Indians sweep away Tigers
Garko's HR keys win by surging Cleveland
Ryan Garko hit a three-run homer in the first inning and Casey Blake had a solo shot in the fifth to lift the Cleveland Indians to a 5-3 win and a three-game sweep of the Tigers last night in Detroit.
The Indians came to Detroit trailing by a half-game in the AL Central and they left in first place by a season-high 2 1/2 games.
Cleveland (31-17) has its best record after 48 games since reaching the same mark at this point in 2001, the last time it won the division and played in the postseason. The Tigers were swept for the first time this season.
Fausto Carmona (6-1) gave up three runs and nine hits over seven innings. He hasn't lost since dropping his first start this season.
Mike Maroth (3-2) allowed five runs and six hits in eight innings, losing consecutive starts after going 3-0 in his first seven. He matched a season high with five walks.
Phillies 13, Braves 6 -- Ryan Howard hit a pair of two-run homers, Greg Dobbs added another two-run shot, and visiting Philadelphia crushed Atlanta to complete its first sweep of the season.
Howard and Dobbs hit two-run homers in the first before the Phillies put the game away with seven runs in the fifth. Howard, who returned from the disabled list at the start of the series, added another two-run homer in the eighth.
The Braves have lost 10 of 14 to fall to 12-13 in May. The Braves, in second place in the NL East, are only two games ahead of the third-place Phillies. The sweep put the Phillies (26-24) two games over .500 for the first time this season.
Phillies starter Cole Hamels (7-2) gave up six hits and three runs in six innings, and fanned eight.
Padres 3, Brewers 0 -- Jake Peavy (7-1) held Milwaukee to two hits in seven scoreless innings and hit an RBI double to help host San Diego complete a three-game sweep.
Adrian Gonzalez added a solo homer for the two-time defending NL West champion Padres, who earned their first sweep this season and won for the 10th time in 13 games. It was the first time the Brewers were swept this season. Milwaukee, which opened the season at 24-10, lost its fifth straight and 12th in the last 16 games.
Rockies 6, Giants 4 -- Barry Bonds broke out of a lengthy home run drought, hitting his 746th career homer in the sixth inning, but Colorado completed its first three-game sweep in San Francisco.
The seven-time NL MVP went 14 games without a homer or an RBI, the second-longest RBI drought of his 22-year career. Since the last homer, Bonds had drawn 20 walks and was batting .140 (6 for 43).
Mets 6, Marlins 4 -- New York improved to a major-league best 18-7 on the road, breaking through for four runs in the fourth inning off Scott Olsen to finish the three-game sweep of Florida.
Orioles 8, Athletics 4 -- Miguel Tejada, Melvin Mora, and Nick Markakis homered, and host Baltimore shook off another homer by Nick Swisher, who went deep for the third straight game, to beat Oakland.
Diamondbacks 8, Astros 4 -- Carlos Quentin hit a two-run homer as host Arizona beat Roy Oswalt for the first time in eight career meetings and handed Houston its eighth straight loss.
Twins 4, Blue Jays 2 -- Carlos Silva (3-5) broke a four-game losing streak and Justin Morneau homered and drove in three runs to help host Minnesota beat Toronto.
Devil Rays 11, White Sox 5 -- Carl Crawford hit a go-ahead RBI triple in the seventh inning and Scott Kazmir won for the third time in 17 starts dating to last season to rally visiting Tampa Bay past Chicago.
Dodgers 2, Cubs 1 -- Andre Ethier hit a tying home run in the eighth and Juan Pierre got hit with the bases loaded in the 11th to drive in the winning run for host Los Angeles.
Pirates 14, Reds 10 -- Jason Bay capped a five-run first inning with a three-run homer, Freddy Sanchez drove in a season-high four runs, and visiting Pittsburgh overcame five Cincinnati home runs.
Nationals 7, Cardinals 2 -- Ronnie Belliard had four hits, including a two-run homer, as visiting Washington got its first series win over the Cardinals since 1999, when the franchise was in Montreal.
Mariners 7, Royals 4 -- Jarrod Washburn gave up four hits and three runs, Jose Vidro and Raul Ibanez drove in two runs each, and Seattle completed a three-game sweep in Kansas City. 