Wakefield Stymies Jays; Webb Wins 20th

Players of the Day from Friday, September 12, 2008 American League Nothing like to trip to Boston to put an end to a winning streak. That's what the Toronto Blue Jays discovered as Tim Wakefield tossed 8 innings of shutout ball, paving the way for a 7-0 Red Sox win. Wakefield (9-10) didn't walk a batter and struck out four. With the Rays rained out at New York, Boston reduced the Rays' lead to just 2 games. Notes: The White Sox and Twins were also rained out of their games, so Chicago's lead in the Central remains at 1 game. National League Rumors of Brandon Webb's demise were grossly exaggerated. After failing to win his 20th three straight times, Webb was back on his game Friday, shutting out the Reds on 5 hits over 8 innings as Arizona won, 3-2. The rare Diamondback win - their first in their last 7 games - kept Arizona in step with the first-place Dodgers, who have established a 3 1/2 game lead, and beat Colorado Friday, 7-2. Notes: The Cubs, Mets, Brewers and Phillies were all rained out, so there were no changes in the standings. Nate McLouth nearly hit for the cycle in Pittsburgh's 10-2 win over St. Louis. He failed to get a single though he did reach base five times. McLouth hit a two-run homer and three-RBI double and a triple, driving in 5 runs, his career high.

Sizemore's Seven Smacks Royals; Webb Wins 19th

Players of the Day from Thursday, August 21, 2008 American League Cleveland hasn't had a very rewarding season, but Grady Sizemore has put up some amazing numbers from his position atop the Indians' lineup. In Cleveland's 10-3 thumping of the Royals, Sizemore, in 5 at-bats, rapped out a pair of singles, a bases-loaded triple and a three-run homer, driving in 7 runs. Sizemore has 29 homers and 79 RBI. While Sizemore was going off at the plate, starter Cliff Lee was working around it, giving up 6 hits and 2 earned runs over 7 innings while fanning 7. Lee recorded his AL-leading 18th win against just two losses. Lee and Sizemore's feats are all the more incredible considering that Cleveland has been out of the Central division race since before the All Star break. At 59-67, Lee (18-2) has accounted for nearly a third of the Indians' wins. Notes: Minnesota downed the Angels, 2-1, in 12 innings, and moved to within 1/2 game of idle Chicago in the Central. In the East, the Yankees were hammered, 14-3, by Toronto as both the Red Sox and Rays had a day off. That put the Jays just one game behind the Yankees, though NY is 10 1/2 out of first place. The Angels, losers of 4 of their last 5, haven't been bothered by their mini losing streak, still 15 games ahead of Texas in the West. Their magic number is now 21. National League Might as well just give Brandon Webb the NL Cy Young award now. On Thursday, Webb posted his 19th win against 4 losses, shutting out the Padres on 3 hits over 7 innings as the Diamondbacks downed San Diego, 4-1.

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Webb, sporting a 2.74 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP, leads the majors in wins and has won his last 8 decisions. He ranks third in ERA among qualified starters and 6th in strikeouts with 153. Notes: Arizona maintained their 2 game bulge on the Dodgers in the West as LA dropped the Rockies, 3-1. The Mets won, while the Phillies and Marlins both lost, giving NY a 2 1/2 game lead over Philly and 6 over Florida in the East. Chicago knocked off the Reds, 3-2, and improved by 1/2 game over idle Milwaukee and St. Louis. The Cubs are 5 1/2 in front in the Central.

Mound Moguls: Garza 2-Hits Texas; Webb Wins 18th

Players of the Day from Friday, August 15, 2008 American League Matt Garza is only 10-7, but he's had his fair share of big games this season. On Friday, Garza gunned down the American League's top hitting team, the Texas Rangers, shutting them out on 2 hits to lead the Rays to a 7-0 win. It was Garza's third complete game of the season and second shutout. He struck out 9 and walked just two, facing just three over the minimum. The win kept the Rays on top in the East, improving to a 3 1/2 game lead over Boston, as the Red Sox and Blue Jays were rained out.

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Notes: It may not be too early to begin wishing the New York Yankees a pleasant off-season, as they look unlikely to reach the playoffs. The Yanks dropped a 4-3 bomb to KC on Friday and are now 10 1/2 off the pace in the division and 7 games behind the Red Sox for the wild card. The Twins won and the White Sox lost, so the two are locked in on top of the Central division, both at 68-53. Horrors! The Angels lost their second straight game. Not to worry, they are 15 1/2 in front of Texas in the West. They should come around soon. National League Call him Mr. Consistency. Brandon Webb snapped Houston's 8-game win streak, holding the Astros to 2 runs on four hits over 8 innings as the Diamondbacks cruised to a 12-2 win. Webb (18-4) fanned 6 and walked just one batter as he became the first pitcher in the majors to reach the 18-win mark. Webb opened the season by winning his first 9 starts, and now has put up wins in his last 7 decisions. His last loss was nearly 2 months ago, on June 22.

