Contreras rolls on, shuts down Texas
Jose Contreras won his 15th straight decision, striking out a career-high 11 and pitching the Chicago White Sox to an 8-3 victory over the Rangers last night in Arlington, Texas.
Contreras (7-0), who hasn't lost in the regular season since last Aug. 15, didn't walk a batter and threw 75 of his 108 pitches for strikes over eight innings. He allowed three runs and six hits. The righthander's previous career high of 10 strikeouts came with the New York Yankees, against the Mets June 27, 2004.
The AL West-leading Rangers got all their runs in a four-batter span in the fifth.
Texas had only an infield single before its scoring spurt, and Contreras retired 10 of his last 12 batters after that.
Contreras's winning streak is the longest in the majors since Minnesota lefty Johan Santana won 17 consecutive decisions from July 2004 to April 2005, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Contreras won his final eight starts last season, and has made 11 starts this year.
Chicago started the game with five straight hits off rookie lefthander John Koronka (4-4) for a quick 3-0 lead. Jim Thome, Paul Konerko, and Jermaine Dye all had RBI singles in the first, and A.J. Pierzynski later added a run-scoring fielder's choice and a solo homer.
Orioles 6, Blue Jays 4 -- Ramon Hernandez homered and Baltimore starter Kris Benson beat host Toronto for the third time this season.
Alex Rios homered twice for the Blue Jays, who dropped their third straight -- matching their longest skid of the season.
Brian Roberts hit a two-run triple and Nick Markakis added a two-run single off rookie starter Casey Janssen. Hernandez's solo shot against Scott Schoeneweis in the seventh gave the Orioles a 6-3 lead.
Benson (7-5) allowed three runs and five hits in six innings, winning for the first time in five starts and improving to 3-1 in four outings against the Blue Jays this season.
Tigers 4, Devil Rays 3 -- Curtis Granderson's RBI single scored Brandon Inge in the 13th to rally host Detroit past Tampa Bay.
The Devil Rays blew a two-run lead in the ninth when Tyler Walker allowed RBI singles to Granderson and Placido Polanco. Todd Jones (1-4) pitched the 12th and 13th for the win.
Brewers 6, Reds 5 -- Prince Fielder homered in the eighth and Rickie Weeks followed with a tiebreaking single, rallying visiting Milwaukee.
Fielder's solo homer off Kent Mercker (0-1) tied it at 5. Two outs later, Weeks had a run-scoring single off closer Todd Coffey.
Rockies 4, Nationals 3 -- Jeff Francis (5-5) pitched effectively into the seventh and J.D. Closser drove in the go-ahead run with a broken-bat single to help visiting Colorado beat Washington, handing Ramon Ortiz (5-5) his first loss in a month.
Angels 4, Royals 3 -- Ervin Santana (6-3) took a two-hit shutout into the seventh and Dallas McPherson drove in two runs to pace Los Angeles at home.
