Miami, FL (Best E Casino) - Matt Garza took a no-hitter into the seventh and finished with a one-hitter for his first career complete game, as the Tampa Bay Rays completed a sweep of the Marlins with a 6-1 victory at Dolphin Stadium. A day after Garza's alma mater, Fresno State, completed a remarkable run to its first College World Series title, the 24-year-old former Bulldog pitched the best game of his three-year career. Garza (6-4) allowed only one run with a walk and 10 strikeouts to become the second Rays pitcher to throw a one-hitter this year. James Shields did it May 9 against the Angels. Evan Longoria kept up his hot hitting, going 3-for-5 with a homer, two doubles and two runs scored. Shawn Riggans drove in three runs to give the Rays their seventh win in the last nine games. Mark Hendrickson (7-6) continued to struggle for the Marlins, dropping his fourth straight decision and failing to record a quality start in his seventh consecutive game. Hendrickson went only 4 2/3 innings, giving up five runs on five hits with three strikeouts and five walks.
Final Score: Detroit 3, St. Louis 2 (10 innings)
Detroit, MI (Best E Casino) - Curtis Granderson finished 4-for-5 and scored the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning as Detroit edged St. Louis, 3-2, in the rubber match of a three-game set at Comerica Park. Granderson greeted Mike Parisi (0-4) by grounding a single to right. The speedy outfielder was quickly sacrificed to second by a Ryan Raburn bunt and, after Carlos Guillen was intentionally walked, advanced to third when Magglio Ordonez flied out. Cards manager Tony La Russa then decided to intentionally walk the dangerous Miguel Cabrera to load the bases. The move backfired badly on the veteran mentor when Parisi issued another free pass to Clete Thomas that forced in the winning run. Thomas was 1-for-3 and knocked in two runs for the Tigers, who won the last two games of the series in their final at- bat. Gary Sheffield added a solo home run. Nate Robertson scattered 11 hits over 6 1/3 innings and gave up just one run with five strikeouts and two walks. Bobby Seay (1-1) earned the win with a scoreless 10th inning. Albert Pujols returned from the disabled list in a big way for the Cardinals, finishing 4-for-4 with an RBI before leaving the game for a pinch runner in the ninth inning.
Final Score: Baltimore 11, Chicago Cubs 4
Chicago, IL (Best E Casino) - Aubrey Huff went 4-for-5, knocking in two runs and scoring three as the Orioles trounced the Cubs in the deciding game of their three-game series at Wrigley Field, 11-4. Jay Payton added two hits and knocked in three more runs as the Orioles posted their second-highest run total this year - Baltimore scored 12 runs in a 12-2 win over the Yankees on May 20. Guillermo Quiroz went 3-for-4, knocking in two runs and scoring one. Radhames Liz (2-0) threw five-plus strong innings, giving up two runs on four hits with four strikeouts and four walks. It marked Liz's third consecutive start in which the Orioles posted a victory and the sixth win for Baltimore in its last nine games. Jason Marquis (6-4) had his worst outing of the year, throwing only four innings and giving up seven runs on seven hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Eric Patterson knocked in two runs and Daryle Ward went 2-for-2 with an RBI in a losing cause for the Cubs, who have dropped five of nine and had won seven consecutive home series' before dropping two of the three games against the Orioles.
Final Score: Chicago White Sox 2, LA Dodgers 0
Los Angeles, CA (Best E Casino) - John Danks combined with four other pitchers in a five-hit shutout as the Chicago White Sox downed the Los Angeles Dodgers, 2-0, in the finale of a three-game interleague set at Dodger Stadium. Danks (5-4) gave up four hits and four walks with three strikeouts in six innings of work for the White Sox, who had dropped four of five coming into the game. Alexei Ramirez had a pair of hits and drove in a run while Carlos Quentin had the other RBI for Chicago, which won on the road for just the second time in its past 12 games. Clayton Kershaw (0-2) was tagged with the loss as he gave up two runs on six hits with four walks and three strikeouts in four-plus innings of work for the Dodgers, who have lost four of their last six games. Matt Kemp went 1-for-2 with a pair of walks in the loss.
Final Score: Minnesota 4, San Diego 3
San Diego, CA (Best E Casino) - Justin Morneau went 3-for-4, homered and knocked in three runs, and the streaking Twins edged the San Diego Padres, 4-3, capping a three-game sweep, the ninth straight win for Minnesota. The win streak is the longest for the club since an 11-game surge between June 22-July 3, 2006, and allowed them to keep pace with the White Sox in the American League Central. The Twins trail Chicago, which also won on Thursday, by a half-game for first place in the division. Scott Baker (4-2) scattered six hits and three runs over six innings for the Twins, who will try to run their streak to 10 games in Milwaukee on Friday. Brian Buscher went 2-for-4 and knocked in the go-ahead run in the sixth inning for Minnesota. Josh Banks (2-2) took the loss, allowing seven hits and four runs in 5 1/3 innings. Khalil Greene homered for the Padres, who have dropped five straight and nine of 10.