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Notes: The Dodgers remained tied with Arizona atop the West with a 5-3 win over Milwaukee. The Cubs won their fifth straight and 9th consecutive road win, 6-5, at Florida, increasing their advantage in the Central to 5 1/2 games. The Cardinals beat Cincy, 5-3, and are two games behind the Brewers. In the East, the Mets and Phillies were both winners, so New York retains their 1-game edge in the division. The Marlins dropped 3 1/2 back.

Figgins Leads Angels to 4th Straight; Webb Wins 15th

Players of the Day from Thursday, July 31, 2008 American League Often forgotten in the galaxy of star, Angels' leadoff hitter Chone Figgins is often the man who gets the offense started. On Thursday, Figgins was at his best, rapping out 4 singles in 5 at-bats, stealing a base, scoring three times and driving in a run as the Angels continued their Eastward swing undefeated, topping the Yankees, 12-6. The Angels began their trip by dropping the Red Sox three straight times, and opened their 4-game series with the Yankees with a win. The Angels have won four straight, 8 of their last 10 and lead the AL West by 12 1/2 games.

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Figgins, who missed part of the season on the DL, has 79 hits in 71 games for a .285 batting average, with 21 steals and 41 runs scored. Notes: The Yankees' loss left them 4 1/2 behind Tampa Bay in the AL East, in third place. Sandwiched in between are the Red Sox, 3 games behind. Minnesota beat Chicago, 10-6, and are just 1/2 game behind the white Sox in the Central. National League Brandon Webb became the first 15-game winner in the majors, outdeuling Derek Lowe, as Arizona topped the Dodgers, 2-1. Webb (15-4) allowed 6 hits and one earned run over 8 innings, fanning 6 and walking just one batter. Lowe (8-9) lasted just 6 1/3 for LA, and took the loss, dropping the Dodgers 2 games behind the Diamondbacks in the NL West race. The two teams have three more games in LA through Sunday. Notes: The Cubs completed their 4-game sweep of Milwaukee with an 11-4 win. The Brewers were just a game back when the Cubs came to town on Monday. By Thursday night, they were 5 back, tied with the Cardinals for second place. The Phillies won their fifth straight, 8-4, over Washington, to improve their lead in the NL East to a full game over the Mets and 1 1/2 over the Marlins.

Manny Ramirez Cracks #500; Webb is Majors' 1st 10-Game Winner

Players of the Day from Saturday, May 31, 2008 American League The earth didn't move and it was his only hit of the night, but Manny Ramirez' home run in the 8th innings was his 500th - a line shot to right-center field in Baltimore's Camden Yards. Manny's solo shot off Chad Bradford accounted for the final run in Boston's 6-3 win over the Orioles and was his 10th dinger of the season. Ramirez becomes the 24th member of the 500-home-run club and joins active players Ken Griffey Jr., Alex Rodriguez, Jim Thome and Frank Thomas. There's no doubting Manny's HOF credentials. In addition to the 500 homers, he's driven in 1639 runs and should also crack the 500 doubles mark. He currently has 484, to go with his 2268 hits and lifetime .312 batting average. Notes: It's over! The longest losing streak in the majors came to an end last night as the Kansas City Royals beat Cleveland 4-2, ending their 12-game skein. Amazingly, the Royals are 11-11 against AL Central opponents. National League Brandon Webb became the first 10-game winner in the majors and he did it with style, pitching his first shutout of the season in a 6-hit, 4-0 blanking of the Washington Nationals. Webb struck out 8, didn't walk a batter, allowed only singles and no runner made it past second base. Webb is also among the leaders in other statistical categories with 72 strikeouts, 2.69 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. In 83 innings this season he's allowed just 4 home runs. Notes: We are pleased to report that Ken Griffey Jr. has broken out of his 0-for-30-games home run drought, cranking HR #599 in the first inning of the Reds' 8-7 win over Atlanta.

Webb Goes to 8-0; Navarro Slams Jays in 13th

Players of the Day from Thursday, May 8, 2008 American League Tampa Bay catcher Dioner Navarro missed much of April due to injury, but he's making up for lost time in a hurry. On Thursday night, he put the Blue Jays away with a 13th inning grand slam, as the Rays topped Toronto, 8-3.

