Rays spoil Piniella's return

Cubs have no answer for Floyd, Longoria

Orioles shortstop Freddie Bynum fires to first on a grounder by the Astros' Humberto Quintero. (Nick Wass/Associated Press)

Cliff Floyd and Evan Longoria hit solo home runs last night, helping the Tampa Bay Rays give a harsh greeting to Lou Piniella in his return to Tropicana Field with a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

Floyd's shot to right field off Ryan Dempster traveled an estimated 429 feet. Longoria led off the sixth with his 11th of the season, snapping a 1-1 tie against Neal Cotts (0-1), who had a two-base throwing error in the seventh to set up Tampa Bay's other run.

Grant Balfour (1-0) pitched 1 1/3 innings in relief of Scott Kazmir to get the win. The starter held the Cubs to one run and three hits in 4 2/3 innings, and the Rays bullpen limited the team with baseball's best record to three hits the rest of the way.

Troy Percival worked an eventful ninth for his 16th save in 18 opportunities.

After Geovany Soto flied out on the warning track in left, Percival gave up a single to Mark DeRosa and a double to pinch hitter Kosuke Fukudome. DeRosa scored on a passed ball, and the Rays nearly blew the lead when Percival's low pitch to Jim Edmonds skipped past catcher Dioner Navarro with two outs.

But the ball caromed off the backstop perfectly, forcing Fukodome to remain at third. When Edmonds walked, Reed Johnson dropped a bunt down the third base line that Longoria fielded and threw to first on one hop to end the 3 1/2 hour game.

The victory was before a crowd of 31,607 - a number bolstered by thousands of Cub fans relishing Chicago's first-ever trip to Tampa Bay.

Orioles 6, Astros 5 - Melvin Mora hit a two-run double in the eighth to cap an improbable rally as host Baltimore handed Houston its sixth straight defeat.

The Orioles trailed, 5-3, before rebounding to earn their third comeback victory in four games. It was the major league leading 16th time this season Baltimore has rallied from a two-run deficit to win.

A home run by Nick Markakis got the Orioles to 5-4 in the seventh before the Orioles went ahead in the eighth. After Adam Jones hit a leadoff single off Doug Brocail (2-2) and Brian Roberts drew a one-out walk, Jose Valverde struck out Markakis before Mora hit a 3-2 pitch into the gap in right-center.

Rockies 10, Indians 2 - Greg Reynolds pitched six strong innings and led Colorado's season-high 17-hit attack by going 2 for 3 with a run scored in a rout of visiting Cleveland.

Jeff Baker hit an inside-the-park home run, Brad Hawpe also homered, and Matt Holliday went 3 for 5 with two RBIs for Colorado, which has won three of its last four.

Reynolds (2-4) allowed one run on five hits and struck out four to earn his second win in his last three starts.

Angels 6, Mets 1 - John Lackey scattered six hits over seven-plus innings to lead host Los Angeles over New York in Jerry Manuel's debut as Mets manager.

In a matchup of staff aces, Lackey (4-1) outpitched Johan Santana (7-5). The Angels' righthander shut down the Mets after giving up a run in the first inning.

Athletics 15, Diamondbacks 1 - Mark Ellis hit two home runs to lead a six-homer barrage as Oakland routed Brandon Webb and Arizona at Phoenix.

Ellis doubled in the first and hit a solo homer in the second against Webb (11-3).

Dodgers 3, Reds 1 - Chad Billingsley took a shutout into the seventh inning last night, and visiting Los Angeles ended a five-game losing streak.

Rangers 7, Braves 5 - Josh Hamilton hit his AL-best 19th homer and Milton Bradley added a two-run single on which he got hurt in host Texas's victory over Atlanta.

Brewers 7, Blue Jays 0 - Manny Parra scattered four hits in seven scoreless innings and Ryan Braun hit two of Milwaukee's five homers in a rout of visiting Toronto.

Royals 2, Cardinals 1 - Mike Aviles homered to snap an eighth-inning tie and Kyle Davies (3-0) worked seven sharp innings in Kansas City's victory at St. Louis.

White Sox 16, Pirates 5 - Jermaine Dye, Joe Crede, Orlando Cabrera, and Jim Thome homered as host Chicago registered season highs in runs and hits.

Twins 2, Nationals 1 - Livan Hernandez (7-4) earned his first victory in over a month as Minnesota edged visiting Washington.

Mariners 5, Marlins 4 - Felix Hernandez had seven strikeouts and set down 11 batters in a row to help Seattle snap an eight-game home losing streak.

Tigers 4, Giants 1 - Kenny Rogers (5-4) pitched seven strong innings and Marcus Thames homered in his fifth straight game to power Detroit at San Francisco.