MLB: Uggla pushes first-place Marlins past Diamondbacks

The Associated Press |

5/20/2008 - 5/21/08

MIAMI — Maybe these first-place Florida Marlins are no fluke.

Dan Uggla hit his 14th home run and Kevin Gregg escaped a bases-loaded jam in the eighth inning to help the Marlins take the opening game in a series between division leaders, beating Arizona 3-2 on Tuesday night.

Florida did lots of little things right against NL West leader Arizona, which began the week with the best record in the majors. Jeremy Hermida and Luis Gonzalez had two-out RBIs, the worst defense in the majors was errorless and Gregg came to the rescue to protect the one-run lead.

Braves 6, Mets 1; Braves 6, Mets 2

In Atlanta, Tom Glavine overcame a shaky first inning. Jorge Campillo pushed aside all those bad memories from his first big-league start.

The result: a sweep for the Braves.

Glavine pitched six strong innings against his former team, retiring his last 17 hitters, to lead the Braves past the New York Mets 6-1 in the opener of a doubleheader. Then it was Campillo's turn, and he was even better than his future Hall of Famer teammate — six scoreless innings for his first major-league win, a 6-2 triumph in the nightcap.

Phillies 1, Nationals 0

In Washington, Greg Dobbs' RBI pinch-hit single in the ninth inning gave Philadelphia the victory.

Dobbs picked up the game-winning RBI as a pinch hitter for reliever Tom Gordon. Dobbs has 10 pinch hits and nine RBIs in 22 at-bats this season.

Gordon (4-2) earned the win with a scoreless eighth.

Brewers 7, Pirates 2

In Pittsburgh, Manny Parra pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings, and Mike Cameron and Corey Hart homered to help Milwaukee snap a five-game losing streak.

Parra (2-2) won for the first time since beating San Francisco on April 5, his first start of the season. The left-hander allowed only four hits and a walk, and struck out six.

Cameron, who entered in a 7-for-46 slump, had three hits and a walk. His two-run home run into the left-fielder corner in the seventh was his fifth of the season.

Giants 6, Rockies 5

In Denver, Tim Lincecum pitched six effective innings, Rich Aurilia had three hits, including a solo homer, and San Francisco snapped a season-high six-game skid.

Lincecum (6-1) gave up three runs and scattered five hits while striking out six. He also walked four.

Astros 4, Cubs 2

In Houston, a day after snapping a career-high 16-game hitting streak with an 0-for-4 night, Hunter Pence had three hits, including his second career grand slam. Pence also had a single and a double and has 18 RBIs in the last 18 games.

Miguel Tejada doubled in the fourth inning for his 1,800th hit. He's the 44th shortstop in major league history to reach the milestone and has the most RBIs (34) and hits (64) of any player at his position this season.


Orioles 12, Yankees 2

In New York, just when the slumping Yankees got Alex Rodriguez back, Derek Jeter went down with an injury that nearly led to a brawl.

Adam Jones hit a three-run double during Baltimore's seven-run first inning against Mike Mussina (6-4), and the Orioles routed New York 12-2 Tuesday night in a testy game that included a late homer by A-Rod in his return from the disabled list.

Angels 3, Blue Jays 1

In Toronto, John Lackey won for the first time since Sept. 28, pitching seven strong innings to help the Angels get a rare victory in Toronto.

Making his second start of the year after returning from a strained triceps, Lackey (1-0) gave up a leadoff homer to Toronto's Brad Wilkerson in the first, then blanked the Blue Jays the rest of the way.

Francisco Rodriguez loaded the bases with three straight walks in the ninth, but held on to record his major-league leading 18th save.

Tigers 12, Mariners 8

In Detroit, Justin Verlander struck out a season-high seven and Edgar Renteria hit one of the Tigers' four homers and matched a career high with five RBIs in Detroit's victory.

Verlander (2-7) gave up one run, four hits and walked one over six innings, earning his first win in nearly a month.

Red Sox 2, Royals 1

In Boston, rookie Justin Masterson pitched 61/3 strong innings one day after Jon Lester's no-hitter against Kansas City and the Red Sox silenced the Royals bats again.

The 23-year-old Masterson (1-0) allowed one run on three hits in his second major league start. Jonathan Papelbon ended a bases-loaded threat in the eighth by striking out Billy Butler and pitched a perfect ninth — with two more strikeouts — for his 13th save in 15 opportunities.

White Sox 4, Indians 1

In Chicago, Jose Contreras outpitched C.C. Sabathia, and Jim Thome and Carlos Quentin hit solo homers to lift the White Sox over the Indians.

Quentin went deep in the first, hitting his American League-leading 12th homer and his second in as many games. Thome connected on the first pitch of the second inning, and Contreras (5-3) kept the AL's weakest offense in check while leading AL Central leader Chicago to its ninth win in 12 games.

Twins 11, Rangers 4

In Minneapolis, Glen Perkins pitched six scoreless innings for his first major-league win and the Twins beat the Rangers.

The Rangers lost their third in a row after Minnesota roughed up Texas starter Doug Mathis (1-1) for nine runs in 2 1/3 innings.