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The homer was Navarro's first of the season, and it was his third hit of the night. He went 3-for-6, including a double, scored twice and drove in four, improving his batting average to .368. He's hit safely in 12 of the 15 games he's started this season. The win kept the Rays in second place, 3 1/2 behind the Red Sox. Notes: Stride for stride in the West. The A's and Angels are still locked into an early-season death grind for the top spot in the AL West. Neither team saw action on Thursday, so they remain tied at 22-14. The Angels travel to Tampa for a 3-game series with the Rays, while the A's start a three-game set in Texas tonight. National League For Brandon Webb, the season could not have started any better. Webb improved to a major league-best 8-0 last night, pitching his first complete game of the season, as Arizona dumped Philadelphia, 8-3, increasing their own lead in the NL West over the Dodgers to 3 1/2 games while dropping the Phillies out of a first place tie with the Marlins in the East. The two teams spilt their 4-game series, 2-2. Webb had his usual assortment of unhittable stuff, allowing 6 hits and two earned runs. It was the first time this season he didn't walk a batter. Additionally, he was keeping the ball well down in the strike zone, which accounted for his getting 18 outs on grounders. In his sixth full season, Webb has never won 20 games, though he's been on the verge of it. In 2006 he went 16-8 and in 2007 he compiled an 18-10 record. Notes: The Diamondbacks are scoring runs when Webb is on the mound. They've put up 48 in his 8 starts - 6 per game on average - slightly better than their total average of 5.43. They've scored 18 runs in his last two outings.

Renteria, Cabrera Deliver; Webb Spins 4th Win

Players of the Day for Wednesday, April 16, 2008 American League The two major off-season additions to the Tigers' lineup, Miguel Cabrera (left) and Edgar Renteria (right) came up huge for Detroit last night as the Tigers crushed Cleveland, 13-2, for their third straight win, actually putting the two supposedly best teams in the division in a deadlock for last place at 5-10. The two newest Tigers, however, were impressive, each garnering 5 RBI. Cabrera was 4-for-6, scored twice and had a two-run homer in the second inning. Renteria went 3-for-5 with a run scored on his grand slam in the fifth and singled in another run in the 8th. Both homers were off losing pitcher C.C. Sabathia, who is 0-3 with a 13.50 ERA.

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Notes: As it should be? Last night's 15-9 win by the Yankees over Boston, set the AL East up like many believe it's supposed to be, with the Bombers and Beaners tied for first place at 9-7. Baltimore and Toronto are only 1/2 back, but the Rays have already fallen to the basement, 2 1/2 games off the pace. National League Arizona's Brandon Webb became the first 4-game winner in the majors as he stymied the San Francisco Giants on 3 hits in the Diamondbacks' 4-1 win. Webb threw 104 pitches, walked 3 and struck out 5 over 8 innings and also provided some offense, driving in the first two runs of the game with a single in the second inning. Webb, Arizona's ace, has gone at least 6 innings in each of his four starts has an ERA of 1.86 and a 0.79 WHIP. Notes: Pittsburgh's Nate McLouth extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a single in four at-bats in Wednesday's 8-1 loss to the Dodgers.

NLCS Preview: Rockies v. Diamondbacks

NLCS: Colorado v. Arizona In the classic encounter of a power-laden lineup (Colorado) against a pitching-rich competitor (Arizona), the advantage in a best-of-seven series usually goes to the team with pitching, as good pitching can usually stop good hitting. The series opens tonight in Phoenix. Starting Pitching: Arizona will use Brandon Webb (18-10, 3.01 ERA, 194 K) in games 1, 4 and, if necessary 7. The Rockies counter with Jeff Francis (17-9, 4.22 ERA, 165 K)who came on late in the season to win 2 of his last 3 starts. Interestingly, if was Francis who was the last Colorado starter to lose in September before the Rockies went on their season-ending, 13-1 streak. Francis was rocked by the Phillies on Sept. 13 for 8 runs in 3 1/3 innings, and also took the Rockies' only loss during the stretch, on Sept. 28, when Arizona - and Brandon Webb (right) - beat them, 4-2. Webb will undeniably be favored in any start against Francis and that gives Arizona a huge edge. After that, the Diamondbacks will go with Doug Davis and Livan Hernandez in games 2 and 3, while the Rockies will depend on a pair of rookies, Ubaldo Jiminez and Franklin Morales. Depending on how the series goes, Arizona could start another rookie, Micah Owings, in game 4. Owings can beat teams with his bat as well as his arm. He had 7 RBI in a game earlier this year. Overall, Arizona gets the edge on experience. Hitting: When it comes to hitting, though, there's no contest. Colorado batted a league-best .280 as a team during the regular season, while the D-Backs were last in the NL at .250. The Rockies scored 148 more runs than Arizona, nearly 1 per game. The Colorado attack is led by Matt Holliday (right), who topped the league in batting (.340), RBI (137) and doubles (50) to go with his team-high 36 homers. Around him, the Rockies have a formidable bunch, including rookie Troy Tulowitzki (.291, 24 HR, 99 RBI), Todd Helton (.320, 17, 91), Brad Hawpe (.291, 29, 116) and Garret Atkins (.301, 25, 111). Arizona can't match the Rockies' firepower. Their top hitter, Eric Byrnes hit only .286, with 21 homers and 83 RBI. Rookie Chris Young led the team with 32 home runs, but he only batted .237.

