Baseball

Adam Dunn hit his first homer with the D-backs, as Arizona downed the Padres, 7-6, on Tuesday night. The D-backs also batted around in the first inning, scoring four runs in support of Doug Davis, who allowed two runs in six strong innings.

Stephen Drew, who missed Tuesday night's game against the Padres with a groin strain, could be back in the lineup Wednesday when the D-backs host the Padres in the middle game of a three-game set. The D-backs had an off-day Monday, so Drew will have had two days off.

Outfielder Justin Upton is headed to Salt Lake City with Triple-A Tucson as he continues his rehab from a strained oblique muscle. D-backs manager Bob Melvin is giving Upton all the time needed to get his swing where he wants it before returning.

D-backs second baseman Orlando Hudson was back in the clubhouse Tuesday, rejoining his team after undergoing two surgeries on his left wrist. Hudson said he was back to lend support in any way he can as the team battles the Dodgers for the division crown.

Joe Kennedy was Dan Haren's teammate in Oakland and Arizona, and his best friend. Eight months after Kennedy's passing, Haren still thinks about him every day.

After six strong innings from starter Jo-Jo Reyes, Jeff Bennett, Will Ohman, and Julian Tavarez allowed a five-run eighth to erase a one-run lead in a 7-3 loss to the Mets on Tuesday. The Braves did all their scoring in the third.

The injury-plagued Braves have all but conceded their postseason hopes, but that doesn't mean they can't play out an exciting series with the Mets and knock the National League East leaders from their high horse.

Blaine Boyer has appeared in more games than any other pitcher in the Majors, but the young Braves reliever refuses to blame his recent struggles on fatigue, preferring to view the season as a learning experience.

You remember: Game 7; 1992 National League Championship Series; Barry Bonds firing home from left field; a lumbering Sid Bream eluding the sweeping tag. The former Braves first baseman launched a career off The Slide -- but it was, in his words, a platform for great things to come.

Shut down by San Francisco ace Tim Lincecum on Sunday, Atlanta couldn't do anything against struggling Barry Zito on Monday, falling, 5-0, at Turner Field.

Starting with this three-game set with Cincinnati, the Cubs play nine times against National League bottom feeders. These are the games they're supposed to win, a statement that can easily turn dangerous.

Rich Harden tossed seven shutout innings and drove in the game's only run as the Cubs edged the Reds, 5-0, on Tuesday night. Harden (3-1) stuck out 10 and gave up two hits.

The Cubs have a Rookie of the Year favorite, a Comeback Player of the Year choice, a Manager of the Year contender and even a Cy Young possibility. What they don't have, at least statistically speaking, is an MVP candidate.

In her latest mailbag, beat reporter Carrie Muskat discusses the differences in outfield roles, 20-game winners, Rich Hill's health and much more.

Reds starters have yet to throw a complete game in the 2008 season. The club record for fewest complete games in a season is two -- which was done in 2001, 2002 and 2005.

Johnny Cueto was strong, but came up empty in a pitchers' duel with Rich Harden, as the Reds dropped a 5-0 game to the Cubs Tuesday at Wrigley Field.

Wood throws 7 2/3 no-hit frames

It's been a miserably tough season for Aaron Harang, and his 2008 became even more trying after the right-hander's scheduled start on Thursday was pushed back because of neck spasms.

Joey Votto will start on Tuesday for the first time since returning to the Reds from the bereavement list following the sudden passing of his father, Joe.

Clint Hurdle likes what he sees out of Brad Hawpe. Over the last three months, Hawpe has steadily pulled his batting average up from near the .230 mark to a few points shy of .300 and he has racked up 30 RBIs since the All-Star break.

The Rockies used three homers and strong relief to produce an 8-3 victory over the Dodgers on Tuesday night in front of 46,687 to take the first game of the series.

Clint Hurdle is not in awe, but he can appreciate a good hitter, and for the next three games his club will have the task of figuring out Manny Ramirez.

Player Journal: Dexter Fowler

Villarreal, Redman dominate for Sox

One benchmark Scott Olsen set for himself this season was to reach 200 innings pitched. He'll need to average roughly 6 2/3 innings in each of what should be seven remaining starts, starting with his clash against San Francisco.

At last, Ricky Nolasco was able to close the deal, and by doing so, the right-hander put to rest an infamous Major League record. Nolasco tossed a shutout Tuesday night, limiting the Giants to two hits as the Marlins claimed a 6-0 victory at AT&T Park.

