MAJOR LEAGUE ROUNDUP | Tuesday's other games
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Yankees 9, Devil Rays 1
NEW YORK -- Derek Jeter homered and drove in three runs, Mike Mussina had another strong outing and the New York Yankees got off to a much better start against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays this season. Jason Giambi also knocked in three runs to give him eight RBIs in two games. Jeter finished with three hits and scored three runs. He has 16 hits in his last 30 at-bats. Mussina (3-1) beat 22-year-old lefty Scott Kazmir (2-2) and shut down a depleted lineup missing Carl Crawford, Jorge Cantu, Aubrey Huff and Julio Lugo. The Devil Rays, swept in Texas last weekend, have dropped four straight.
Tampa Bay won the season series a year ago, going 11-8 against New York -- including 6-3 at Yankee Stadium after finishing 0-10 in the Bronx in 2004. The Devil Rays were the first team since Detroit in 1974 to finish last and beat New York 11 times. But the Yankees had an easy time in the first of 18 meetings this year. They have outscored their opponents 22-3 in winning three in a row, and New York pitchers have allowed only one run in four of their past five games. Mussina yielded only a solo homer to Yankees nemesis Jonny Gomes in six-plus innings. The right-hander allowed four hits, struck out seven and did not walk a batter for his fifth solid outing in five starts this season.
Blue Jays 7, Orioles 3
TORONTO -- Vernon Wells doubled home the go-ahead run in four-run seventh inning, backing Gustavo Chacin for the Blue Jays. Chacin (4-0) allowed three runs and six hits in seven innings. He lowered his ERA from 5.60 to 5.11. Rodrigo Lopez (1-2) was the loser. Miguel Tejada and Jay Gibbons homered for Baltimore.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Rockies 7, Phillies 6
PHILADELPHIA -- Clint Barmes homered and drove in two runs and Brad Hawpe added two RBIs to lead Colorado. The Rockies nearly wasted a six-run lead, but held on for their sixth victory in eight road games. Sal Fasano had two RBI doubles for the Phillies, who dropped to 4-9 at home. Rockies reliever Ramon Ramirez (1-0) pitched 2 1-3 hitless innings to earn his first major league victory. Brian Fuentes walked two in the ninth but earned his third save, extending his franchise record to 20 straight. Miguel Asencio, making his first start in three years, gave up six runs -- two earned -- and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings. Asencio had multiple operations on his right elbow since 2003. Phillies starter Gavin Floyd (1-2) lasted 3 1/3 innings, allowing seven runs -- six earned -- and six hits.
Reds 6, Nationals 5
WASHINGTON -- Edwin Encarnacion drove in four runs, and Cincinnati took advantage of Washington starter Billy Traber's wildness to win their sixth of seven and improve to 14-7, their first time at seven games over .500 since July 4, 2004. Washington dropped to 1-6 at home. Traber (1-1) lasted only 1 1/3 innings, and the Nationals had to use five relievers.
Cincinnati starter Dave Williams (1-2) allowed four runs and nine hits in five-plus innings. He gave up rookie Ryan Zimmerman's two-run homer in the second and Alfonso Soriano's solo shot in the fifth. Traber faced 11 batters, and seven reached base -- four hits, two walks and a hit batsman. Traber walked in a run and gave up Encarnacion's two-run single and Brandon Phillips' sacrifice fly in the first.
Brewers 4, Braves 2
MILWAUKEE -- Prince Fielder singled in the go-ahead run in the sixth inning to lift Milwaukee. Gabe Gross doubled with one out in the sixth off Tim Hudson (1-2) and advanced to third on a groundout. Carlos Lee singled sharply to center field, scoring Gross to tie the game. Lee stole second with Fielder batting.
The Braves used an infield shift on the left-handed Fielder, moving their shortstop to the right side of second base. But Fielder chopped a 2-1 pitch through a gaping hole into left center, scoring Lee to give the Brewers a 3-2 lead.
Chipper Jones, who came off the disabled list Tuesday after missing 13 games with a sprained right knee and ankle, hit a two-run homer that put the Braves ahead 2-0 in the fourth. Jones, who hit into a double play in his first at-bat, added a single in the sixth. Brewers starter Tomo Ohka (2-1) gave up two runs and seven hits in seven innings.
Cubs 3, Marlins 1
CHICAGO -- Dontrelle Willis lost for the first time in April, with rookie Sean Marshall pitching seven scoreless innings on a cold night to lead Chicago. Willis (1-1) allowed three runs, five hits and three walks in seven innings, striking out six. He had been 9-0 with a 2.20 ERA in 14 April starts. Willis also began the night 2-0 with a 1.01 ERA in four starts at Wrigley Field.
Marshall (2-0) allowed two hits, struck out seven and walked two in his fourth career start. Ryan Dempster pitched a perfect ninth to complete the five-hitter.
Associated Press
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