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After that, there isn't much, though Tony Clark did send out 17 long balls in just 221 at-bats. Etc.: Managers Bob Melvin (Arizona) and Clint Hurdle (Colorado) are both in their initial post-season, but they do an equally good job, getting the most out of limited resources. The Colorado bullpen has been magnificent down the stretch, while Arizona's Jose Valverde led the majors in saves, with 47 and recorded 78 Ks in 65 innings. Prediction: Arizona's got the top-line pitching in Webb, but he may have to win three games to get the job done. Colorado has been the best story of the season, they're still red hot and play with lots of heart. The Rockies will win it in 6 games.

Pitching Dominates Game 1 Wins

Josh Beckett, Brandon Webb and Jeff Francis turned in stellar performances in opening-game wins for Boston, Arizona and Colorado. The Yankees-Indians series opens this afternoon in Cleveland. Boston 4 LA Angels 0 - Josh Beckett (right) blanked the Angels on 4 hits in a complete game shutout (something he failed to do in the regular season), staking the Red Sox a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five Divisional Playoff series. Beckett, phenomenal in the post-season, hurled his second straight playoff shutout, running his post-season scoreless streak to 18 innings. Beckett's last post-season appearance was in 2003, when he pitched the final game of the World Series, when he shut out the NY Yankees and won the series MVP award. Following a leadoff single by Chone Figgins, Beckett retired 19 straight batters and finished allowing just four hits, two by Vladimir Guerrero. Beckett struck out 8 and didn't issue any walks, throwing just 108 pitches,83 of them for strikes. Kevin Youkilis hit a solo homer in the first to stake Beckett to an early lead, and David Ortiz supplied a two-run blast in the 3rd inning off LA starter John Lackey. The series continues at Fenway on Thursday with Daisuke Matsuzaka on the mound for Boston against the Angels' Kelvim Escobar.

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Colorado 4 Philadelphia 2 - Jeff Francis wasn't worried that the Phillies led the league in scoring through the regular season as he earned a hard-fought win in the opener of the divisional series. Francis worked six full innings, allowing just 4 hits and two runs on back-to-back solo homers in the fifth inning by Aaron Rowand and Pat Burrell. The Rockies had gotten to Philly's ace, Cole Hamels, for three runs in the third and Matt Holliday added insurance with a solo shot of his own in the 8th inning. Colorado's bullpen was also brilliant. LaTroy Hawkins, Brian Fuentes and Manny Corpas each pitched an inning of hitless ball to finish off the potent Phillies. The series resumes Thursday at 3:00 pm in Philadelphia. Arizona 3 Chicago Cubs 1 - Pitching and defense are what got the Diamondbacks to the NL West title and the same strategy worked like a charm as their ace, Brandon Webb (right) allowed just one run on four hits over seven strong innings. Webb was locked into a duel with Chicago starter, Carlos Zambrano, who was lifted for a pinch-hitter after just 6 innings and 85 pitches by manager Lou Piniella. That approach didn't exactly pan out for Sweet Lou, as reliever Carlos Marmol surrendered a home run to the first batter he faced, Mark Reynolds, leading off the 7th inning. After that, Marmol walked Chris Snyder, gave up a double to Augie Ojeda and Conor Jackson - pinch-hitting for Webb - got the insurance run home with a sac fly. Arizona's Brandon Lyon set the Cubs down in order in the 8th, and Jose Valverde, who led the majors with 47 saves, slammed the door with a hitless ninth inning. Webb struck out 9, including getting slugger Derrek Lee three times on strikes. This divisional series resumes Thursday in Phoenix at 10:00 ET. Doug Davis heads to the hill for Arizona against the Cubs' Ted Lilly.

