AROUND THE HORN | Tuesday's other games

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Red Sox 5, Rangers 4
BOSTON -- Nomar Garciaparra hit an RBI double that capped a three-run eighth inning. Boston (24-14) has won eight games this season in its last at-bat. Texas starter John Thomson allowed three hits in six innings, and the Rangers led 4-2 in the eighth when third baseman Hank Blalock let Shea Hillenbrand's hard grounder off Francisco Cordero (1-4) get by him for an error. One out later, Jason Varitek singled and Johnny Damon followed with another single that cut the deficit to 4-3. Todd Walker followed with a tying single, and Garciaparra's double put Boston ahead.
Devil Rays 7, Blue Jays 5
TORONTO -- Newly promoted Jared Sandberg hit a two-run homer and Joe Kennedy rebounded from the worst outing of his career, leading Tampa Bay over Toronto. Sandberg, recalled from Triple-A Durham before the game despite hitting just .236 there, gave Tampa Bay a 5-2 lead in the sixth with his two-run shot off former Devil Ray Tanyon Sturtze (3-4). Sandberg finished 2-for-3 with a walk. The nephew of former All-Star second baseman Ryne Sandberg hit 18 home runs for Tampa Bay last season but didn't make the club out of spring training this year.
Athletics 3, Tigers 1
DETROIT -- Miguel Tejada's two-run double broke a seventh-inning tie, lifting Ted Lilly and Oakland over Detroit. Mike Maroth became the first Tigers pitcher to lose his first eight decisions since Ted Gray in 1953, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, baseball's statistician. Maroth (0-8) hasn't had much help. He's received an average of just 2.8 runs of support per nine innings in his nine starts. Lilly (3-2) won for the first time in three starts, giving up one run on three hits and no walks in 71/3 innings. Keith Foulke pitched a perfect ninth for his 11th save.
Twins 4, Royals 2, 10 innings
MINNEAPOLIS -- Todd Sears hit a two-run homer with two outs in the 10th inning for Minnesota. Pinch-hitter Bobby Kielty tied it with an RBI single off closer Mike MacDougal in the bottom of the ninth. Doug Mientkiewicz also had an RBI single for the Twins, who have won 11 of 14. The top two teams in the AL Central have split the first two games of a four-game series, leaving Kansas City with a 21/2-game lead. The Royals botched a potential inning-ending double play in the 10th. Albie Lopez (4-2) took the loss. LaTroy Hawkins (2-0) earned the victory with two scoreless innings.
White Sox 1, Orioles 0
CHICAGO -- Esteban Loaiza didn't allow a runner past second base in seven dominant innings for Chicago. Loaiza (7-1) got his first five outs on strikeouts and made some nice plays in the field to aid his cause. He gave up five hits, struck out seven and lowered his ERA to 2.05. A non-roster invite to camp, Loaiza is tied with Mike Mussina for the major league lead in victories. Magglio Ordonez doubled in the fourth and scored on a weak groundout by Miguel Olivo. Billy Koch threw a perfect ninth for his fourth save in six opportunities. Omar Daal (2-5) took the loss despite seven strong innings.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Reds 7, Cardinals 2
ST. LOUIS -- Ken Griffey Jr. grounded out as a pinch-hitter in his first game since dislocating his right shoulder on April 5 as Cincinnati beat St. Louis behind two-run homers from Austin Kearns and Adam Dunn. Cincinnati shortstop Barry Larkin reinjured his left calf, straining it while running the bases in the second inning. Paul Wilson (2-3) allowed two runs and eight hits in six innings. Jason Simontacchi (1-3) allowed seven runs and seven hits in 12/3 innings.
Rockies 9, Mets 8
DENVER -- Preston Wilson had three RBIs, including a two-run homer, and the Colorado Rockies rallied from a 7-0 deficit. Tom Glavine pitched six shutout innings before tiring in the seventh, and Mike Piazza hit two homers for the Mets. Colorado scored four runs in the seventh, cutting it to 8-4, then added five in the eighth. Todd Helton dashed home with the deciding run on a wild pitch by Jaime Cerda (0-1). Steve Reed (3-1) pitched the eighth, and Jose Jimenez finished for his ninth save.
Diamondbacks 6, Phillies 1
PHILADELPHIA -- Quinton McCracken hit a two-out RBI single off Jose Mesa that drove in the go-ahead run in a five-run ninth inning off Jose Mesa (1-3). Rod Barajas scored on a wild pitch, Junior Spivey followed with a two-run single, and Luis Gonzalez added a RBI double. Mike Koplove (1-0), who grew up near Veterans Stadium, got two outs in the eighth as Arizona won for the fifth time in seven games.
Cubs 7, Brewers 2
MILWAUKEE -- Shawn Estes (4-3) won his third straight decision, getting a victory on the road for the first time this season. Pitching against Milwaukee for the second time in six days, he allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings. Antonio Alfonseca and Joe Borowski completed the five-hitter. Richie Sexson hit his major league-leading 14th homer for the Brewers, who have lost three straight and five of their last six. Milwaukee starter Ruben Quevedo (0-1) lost his career-high fifth straight decision, allowing six runs and 10 hits in 61/3 innings.
Expos 6, Giants 4
SAN FRANCISCO -- Vladimir Guerrero, hitless in his previous 13 at-bats, singled in the first, doubled in the third and homered in the seventh off Kurt Ainsworth (3-3). The Expos (24-15) turned five double plays and moved nine games over .500 for the first time since July 17, 1997. Marquis Grissom went 4-for-4 for the Giants, who have lost four straight for the first time since last Aug. 14-18. Dan Smith (2-1) pitched 22/3 innings, striking out two, and Rocky Biddle got three outs for his 10th save.
Braves 3, Dodgers 1
LOS ANGELES -- Gary Sheffield hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth off Paul Quantrill (0-2). The Braves are 23-4 after losing eight of their first 12. It's their best 27-game stretch since 1954 -- the franchise's second year in Milwaukee. Russ Ortiz (5-2) gave up one run and four hits in eight innings, and John Smoltz finished for his major league-leading 16th save.
Padres 6, Marlins 5
SAN DIEGO -- Ramon Vazquez singled in the winning run in the 10th against Braden Looper (3-2), sending Florida to its first loss in three games under new manager Jack McKeon. San Diego had lost three straight and 13 of 15. Matt Herges (1-0) worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the 10th when Juan Encarnacion grounded out and Todd Hollandsworth flied out. Mike Lowell homered twice for the Marlins, increasing his total to 12.
-- Associated Press