Physically, Renyel Pinto feels fine, despite being one of the most used pitchers in the game. Mentally, having Monday off and a little break from the action was refreshing for the lefty reliever.

The world will be watching, and with any luck at all, Matt Treanor will be able to follow his wife's quest for gold at the Olympics. It won't be easy.

Despite a recent slump, the Marlins remain in the thick of the playoff chase in the NL East and figure to contend for the rest of the season.

Geoff Blum's three-run homer in the sixth inning broke a tie and lifted the Astros to a 5-2 win over the Brewers at Miller Park on Tuesday night.

For catcher Brad Ausmus, who's in his 10th season with Houston, the finale vs. Milwaukee could be his last visit to Miller Park in an Astros uniform.

Astros right-hander Felipe Paulino was diagnosed with bursitis in his right shoulder after being examined by team medical director David Lintner on Tuesday.

Astros manager Cecil Cooper knew Miguel Tejada wasn't going to be happy with him as soon as the shortstop took a look at the lineup card on Tuesday and saw his name wasn't on it.

Some scratched their heads when the Astros traded for LaTroy Hawkins, but the veteran reliever has been lights-out since joining the Houston 'pen.

Although the National League West is shaping up as a two-team race between Los Angeles and Arizona, the Rockies shouldn't be discounted, as they were in a similar spot a year ago before rallying down the stretch to a World Series berth.

Ian Stewart homered and had a career-high five RBIs on Tuesday night as the Rockies spoiled the arrival of Greg Maddux with an 8-3 win that knocked the Dodgers out of a first-place tie.

Hired gun Greg Maddux will resume his Dodgers career when he starts on Friday night in Philadelphia, manager Joe Torre preferring to hold Maddux over for the opener of a series against the Phillies to having him face the Rockies at Dodger Stadium.

The body of work from the last 23 seasons will surely get Greg Maddux into the Hall of Fame, first ballot. But what he does over the next six weeks could get the Dodgers into the postseason. That's why he's a Dodger again.

Acquiring Greg Maddux for the stretch run two years ago worked so well for Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti, he did it again.

Brewers starter Ben Sheets endured a rocky outing, allowing a pair of big base hits en route to a 5-2 loss at the hands of the Astros on Tuesday.

A home run shy of becoming the first Brewers player to have two 20/20 seasons, Corey Hart has been swinging a hot bat heading into the finale vs. the Astros.

After allowing CC Sabathia to throw 130 pitches to complete a game the Brewers led handily on Monday, manager Ned Yost said he was comfortable with the decision.

Ryan Braun was out of the Brewers' starting lineup Tuesday with back tightness, but neither player nor manager was concerned about a prolonged absence.

Without Billy Wagner and his 385 saves, the Mets' bullpen is playing by situation who to put on the mound to hold close leads in the ninth inning.

A five-run eighth, highlighted by Carlos Delgado's two-run double and Damion Easley's two-run single -- both with the bases loaded -- rejuvenated a Mets offense that had been shut down after the first inning in Tuesday's 7-3 win over the Braves.

An MRI on Billy Wagner's ailing left elbow has revealed increased inflammation in a tendon, and the Mets closer could potentially miss the remainder of the season.

Obscured somewhat by the team's winning streak -- which ended on Monday -- the problems of the bullpen and the effectiveness of the starting pitchers, is the disappearance of Carlos Delgado. A remarkable force in July, the first baseman has been something far less of late.

Another collapse by the Mets' bullpen, this one not quite so spectacular as others of late, was nonetheless bad enough to end the team's winning streak Monday afternoon. Three of the five relievers summoned to follow starter John Maine played roles in what became a 5-2 loss to the Pirates.

Carlos Ruiz's defense keeps him in the lineup, a reason that has to be considered good enough in a season in which the catcher is batting .220. As the Phillies' bats struggle, Ruiz will try to step it up at the plate.

Jayson Werth clobbered Steve Shell's hanging curveball for a game-winning, eighth-inning home run, capping a comeback from three runs down, and gave the Phillies a 5-4 win over Washington at Citizens Bank Park.

Jimmy Rollins heard boos in the first inning of Tuesday night's game vs. the Nationals for calling Philadelphia fans "front-runners" a week ago.

The crush of youngsters stood outside Volunteer Stadium waiting for Ryan Howard to arrive. As they waited, they broke into chants: "Howard, Howard, Howard!"

