Associated Press
CLEVELAND ó Joba Chamberlain allowed two runs in a career-high eight innings and the New York Yankees set a record for consecutive games without making an error in a 5-2 victory against the Cleveland Indians on Monday.
Chamberlain (3-1) retired the first 11 batters before Victor Martinez’s home run in the fourth. He allowed four hits, walked two and struck out five. Mariano Rivera worked a perfect ninth for his 11th save in 12 chances.
New York played error free for the 18th straight game, and surpassing Boston’s mark of 17 games set in 2006. New York’s last error came on May 13 at Toronto when shortstop Ramiro Pena misplayed a ground ball.
“I’m proud of what they’ve done; I’m proud of what our staff has put in,” manager Joe Girardi said. “They work hard all the time; every position they work hard defensively. I just want us to make the plays we should make. Don’t give extra baserunners. If you do that, it’s going to help our club tremendously.”
Nick Swisher doubled home a pair of runs and Alex Rodriguez singled home two more in a four-run seventh inning.
Bugs headlined Chamberlain’s relief appearance in the American League Division Series two years ago, when midges swarmed and distracted him while he walked Grady Sizemore and threw two wild pitches that enabled Cleveland to tie ó and ultimately win ó the game.
Monday night was Chamberlain’s first start at Progressive Field, and the bugs resurfaced in the eighth. Just not to the extent of two years ago.
“I started to see them coming, I’ll be honest,” Chamberlain said. “I actually swallowed one when I was walking around the mound to start (the eighth).”
White Sox 6, Athletics 2
CHICAGO ó Jim Thome hit the 550th homer of his career in the eighth inning to put the White Sox ahead.
A.J. Pierzynksi homered and Scott Podsednik scored two runs for the White Sox, who won for the fourth straight time and 10th time in the last 13 games.
The White Sox are back to .500 for the first time since May 3.
“The one thing about this ballclub is when we were losing we did not feel sorry for ourselves,” White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. “We just kept out head up and continued to play even when it wasn’t fun to play.”Oakland reliever Craig Breslow (1-4) allowed a leadoff walk to Podsednik in the eighth inning. After Alexei Ramirez popped up a bunt attempt, Jermaine Dye singled off Santiago Casilla. On a 1-2 pitch, Thome hit an opposite field home run to left-center to put the White Sox up 5-2.
Thome is 13th on the career homers list.
Orioles 1, Mariners 0
SEATTLE ó Rich Hill threw seven scoreless innings while Adam Jones and George Sherrill came up big against their former team.
Jones doubled and scored the only run on a sacrifice fly by Aubrey Huff in the sixth inning. After Jim Johnson struck out two in a perfect eighth, Sherrill finished for his 11th save in 13 chances.
Ichiro Suzuki tied the Mariners’ record by hitting safely in his 25th consecutive game.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Astros 4, Rockies 1
HOUSTON ó Roy Oswalt had a season-high eight strikeouts, Carlos Lee hit a two-run homer and the Houston Astros snapped a four-game losing skid at home.
Oswalt (2-2) improved to 7-1 in 10 career starts against Colorado. He allowed six hits and two walks in seven innings to match his longest outing of the season.
Marlins 7, Brewers 4
MIAMI ó Hanley Ramirez and Jeremy Hermida had RBI singles in Florida’s five-run sixth inning and the Marlins rallied to beat the Brewers.
Eleven Marlins batted in the sixth, with the first eight reaching base safely. Jorge Julio (1-1) faced six batters and allowed five runs, four earned. He walked one and hit two batters.
Reds 5, Cardinals 3
ST. LOUIS ó Mike Linclon and four other Cincinnati relievers allowed one earned run in eight innings after Edinson Volquez left early in his first start since coming off the disabled list, and the Reds rallied to beat the Cardinals.
“One of the finest young pitchers in our game and he leaves after one inning and the bullpen’s got to pitch eight,” St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. “I mean, that’s a great opportunity for us.”
Lincoln (1-0) gave up only Colby Rasmus’ sixth homer in three innings of relief and Francisco Cordero worked the ninth for his 14th save in 14 chances and 28th in a row dating to last July.
Volquez left complaining of numbness in the pinky and ring finger of his pitching hand after allowing a run on two hits.
He was set to return to Cincinnati for an examination today but had no symptoms after the game and was unconcerned.
“That’s crazy,” Volquez said. “I don’t feel anything.”
Volquez, a 17-game winner last year, had been on the disabled list with back spasms.
Phillies 5, Padres 3
SAN DIEGO ó Chase Utley and Ryan Howard hit consecutive home runs in the fifth inning of the Phillies’ fourth straight win.
Adrian Gonzalez hit his major league-leading 21st homer in the sixth inning, followed by Scott Hairston’s shot that pulled the Padres to 4-3. The Phillies got an insurance run in the eighth when pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs doubled with one out and scored on Shane Victorino’s two-out bloop double.
Hairston came up with one out in the ninth and Gonzalez on first but flied out to left against Brad Lidge. Lidge got the final three outs for his 13th save in 17 chances.
Diamondbacks 3, Dodgers 2
LOS ANGELES ó Billy Buckner threw six scoreless innings and rookie Josh Whitesell hit a two-run double.
Tony Pena gave up RBI singles in the ninth to Rafael Furcal and Juan Pierre before posting his first save.