Ike Davis had two hits and two RBIs in the third inning as the Mets batted around for seven runs, getting help from Jay Sborz, who became the first pitcher in eight years to hit the first two batters in his big league debut.
Sborz was pitching in relief of Justin Verlander (8-5), who did not return to the mound after a 58-minute rain delay that began after he allowed an RBI double to Jason Bay in the third inning that gave New York a 3-0 lead.
The Mets returned home from a 7-2 road trip to face the Tigers in New York for the first time since 2004.
Pagan, subbing in center field all season for injured Carlos Beltran, tied a career high for hits—hours after learning that Beltran will begin a rehab assignment Thursday at Class-A St. Lucie.
Rockies 2 Red Sox 1: At Detroit, Jhoulys Chacin pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning to beat Jon Lester and lead Colorado to the victory.
Chacin (4-6) walked five and allowed four singles in 6 2-3 innings. Lester, in his first trip to Coors Field since winning Game 4 to clinch Boston’s 2007 World Series title, lost for the first time since April 18 despite allowing just one earned run and six hits—all singles—in six spectacular innings.
Boston had won six straight and Lester (8-3) had won eight in a row.
Angels 6 Dodgers 3, At Anaheim, California, Howie Kendrick drove in the tiebreaking run in the seventh inning with his third hit and Kevin Frandsen followed with a two-run double to power the Angels to the Freeway Series victory.
Bobby Abreu hit a tying three-run homer in the sixth and Ervin Santana (7-5) pitched seven solid innings for the Angels, who rallied from a three-run deficit for their fourth win in five games.
They also posted their fourth straight win over the Dodgers, who matched their worst skid of the season with their fifth straight loss, including three straight at Fenway Park last weekend.
Phillies 2 Indians 1: At Philadelphia, Jamie Moyer tied a record with his 505th homer allowed but that was his only blemish in eight crisp innings for Philadelphia.
Moyer (8-6) limited the Tribe to just two hits while earning win No. 266, tying him with Bob Feller and Eppa Rixey for 35th on the career list. The 47-year-old left-hander recorded 14 of his 24 outs on ground balls.
Russell Branyan went deep for Cleveland in the second, hitting a long drive to the second deck in right that left Moyer tied with Robin Roberts for most homers allowed all-time.
J.C. Romero relieved Moyer for the ninth but was replaced by Brad Lidgewhen the Indians put runners on first and second with one out. Lidge then struck out Austin Kearns and Jhonny Peralta, completing the three-hitter and earning his fifth save in six tries.
Mitch Talbot (7-6) allowed two runs and four hits in seven innings for Cleveland.
Yankees 9 Diamondbacks 3: At Phoenix, Alex Rodriguez homered and drove in three runs, powering Andy Pettitte and the Yankees to the victory.
Arizona starter Dan Haren retired 12 of his last 14 batters and left with his team trailing 3-2 after seven innings. New York blew the game open against Arizona’s atrocious bullpen with a six-run eighth.
Pettitte (9-2) allowed two runs and seven hits in seven innings. He struck out seven, walked two and even got a rare base hit.
Haren (7-6) gave up six hits, struck out eight and walked one. He singled twice, the first driving in the Diamondbacks’ only runs of the game.
Padres 2 Rays 1: At St. Petersburg, Fla., Mat Latos allowed three hits in seven scoreless innings and San Diego beat Tampa Bay.
Latos (8-4) struck out eight—including his last five batters—and walked one in improving to 7-1 over his last nine starts. The right-hander also has won all three of his interleague starts this season.
Tampa Bay’s Wade Davis (5-8) allowed two runs, four hits and five walks in 4 1-3 innings. The right-hander, who has lost all four of his starts in June, threw 103 pitches.
The Rays are 10-16 since May 23, when they held a six-game lead in the AL East.
White Sox 9 Braves 6: At Chicago, John Danks settled down after a shaky start to outpitch a Tommy Hansonas Chicago won its seventh straight game.
In snapping Atlanta’s five-game winning streak, the White Sox won for the 11th time in 12 games. They improved to 35-34—the first time they have been over .500 since they were 1-0.