After watching his team's two-month offensive stumble, Charlie Manuel, himself a former hitting instructor of some renown, has opened the floor for suggestions.

After notching 31 homers in the Minors last season, Steve Pearce has not yet collected a big league round-tripper. The starting right fielder is not pressing though, instead working on the quality of his at-bats.

Ian Snell earned his first win in five decisions vs. the Cardinals in convincing fashion on Tuesday, fanning eight and surrendering just four hits in the 4-1 Pirates victory.

With Nate McLouth battling illness, Nyjer Morgan started in center field on Tuesday after being called up Monday from Triple-A Indianapolis.

John Challis passed away on Tuesday from liver and lung cancer, but the 18-year-old's positive attitude will continue to resonate strongly with Pirates players and staff.

Bucs manager John Russell relayed news from the Mientkiewicz family that Doug's wife Jodi underwent successful surgery to put in a pacemaker on Monday.

Padres ace right-hander Jake Peavy grew up as a Greg Maddux fan, then got to play with his idol the last few years. Peavy says he will miss Maddux, traded to the Dodgers on Tuesday. Peavy says Maddux was like another pitching coach to Padres pitchers.

Righty Josh Banks struggled with his command, walking seven and allowing four hits and six runs in four innings, as the Padres dropped a 7-6 decision to the host D-backs on Tuesday. Sean Kazmar hit a sac fly for his first Major League RBI.

The Padres sent veteran Greg Maddux to the Dodgers on Tuesday for two prospects. Maddux was 20-20 in 60 career starts for the Padres and has won 353 games in his career. There's a chance the right-hander could return to the Padres in '09.

The Padres visit the D-backs on Tuesday in their final series in the desert this season. San Diego, 5-7 against first-place Arizona in 2008, is coming off a series loss to Philadelphia in which it sandwiched two one-run games around a blowout victory.

On a night where Cha Seung Baek admitted to pitching his best game at home since joining San Diego, he still has to go home with a loss as the Padres fell to the Phillies, 2-1, on Sunday at PETCO Park.

After a rough opening act in the first game of a three-game series with the Marlins, the Giants will try to right the ship with a victory against the Fish. They'll send Matt Cain to the mound as he looks to even his record at 9-9.

The Giants committed four errors and starting pitcher Kevin Correia struggled as the Marlins put their potent offense on display in a 6-0 San Francisco loss Tuesday night at AT&T Park.

Giants starting pitcher Noah Lowry, who had surgery on his forearm during Spring Training, is steadily recovering and, according to manager Bruce Bochy, will possibly throw off a mound in the next week.

When catcher Bengie Molina broke into the Major Leagues with the Anaheim Angels in 1999, he wasn't fortunate to find a mentor in the clubhouse. Now, as the veteran catcher on the Giants, Molina welcomes the chance to teach and guide players like Pablo Sandoval.

Barry Zito pitched seven shutout innings and Aaron Rowand drove in a pair of runs Monday to help the Giants defeat the Atlanta Braves, The Giants won three of four games from Atlanta, ending a streak of 20 consecutive non-winning series that dated back to 1993.

Tony La Russa says his Cardinals need a long stretch of wins if they hope to capture the National League Wild Card spot. The veteran skipper believes his players should not look too far ahead, though.

Braden Looper was on the wrong end of a pitchers' duel Tuesday, as his seven innings of three-hit ball weren't enough to outweigh Pirates starter Ian Snell in a 4-1 Cardinals loss.

Jason Isringhausen's season could be over, after an MRI and exam revealed right elbow tendinitis and a partial tendon tear in his flexor group Tuesday.

Cardinals right-hander Chris Carpenter threw off flat ground on Tuesday and reported no problems. Carpenter plans to repeat the process on Wednesday.

Adam Wainwright is ready to face big league hitters, though whether he will come back as a reliever or as a starter is not yet resolved.

Marco Estrada was called up on Tuesday to fill the spot in the Nationals' bullpen that became vacant when Luis Ayala was traded to the Mets on Sunday. Along with adjusting to the Major Leagues for the first time, he will be pitching out of the bullpen for the first time since 2006.

The Nationals couldn't hold a three-run lead over the Phillies on Tuesday night, falling to Philadelphia, 5-4, in front of a sellout crowd at Citizens Bank Park.

Three days after hurting his right calf in a home-plate collision, Nationals catcher Jesus Flores is back in Washington's starting lineup for Tuesday night's game against the Phillies.