Final Score: Oakland 5, Philadelphia 0
Oakland, CA (Best E Casino) - Rich Harden recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts in eight shutout innings as the Oakland Athletics blanked the Philadelphia Phillies, 5-0, in the rubber match of a three-game interleague set. Harden (5-0) remains perfect on the season after giving up just two hits -- both Shane Victorino singles -- and a walk. He needed just 95 pitches and threw 64 for strikes in another commanding performance, lowering his earned run average to a miniscule 2.15. Carlos Gonzalez went 2- for-4 with a solo home run, while Ryan Sweeney and Jack Hannahan each scored and drove in a run for Oakland, which has won three of its last four. Adam Eaton (2-6) dropped his third straight start despite a solid seven-inning effort for the Phillies, who have dropped seven of their last eight. Eaton hurled his 10th quality start of the season, allowing three runs on six hits with three free passes to go with six strikeouts in defeat.
NY Yankees at Pittsburgh, postponed
Pittsburgh, PA (Best E Casino) - Thursday's interleague contest between the New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates was postponed due to rain. Play was interrupted with two outs in the top of the third inning because of heavy rains and was officially called off after two-plus hours of waiting for the storm front to pass through. The Yankees led, 3-1 by opening the game with four straight extra-base hits off Pirates starter Paul Maholm, while the Pirates got a run off New York's Mike Mussina in the bottom half of the inning. None of the stats from the shortened affair will count, however, as the makeup game scheduled for Thursday, July 10 at 7:05 p.m. (et) will be a clean slate for both clubs.
Final Score: Cleveland 4, San Francisco 1
Cleveland, OH (Best E Casino) - Cliff Lee didn't let a rain delay nearing two hours stop his season-long momentum, as the southpaw struck out a career-best 11 Giants over eight frames in Cleveland's 4-1 victory over San Francisco. Rain delayed the first pitch of the series finale one hour, 42 minutes before Lee (11-1) brought his best stuff in the hill, remaining unbeaten over his last seven starts. He lowered his ERA below 2.00 at home this season, scattering four hits and one run with one walk. Joe Borowski nailed down his sixth save with a perfect ninth. Jamey Carroll and Kelly Shoppach accounted for most of the offensive firepower, as the Indians snapped a three-game losing streak. Carroll finished 2-for-3 with two RBI and Shoppach also collected two hits and scored twice. Matt Cain (4-6) took the loss for the Giants, who were looking for the sweep in the interleague series. Cain gave up four runs on eight hits with a pair of walks and four strikeouts in five frames. Rich Aurilia knocked in the lone run for the Giants.
Final Score: Toronto 7, Cincinnati 1
Toronto, ON (Best E Casino) - Jesse Litsch pitched eight strong innings as the Toronto Blue Jays wrapped up a three-game set against the Cincinnati Reds with a 7-1 win. Litsch (8-4) gave up just one run on three hits with a walk and six strikeouts for the Blue Jays, who have won three of four after a seven-game losing streak. Scott Rolen hit a two-run home run and drove in three while Vernon Wells had a pair of RBI and scored twice. Edinson Volquez (10-3) had his worst start of the season as he gave up seven runs -- five earned -- on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings of work while Brandon Phillips drove in the lone run for the Reds, who have dropped three of their last four.
Final Score: Houston 7, Texas 2
Houston, TX (Best E Casino) - Wandy Rodriguez pitched eight strong innings and Hunter Pence drove in three runs, as the Houston Astros downed the Texas Rangers, 7-2, in the rubber match of a three-game series at Minute Maid Park. Rodriguez (3-3) allowed one run on five hits with nine strikeouts for Houston, which has won three of its last four games and will now get ready to host the Boston Red Sox for a weekend series. David Newhan finished 3-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored while Lance Berkman added three hits, two runs scored and an RBI in the win. Ian Kinsler and Marlon Byrd both drove in a run for Texas, which ended its six-game road trip with a 3-3 mark. Kevin Millwood (5-4) suffered the loss after he allowed all seven runs on 12 hits in five innings of work. Texas slugger Josh Hamilton left early for the second time in this series. Hamilton left Tuesday's game early with knee inflammation and did not play on Wednesday. He returned to the lineup for this contest, but was hit by a pitch in the first inning before he exited in the second. X-rays taken on his left wrist were negative and he is listed as day-to-day.
