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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Thursday’s games

Associated Press

American League

White Sox 3, Orioles 2: At Chicago, Jon Garland became the A.L.’s first seven-game winner, allowing eight hits in eight innings and Chicago beat Baltimore to run its record to 26-9. Garland (7-0) won his seventh straight start and stopped Baltimore’s eighth-inning rally by striking out Miguel Tejada with runners on the corners. Dustin Hermanson pitched the ninth for his seventh save in as many opportunities. Hermanson hasn’t allowed a run this season, spanning 15 appearances. A.J. Pierzynski and Juan Uribe homered for the White Sox as Chicago took a 3-0 after three innings. Rafael Palmeiro hit a solo homer for the Orioles in the fifth. Pitting the teams with the best records in the majors, the opener of the four-game set drew 29,031 on a 53-degree night at U.S. Cellular Field. Many of the crowd had hoped to see Sammy Sosa’s return to Chicago, but the former Cubs star didn’t make the trip after going on the disabled list earlier in the week with a foot abscess and infection. Baltimore entered the game leading the league in batting average, slugging percentage and homers with 48, but was short-handed without Sosa and center fielder Luis Matos, who was on the DL with a broken finger.

Royals 7, Devil Rays 5 (6-plus, rain): At Kansas City, Mo., Kansas City got its first win since Tony Pena resigned as manager, a rain-shortened victory over Tampa Bay

National League

Cardinals 10, Dodgers 3: At St. Louis, David Eckstein singled, doubled and tripled to wrap up an 11-for-16 series, setting the table for St. Louis in a victory over Derek Lowe and sloppy Los Angeles. Chris Carpenter (5-2) struck out eight in seven innings, Yadier Molina had three hits in his first start since spraining his left ankle last weekend, and John Mabry hit a two-run double as he subbed for injured Scott Rolen for the second straight game. St. Louis, which completed a 4-4 homestand, beat the Dodgers at home for the eighth time in nine games dating to the playoffs last fall.

Reds 7, Phillies 5: At Philadelphia, Adam Dunn homered in consecutive at-bats and tied his career high with five RBIs, leading Cincinnati to a victory over struggling Philadelphia. Dunn hit a two-run shot in the fifth and a tiebreaking three-run drive off Jon Lieber (5-2) in the sixth for his third multihomer game of the season. Ken Griffey Jr. also homered and had three hits for the Reds, who won for the third time in 14 games. Bobby Abreu homered for the fifth straight game for the Phillies, who have lost three in a row to drop to 15-21.

Giants 6, Astros 3: At Houston, Mike Matheny singled in the tying run and Houston outfielder Lance Berkman’s error on the play allowed the go-ahead run to score in San Francisco’s victory.

Diamondbacks 6, Rockies 3: At Denver, Jose Cruz Jr. hit two solo homers to lift Arizona to a victory over Colorado.