Chicago had 13 of its season-high 16 hits during Hanson’s 3 2-3 innings. Carlos Quentin’sthree-run homer put the White Sox up 9-3 in the fourth.
Danks (7-5) spotted Atlanta a 3-0 lead before retiring 15 of the last 18 batters he faced.
Rangers 6 Pirates 3: At Arlington, Texas, Josh Hamilton extended his hitting streak to 17 games with a home run and a double and Texas stretched the majors’ longest winning streak to nine.
Michael Young also homered in his first home game since becoming the franchise’s career hits leader last week at Florida during the Rangers’ eight consecutive victories on the road.
Cardinals 9 Blue Jays 4: At Toronto, Matt Holliday brought his hitting tear to Toronto, connecting for one of four home runs by the Cardinals.
Felipe Lopez, Yadier Molina and slumping Colby Rasmus also went deep for the Cardinals to back rookie left-hander Jaime Garcia (7-3).
Jose Bautista hit two home runs for Toronto, giving him a major league-high 20.
Holliday was selected NL player of the week after batting .435 (10 for 23) with four homers and eight RBIs from June 14-20. He kept his streak going against the Blue Jays with a single in the first inning, a homer in the third and a double in the fifth.
The Cardinals took the lead with a four-run fifth against Brett Cecil(7-4).
Brewers 7 Twins 5: At Milwaukee, Casey McGehee hit a three-run homer and rookie closer John Axfordconverted his first six-out save to help Milwaukee’s bullpen hold on for the win.
Rickie Weeks homered for Milwaukee, which had a 7-3 lead before reliever Todd Coffeyallowed a two-run double to Delmon Young with no outs in the eighth.
Mariners 2 Cubs 0: At Seattle, Jason Vargas pitched four-hit ball over seven innings to win his fourth straight decision and Franklin Gutierrezhomered to send Seattle to its season-high fifth consecutive victory.
The Mariners have scored 11 runs during their winning streak, their longest since winning six in a row April 9-15, 2009. Five of those runs came in one game.
Brandon League and David Aardsma finished the six-hitter. Aardsma walked Geovany Soto and allowed a single to Alfonso Sorianowith two outs in the ninth. But the right-hander struck out Tyler Colvinf or his 16th save in 20 chances.
Marlins 10 Orioles 4: At Baltimore, Hanley Ramirez had three hits and three RBIs to back an effective pitching performance by Anibal Sanchez, and Florida defeated Baltimore.
The Marlins have two won straight for the first time since June 10-11.
After sitting out Sunday’s game with a tight right hamstring, Ramirez marked his return with his first three-hit game since May 19.
Nationals 4 Royals 3: At Washington, Josh Willingham and Adam Dunn homered, Luis Atilano pitched into the sixth inning and Washington beat Kansas City.
Matt Capps held on for his major league-leading 22nd save in 26 chances despite a rocky ninth inning. Scott Podsednik hit a two-run single to get Kansas City within one before Jason Kendallfouled out with two runners on to end the game.
Reds 4 Athletics 2: At Oakland, Calif., Bronson Arroyo rediscovered his control and didn’t walk a batter in eight strong innings for Cincinnati.
Corky Miller hit a two-run single and Joey Votto added an RBI double as the Reds quickly jumped on Dallas Braden, whose winless stretch reached eight starts since his perfect game against Tampa Bay on May 9.
A’s center fielder Coco Crisp hit a two-run homer in his third game all season following two stints on the disabled list.
Arroyo (7-3) was coming off a career-high six walks in a win over the Dodgers, but commanded the strike zone this time for his first start of the season without a walk.
National League
Giants 3 Astros 1: At Houston, Tim Lincecum outpitched Roy Oswalt in a matchup of National League aces, and San Francisco managed just enough offense against Houston.
It was San Francisco’s seventh straight victory over Houston this season and Lincecum’s third of the year against the struggling Astros. He improved to 5-0 in eight career outings against them.
Lincecum (8-2) allowed seven hits and no earned runs over eight innings while striking out seven and walking two. Brian Wilson pitched a perfect ninth for his 20th save in 22 chances. Oswalt (5-9) pitched seven innings and allowed two runs on six hits.
