
Indians 5, Angels 2
At Anaheim, Calif., Andy Marte, Casey Blake and Jhonny Peralta homered for Cleveland as it snapped Los Angeles’ five-game winning streak.
Paul Byrd (4-10) allowed a run and nine hits over 5 1-3 innings for his first victory since June 6. He was 0-5 with a 7.76 ERA in his previous six starts.
Masa Kobayashi struck out the side in the ninth for his sixth save.
The Angels, coming off a three-game sweep of Boston, still own baseball’s best record (60-39) and hold a nine-game lead over Oakland in the AL West.
Ervin Santana (11-4) was charged with four runs — three earned — and seven hits over seven innings, striking out eight.
The comments below are from users of theworldlink.com and do not necessarily represent the views of The World or Lee Enterprises. Participation Guidelines
Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Not already registered?
The World welcomes your comments about stories, and we encourage a robust dialogue on this site. All comments must meet reasonable standards of decency and civility.
Please follow these basic rules:
- No defamatory comments about individuals or businesses.
- No deliberately false information.
- No obscenity or racially offensive language.
- No harassment, verbal abuse, threats or personal attacks.
- No information that invades another person's privacy.
- No business solicitations or charitable solicitations.
Comments that violate these standards will not be posted. Users with repeated violations may be banned from future posting.Comments will be approved throughout the day during business hours. After hours and weekend comments may not appear until the following business day. It may take a couple of hours before comments are approved.
The World generally does not edit comments, but we reserve the right to edit any comment that does not meet our standards.
Close Guidelines