A pair of 39-year-old sluggers and former Chicago stars, Frank Thomas and Matt Stairs, carried the Blue Jays to an 11-6 victory over the Rockies. Ex-Sox Thomas hit his 498th career homer and went 4-for-4 with four RBIs, and ex-Cub Stairs went 4-for-5 with a homer.
Victor Martinez crushed a three-run homer to straightaway center over the 410-foot mark in the ninth inning off closer Chad Cordero as the Indians rallied to beat the Nationals 4-3 to stay within one game of the first-place Tigers in the AL Central.
A week after his confrontation with the Cubs’ Derrek Lee, Padres starter Chris Young continued his dominance with a 1-hit, 11-strikeout performance over seven innings in a 6-1 win over the Red Sox. He improved to 7-3, while lowering his ERA to 2.08.
THREE DOWN
Braves manager Bobby Cox tied a record by being ejected for 131st time in his career in a 2-1 loss to the Tigers. Cox equaled John McGraw’s mark as he disputed the ejection of catcher Brian McCann, who was called out on strikes by umpire Chad Fairchild.
Mets catcher Paul Lo Duca threw a tantrum after umpire Marvin Hudson ejected him. Lo Duca was fuming after a called strike on the inside corner in the sixth in a win over the A’s, throwing his helmet. Upon returning to the dugout, Lo Duca tossed his shin guards on the field.
The Dodgers had a rough night as former catcher Dioner Navarro, in a 2-for-34 slump, hit a go-ahead homer in the seventh as the Devil Rays won 4-3. They also failed to score on bases-loaded situations in the fourth, fifth and seventh.
———-
Compiled by Mike Pankow
