Red Sox Bash White Sox 10-1
After struggling for three months, the Boston Red Sox are getting hot. Curt Schilling allowed three hits in seven shutout innings for his 15th win and Manny Ramirez hit a grand slam to lead Boston over the Chicago White Sox 10-1 Friday night.
“I don’t care about a grand slam, I care about winning,” Ramirez said. “I know I’m a blessed player, a special player. Everything that I’ve done, I’m just happy.”
Orlando Cabrera homered and drove in four runs. Boston, which has won four straight and 10 of 13, remained tied with Texas for the AL wild-card lead and moved within 7 1/2 games of the first-place Yankees in the AL East, the closest Boston has been since July 30.
Schilling (15-6) walked none and struck out six in a 79-pitch outing. He appeared on the way to his first shutout since joining the Red Sox, but wanted to save some energy for the stretch run.
“This is probably the first time in my career where I came out of a game like that,” Schilling said. “I’m staying out there for one reason and that’s to throw a shutout and right now that means nothing.”
In other games it was Oakland 9, Tampa Bay 5; Texas 5, Kansas City 3; Anaheim 5, New York 0; Minnesota 5, Cleveland 1; Detroit 8, Seattle 3; and Toronto 14, Baltimore 4.
At Chicago, Ramirez’s 31st homer this season was the 16th slam of his career, tying Robin Ventura of the Dodgers for the most among active players. Mark Buehrle (11-7) allowed six runs in the first two innings.
Athletics 9, Devil Rays 5
Eric Chavez homered twice and Bobby Crosby went 3-for-5 with a homer to break out of a 3-for-40 slump as AL West-leading Oakland won its fourth straight and maintained a half-game lead over Texas and a 1 1/2-game margin over Anaheim. Adam Melhuse also homered for the visiting A’s, who have 11 homers in the past three games.
Rich Harden (8-5) won his fifth straight decision, giving up five runs and seven hits in 5 1-3 innings. Octavio Dotel got the last out for his 13th save.
Jorge Sosa (3-3) lost his third straight start, allowing six runs and seven hits in 5 1-3 innings.
Rangers 5, Royals 3
David Dellucci hit two solo homers, and Kevin Mench had a three-run drive as visiting Texas won its seventh straight, one shy of its season high.
Ryan Drese (11-6) won his fourth straight decision, a career best, allowing three runs and five hits in seven-plus innings. Francisco Cordero got three outs for his 38th save.
Rookie Mike Wood (2-5) and Jaime Cerda combined on a four-hitter. Wood gave up five runs and four hits – three of them homers – in 7 1-3 innings.
Angels 5, Yankees 0
Ramon Ortiz (4-7) allowed four hits in eight innings to win for the first time in seven starts since June 19 as the visiting Angels got homers from Adam Kennedy and Garret Anderson. The Angels won their third straight and remained 1 1/2 games behind Oakland.
Jon Lieber (9-8) gave up three runs – two earned – and 11 hits in 6 1-3 innings as New York lost for the fourth time in five games.
Right after left fielder Hideki Matsui misplayed a fly ball in the seventh inning, the power on all scoreboards went out, and the public-address and sound effects system went silent. But the stadium lights stayed on, and the game continued without a delay.
Twins 5, Indians 1
Kyle Lohse (6-10) pitched three-hit ball for seven innings, and Corey Koskie homered for Minnesota. The host Twins, whose AL Central lead was cut to one game by the Indians last Saturday, opened a five-game margin over the second-place Indians, who have lost five straight.
Jake Westbrook (11-6) gave up five runs and eight hits in 6 2-3 innings, losing for the first time since July 15.
Tigers 8, Mariners 3
Craig Monroe went 4-for-5 with a tiebreaking homer at Detroit, and Nate Robertson (10-7) allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings.
Ichiro Suzuki was back in the lineup after leaving Wednesday night’s game against Kansas City when he was hit in the head by a pitch. He went 3-for-4.
Ron Villone (4-4) allowed five runs – four earned – and eight hits in six innings.
Blue Jays 14, Orioles 4
Chris Woodward hit his first career grand slam, and Orlando Hudson had three hits as visiting Toronto stopped a four-game road losing streak. Eric Hinske also homered for the last-place Blue Jays, 3-8 under interim manager John Gibbons.
Javy Lopez, David Newhan and Melvin Mora homered for Baltimore. The Orioles have lost four in a row, all at home by a combined score of 33-9. Former Orioles pitcher Josh Towers (9-4) allowed one run and seven hits in 5 1-3 innings, improving to 7-1 in his last eight starts. Dave Borkowski (3-4) was the loser.