Alex Rodriguez almost didn’t play Wednesday night. The Mariners wish he hadn’t. Rodriguez shrugged off an ankle injury that required an afternoon MRI and hit two home runs, his AL-leading 47th and 48th, for the Yankees in the eighth.
Brandon Phillips’ two-run home run put him in the Reds’ record book. It was his 28th home run of the season, breaking the club record for second basemen set by Joe Morgan. “It’s an honor,” Phillips said. “He is a great player, a Hall of Famer.”
Carlos Pena homered twice, including his fifth career grand slam and second this season, as the Devil Rays whipped the Orioles 17-2. His seven RBIs were a team record and career high. Pena has 37 home runs and 105 RBIs this season and has 11 career multihomer games.
THREE DOWN
Tom Gordon and Brett Myers allowed a combined seven runs and eight hits in 1 2/3 innings as the Phillies blew an 8-2 lead and lost 9-8 to the Braves. “I totally can’t believe that,” Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. “I’ve never seen that. It’s mind-boggling.”
Marlins starter Sergio Mitre failed to get out of the first inning, giving up three runs and being lifted after only two outs against the Nationals. Mitre loaded the bases, then gave up an RBI single to Ryan Church and walked Brian Schneider and Robert Fick.
Making his first start of the season, South Holland native and Thornwood grad Mark Mulder allowed six runs and eight hits in four innings of work for the Cardinals against the Pirates. Mulder had rotator-cuff surgery on his left shoulder last September.
