Yankees get emotional lift

With tears rolling down his cheeks, Harlan Chamberlain watched his son pitch in the major leagues for the first time. Joba Chamberlain did not disappoint.

Chamberlain pitched two scoreless innings as his disabled father looked on, and the New York Yankees beat the Royals, 3-2, last night in Kansas City, Mo., to start a nine-game trip.

Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada homered for New York, which is three games in front of Detroit in the AL wild-card race and four ahead of Seattle.

Rodriguez, limited to a designated hitter role Wednesday after spraining his ankle the previous night, returned to third base and homered for the sixth time in nine games, raising his major league-leading total to 49.

Chamberlain has not allowed a run in 11 games and 14 1/3 innings since making his major league debut Aug. 7. Harlan Chamberlain, in a touching scene, broke into tears when Joba came out of the bullpen to start the seventh inning.

"I imagined it. But to see it come to reality and fruition is totally amazing," Harlan Chamberlain said as he watched his son give up two hits and preserve a one-run lead.

Disabled by polio when he was just 9 months old, the elder Chamberlain made the three-hour drive from his home in Lincoln, Neb., yesterday.

Ian Kennedy, another rookie, gave up two runs and seven hits in five innings.

Reds 11, Brewers 3 - Host Cincinnati scored six runs in the first inning, Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 593d homer in the second, and the Reds breezed to victory over Milwaukee, which remained tied with the Cubs for the NL Central lead. Dave Bush (11-10) got just three outs in the shortest of his 99 career starts, giving up eight runs.

Pirates 6, Cubs 1 - Tom Gorzelanny (14-7) gave up one run over seven innings, and Jack Wilson homered while driving in three runs as host Pittsburgh handed slumping Chicago its fourth loss in five games. Gorzelanny has a 0.82 ERA in three career starts against the Cubs.

Angels 3, Indians 2 - Kendry Morales lined a 10th-inning single past a drawn-in infield to drive in the winning run as Los Angeles won in a battle of division leaders at Anaheim, Calif. The Angels increased their lead over Seattle to nine in the AL West while the Indians' lead over Detroit in the AL Central dropped to five.

Tigers 6, Mariners 1 - Curtis Granderson hit his 20th homer and Justin Verlander (16-5) gave up one run over eight innings as host Detroit put together its first three-game winning streak in nearly two months. Seattle lost for the 12th time in 13 games.

Mets 11, Astros 3 - Lastings Milledge made a diving catch to help thwart a potential rally, then hit a three-run homer that punctuated host New York's rout of road-weary Houston. Lance Berkman homered in the first for the Astros, who fell to 26-46 away from home - the worst record in the NL.

Marlins 6, Phillies 3 - Miguel Olivo homered, Byung-Hyun Kim struck out seven over six innings, and visiting Florida beat freefalling Philadelphia, which dropped six games behind the NL East-leading Mets.

Rockies 10, Padres 4 - Kaz Matsui hit a two-run homer and host Colorado used nine relievers after starter Elmer Dessens left because of an injury in a victory that pulled the Rockies within three games of the wild card-leading Padres.

Giants 5, Dodgers 4 - Dan Ortmeier hit a game-winning solo home run with one out in the bottom of the ninth as host San Francisco ended an 11-game home losing streak to their archrivals. The Dodgers blew a chance to gain a game on the Padres in the NL West and wild-card standings, staying 2 1/2 games back of San Diego in both races.

Diamondbacks 4, Cardinals 2 - Brandon Webb earned his 15th victory and host Arizona kept St. Louis from moving into a first-place tie in the NL Central.

Braves 7, Nationals 1 - John Smoltz pitched seven innings of no-hit ball and Chipper Jones hit a three-run homer to carry host Atlanta. Washington's Ronnie Belliard led off the eighth with a clean single to right to spoil Smoltz's no-hit bid.

Rangers 5, Athletics 3 - Edinson Volquez pitched two-hit shutout ball over six innings, Frank Catalanotto homered, tripled, and drove in three runs, and host Texas beat Oakland.

Blue Jays 7, Devil Rays 2 - Dustin McGowan struck out a career-high 12 in eight innings and Gregg Zaun hit a three-run homer to lead visiting Toronto.

White Sox 11, Twins 10 - Jim Thome helped host Chicago erase a six-run deficit in the ninth and make some major league history before beating Minnesota in 13 innings. Thome's 496th career homer highlighted a six-run ninth that tied the score after the Twins scored six runs of their own in the top of the inning. It was the first time two big league teams each scored six runs to remain tied after the ninth.