LINEUP CARD - Sports Saturday

LINEUP CARD

Strange triple sparks Bosox past Yankees

Saturday, Jul 05, 2008 - 12:07 AM

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From Wire Reports

NEW YORK -- Kevin Youkilis created the drama. Mike Lowell gave Boston the win. Lowell hit a go-ahead, three-run homer two innings after Youkilis' shot squirted out of Johnny Damon's glove, bounced off the top of the left-field wall three times, and sat on the fence for several tantalizing seconds.

Youkilis' ball rolled back to the field for a tying, two-run triple, helping spark the Red Sox to a soggy come-from-behind 6-4 victory over the New York Yankees yesterday. It was another bruising defeat for the Yankees, who have lost five of six. Damon bruised and sprained his left shoulder on Youkilis' triple and left the game.

With the Yankees ahead 3-1 in the third, Damon sprinted back for Youkilis' two-out drive with two on, and the ball hit the webbing of Damon's glove and bounced up off the top of the wall. And bounced. And bounced.

Finally, the ball dropped back in and landed near Damon, who was sprawled on the warning track. Youkilis cruised into third base as Boston tied it at 3. After Damon threw the ball back to the infield, Yankees manager Joe Girardi and a trainer attended to Damon, who was holding his ribs and shaking his arm. Damon was replaced by Brett Gardner.

Josh Beckett (8-5) recovered from a three-run first inning that included a two-run double by Alex Rodriguez. Jason Giambi drove in Rodriguez with a sacrifice fly, and that was it for the Yankees' offense.

AROUND THE MAJORS

Bynum, Birds blitz Rangers 10-4

BALTIMORE -- Freddie Bynum tied a career high with three RBI, and the Baltimore Orioles roughed up 10-game winner Vicente Padilla in a 10-4 win over Texas Rangers. Adam Jones and Brandon Fahey both drove in two runs and scored twice for the Orioles, who built an 8-1 lead in the third inning. Bynum was a late replacement for Brian Roberts, who was scratched after feeling ill. Bynum hit a two-run single in the third inning and drove in a run with a grounder in the eighth.

Griffey, Arroyo too much for Nats

CINCINNATI -- Ken Griffey Jr. hit a two-run drive for career homer No. 604, and Bronson Arroyo worked six innings, leading the Cincinnati Reds over the Washington Nationals 3-0. Griffey followed Jay Bruce's one-out double in the first with a 344-foot line drive that bounced off an advertising sign over the bench in the visitor's bullpen down the right-field line.

Griffey's 11th homer of the season came on a 1-0 pitch from rookie Jason Bergmann and gave the nine-time all-Star 5,001 total bases for his career, becoming 18th player to reach that level. Bergmann became the 387th pitcher to give up a home run to Griffey, who needs five more to tie Sammy Sosa for fifth place.

In other games:

DODGERS 10, GIANTS 7: Andre Ethier homered and hit a go-ahead two-run double in the sixth, Derek Lowe won for the first time in three starts and Los Angeles scored five unearned runs in the sixth inning in a win at San Francisco. Left fielder Fred Lewis made a costly mistake when he dropped a routine line drive by Nomar Garciaparra to start the inning. Pinch-hitter Delwyn Young hit a tying RBI single two batters later and, one out later, Ethier began a stretch of three straight doubles that scored runs.

BREWERS 9, PIRATES 1: J.J. Hardy and Bill Hall each hit a two-run homer, Ben Sheets worked out of several jams to earn his 10th win and host Milwaukee routed Pittsburgh. Sheets (10-2) worked 52/3 innings in becoming the sixth 10-game winner in the NL this season. Hardy, who struggled with a tight shoulder last month, had four hits for the second straight day to extend his hitting streak to 16 games, the longest active streak in the majors. His homer in the fifth contributed to a five-run inning.

RAYS 11, ROYALS 2: Edwin Jackson took a two-hitter into the eighth inning, and Carlos Pena homered and drove in five runs as AL East-leading Tampa Bay whipped visiting Kansas City for its fifth straight victory. Jackson (5-6) matched his win total for last season, limiting the Royals to David DeJesus' first-inning single and Mark Grudzielanek's solo homer in the seventh before giving up two singles and an unearned run in the eighth.

MARINERS 4, TIGERS 1: Raul Ibanez clanged a solo home run off the windows of a restaurant in right field, and a pair of relievers helped finish what Erik Bedard started in Seattle's victory over Detroit. Jose Lopez added a key two-run double late to help the Mariners win for the eighth time in 11 games. Ibanez's 10th homer of the season broke a 1-1 tie in the fourth, and Lopez sealed the victory with a two-out, two RBI double off Detroit starter Kenny Rogers in the eighth.

NOTABLE

Rockies' Helton goes on 15-day DL

DENVER -- The Colorado Rockies placed first baseman Todd Helton on the 15-day DL with a sore back and recalled Joe Koshansky (U.Va.) from Triple-A Colorado Springs. Helton, a career .332 hitter coming into 2008, is hitting .266 with seven home runs and 29 RBI. Over his past 22 games, Helton, 34, is hitting .182 (14 for 77) and was moved from the cleanup spot to hitting second in the lineup.

Borowski not in Tribe's plans

CLEVELAND -- Indians closer Joe Borowski, last year's American League saves leader, was designated for assignment. Borowski (1-3, 7.56 ERA) blew his fourth save in 10 chances Wednesday, against the Chicago White Sox. The right-hander had 45 saves last season but has struggled since returning from an arm injury. In other roster moves, the Indians designated right-hander Rick Bauer (13.50 ERA) for assignme and called up right-handers Jensen Lewis and Brian Slocum from Triple-A Buffalo.

Elsewhere:

The Pittsburgh Pirates designated pitcher Bryan Bullington (0-3, 5.89 ERA) for assignment, a move that may end the former No. 1 draft pick's tenure with the organization without him winning a game in the majors. The Pirates have 10 days to trade the right-hander, release him or keep him at Triple-A Indianapolis if he clears waivers. Outfielder Chris Duffy was returned to the 40-man roster after his time on the 60-day disabled list expired.

The Oakland Athletics placed reliever Keith Foulke (0-3, 3.81 ERA) on the 15-day disabled list with inflammation in his right shoulder. Foulke, who appeared in 26 games, had experienced some irritation in his pitching shoulder the last few weeks and told manager Bob Geren on Thursday that he couldn't throw.

Left-hander Billy Traber was recalled from Scranton-Wilkes Barre by the New York Yankees, who optioned infielder Alberto Gonzalez to the Triple-A team. Traber had a 5.59 ERA in 92/3 innings over 14 games in two stints with the Yankees this season.