Playing every infield position but first base and coming up big for the Nats in left field while the club deals with injuries, utility man Willie Harris has been a bright spot for Washington this season.

When the Nationals are in a close game, Saul Rivera will likely be pitching in the seventh or eighth inning. He has been a workhorse the past two years for Washington.

As the Orioles look toward their series finale with the Red Sox on Wednesday -- and the rest of their current nine-game homestand -- they do it knowing that they will have to find a way to survive without their All-Star closer, at least for the remainder of their current stay at Camden Yards.

Daniel Cabrera couldn't get through the fifth inning and allowed six earned runs in the Orioles' 7-2 loss to the Red Sox on Tuesday night at Oriole Park.

The Orioles lost the services of closer George Sherrill, who was placed on the disabled list with a case of inflammation in his left shoulder Tuesday.

The O's assumed Chris Ray would be sidelined all of 2008 after right elbow surgery last season, but the right-hander has progressed at an astounding rate.

Kevin Gracie came to Camden Yards on Tuesday afternoon wearing an orange Orioles jersey, a white Orioles hat and a big backpack -- to collect as many free Luke Scott T-shirts as he could.

For the first time in recent memory, Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek might actually be able to enjoy a day off. Despite the catcher's recent offensive breakout, manager Terry Francona will stick with his plan of giving Varitek a rest on Wednesday night and have Kevin Cash catch the struggling Clay Buchholz.

Daisuke Matsuzaka weaved in and out of traffic to notch his 15th victory of the season in the Red Sox's 7-2 conquest over the Orioles on Tuesday.

Red Sox ace Josh Beckett will be pushed back three days in the rotation and is now scheduled to make his next start on Tuesday at Yankee Stadium. Beckett and manager Terry Francona both said that the injury could have been caused by the pitcher sleeping on his arm.

Red Sox legend Carl Yastrzemski underwent triple bypass surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital, and was said to be doing well when the procedure was finished at roughly 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday.

With 37 games left in their 2008 season, the Red Sox know full well that crunch time has arrived. They trail the Tampa Bay Rays by 4 1/2 games in the American League East, but lead the Twins by 1 1/2 games in the Wild Card. Daisuke Matsuzaka takes a 14-2 record into Tuesday's start vs. the Orioles.

Walk-off homer completes second cycle

A letdown at U.S. Cellular Field? For this White Sox team, which owns a 44-19 record at home, that's not likely. And playing a team like the Mariners, owners of the worst record in the American League, it certainly isn't probable.

Clayton Richard, making his fourth start of the season, kept Seattle scoreless through six innings and led the White Sox to a 5-0 win over the Mariners at U.S. Cellular Field on Tuesday night.

After more than two weeks of inactivity, Joe Crede resumed his Minor League injury rehab assignment on Tuesday night in Charlotte. Crede played five innings and finished with a strikeout and flyout.

Toby Hall was a little taken aback by the media's concern for his well-being following the White Sox 13-5 victory on Monday, especially since the backup catcher didn't appear in the team's third straight win.

David Dellucci doesn't care for the specifics. He knows he's hitting well right now, and that's enough for him.

Homers by Grady Sizemore, Ryan Garko and Shin-Shoo Choo were more than enough, as the Indians prevailed on Tuesday, 9-4. Anthony Reyes gave up two runs in five innings.

Eric Wedge could be facing a roster crunch soon, as Travis Hafner, Victor Martinez and Josh Barfield are nearing Major League returns from injury. Barfield's position is still up in the air and Tribe manager Eric Wedge is still undecided how the second baseman factors.

The city of Goodyear, Ariz., has taken over construction of the outside infrastructure to the Indians' new $108 million Spring Training facility. The offsite infrastructure will be completed in time for when Grady Sizemore and Co. report to Spring Training 2009.

Matt LaPorta, arguably the Tribe's No. 1 Minor League prospect, was plunked in the head by a pitch in Team USA's 9-1 victory over China early Monday morning.

The Tigers' recent play might not result in the season ending they wanted, one with a postseason berth. Yet, it's backing up the talk manager Jim Leyland had with his team about how he wanted it to play down the stretch.

Matt Joyce's go-ahead three-run blast and Edgar Renteria's solo homer fueled a nine-run seventh that pulled Detroit and former Rangers pitcher Armando Galarraga away for an 11-3 victory over Texas on Tuesday night.

