Torii Hunter hit a tie-breaking single in the eighth and a grand slam in the ninth, both hits coming after Joe Mauer had been walked intentionally, as the Twins beat the Mariners 6-1. Two of Hunter’s three slams this season have come against Seattle.
The Devil Rays’ Carl Crawford went 2-for-5 in a 6-5 win over the Red Sox and has hit safely in 15 of 16 games. His .484 average in August is the best in the majors. Tampa Bay scored five runs in the first three innings, matching its total for the previous 39.
Home run king Barry Bonds hit No. 759 off the Braves’ Tim Hudson in the Giants’ 6-3 loss. It came across the street from the former site of Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, where Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s homer record in April 1974 with the 715th of his career.
THREE DOWN
Mariano Rivera is scuffling. The Yankee blew a save Monday, and the Orioles scored three runs in the 10th to beat him 6-3 Wednesday. He has allowed nine hits and five runs in his last 3 1/3 innings. Rivera: “My arm is fine. Just one of those games.”
Ivan Rodriguez, Placido Polanco and Craig Monroe were sick and didn’t play in the Tigers’ 5-2 loss to the Indians. Asked for an update on injured Kenny Rogers (elbow), manager Jim Leyland said: “He won’t be doing any throwing. He’s sick as a dog too.”
Rookie Yovani Gallardo gave up seven runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings — including homers to Albert Pujols and Scott Rolen in the first — as the struggling Brewers lost to St. Louis. Milwaukee’s starting pitchers are 1-8 with a 7.64 ERA in their last 16 games.
