Dice-K Overpowers ChiSox; Atkins Diet Includes Pair of Homers

Players of the Day from Friday, August 29, 2008 American League Daisuke Matsuzaka improved to 16-2 as he 2-hit Central-division leader Chicago over 8 innings, leading to an 8-0 rout by the Red Sox. Boston holds a 2 1/2 game lead in the wild card race over Minnesota, now 1/2 behind the White Sox in the Central, so any wins over either of those teams aids Boston's cause greatly. The Red Sox continue to trail Tampa Bay by 4 1/2 in the East. The Rays notched a 14-3 win over Baltimore Friday night. Notes: The Angels have run away in the West, and, despite taking a 3-1 loss to Texas on Friday, still lead the division by 17 games. Their magic number is 11 and the Angels could clinch by next weekend. National League Garrett Atkins socked a three-run homer in the 3rd inning and a two-run shot in the 9th to seal a 9-4 win for Colorado over San Diego and keep the Rockies in the NL West hunt, 6 games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks. The homers were the 17th and 18th for Atkins. Arizona handed LA their 8th straight loss, 9-3, dropping the Dodgers to 4 1/2 back. Notes: Chicago maintained their 6 1/2 game lead over Milwaukee in the Central, with a 3-2 win over the Phillies, while Milwaukee beat down Pittsburgh, 3-1. The Mets helped themselves as Carlos Beltran drove in all five runs with a grand slam and an RBI single in a 5-4 win over the Marlins. The Mets are 2 games better than Philly and 7 up on Florida.

Vidro boosts Mariners, Atkins powers Rockies

American League Boston 9 LA Angels 6 - The Red Sox won a crucial game and avoided being swept by the Angels as Mike Lowell went 4-4 and Dustin Pedroia broke a 6-6 tie in the 7th inning with his 6th home run of the season. The Boston bullpen shut down the Angels for the final 4 innings, with Jonathan Papelbon earning his 26th save. NY Yankees 4 Toronto 15 - Earlier in the evening, the Yankees were shocked back to reality by the Blue Jays, who snapped New York's 5-game win streak, hammering out 16 hits, sending Chien-Ming Wang to the showers after just 2 2/3 innings. Wang (13-6), allowed 9 hits and 8 earned runs in his shortest start of the season. Vernon Wells (right) went 3-4 with 4 RBI. The loss dropped the Yankees back to 6 games behind the Red Sox in the AL East. Seattle 8 Baltimore 4 - The Mariners tied the Tigers for the wild card lead as Detroit, New York and Cleveland all lost. Jose Vidro went 3-3 drove in four runs and scored twice, belting a 2-run homer and a pair of sac flies. Other AL Scores Cleveland 4 Chi White Sox 6, 13 innings Tampa Bay 7 Detroit 1 Oakland 6 Texas 3 Minnesota 11 Kansas City 4 National League Milwaukee 4 Colorado 19 - The Rockies took over third place in the NL West, pounding out 23 hits against the slumping Brewers. Garrett Atkins (right) went 4-4, including a pair of doubles, and drove in six runs. Colorado won their third straight while the Dodgers lost their sixth in a row. The Rockies are 4 behind Arizona in the division. Second place San Diego is 2 back. Prince Fielder knocked his league-leading 34th home run for the Brewers. LA Dodgers 0 Cincinnati 1 - The Dodgers, who were in first place just a week ago, lost their sixth straight and have been on the losing side of the ledger in 13 of their last 17 games. Their second straight loss to the Reds was also the third straight game in which they failed to score, having lost to Arizona, 3-0, on Sunday. The Reds won 4-0 on Tuesday and Wednesday's shutout was delivered by Aaron Harang (11-3), who worked the Dodgers over for 8 innings, allowing 4 hits while fanning 8. David Weathers pitched a perfect ninth for his 22nd save. Atlanta 3 NY Mets 4 - The Mets rallied for 2 runs in the 7th and Moises Alou capped the comeback with a solo homer in the 8th, expanding New York's NL East lead over the Braves to 4 1/2 games. With Atlanta losing, Philadelphia slipped into 2nd place in the division, 4 back. Florida 4 Philadelphia 6 - The Phillies won their third straight as Aaron Rowand socked his 18th home run, a two-run shot in the sixth that put the Phillies ahead to stay. Pittsburgh 6 Arizona 10 - Chris Snyder drove in four runs with a double and 2-run homer as the Diamondbacks extended their lead in the West to 2 games over the Padres. Arizona has been red hot, going 14-3 since July 20. Other NL Scores Chi Cubs 2 Houston 8 San Diego 1 St. Louis 2 Washington 0 San Francisco 5 - B. Bonds, 2-run HR (757)

