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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, May 14, 2009

Zimmerman's streak ends in Nats' victory

Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Ryan Zimmerman

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SAN FRANCISCO — Although Ryan Zimmerman's 30-game hitting streak ended right before he could carry it home to Washington, he thinks the monthlong experience will benefit him for years to come.

The Nationals' rising star also got a less tangible prize: A whole new appreciation for the greatness of Joe DiMaggio.

"It makes you realize how much better 56 is than 30," Zimmerman said, referring to the San Francisco native's record hitting streak in 1941. "That's a long time. ... To get a hit every single game, there's got to be a little bit of luck involved."

Zimmerman got no luck in the Nationals' 6-3 victory over the Giants yesterday, going 0 for 3 with two walks. He never got the ball out of the infield, grounding into a fielder's choice on his final at-bat in the ninth.

DODGERS 9, PHILLIES 2:

Randy Wolf (2-1) allowed one run and three hits in six innings and James Loney homered and drove in four runs as visiting Los Angeles denied Philadelphia's Jamie Moyer (3-3), who at age 46 needs one victory to become the oldest pitcher to reach 250 wins.

BRAVES 8, METS 7:

Martin Prado homered in the top of the 12th inning and Mike Gonzalez struck out Carlos Beltran and Gary Sheffield with the tying run on third as Atlanta beat New York after wasting three leads.

PIRATES 5, CARDINALS 2:

Adam LaRoche became the first player to have a home run taken away, when video replays showed his deep flyball in the first did not reach the seats, as Pittsburgh beat visiting St. Louis.

BREWERS 8, MARLINS 6:

Rickie Weeks homered for the third straight game and host Milwaukee benefitted from an umpires' video replay reversal of pinch-hitter Ross Gload's apparent two-run homer to beat Florida.

ASTROS 15, ROCKIES 11:

Lance Berkman went 4 for 4 and drove in two runs, and visiting Houston pounded out 24 hits in support of Mike Hampton (2-3), who allowed five runs and seven hits over six innings in beating Colorado.

CUBS 6, PADRES 4:

Alfonso Soriano hit his 53rd career leadoff homer, Ryan Theriot added two homers and Geovany Soto also went deep as host Chicago beat San Diego in a game called after 7 1/2 innings because of rain.

REDS 10, DIAMONDBACKS 3:

Brandon Phillips drove in four runs, and Willy Taveras singled three times, scoring twice, to extend his hitting streak to 14 games as visiting Cincinnati completed a three-game sweep of Arizona.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

RAYS 8, ORIOLES 6:

Willie Ayba's RBI single sparked a two-run sixth and Tampa Bay added four runs in the ninth before holding off Baltimore, which rallied for four runs in the bottom of the inning before J.P. Howell got the final two outs for his first save.

INDIANS 4, WHITE SOX 0:

Cliff Lee (2-5) scattered six hits over seven innings, Victor Martinez homered in the first and Ryan Garko added a two-run blast in the fourth as host Cleveland took two of three from Chicago.

YANKEES 8, BLUE JAYS 2:

Brett Gardner hit his first major league homer and drove in three runs, Andy Pettitte (3-1) allowed two runs and five hits in six innings, helping visiting New York beat Toronto.

RANGERS 6, MARINERS 5:

Michael Young led off the bottom of the 11th with a single off Seattle closer Brandon Morrow (0-2), Josh Hamilton walked and one out later, Hank Blalock' lined a two-run double to right-center to lift Texas.

ANGELS 8, RED SOX 4:

Matt Palmer (4-0) allowed five hits in pitching the distance, Mike Napoli hit a go-ahead three-run homer in a five-run bottom of the third inning, and Torii Hunter also went deep to lead Los Angeles over Boston.

ATHLETICS 7, ROYALS 2:

Jack Cust's three-run double in a five-run bottom of the seventh inning and Josh Outman (1-0) allowed a run and three hits in six innings as Oakland completed a two-game sweep of Kansas City.

TIGERS 14, TWINS 10:

Joe Crede's two-out grand slam in the bottom of the 13th inning off Brandon Lyon (1-3) lifted Minnesota over Detroit — hours after Dontrelle Willis — who gave up four runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings — made his first start of the season for the Tigers.