Not only do Kenny Rogers' 54 wins at Rangers Ballpark top the record list, they're going to top the list for a while, considering no one else has more than 37. That doesn't mean Rogers always enjoyed this ballpark as a pitcher.

Tigers center fielder Curtis Granderson knows things could still be better, but the numbers show his two-strike approach is getting better.

Don't expect a big I-told-you-so from Armando Galarraga when he takes the mound here Tuesday night. He's had 4 1/2 months to make his point: The Rangers gave up on a pretty good pitcher.

Gil Meche has been outstanding since the All-Star break, going 4-0 with a 2.78 ERA. Meche looks to keep the good times rolling against the Indians on Wednesday night.

The loss to the Indians hurt the Royals in two ways. First, with the Indians 9-4 win on Tuesday, the Royals will not be able to pass the Indians in the AL Central standings. More importantly, they may have lost their young right-handed phenom, Luke Hochevar, for some time.

Royals rookie pitcher Luke Hochevar left Tuesday night's game against the Indians prior to the sixth inning because of an apparent injury.

Right-hander Kip Wells, a 10-year veteran, signed with the Royals and will join them immediately, the club announced on Tuesday. Left-hander Josh Newman was optioned to Triple-A Omaha to make room for Wells.

Pitcher Kip Wells had to come to Cleveland just to catch his breath. It's been a grinding whirlwind of a season for the recently-signed Royals right-hander.

In his third Major League season, Jered Weaver has not found a groove. He has been dominant at times and has had his struggles. Because he doesn't throw in the mid-90s like Ervin Santana, Weaver needs control to go with the deception his elaborate delivery provides. When he gets behind in the count, he runs into trouble.

Ervin Santana took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, but the bullpen faltered in the eighth and the Angels fell to the Rays, 4-2.

As another season winds down with the front-running Angels in first place by a wide margin, it's becoming clear, as evidenced by up-and-coming squads like the Rays, that the Halos are one of baseball's model franchises.

Angels shortstop Erick Aybar took a hit away from his big brother, Willy, on Monday night at Tropicana Field, back-handing a bullet headed toward left field and starting a double play in the seventh inning.

If your birthday is June 30, a relatively small but powerful evidence sample suggests you're industrious and determined, that you don't readily accept others' views of your talents, possibilities and limitations.

Kevin Slowey recorded a career-high 12 strikeouts and Brian Buscher tied a career-high with five RBIs as Minnesota slammed Oakland, 13-2, on Tuesday night at the Metrodome.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire believes injuries have been a major contributor to his team's lackluster defense this season.

Shortstop Adam Everett and left fielder Delmon Young were held out of the starting lineup on Tuesday due to injuries sustained during Monday's game against Oakland.

According to manager Ron Gardenhire, Alexi Casilla will return to the Twins on Wednesday, barring any unforeseen developments.

The Twins got a chance to rest their bullpen on Monday, despite losing to the A's, when Nick Blackburn went eight innings. Minnesota's bullpen has struggled of late, especially four right-handers who set up closer Joe Nathan.

As the dates continue to fall off the calendar, Alex Rodriguez is among those who believe the Yankees need to begin pushing the envelope a little more, taking chances to counteract the fact that their postseason odds are dwindling.

Marco Scutaro's eighth-inning double smacked off Johnny Damon's glove in center field, allowing the go-ahead run to score as the Blue Jays edged the Yankees on Tuesday at the Rogers Centre, 2-1.

During the Yankees' June trip to Pittsburgh, Alex Rodriguez presented 18-year-old cancer patient John Challis with a baseball bat. The Yankees third baseman received something infinitely more meaningful in exchange.

Greeted by welcoming smiles, Hideki Matsui returned to the Yankees on Tuesday, activated and added to the roster following a rehabilitation process that many believed would not be successfully completed.

Beat reporter Bryan Hoch discusses Mike Mussina's chances of making the Hall of Fame, Sidney Ponson's long-term prospects, and Chien-Ming Wang's injury.

Having pulled himself from the series opener against the Twins after 2 2/3 shutout innings with pain in his surgically repaired right hip, Justin Duchscherer headed back to the Bay Area to Tuesday to meet with team doctors.

A's rookie righty Sean Gallagher was roughed up early and often Tuesday as the host Twins rolled to a 13-2 victory in the second game of a three-game series at the Metrodome.

When asked who would be his closer when Brad Ziegler is unavailable, A's manager Bob Geren basically clammed up.