Phillies in first; Cubs, Bosox clinch; Arizona is in

National League With the conclusion of Friday's games, the playoff picture in the National League suddenly became much clearer. The Phillies took a one-game lead over the Mets in the NL East - the first time they've been in first place all season. The Cubs clinched the Central division title and the Diamondbacks assured themselves of a playoff spot with a win over the Rockies, ending their 11-game win streak, the longest in the majors this season. The Brewers are out and San Diego leads Colorado and the Mets by 2 games in the wild card hunt. The Phillies, who were 7 games behind the Mets as of September 12, are 12-3 since, while the Mets have stumbled to a 4-11 record over the same span. Philadelphia needs just one more win or one Mets loss to clinch at least a tie in the NL East. Washington 0 Philadelphia 6 - Phillies' ace Cole Hamels (right) was at his best when it counted the most, slicing through the Nationals lineup for eight innings, fanning 13 and allowing just 6 hits and no earned runs. Without a win since August 16, Hamels' (15-5) 8 inning blanking was his best this season. Florida 7 NY Mets 4 - The Mets lost their 5th straight and 11th in their last 15 games, as their extended team slump sent them tumbling into second place and in danger of missing the playoffs completely. Still with slim hope, the Mets can reach the playoffs under a variety of situations. If they win both of their remaining games and the Phillies lose theirs, New York would take the NL East title. One loss and one Philly win gives the division to the Phillies. If the Mets win both and San Diego loses both of their games, they would tie the Padres for the wild card and force a playoff on Monday. Arizona 4 Colorado 2 - Brandon Webb (right) did what no other pitcher could do against Colorado over the past 12 games - he got a win. Webb (18-10) gave up two runs over 7 gritty innings while his teammates scored four times off Rockies' starter Jeff Francis, the big blow being Conor Jackson's two-run homer in the third which staked Webb to a 3-0 lead that he would not relinquish. The D-Backs are still being dogged by the Padres and they need just one more win or a San Diego loss to clinch at least a tie for the NL West title. They have already clinched at least the wild card spot. Colorado must win both of their remaining games and have San Diego lose theirs to earn are share of the wild card spot.

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Chi Cubs 6 Cincinnati 0 - Carlos Zambrano (18-13) shut out the Reds for 6 innings, propelling the Cubs to the NL Central crown. Alfonso Soriano hit his 32nd home run and Derek Lee smashed a 2-run shot for his 22nd of the season. Amazingly, the Cubs, with the worst record of any remaining playoff contender, become the first to clinch a division. San Diego 6 Milwaukee 3 - Shortstop Khalil Greene (right), who's been providing big hits all season, doubled home Adrian Gonzalez in the sixth inning to break a 3-3 tie and then sealed the win with a 2-run homer in the 8th - his 25th - to end Milwaukee's playoff hopes and keep the Padres one game behind Arizona in the NL West. No matter what they do the next two games, the Padres are assured of at least a tie for the wild card. They lead both the Rockies and Mets by 2 games. Other NL Scores St. Louis 6 Pittsburgh 1 Atlanta 7 Houston 2 San Francisco 3 LA Dodgers 8 American League Minnesota 2 Boston 5 - The Red Sox wrapped up their first AL East title in 12 years as Daisuke Matsuzaka (right) improved to 15-12, allowing 8 hits and 2 runs over 8 innings of work, fanning 8 Minnesota batters. David Ortiz was 3-4 and smashed his 35th home run of the season. The Red Sox will host the LA Angels in the first round of the playoffs. NY Yankees 9 Baltimore 10, 10 innings - Baltimore tied the game with 3 runs off closer Mariano Rivera and Melvin Mora squeezed home Tike Redman with the game winner in the 10th. The Yankees had the bases loaded in the top of the 10th but could not get a run home and end up as the wild card entrant in the playoffs, scheduled to start Tuesday at Cleveland. Alex Rodriguez hit his 54th homer, drove in four runs and scored twice, capping a brilliant season, sure to win the MVP award. Rodriguez pushed his RBI total to 155, tying him with Joe DiMaggio for 10th place on the Yankees' all-time list. The number is a career high for A-Rod and the most by a Yankee in 70 years. Rodriguez also set a career mark for runs scored with 142, one better than he had with Seattle in 1996. Other AL Scores Tampa Bay 4 Toronto 5 Cleveland 5 Kansas City 3 Detroit 2 Chi White Sox 5 LA Angels 2 Oakland 0 Texas 4 Seattle 6

