NEW YORK, 1 October 2004 — Jolbert Cabrera’s two-run single with two out in the eighth lifted the Seattle Mariners to a 4-2 road win over the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday, while Ichiro Suzuki collected another hit in his record bid. Cabrera also scored Seattle’s first run with a fourth-inning single. Ichiro’s hit, a single off A’s starter Rich Harden (11-7), gave him 255 for the season, leaving him two short of George Sisler’s mark established in 1920.
In Arlington, Troy Glaus homered with a man aboard in the 11th to give the surging Angels an 8-7 victory over the Texas Rangers, Anaheim’s fifth straight win.The Rangers, who fell out of playoff contention with the defeat, got a run back in the bottom of the 11th but could not tie the game.
In New York, in a possible playoff preview, the Yankees rallied to defeat the Minnesota Twins 5-3 in the first game of a doubleheader. Alex Rodriguez stroked a two-run triple to cap a four-run Yankee seventh inning. Paul Quantrill (7-3) worked an inning in relief of Mike Mussina for the win, with Mariano Rivera closing out for his 52nd save.
In St Petersburg, the Tampa Bay Devils Rays thumped the playoff-bound Red Sox 9-4. The D-Rays roughed up Sox starter Pedro Martinez (16-9), scoring six times in five innings to hand the three-time Cy Young Award winner his fourth straight setback.
Tino Martinez produced the biggest blow of the game, a three-run homer in the eighth.
In Detroit, Carlos Lee clubbed a two-run homer in the third and then a grand slam in the ninth to power the Chicago White Sox to an 11-2 win over the Tigers. Ross Gload, Joe Borchard and Juan Uribe also homered for the Sox.
In Baltimore, David Newhan’s ninth-inning single scored the deciding run as the Orioles outlasted the Toronto Blue Jays 7-6 in the first game of their doubleheader. Rafael Palmeiro homered twice for the hosts and Miguel Tejada set a new club standard with his 143rd RBI.
In the nightcap, Rick Bauer (2-1) tossed six innings of three-hit ball, striking out seven, as Baltimore won 4-0. Jay Gibbons doubled in the fifth to give the Orioles all the runs they needed.
In Kansas City, Josh Phelps doubled in the sixth to lead the Cleveland Indians to a 5-2 win over the Royals.
Padres Edge Giants, Astros Soar Into Wild-Card Lead
Mark Loretta hit a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 10th to lift the San Diego Padres a 4-3 win over the San Francisco Giants in National League action on Wednesday.
Rich Aurilia and Ramon Hernandez homered in the fourth and sixth frames to account for the other San Diego runs.
In Houston, Jeff Bagwell singled in the seventh to snap a 4-4 tie and Lance Berkman doubled to add some insurance as the Astros edged the St Louis Cardinals 6-4. Rookie Chad Qualls (4-0) worked an inning in relief of Cy Young hopeful Roger Clemens to notch the victory.
In Los Angeles, the Colorado Rockies pushed across three runs in the top of the ninth to down the Dodgers 4-1. Jeromy Burnitz singled to drive in the first of the three runs, then came home on Choo Freeman’s double.
In Chicago, Austin Kearns doubled with two men out in the ninth to force extra innings, then clubbed a two-run homer in the 12th to give the Cincinnati Reds a 4-3 win over the fading Cubs.
In Montreal, the Florida Marlins romped to a 9-1 win before more than 31,000 fans in the Expos’ final home game. Carl Pavano (18-8) tossed seven innings of seven-hit ball and helped his own cause with a groundout in the second that brought in the deciding run.
In Atlanta, Bobby Cox joined some elite company, becoming just the ninth manager to win 2,000 games, as the Braves used a four-run seventh inning to defeat the New York Mets 6-3.Andruw Jones doubled, Julio Franco singled and Marcus Giles tripled to account for the late scoring.
In Philadelphia, Todd Pratt cracked a three-run homer to spark a five-run second inning, helping the Phillies to an 8-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates in game one of a doubleheader.
