Sports

<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   ADDITIONAL ITEMS • mlb (External Link)   CONTACT THE HERALD Report scores and results to 425-339-3470 or 1-866-6-SCORES (Call after 4:30 p.m.) E-mail information including items for Tuesday's Communities Sports Roundup and Thursday's Outdoor Calendar, to sports@heraldnet.com Kevin Brown, Sports Editor kbrown@heraldnet.com   Published: Thursday, July 3, 2008 AL roundup: Rays sweep Red Sox for second time Associated Press ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Evan Longoria went 3-for-4 and drove in three runs as Tampa Bay beat Boston 7-6 on Wednesday night to complete their second three-game sweep of the World Series champions this season. The Rays improved the best record in baseball to 52-32, rallying from a three-run deficit in the seventh inning and extending their lead in the AL East to a franchise-best 3 1/2 games over the second-place Red Sox. Boston matched a season high with its fifth consecutive loss. Tampa Bay is 6-0 at home against Boston, which has swept two three-game series from the Rays at Fenway Park. Longoria had an RBI single off Daisuke Matsuzaka in the first inning, and his two-run double off Craig Hansen (1-3) was the big blow in a six-run seventh. The rookie has 15 RBI in his last 10 games. Jason Bartlett had a two-run single in the seventh that made it 7-4. Gary Glover (1-2), the third of four Tampa Bay pitchers, allowed one run in 1 2/3 innings to get the win. The Red Sox pulled within 7-6 on Kevin Youkilis' sacrifice fly in the ninth. Dan Wheeler struck out Jason Varitek for his third save. Yankees 18, Rangers 7 NEW YORK -- Jason Giambi hit a grand slam and drove in a season-high six runs and Alex Rodriguez added a three-run homer as New York avoided a series sweep. The Yankees scored just seven runs and batted .172 in losing three of their last four games. Rodriguez scored four times, the last coming on his line-drive homer to right during the Yankees' season-high nine-run seventh inning. It was Rodriguez's 535th homer, moving him past Jimmie Foxx for 14th on the career list and within one of Mickey Mantle. Milton Bradley and Chris Davis hit two-run homers for the Rangers, who are 0-7 this season after taking the first two games of a three-game series. Josh Hamilton drove in two runs. Edwar Ramirez (2-0) picked up the win in relief. Derek Jeter's run-scoring single in the eighth gave every Yankees starter a hit. Seven New York players drove in runs, including Brett Gardner with his first career hit in the seventh. White Sox 6, Indians 5 (10) CHICAGO -- A.J. Pierzynski led off the bottom of 10th with his second homer of the game and Chicago won its seventh straight. Masa Kobayashi (4-4) pitched a perfect ninth then Pierzynski drove the first pitch of the 10th for his seventh homer. Grady Sizemore's second solo homer of the game tied it at 5 off Scott Linebrink in the ninth. Sizemore, who played at Cascade High School, leads the American League with 10 homers. Adam Russell (2-0) worked the 10th for his second win in as many nights and the second of his career. C.C. Sabathia allowed five runs and seven hits in eight innings for Cleveland, striking out five and walking two. The last-place Indians have lost five straight and are 12 1/2 games behind the White Sox in the AL Central. Twins 7, Tigers 0 MINNEAPOLIS -- Nick Blackburn combined with two relievers on a five-hitter, and Joe Mauer's two-out, two-run single sparked a five-run third inning for Minnesota. The Twins took two of three from the Tigers and have won 13 of 15 overall. Detroit, which had won 18 of 22 coming into the series, was shut out for the 10th time this season, most in the majors. The Twins have outscored the Tigers 39-17 in six games at the Metrodome this year, winning five. Blackburn (7-4) allowed three hits in seven innings, struck out four and walked one. Jesse Crain allowed two hits in the eighth, and Boof Bonser pitched a 1-2-3 ninth. Eddie Bonine (2-1) was chased after 2 2/3 innings, the shortest of his four major league starts. He gave up five runs -- two earned -- and seven hits. Angels 7, Athletics 4 ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Joe Saunders pitched into the seventh inning to match Brandon Webb for the major league lead with his 12th win, and Juan Rivera and Eric Aybar homered for the Angels. Saunders (12-4) allowed four runs -- two earned -- and six hits in 6 1/3 innings to help Los Angeles open a 51/2-game lead over Oakland in the AL West. Francisco Rodriguez pitched a scoreless ninth for his major league-leading 34th save in 36 attempts, tying John Smoltz's 2003 record for the most before the All-Star break. Keith Foulke (0-3) allowed two runs and two hits for the Athletics, recording just one out. Orioles 5, Royals 2 BALTIMORE -- Daniel Cabrera pitched a seven-hitter to earn his first victory since May 20, and Aubrey Huff homered for Baltimore. Cabrera (6-4) retired 13 straight batters before David DeJesus singled with two outs in the eighth. He struck out two and walked none in his second complete game of the season, both against the Royals. Cabrera is 5-0 with a 2.21 ERA lifetime against Kansas City, and the Orioles are 8-0 in his eight career starts against the Royals. Gil Meche (6-9) allowed five runs, four earned, and nine hits in six innings. He is winless at Camden Yards in 10 career starts. Ramon Hernandez had three hits for the Orioles, who improved to 5-2 against Kansas City to clinch the season series for a fifth consecutive year.

1. PETA activist creates her own circus on Everett street corner 2. Stranded teen hikers rescued from peak east of Granite Falls 3. Boeing makes final offer to Machinists 4. Edmonds man admits to Silvertips raffle theft 5. Twice as many local schools make federal watch list 6. Home movie: Snohomish native has leading role in an indie film on location in his hometown 7. Boeing sweetens offer to Machinists, retiree medical benefits safe 8. Mile-long pipes will take a boat trip 9. Former jail guard sent to jail for assault 10. Business briefly: Machinists rally in Everett over talks 2 - Top 10 Stories Most Talked about 3 - Top 10 Stories Most Emailed

• Keeping an eye on the road • Fall into the performing arts • PCC introduces earth friendly features at Edmonds store • Local theatre ready for its close up • Cedar Valley faces sanctions over WASL scores • Breathing room • Shoreline WASL scores show less improvement since 2006 • Mill Creek man robs Rite Aid pharmacy, demands cash and drugs • Are red-light cameras coming to Edmonds? • Mary Burns, Owner - The BookWorks • (No heading) • August 1998: Leisure trips include sailing on the Cutty Sark; relaxing a ... • Haggen Pharmacy robot fills prescriptions — safely • $45 million expansion underway for Arlington’s Cascade Valley Hospital, ... • Alternative health care options proving worth, moving from fringe to mai ... • Boeing new 777 freighter makes its first test flight from Paine Field • New Wine Styles shop in Marysville offers wine tasting, lunches and a vi ...