Beckett Beaten; Yanks 9 Straight; Royals Explode

Note: During interleague play, home teams are reported under their respective leagues. American League Colorado 7 Boston 1 - Rockies' third baseman Garrett Atkins went 3-5, and his grand slam home run in the 3rd inning sent Boston ace Josh Beckett to an early departure and his first loss of the season. Beckett (9-1) survived only through 5, allowing 6 earned runs on 10 hits and a walk. He recorded only one strikeout as it was obvious he didn't have his usual best stuff. The Rockies ended their series at Boston ahead, 2 games to 1 and reached the .500 mark for the first time since April 13. They continue to chase the Padres, Dodgers and Diamondbacks. Currently, the Rockies are 5 1/2 behind San Diego. NY Yankees 7 Arizona 1 - Boston's loss was New York's gain, as the Yankees won their 9th straight and have closed the gap on the Red Sox to 7 1/2 games in the AL East. Alex Rodriguez had a pair of singles and a double, scored twice and drove in 2 to increase his MLB-leading RBI total to 68. Yankees' starter Andy Pettitte allowed just 4 hits and one earned run to even his record at 4-4. Kansas City 17 St. Louis 8 - Mark Teahen (right) singled and tripled twice in 5 at-bats, drove in 5 runs and scored a run in another Kansas City outburst. The Royals collected 15 hits and 7 walks off 7 different Cardinals' pitchers. Starter Kip Wells (2-11) lasted only 1 1/3 inning, allowing 6 earned runs on 3 hits and 4 walks. The Royals matched their high run total from just three games ago, when they blew out the Phillies, 17-5. It's the 6th time this season Kansas City has put up double digits. San Diego 7 Tampa Bay 1 - Rookie Justin Germano improved to 5-0, blanking the Devil Rays on 3 hits over 6 innings. Germano walked just one batter and struck out 4, lowering his WHIP to 0.93 and his ERA to 2.36. The rookie complements an already robust pitching staff. The Padres lead the majors with a 2.94 staff ERA and the NL West by 1/2 game over Los Angeles. Other AL Scores Minnesota 3 Atlanta 2 - Braves fall to 3rd in NL East, 1/2 behind Philly Milwaukee 6 Detroit 5 - Brewers take 2 of 3 at Detroit, Tigers fall 2 behind Cleveland Washington 3 Baltimore 1 National League Oakland 6 Houston 5, 11 innings - Jason Kendall singled home Bubba Crosby with the winning run to cap a 3-5 night at the plate for the A's 8th win in their last 10 games.

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Oakland moved into a tie with Seattle for 2nd place in the AL West, 5 back of the LA Angels. Craig Biggio had a pinch-hit single for career hit #2985. Texas 6 Pittsburgh 0 - Kameron Loe (2-6) blanked the Pirates on 5 hits over 8 innings as Texas avoided the sweep in Pittsburgh. Other NL Scores LA Angels 9 Cincinnati 7 - K. Griffey Jr., 2-run HR (16) Chi Cubs 5 Seattle 4 Cleveland 3 Florida 2 Interleague Scoreboard: Friday (6/8): AL 8, NL 6 Saturday (6/9): AL 10, NL 4 Sunday (6/10): AL 9, NL 5 Monday (6/11): AL 0, NL 2 Tuesday (6/12): AL: 8, NL: 6 Wednesday (6/13): AL: 6, NL: 8 Thursday (6/14): AL: 7, NL: 5