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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, August 30, 2008

Rays to finish a winner

Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Tampa Bay's Ben Zobrist pounded a grand slam in a seven-run fourth of a 14-3 rout of Baltimore.

STEVE NESIUS | Associated Press

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays cleared another hurdle in the effort to distance themselves from their woeful past.

Ben Zobrist hit a grand slam, Cliff Floyd drove in five runs and the AL East-leading Rays guaranteed their first-ever winning season with a 14-3 rout of the Baltimore Orioles last night.

"Going into spring training I knew we were better," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "We just didn't know how much better. Eighty-two wins is a big moment, and I want this to be the standard of what we do, to get that number on an annual basis.

"You've got to break through the barrier eventually. We've done it, now let's move on down the road."

Floyd had a two-run double, Zobrist hit his slam and Gabe Gross added a solo shot during a seven-run fourth that made it 10-0.

"It was contagious," Zobrist said.

Scott Kazmir (10-6) allowed three hits and three walks over 5 1/3 scoreless innings. The left-hander has won 10 games or more in four straight seasons. Tampa Bay joined the 1968 Oakland Athletics as the only teams to have five pitchers 26 years old or younger with 20 starts and 10 wins in the same season.

RED SOX 8, WHITE SOX 0

Daisuke Matsuzaka (16-2) allowed two hits in eight innings, Dustin Pedroia had four hits and Jason Bay drove in three runs to lead host Boston past Chicago.

YANKEES 2, BLUE JAYS 1

Carl Pavano (2-0) gave up a run on three hits over six innings, and Jason Giambi and Bobby Abreu drove in runs to lift host New York over Toronto and A.J. Burnett (16-10), who went the distance.

TIGERS 6, ROYALS 3

Curtis Granderson and Jeff Larish both drove in two runs in a six-run fifth, and Zach Miner (8-4) allowed a run and six hits in six innings as host Detroit beat Kansas City to snap a four-game losing streak.

MARINERS 3, INDIANS 2

Felix Hernandez (9-8) allowed two runs and six hits in six innings, Raul Ibanez homered and drove in three runs and visiting Seattle ended Cleveland's 10-game winning streak.

ANGELS 3, RANGERS 1

Garret Anderson hit a two-run homer and Juan Rivera a sacrifice fly in a three-run sixth, and center fielder Torii Hunter robbed Marlon Byrd of a two-run shot in the seventh for host Los Angeles.

TWINS 12, ATHLETICS 2

Joe Mauer had five hits and four RBIs, and Kevin Slowey (11-8) allowed two runs on six hits in six innings to win his fourth straight decision as visiting minnesota routed Oakland.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

METS 5, MARLINS 4

Carlos Beltran hit a grand slam with two outs in the top of the ninth inning off Kevin Gregg, and Luis Ayala earned his third save despite giving up four hits and a run in the ninth as New York beat Florida.

Before Beltran's homer, the Mets were 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position. Trailing 2-1, they left the bases loaded in the seventh and stranded two in the eighth.

"We didn't score early, but we scored when the team needed it the most," Beltran said.

CUBS 3, PHILLIES 2

Alfonso Soriano hit a tiebreaking homer in the bottom of the seventh inning off Clay Condrey (3-4) as Chicago won its seventh straight, while handing Philadelphia its third loss in a row.

BREWERS 3, PIRATES 1

Ryan Braun hit a three-run home run in the first inning and Dave Bush (9-9) allowed one run and six hits in 6 2/3 innings, helping Milwaukee hand Pittsburgh its eighth straight loss.

ASTROS 3, CARDINALS 2

Lance Berkman hit his 27th homer on a 2-1 pitch from former teammate Russ Springer (2-1) off the facade in left field with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift Houston over St. Louis.

RED 11, GIANTS 7

Edwin Encarnacion hit his second career grand slam off Barry Zito (8-16), and Chris Dickerson homered and drove in four runs to help host Cincinnati to just its ninth win in the past 32 games.

NATIONALS 7, BRAVES 3

Lastings Milledge and Ryan Zimmerman both drove in two runs, and Odalis Perez (6-10) allowed three runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings to lead host Washington to its season-high fourth straight win.

ROCKIES 9, PADRES 4

Garrett Atkins hit two home runs and had a season-high five RBIs, helping visiting Colorado beat San Diego to remain six games behind Arizona in the NL West with 26 games left.

DIAMONDBACKS 9, DODGERS 3

Stephen Drew, Adam Dunn and Conor Jackson each drove in two runs and host Arizona dropped Los Angeles 4 1/2 games back in the NL West with its eighth straight loss.

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