Maine news, sports, weather from Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram, Portland, Maine

August 2, 2012

Major League Roundup: Tigers cool off Red Sox

The Associated Press

BOSTON - Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder homered on consecutive pitches to cap a five-run fifth inning Wednesday night, and the Detroit Tigers beat the Boston Red Sox 7-5 to avoid a three-game sweep.

Delmon Young added a solo homer for Detroit, which won for just the second time in seven games.

Carl Crawford hit a solo homer for the Red Sox, who had a four-game winning streak halted.

Cody Ross, Will Middlebrooks and Pedro Ciriaco had RBI singles for Boston.

Rick Porcello (8-6) pitched 52/3 innings, giving up four runs on eight hits for the win. He was 0-2 with a 10.80 ERA in three career starts against Boston.

Boston's Aaron Cook (2-5) was hit hard for the second straight start, allowing six runs on nine hits, including two homers, in 42/3 innings.

Craig Breslow, acquired from Arizona in a non-waiver trade deadline deal, made his Red Sox debut, allowing a hit in 1 1/3 scoreless innings.

Octavio Dotel and Joaquin Benoit each worked a scoreless inning before Jose Valverde pitched a perfect ninth for his 21st save in 25 chances.

RAYS 4, ATHLETICS 1: Alex Cobb shut down Oakland for seven innings and Carlos Pena homered to help Tampa Bay complete a 6-3 trip.

ROYALS 5, INDIANS 2: Luis Mendoza pitched into the eighth inning, Lorenzo Cain and Jarrod Dyson stroked two hits each and drove in a run as Kansas City won at home.

YANKEES 12, ORIOLES 3: Robinson Cano hit a grand slam in a seven-run third inning, and New York sent Zach Britton to another shellacking at Yankee Stadium to stop a four-game losing streak.

WHITE SOX 3, TWINS 2: Jake Peavy struck out eight over eight smooth innings and Alejandro De Aza broke a tie with an eight-inning infield single as Chicago won at Minneapolis.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

PIRATES 8, CUBS 4: Michael McKenry and Starling Marte homered to back a strong start by Jeff Karstens as Pittsburgh won at Chicago.

MARLINS 4, BRAVES 2: Miami scored three runs in the first inning to end host Atlanta's seven-game winning streak.

REDS 6, PADRES 4: Ryan Ludwick homered and drove in four runs for the second consecutive game as Cincinnati won at home.

PHILLIES 3, NATIONALS 2: Jimmy Rollins hit two solo home runs as Philadelphia won at Washington.

BREWERS 13, ASTROS 4: Ryan Braun hit his NL-leading 29th homer and Milwaukee connected four times to complete a three-game sweep at home.

DIAMONDBACKS 4, DODGERS 0: Patrick Corbin pitched two-hit ball over six innings following his promotion from the minors, and Arizona got home runs from Miguel Montero and newcomer Chris Johnson to complete a three-game sweep at Los Angeles.

NOTES

RED SOX: DH David Ortiz, on the 15-day DL with a strained right Achilles, was eligible to come off Wednesday, but Manager Bobby Valentine said he hadn't done any running yet so it would likely be a few days.

RANGERS: Texas optioned left-hander Martin Perez to Triple-A Round Rock to make room on the roster for newly acquired pitcher Ryan Dempster.

REDS: Catcher Devin Mesoraco is appealing his three-game suspension for making contact with an umpire during an argument. He will be allowed to play until his appeal is heard.

DODGERS: Two-time All-Star Bobby Abreu was designated for assignment by Los Angeles to make room on the 25-man roster for newly acquired left fielder Shane Victorino.

RAYS: Tampa Bay granted Hideki Matsui his release. He was designated for assignment last week.

INDIANS: Cleveland recalled right-hander Corey Kluber from Triple-A Columbus and he will make his first major league start Thursday night against the Kansas City Royals.

Kluber was 11-7 with a 3.59 ERA with 128 strikeouts and 49 walks in 1251/3 innings over 21 starts with Columbus. He went 4-0 with a 2.91 ERA in his last five International League starts.

• Cleveland placed designed hitter Travis Hafner on the paternity list and recalled utility player Vinny Rottino from Triple-A Columbus.

Hafner can remain on the paternity list for a maximum of three days.

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