Webb's streak at 42 innings; Bad Vlad bounces Boston

American League Detroit 1 NY Yankees 6 - Jason Giambi powered a pair of homers as the Yankees continued the hunt for at least a wild card spot. They trail the Red Sox by 5 games in the division and Seattle by just 1/2 in the wild card, with Detroit another game back. The Tigers are only 1/2-game out of first place in the AL Central. Cleveland 2 Tampa Bay 1 - The Indians took back first place in the division as Paul Byrd (11-5) scattered 8 hits over 6 innings, allowing one lonely Tampa Bay run while striking out 5. Cleveland knocked out 12 hits, including 3 doubles and a triple, but could only muster 2 runs. LA Angels 4 Boston 8 - David Ortiz pounded his 20th home run as the Sox took the first game of the double header between AL Eat and West leaders. LA Angels 7 Boston 5 - Eric Gagne cost the Red Sox a win, giving up three runs in the 9th, the final blow delivered by Vladimir Guerrero (right) who doubled home the tying and winning runs with his 40th double and 95th and 96th RBI. Vlad was bad, falling just a homer short of the cycle, going 3-5 with 3 RBI. Other AL Scores Baltimore 2 Toronto 5 Texas 1 Minnesota 2, 10 innings Kansas City 9 Oakland 2 Chi White Sox 4 Seattle 5 National League Arizona 4 Atlanta 0 - Brandon Webb (13-8) tossed his third consecutive shutout, running his scoreless innings streak to 42, tying Rube Foster for the 12th-longest streak in MLB history. Webb (right) baffled Atlanta's batters on 2 hits, while striking out 6 and issuing just one walk. Webb still has a way to go to reach Orel Hershiser's record of 59 straight scoreless innings, set in 1988, but the win boosted Arizona's lead in the NL West to 4 games over losing San Diego. The Diamondbacks are streaking through August into baseball's final month. Friday was their third straight win and 10th in their last 13 games. St. Louis 1 Chi Cubs 2 - The Cubs are once again in first place in the NL Central, and they got there by beating the team that helped jettison the formerly first-place Brewers. The Cardinals disposed of Milwaukee by sweeping their three-game series before heading to Chicago, and were rudely welcomed by Rich Hill (7-7) who allowed just 3 hits over seven innings. The Cardinals' only run came on Albert Pujols' 26th home run - a solo shot in the 6th, which gave the Cardinals a 1-0 lead. Jacques Jones countered with a 2-run shot in the bottom of the inning, after which neither team could score. The Cubs have a 1/2-game advantage over Milwaukee and lead the Cardinals by 3, though the Cards and Cubs still have three games left in their head-to-head series. Cincinnati 8 Milwaukee 3 - Adam Dunn smacked his 33rd home run and the Reds knocked the Brewers out of first place, handing them their 5th straight loss. NY Mets 6 Washington 2 - Tom Glavine notched career win #301 and Moises Alou homered for the 4th time in his last 5 games as the Mets maintained their NL East lead. Jose Reyes boosted his major league leading stolen base total to 62 with a pair of swipes. Philadelphia 11 Pittsburgh 8 - Pat Burrell singled, doubled and homered, driving in 3 runs and scoring twice as the Phillies outlasted the Pirates in the first of a 3-game series. The Phillies kept pace with the Mets, who are 3 in front, and separated themselves from the Braves, who lost to Arizona. Other NL Scores San Francisco 3 Florida 0 Houston 3 San Diego 1 Colorado 4 LA Dodgers 6

A-Rod cracks a pair; Webb blank streak at 33

American League NY Yankees 11 Cleveland 2 - Alex Rodriguez (right) is having what some might describe as a "dream season." On Saturday, A-Rod, already leading the universe in home runs and RBI, belted another pair of 2-run moon shots, giving him 39 while boosting his RBI total to 114. Even better, the Yankees knocked off the AL Central leader for the second straight day and can sweep the Indians with a win on Sunday. Rodriguez is on pace to hit 54 homers and drive in about 155 runs, clearly an MVP-type season. If he gets hot down the stretch, he could challenge the American League single-season home run mark, still held by Roger Maris, who hit 61 in 1961. The Yankees also remained tied for the wild card lead with Seattle and continue to trail Boston by 5 games in their division. Boston 6 Baltimore 2 - Josh Beckett joined the Angels' John Lackey as the AL's only 15-game winners, getting to within 1 out of a complete game before being lifted with 2 out in the ninth. Beckett allowed 8 hits and 2 earned run, struck out 8 and lowered his ERA to 3.24. Seattle 7 Chi White Sox 6 - The Mariners nearly blew a 5-run lead as Josh Fields hit a grand slam in the bottom of the ninth off closer J.J. Putz, who, nevertheless, picked up his 34th save. Seattle trails the Angels by 3 1/2 in the AL West. Other AL Scores Oakland 2 Detroit 5 Toronto 1 Kansas City 4 Tampa Bay 3 Texas 0 Minnesota 3 LA Angels 4 National League Washington 0 Arizona 1 - Brandon Webb (right) pitched his second straight complete game shutout, extending his scoreless streak to 33 innings. Webb (12-8), gave up just 5 hits and one walk, while fanning 10. The Diamondbacks scored the game's only run on Justin Upton's 4th inning triple, which plated Erik Byrnes. With their 4th straight win, Arizona increased its lead in the division to 4 games over the losing Padres. LA Dodgers 1 St. Louis 6 - Rick Ankiel continues to impress with his power. The pitcher-turned-outfielder smacked a pair of homers to help St. Louis knock off the Dodgers, who are quickly slipping out of contention for both the division and the wild card. The Dodgers (60-56) are 6 behind Arizona and trail San Diego, the wild card leader, by 2 games. Ankiel added a single to go 3-4, drove in 3 runs and scored 3 times. Milwaukee 7 Houston 4 - The Brewers may be waking up at just the right time. Fending off injuries and a month-long slump - they've gone 13-16 since the All-Star break - Milwaukee won their second straight and opened up a tiny bit of breathing room in the NL Central as the Cubs lost at Colorado. The Brewers have a 1 1/2 game edge in the division. Rookie Ryan Braun went 2-5 with his 22nd home run and 4 RBI. He's hitting .346. Slugger Prince Fielder whacked his NL-best 36th home run in the 9th. Atlanta 7 Philadelphia 5 - With the Mets losing for the third straight day, the NL East race got a little more interesting. The Braves closed to within 2 1/2 of New York, with Philly 3 back. The rubber game of this critical 3-game series is the featured game on ESPN, tonight at 8:00 pm. Other NL Scores Pittsburgh 13 San Francisco 3 San Diego 3 Cincinnati 8 Florida 7 NY Mets 5

