The Milwaukee Brewers exploded for four runs in the seventh inning off veteran pitching ace Roger Clemens as the Brewers beat the Houston Astros 5-2 in Major League Baseball action Thursday. It was the first loss since July 17 for Clemens, who gave up a season high five earned runs but still owns the lowest ERA (Earned Run Average) in the majors.
In other National League games, Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 530th career homer and 29th of the season as the Cincinnati Reds toppled the San Francisco Giants, 4-2. The Washington Nationals and the Philadelphia Phillies played a double-header with the Phillies taking the early game, 2-1, and the Nationals bouncing back for a 5-4 victory in the nightcap. The San Diego Padres were shutout by the Florida Marlins, 2-0, and the Pittsburgh Pirates outslugged the New York Mets, 5-0. The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves, 7-4, and the Arizona Diamondbacks dropped the Saint Louis Cardinals. 9-2.
The Cleveland Indians are making a run for the American League wild card playoff spot as they beat the Texas Rangers, 9-4, for their fifth win in the last six games. The Indians are now only two-and-a-half games behind the Oakland Athletics for the wild-card spot.
In a light slate of American League games, the Minnesota Twins beat the Seattle Mariners, 7-3, and the Los Angeles Angels clobbered the Boston Red Sox, 13-4.
Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.