MLB roundup: Cards' homers lead to win over Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Khalil Greene hit a late three-run homer, Albert Pujols hit a two-run shot and Chris Carpenter outpitched Brian Bannister to give the St. Louis Cardinals a 7-1 win over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday.

Pujols was a key factor in Friday night's win, had even bigger role in this one, hitting his 24th homer off Bannister (5-4) to put the Cardinals up 3-0 in the sixth inning. Greene sealed it in the ninth, lifting a shot just over the wall in left

That was more than enough the way Carpenter (5-1) pitched.

Cubs 6, Indians 5,

13 innings

CHICAGO (AP) - Andres Blanco hit a tying single and then scored the winning run on Kerry Wood's wild pitch in the 13th inning to lift the Cubs.

Luis Valbuena hit his second homer of the game, a solo shot in the top of the 13th, to give the Indians a 5-4 lead. But after blowing the save Friday night by giving up a ninth-inning homer to Derrek Lee, Wood (2-3) gave up a leadoff single Saturday to Kosuke Fukudome.

Fukudome made it to third on a steal and error. With the infield playing in, Blanco slapped a grounder past Valbuena to tie the game, and after Aaron Miles dropped a single into shallow left, Wood's wild pitch brought home the winning run.

Dodgers 6, Angels 4

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - Jeff Weaver outpitched little brother Jered in a duel that was mostly a dud, as neither starter made it through the sixth inning.

Jeff Weaver (4-1) pitched five-plus innings and gave up two runs and six hits, while Jered Weaver (7-3) had a rougher time. He went 5 1-3 innings and was tagged for six runs and 10 hits, including a home run by Russell Martin.

It was the first time in seven years that siblings started against each other in the majors - in 2002, Andy and Alan Benes were the pitchers. This was the 21st time overall that it had occurred in the big leagues.

White Sox 10, Reds 8

CINCINNATI (AP) - Alexei Ramirez hit the last of four White Sox homers, and Chicago won the first Civil Rights Game played as part of the regular season.

Chicago overcame a five-run deficit by scoring its first eight runs off homers. Ramirez's three-run shot off Nick Masset broke a 5-all tie in the sixth.

Red Sox 3, Braves 0

BOSTON (AP) - Josh Beckett allowed just five singles for his first shutout since joining the Red Sox, and Jason Varitek doubled twice and scored twice to lead Boston.

Beckett (8-4) rebounded from giving up a season-high 11 hits in his last outing for his first complete game of the year. He struck out seven and walked none.

Varitek helped Boston spoil the homecoming of ex-batterymate Derek Lowe (7-5), who spent 7 1/2 seasons with the Red Sox and helped them end their 86-year World Series drought.

Tigers 9, Brewers 5

DETROIT (AP) - Miguel Cabrera and Placido Polanco homered and Alfredo Figaro, called up to replace Dontrelle Willis, won his major-league debut for the Tigers.

Ryan Braun homered and had four hits for the Brewers, but it wasn't enough to help Dave Bush (3-4) lose for the fourth time in his last six starts.

Marlins 2, Yankees 1

MIAMI (AP) - Josh Johnson pitched seven innings of three-hit ball, Dan Uggla homered and the Marlins took advantage of a Yankees lineup without Alex Rodriguez.

Johnson (7-1) struck out five and walked two, outpitching former Marlins teammate A.J. Burnett (5-4). The Yankees didn't do much to help their starting pitcher.

Johnny Damon misplayed a ball hit to left field by Jorge Cantu in the sixth, allowing Hanley Ramirez to score from first to give the Marlins a 2-0 lead they would never lose.

The play was ruled an error, with Damon slow to read the ball and whiffing on the catch.

Rays 3, Mets 1

NEW YORK (AP) - Carlos Pena hit a tiebreaking homer off Johan Santana in the seventh inning, sending James Shields and the Rays to a rainy win.

Shields (6-5) allowed three hits in seven innings and retired his final 14 batters. He outpitched Santana, who was back in fine form following the worst start of his career.

Both starters were lifted after a 73-minute rain delay in the top of the eighth. Dan Wheeler worked a perfect inning and J.P. Howell got three outs for his fourth save.

Astros 6, Twins 5

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Lance Berkman and Michael Bourn homered, and the Astros scored four times in the seventh to rally for a victory.

Brian Moehler (4-4) evened his record despite giving up three home runs. Joe Mauer hit his career-high 14th homer and Brendan Harris and Delmon Young also connected for Minnesota.

Jose Valverde worked the ninth for his fourth save.

Orioles 6, Phillies 5

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Brian Roberts hit a two-run homer with two outs in the ninth off fill-in closer Ryan Madson to lift the Orioles.

Pinch-hitter Ryan Howard gave the Phillies a 5-3 lead with a three-run homer in the seventh, hours after being hospitalized for flu symptoms. But Baltimore rallied against Madson (2-3), who has two blown saves and two losses this week in place of injured closer Brad Lidge.

Nationals 5, Blue Jays 3, 12 innings

WASHINGTON (AP) - Willie Harris hit a two-run homer in the 12th inning to help the Nationals stretch their winning streak to a season-high four games.

Alberto Gonzalez led off the 12th with a single to left-center off Scott Richmond (5-4) and Harris ripped a 3-2 pitch into the Nationals' right-field bullpen. The Nationals' winning streak is their longest since taking seven straight from Aug. 26-Sept. 1, 2008.

Mariners 7, Diamondbacks 3

SEATTLE (AP) - Wladimir Balentien hit his first home run in nearly two months, and Jason Vargas retired 17 straight batters at one point to lead the Mariners.

Mike Sweeney broke a 2-2 tie with a bases loaded sacrifice fly in the seventh, and Franklin Gutierrez added an RBI single as Seattle won for the fourth time in five games.

Vargas (3-2), a piece of the three-team, 12-player trade general manager Jack Zduriencik pulled off during last year's Winter Meetings, looked sharp again for the Mariners.

National League

Rockies 9, Pirates 7

DENVER (AP) - Todd Helton hit a two-run homer with one out in the ninth inning to help the Rockies win their fourth straight game.

Pinch-hitter Seth Smith singled off Jesse Chavez (0-3) with one out before Helton's drive into the Pirates' bullpen in right center field.

Colorado's Chris Iannetta tied it at 7 with three-run homer in the eighth. Ian Stewart came within a single of hitting for the cycle and drove in three runs for the Rockies.

Huston Street (2-1) pitched a scoreless ninth for the victory.