Olson, Orioles dim Rays

Lefthander delivers in his season debut

The Orioles' Ramon Hernandez swings into action in the third inning, connecting for an RBI double in Baltimore's victory over Tampa Bay. (ROB CARR/ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Garrett Olson took a shutout into the seventh inning, and the host Baltimore Orioles ended the Tampa Bay Rays' six-game winning streak with a 7-4 victory last night in a surprising duel for first place in the American League East.

Aubrey Huff homered and Melvin Mora had two RBIs for the Orioles, who broke a tie atop the division with Tampa Bay and lead the Red Sox by percentage points.

Recalled from Triple A Norfolk before the game, Olson (1-0) gave up two runs and four hits in 6 2/3 innings, walking five, and striking out six.

Tigers 6, Yankees 4 - Gary Sheffield and Curtis Granderson homered in the third inning, helping Kenny Rogers (2-3) lead visiting Detroit to its sixth win in eight games.

Robinson Cano hit a two-run homer for the Yankees. Booed by the crowd of 49,194, Phil Hughes (0-4) allowed six runs and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings.

Mets 5, Pirates 4 - David Wright hit a single over a pulled in outfield with the bases loaded in the 11th inning, giving host New York the win over Pittsburgh after the Mets' bullpen wasted a two-hit performance by Johan Santana.

Endy Chavez singled off John Van Benschoten (0-1), Pittsburgh's sixth pitcher, leading off the 11th. Van Benschoten balked to move Sanchez to second. Marlon Anderson sacrificed, and after Jose Reyes was walked intentionally - he reached in all six plate appearances - Luis Castillo walked.

Wright then hit a fly that just barely landed inside the right-field line.

Brewers 10, Cubs 7 - Mike Cameron had three hits, including a two-run single in the seventh that broke open the game, and the Brewers beat host Chicago to overcome a shaky outing by Ben Sheets (4-0), who issued a career-high 7 walks while striking out 2 over 5 innings. He allowed four runs and three hits.

Rockies 3, Giants 2 - Tim Lincecum's first loss of the year came via a debated balk call that pushed home the go-ahead run.

Chris Iannetta, who replaced the injured Troy Tulowitzki (strained left quadriceps muscle) in the first, scored on a seventh-inning balk by Lincecum (4-1) that led visiting Colorado.

Iannetta also hit the first home run off Lincecum this season with a second-inning solo shot to help Aaron Cook (4-1) win his fourth straight start.

Angels 2, Athletics 0 - Joe Saunders outpitched Greg Smith to remain undefeated in six starts for visiting Los Angeles.

Saunders (5-0) scattered four hits over eight innings.

Cardinals 7, Reds 2 - Joel Pineiro (2-2) pitched seven innings of one-hit ball and host St. Louis jumped on rookie Johnny Cueto (1-3) for seven runs in the first two innings.

Troy Glaus and Rick Ankiel combined for four hits and five RBIs their first two at-bats for the Cardinals.

Astros 6, Diamondbacks 4 - Geoff Blum doubled in three runs and Houston handed Arizona only its third home loss in 13 games.

Hard-throwing Max Scherzer, Arizona's 2006 first-round draft pick, made an impressive major league debut in relief, retiring all 13 batters he faced, seven by strikeout, with a fastball that reached 98 miles per hour.

Twins 3, White Sox 1 - Boof Bonser picked up host Minnesota's starting rotation with the group's first win in 10 days.

Bonser (2-4) gave up a homer to Joe Crede among six hits and struck out eight.

Nationals 6, Braves 3 - Slumping Ryan Zimmerman had a season-high three hits, including a homer and tiebreaking two-run double, to lead host Washington.

Dodgers 7, Marlins 6 - Jeff Kent's two-out single broke a ninth-inning tie, and visiting Los Angeles won its fourth game in a row.

Phillies 7, Padres 4 - Cole Hamels (3-3) pitched 7 1/3 impressive innings and host Philadelphia beat San Diego, denying Greg Maddux his 350th career victory.

Mariners 7, Indians 2 - Adrian Beltre hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in Seattle's five-run ninth inning in a win at Cleveland.

Royals 9, Rangers 5 - Jose Guillen drove in five runs and Kansas City won at Texas.