Glavine gets 300th; Yankee Surge

National League NY Mets 8 Chi Cubs 3 - This was vintage Tom Glavine. The lefty nibbled at the corners, kept hitters off balance and held the Chicago Cubs scoreless until his team could get on the board. The Mets scored one in the second inning. Glavine pressed on. After the score ballooned to 5-0, the Mets scoring twice in each of the 5th and 6th innings, Glavine (right) finally relented, allowing a single run in the bottom of the 6th. On a hot, steamy night in Chicago, Glavine was clearly tiring as he started the 7th. After getting Mark DeRosa to ground out, Angel Pagan doubled to left and manager Willie Randolph made the move to the bullpen. Glavine had thrown 100 pitches, 58 for strikes, but, for the 300th time, had done his job. The bullpen faltered a bit, allowing an extra run, but Carlos Delgado, who drove in four runs with a pair of doubles and a ground out, kept things going in the 8th with one of his RBI doubles and Paul LoDuca plated another. Jorge Sosa and Billy Wagner did mop up work in the 8th and 9th, and Glavine was the latest 300-game winner in major league history. The win made Glavine 10-8 on the season and kept the Mets 4 1/2 clear of Atlanta in the NL East. Officially, the 41-year-old worked 6 1/3 innings, allowed 6 hits and 2 earned runs, walking one and striking out 1. His career record stands at 300-197, 242 of those with the Atlanta Braves, 58 with the Mets. Philadelphia 8 Milwaukee 6, 11 innings - The Brewers don't have any excuses for this one. The Phillies scored 5 times in the 9th to erase a 6-1 Milwaukee lead, then finished the comeback when Wes Helms doubled home a pair in the top of the 11th. Milwaukee's bullpen imploded, with Francisco Cordero blowing a save opportunity for the sixth time this season and rookie Manny Parra giving up the game-winning runs in the 11th. The Brewers haven't been playing well of late, 6-10 since July 20, and have Tom Glavine and the Mets to thank for keeping the Cubs from taking over first place in the NL Central. Chicago trails the Brewers by 1 game. Arizona 3 LA Dodgers 0 - Brandon Webb (right) has been untouchable lately. After throwing two consecutive 7-inning scoreless stints, he worked over the Dodgers on seven hits without walking a batter for his first complete game shutout of the season, stretching his scoreless streak to 24 innings. Webb (11-8, 2.92) is one of the reasons the Diamondbacks have taken over the NL West by 1 1/2 games, sending the Dodgers 4 back after sweeping them this weekend. Arizona is 16-7 since the All-Star break. St. Louis 3 Washington 6 - In the two ships passing in the night department, the Nationals have won 6 straight, swept the reigning world champion Cardinals over the weekend, sending them to their 5th straight loss. Other NL Scores Colorado 5 Atlanta 6, 10 innings Houston 5 Florida 6 San Francisco 4 San Diego 5 - Padres, 4-game win streak American League Kansas City 5 NY Yankees 8 - The Yankees, left for dead less than a month ago, are suddenly on the verge of taking over the wild card lead. While they haven't made up ground on Boston, still trailing by 7 games in the division, but are tied with Seattle, 1/2-game behind Detroit for the wild card. The Tigers have been especially awful of late, just 2-11 since July 24, when they dropped a double-header to the White Sox. Chi White Sox 3 Detroit 1 - Detroit lost their 5th straight on Sunday, as Chicago swept a three-game series in Detroit. Baltimore 11 Tampa Bay 3 - Erik Bedard (right) won his 8th straight, punching out 11 on strikes to boost his major league leading strikeout total to 192. The O's are out of all contention, though Bedard has been a rare bright spot. Cleveland 0 Minnesota 1 - In a matchup of rookie pitchers, Minnesota's Scott Baker (6-4) gave up just 4 hits over 8 innings and Joe Nathan worked a scoreless ninth for his 26th save, as the Twins beat Fausto Carmona and the Indians to creep to within 4 1/2 games of the AL Central lead. Minnesota's taken two of three from the Indians, with the series conclusion today. Other AL Scores Texas 1 Toronto 4 LA Angels 4 Oakland 3 Boston 9 Seattle 2 - J. Beckett, W (14-5); Sox, 15-9 since All-Star break