Frank Thomas, who turned 40 in May, believes that the Athletics are closer to contention than they appear, and would like to return the team next season.

The Mariners might not be contending for the playoffs this season, but they're getting a chance to experience the pennant-race atmosphere. They finish up their eight-game road trip on Wednesday with a game against the White Sox.

Mariners right-hander Felix Hernandez experienced the peril of pitching to the most powerful team in the Major Leagues on Tuesday night, surrendering two home runs in a 5-0 loss to the White Sox in front of 26,414 at U.S. Cellular Field.

If Mariners outfielder Wladimir Balentien has had his chest stuck out a little more than usual the past few days, there is a good reason. The Little League team representing his country is playing in the World Series.

The Mariners are playing the White Sox in a three-game series, and it's the first time Seattle manager Jim Riggleman has been back to Chicago as a big league skipper since 1999.

Consistency is not the word that would define the designated-hitter situation for the Mariners this season. Seattle has used 14 DHs this season. The club record for designated hitters is 18 in 1993.

With a World Series ring and seven years of Major League experience, Eric Hinske brings far more to the Rays than a typical bench player. Although Hinske -- who made the team as a non-roster invitee out of Spring Training -- has been a solid contributor for the Rays, injuries have made his presence vital.

James Shields threw eight innings on Tuesday, and Willy Aybar's two-out, two-run single in the eighth pushed the Rays past the Angels, 4-2.

B.J. Upton apologized for his "mental lapse" on the basepaths during Monday night's game, telling a group of reporters after Tuesday's pregame batting practice that there was "no excuse" for his behavior.

Tuesday night's Rays game vs. the Angels will be played as scheduled, as the early morning monitoring of Tropical Storm Fay has been positive.

For a team rocked by recent injuries to Carl Crawford, Evan Longoria and Troy Percival, it was ironic that Rocco Baldelli's talk with the media on Monday found the outfielder on the other side of the spectrum.

The hits just keep on coming for the Rangers, but not the hits they want. After losing late-inning leads in their last two games, Texas hopes to salvage a series finale with Detroit before grabbing a much needed off-day Thursday.

Tuesday's game between the Rangers and Tigers had all the makings of a pitchers' duel. Then Detroit sent 13 batters to the plate in the seventh inning as Texas lost, 11-3, at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

Feliz, rain no-hit Missions

On Saturday, Brandon McCarthy is expected to join the Texas rotation for the first time this season as the Rangers host the Indians.

After a relatively pain-free morning, Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler learned he won't immediately need surgery on his sports hernia. So, there's hope for Texas that he'll return when he's eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list or soon thereafter.

Since being called up to the Blue Jays in June, Adam Lind has been one of Toronto's best hitters. As well, the case can now be made that he is quickly becoming one of the team's main sources of power.

A.J. Burnett tossed a dominant performance and the Jays staged a late rally, as they defeated the Yankees, 2-1, at Rogers Centre on Tuesday. With the victory, the Jays (65-60) are now five games over the .500 mark for the first time since May 30.

With only a week left before Scott Rolen is eligible to come off the disabled list, Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston is unsure exactly when his third baseman will be healthy enough for a return to the lineup.

With the Sept. 1 roster expansion deadline nearing, will the Jays make any notable promotions? Beat reporter Jordan Bastian answers this and other questions in this week's mailbag.

The Blue Jays ended their road trip with an exclamation point, piling on the offense in a 15-4 rout of the Red Sox on Sunday afternoon at Fenway Park. With the win, Toronto finished 5-1 on its trek through Detroit and Boston.

The Rockies used three homers and strong relief to produce an 8-3 victory over the Dodgers on Tuesday night in front of 46,687 to take the first game of the series.

Adam Dunn hit his first homer with the D-backs, as Arizona downed the Padres, 7-6, on Tuesday night. The D-backs also batted around in the first inning, scoring four runs in support of Doug Davis, who allowed two runs in six strong innings.

At last, Ricky Nolasco was able to close the deal, and by doing so, the right-hander put to rest an infamous Major League record. Nolasco tossed a shutout Tuesday night, limiting the Giants to two hits as the Marlins claimed a 6-0 victory at AT&T Park.

Matt Joyce's go-ahead three-run blast and Edgar Renteria's solo homer fueled a nine-run seventh that pulled Detroit and former Rangers pitcher Armando Galarraga away for an 11-3 victory over Texas on Tuesday night.