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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, May 1, 2009

Rays' Garza baffles Red Sox

Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Matt Garza

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — From the very start, the Tampa Bay Rays sensed it was going to be Matt Garza's night.

"It may sound strange, but I really do look forward to his first pitch of the game," manager Joe Maddon said last night, after the ALCS MVP took a perfect game into the seventh inning of a 13-0 victory over Boston.

"It said 89 (mph) on the board, but it wasn't," Maddon added. "It was better than that."

Garza, facing the Red Sox at Tropicana Field for the first time since beating them in Game 7 of last season's ALCS, allowed his first baserunner on Jacoby Ellsbury's infield single to shortstop leading off the seventh inning.

Garza (2-2) walked one and struck out 10 in 7 2/3 inninngs. Grant Balfour completed the one-hitter.

The Rays' Evan Longoria had a three-run double and hit his sixth homer of the season.

ATHLETICS 4, RANGERS 2

Dallas Braden (3-2) pitched five scoreless innings and Ryan Sweeney made a game-saving catch for visiting Oakland. The Rangers had two on in the eighth when Ian Kinsler hit a towering flyball to straightaway center. Sweeney retreated, leaped and stuck his glove above the wall to make the play.

YANKEES 7, ANGELS 4

Melky Cabrera hit a tiebreaking single in the eighth that led host New York to its third straight win. After an intentional walk to Nick Swisher loaded the bases with one out, Cabrera hit an RBI single on the first pitch from Justin Speier (0-1) for a 5-4 lead.

Royals 8, Blue Jays 6: John Buck tripled twice and drove in five runs, and host Kansas City tied a club record by turning six double plays.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

DODGERS 8, PADRES 5

Manny Ramirez and Orlando Hudson hit back-to-back homers in the third, and host Los Angeles scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning on an error by catcher Nick Hundley.

MARLINS 8, CUBS 2

Jorge Cantu hit a three-run double in the 10th inning after visiting Florida tied it on a throwing error by pitcher Carlos Marmol in the eighth.

CARDINALS 9, NATIONALS 4

Rick Ankiel hit a tiebreaking RBI double in visiting St. Louis' five-run ninth inning as the Cardinals won for the eighth time in 10 games.

BREWERS 4, DIAMONDBACKS 1

Mike Cameron hit a two-run double in a four-run seventh as host Milwaukee jumped on Arizona's bullpen.