ROUNDUP
Struggling Mike Lamb lifted the Minnesota Twins past the visiting Boston Red Sox 7-6 last night with a two-run single in the ninth inning against Jonathan Papelbon, who blew his second consecutive save opportunity.
Delmon Young led off the ninth with a single and advanced on a sacrifice by Matt Tolbert. Adam Everett popped out, Young stole third without a throw, and Carlos Gomez walked and moved up on a steal.
Then Lamb, who entered the game after second baseman Brendan Harris left with a tight right hamstring, hit a 1-2 pitch from Papelbon (2-2) to win it.
Lamb, in his first season with the Twins, entered the game batting just .207. Jesse Crain (1-1) pitched a scoreless ninth, negating a big hit by Mike Lowell in the fifth.
Two perfect innings by reliever Hideki Okajima preceded Papelbon after a rough start by Jon Lester, who gave up eight hits and five runs – three earned.
He was locked with Minnesota's Boof Bonser in what sure wasn't a pitching duel. Lester labored through 5 1/3 innings, Bonser through four-plus.
Other games of note:
ORIOLES 7, ROYALS 4: Aubrey Huff and Melvin Mora homered and Steve Trachsel got his first victory since April 4, leading visiting Baltimore to its 11th straight victory over the Royals. Huff, who has hit safely in 18 of his past 20 games, hit a three-run homer with two out in the fifth to snap a 2-2 tie. Mora hit a two-out homer in the third with Bynum aboard after a double.
RAYS 2, ANGELS 0: James Shields pitched a one-hitter and Evan Longoria's two-run, ninth-inning homer snapped a scoreless tie and gave host Tampa Bay a victory over Los Angeles.
INDIANS 6, BLUE JAYS 1: Casey Blake and Ben Francisco hit two-run doubles in a six-run seventh inning to help C.C. Sabathia and host Cleveland defeat Roy Halladay and Toronto in a duel of Cy Young Award winners. Blue Jays center fielder Vernon Wells jammed his left wrist while making a diving catch and left in the sixth inning as Toronto lost for the 13th time in its last 14 games in Cleveland.
RANGERS 4, ATHLETICS 0: Scott Feldman and three relievers combined for Texas' third consecutive shutout – first time in the majors since Florida did it in August 2005 – and Brandon Boggs drove in three runs to end the visiting A's four-game winning streak. Feldman (1-1) pitched six innings, stretching Texas' scoreless streak to 28 consecutive innings. Jamey Wright threw a perfect seventh before Joaquin Benoit and C.J. Wilson finished it off for 31 scoreless innings in a row.
TIGERS 6, YANKEES 5: Kenny Rogers pitched into the seventh inning and Ivan Rodriguez had three hits and drove in two runs to help Detroit beat visiting New York. Rogers (3-3) held the Yankees to two runs on nine hits before New York scored three runs off Todd Jones in the ninth. The Yankees lost for the third time in four games.
BREWERS 4, CARDINALS 3: Rickie Weeks hit a bases-loaded, two-run single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to give host Milwaukee the victory over St. Louis and snap the Brewers' six-game losing streak. Brian Shouse (3-0) pitched a scoreless ninth and the Brewers handed St. Louis its first three-game losing streak this season.
PIRATES 3, BRAVES 2: Freddy Sanchez singled home Brian Bixler with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, giving host Pittsburgh the win over Atlanta. Sanchez went 2-for-4 with three RBI and is 9-for-17 in four games since being moved to the top of the Pirates' lineup.
MARLINS 7, NATIONALS 3: Ricky Nolasco (2-3) broke a three-game losing streak as host Florida ran its winning streak to a season-high five games. Florida (21-14) is seven games over .500 for the first time since September 2005.
REDS-METS, PPD: The scheduled game between the Cincinnati Reds and the host New York Mets was postponed because of rain last night. It will be made up today as part of a day-night doubleheader, with start times of 1:10 p.m. and 7:30 EDT.