Lackey Leads Majors With 9th Win; Rookie Lewis Slams Phils

American League LA Angels 3 Baltimore 2 - John Lackey (right) became the majors' first 9-game winner as he and the Angels ended the O's 6-game winning streak Friday at Anaheim. Lackey (9-3) gave up 5 hits and 2 earned runs over 7 1/3 innings and the Angels' bullpen did the rest. Francisco Rodriguez picked up his league-leading 19th save. The Angels lead Seattle by 5 1/2 in the West. Chicago White Sox 3 Toronto 0 - Javier Vazquez allowed just 6 hits over 8 innings to even his record at 3-3 and Bobby Jenks worked the 9th to get his 15th save as the Sox ended their 5 game skid amid hopes that June would turn out better. Chicago ended May with a 12-14 record and are in danger of falling out of the AL Central and Wild Card races. Any ground they make up in June will be against non-divisional opponents. The Sox play only two games at the end of the month against any teams in the AL Central, and those are against last place Kansas City. NY Yankees 9 Boston 5 - The Yankees took the first of a 3-game series at Boston, and now trail the Red Sox by only 12 1/2 games. The Yanks beat up on knuckleballer Tim Wakefield (5-6), who couldn't locate his pitches, allowing 5 hits, 6 walks and 8 earned runs over just 3 2/3rds innings.

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Jorge Posada led the effort with a pair of doubles and 3 RBI. His .358 batting average leads the league. Boston's Kevin Youkilis went 1-3 to keep his 23-game hitting streak going. Cleveland 12 Detroit 11 - In five tries, the Tigers haven't beaten the Indians this year, but they came close Friday night, carrying a 4-run lead into the bottom of the 9th with closer Todd Jones looking to finish off the Tribe. Things didn't quite go right from there, however, as Cleveland scored 5 runs in the frame and extended their AL Central lead to 4 1/2 days over Detroit. The Indians are 19-4 at home. This game was an offensive showcase, with the two teams combining for 31 hits. Cleveland's Victor Martinez had two of the bigger ones - a pair of 2-run homers - with one coming in the decisive 9th inning. Martinez' 4 RBI gave him 48, 2 behind the Tigers' Magglio Ordonez, who leads the AL. Other AL Scores Kansas City 4 Tampa Bay 1 - B. Bannister (W, 1-3) 8 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K Minnesota 3 Oakland 2, 10 innings - Twins 4th straight W Texas 9 Seattle 8 - I. Suzuki, 2-5, 3 R, 25-game hitting streak National League Atlanta 8 Chicago Cubs 5 - Unfortunately, the best action in this game occurred in the Chicago clubhouse. Carlos Zambrano, lifted after 5 innings, got into it with his catcher, Michael Barrett, sending Barrett to the hospital with a reported pair f black eyes and a split lip. Zambrano had complained to Barrett about his fielding, after a passed ball and throwing error added to the day's frustration. Of course, Zambrano (5-5) might just as well punched himself out after allowing 13 hits, 2 walks and 6 earned runs without a strikeout. Manager Lou Piniella promised that both players would be reprimanded. MLB will certainly impose fines as well. Both of these players richly deserve some bench time. Zambrano is hoisting around a 5.62 ERA and Barrett isn't exactly scorching the record books with his .241 batting average. San Francisco 13 Philadelphia 0 - Matt Morris gave up just one hit over 6 innings to go to 6-2 as the Giants stormed into Philly for the first of a 4-game series. Ray Durham and Pedro Feliz each cracked 3-run homers, but rookie Fred Lewis (right) outdid them both with a grand slam. Lewis also singled and scored 3 times in 5 at-bats. A leading early candidate for Rookie of the Year honors, Lewis hit for the cycle earlier this season. In 18 games, he's batting .268 with 2 homers, 12 RBI and 2 steals. The Phillies, after getting over the .500 mark for the first time all season, have promptly lost 4 straight to drop back to 26-28. Arizona 5 NY Mets 1 - Brandon Webb kept the Mets at bay on 4 hits - the lone run was unearned - over 8 innings as the Diamondbacks won their 8th straight and remain deadlocked with the Dodgers atop the NL West. Webb (5-3) walked just one batter and struck out 8. Shortstop Stephen Drew put the game out of reach with a 3-run blast in the 8th. For the Mets, Jose Reyes stole his league-leading 30th base and Julio Franco stole his 2nd, leading all 48-year-olds in that - and every other - department. Other NL Scores Washington 4 San Diego 3, 10 innings - C. Guzman, 4-5, 3 R; D. Young, 4-4, 2 RBI LA Dodgers 5 Pittsburgh 4 - Dodgers share 1st in West with D-Backs St. Louis 8 Houston 1 - Cards plate 7 in top of 9th Milwaukee 8 Florida 5 - F. Cordero, 20th Save leads majors Cincinnati 4 Colorado 2 - Ken Griffey Jr., HR (12), career #575