Pavlik Handcuffs Streaking Chisox
A.L./N.L. roundup
Roger Pavlik threw a three-hitter for his first career shutout as the Texas Rangers halted the Chicago White Sox’ eight-game winning streak with a 2-0 victory Thursday night.
Pavlik (8-9) had lost three of his previous four decisions, but he was in command against a hot-hitting White Sox lineup that was batting .342 with a .558 slugging percentage over the eight-game streak, Chicago’s longest since 1991. The complete game was Pavlik’s first of the season and fourth of his career.
Pavlik pitched out of a ninth-inning jam by making Robin Ventura ground out to shortstop with runners on first and second.
Texas ended a four-game losing streak and moved within two games of idle Kansas City in the A.L. wild-card race.
Braves 6-1, Marlins 3-5
Miami
Pat Rapp pitched 6-1/3 no-hit innings and Gary Sheffield and Jeff Conine hit home runs to lead Florida over Atlanta to salvage a split of a shortened doubleheader.
Fred McGriff broke up Rapp’s no-hitter in the seventh with a towering home run to center field, his 24th.
In the opener, the Braves took 21 minutes to beat the Marlins 6-3 in a completion of a suspended game delayed more than four months.
Rapp, (10-7) allowed one run on four hits with five strikeouts and two walks to win his fifth straight game. Steve Avery (6-12), who gave up six hits and struck out seven in seven innings, lost his third straight.
Cardinals 5, Padres 2
St. Louis
Ray Lankford drove in four runs with a double, triple and sacrifice fly and Allen Watson pitched six shutout innings as St. Louis snapped a five-game losing streak by defeating San Diego.
Lankford, who matched a career-high for RBIs in a game, also stretched a hitting streak to nine games. He’s batting .469 (15-32) during the streak.
Clearing the bases
Chicago Cubs shortstop Shawon Dunston’s four-game suspension for starting a bench-clearing brawl against San Francisco last month was upheld by N.L. president Leonard Coleman. The suspension will begin Friday when the Cubs begin a series at home against the Giants… . In an effort to honor Mickey Mantle’s final wishes, the California Angels will promote organ donor awareness by making donor cards available to fans at each home game for the remainder of the regular season.
Ex-Spokane pitching star Glenn Dishman of the Padres remained in the throes of a slump, allowing four runs in five innings as his ERA grew to 8.10 over his last eight starts… . St. Louis has used 95 lineups in its 123 games… . Wilson Alvarez of the White Sox has an 0-7 record on the road… . Teammate Frank Thomas received his 122nd walk in Chicago’s 122nd game… . San Diego’s Tony Gwynn lost a 13-game hitting streak.