Sunday 24 June 2012

Baseball roundup: Jim Thome's walk-off HR for Phillies rocks Rays


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After 7 straight wins, Rangers stumble

PHILADELPHIA -- A month off didn't affect Jeff Keppinger's swing.
Keppinger went 5-for-5 with three RBIs in his first game after missing 29 because of a broken toe, but the Tampa Bay Rays lost, 7-6, to the Philadelphia Phillies when pinch-hitter Jim Thome led off the bottom of the ninth with a solo homer Saturday.
Phillies pinch-hitter Jim Thome hits his 609th career homer Saturday. / Brian Garfinkel/Getty Images
After Jonathan Papelbon blew his first save in 18 chances this season, Thome connected off Jake McGee (2-2) for home run No. 609 to tie Sammy Sosa for seventh place on baseball's career list. It was the 13th time he did it to end a game.
"Tip your hat to Thome. He hit a 96 m.p.h. fastball off a left-hander and they beat us," Rays manager Joe Maddon said.
Thome, 41, was 0-for-12 as a pinch-hitter before his at-bat. ESPN.com reported that Papelbon said he told Thome in the on-deck circle that he would give him $5,000 if he hit a homer.
COLORADO 11, TEXAS 7: Tyler Colvin and Chris Nelson had consecutive two-out, two-run singles in an early outburst for visiting Colorado, which ended the Rangers' seven-game winning streak.
L.A. Dodgers 3, L.A. Angels 1: Chris Capuano outdueled Ervin Santana with seven gritty innings and the visiting Dodgers ended their four-game losing streak. Capuano (9-2) allowed a run and seven hits.
BOSTON 8, ATLANTA 4: Will Middlebrooks had a solo homer among his three hits and drove in two runs for the host Red Sox, who won for the eighth time in 10 games.
WASHINGTON 3, BALTIMORE 1: Edwin Jackson took a one-hitter into the seventh inning, Adam LaRoche homered, and the visiting Nationals beat rookie Wei-Yin Chen. Jackson (4-4) gave up one run in 6 1/3 innings.
N.Y. YANKEES 4, N.Y. METS 3: Raul Ibanez tied the game with a three-run homer, pinch-hitter Eric Chavez came through with a go-ahead shot moments later and the visiting Yankees rallied to stop a three-game skid.
TORONTO 7, MIAMI 1: Edwin Encarnacion hit a tiebreaking homer and Colby Rasmus had a grand slam later in the ninth inning, lifting the visiting Blue Jays, who have won six of eight. Encarnacion led off the ninth with his 21st home run off Steve Cishek (4-1) to break a 1-all tie. Miami has lost six straight and 15 of 17 overall.
 Detroit Free Press

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