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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, April 12, 2009

Blue Jays keep Lee, Indians winless, 5-4

Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Toronto's Kevin Millar slides safely into home plate as Cleveland catcher Kelly Shoppach drops the ball in the second inning.

TONY DEJAK | Associated Press

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CLEVELAND — Not even Cliff Lee could stop Cleveland's slide.

The reigning Cy Young Award winner lost his second consecutive start and the Indians, expected to contend this season, remained the AL's only winless team, losing 5-4 to Roy Halladay and the Toronto Blue Jays yesterday to fall to 0-5 for the first time in 24 years.

"This is not where we wanted to be or where we expected to be," said Lee (0-2), who didn't lose his second decision until July 6 last season and finished 22-3. "But there's nothing we can do about it now. It's done. Our job is to come in here and keep them from sweeping us."

Halladay (2-0), a 20-game winner last season who finished second to Lee in Cy Young balloting, held Cleveland to one run and five hits in seven innings. The right-hander struck out seven, including two in a sticky second, and was rarely in real trouble.

"That's Doc," Toronto manager Cito Gaston said. "You kind of expect that out of him."

Lee gave up four runs and seven hits with four walks in five inning, and now has a 9.90 ERA.

Aaron Hill had two RBIs for Toronto, which improved to 5-1 — its best start since 2001.

"We're all thrilled," Halladay said. "We've scored a lot of runs and our pitching has been pretty good. It's a matter of keeping all of that going."

WHITE SOX 8, TWINS 0:

Bartolo Colon (1-0) scattered two hits over six innings, Carlos Quentin homered, and host Chicago tagged Francisco Liriano (0-2) for five runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings to beat Minnesota and end a three-game losing streak.

TIGERS 4, RANGERS 3:

Placido Polanco hit a run-scoring double in the bottom of the sixth inning to break a 3-all tie and five Detroit pitchers combined on a two-hitter to hold off Texas, which has lost seven straight at Comerica Park.

MARINERS 8, ATHLETICS 5:

Kenji Johjima spiced a four-run top of the eighth inning with a two-run single, Russell Branyan homered, and Franklin Gutierrez and Jose Lopez each drove in two runs as Seattle rallied twice to beat Oakland.

RED SOX 5, ANGELS 4:

Jason Bay homered twice and drove in three runs, and Brad Penny (1-0) gave up three runs and five hits, two of them homers by Mike Napoli, to win his American League debut as visiting Boston ended a nine-game regular-season losing streak against Los Angeles.

ORIOLES 6, RAYS 0:

Melvin Mora's third career grand slam capped a five-run bottom of the first inning against Tampa Bay rookie Jeff Niemann (0-1), and Baltimore got six shutout innings from Jeremy Guthrie (2-0), who allowed five hits and walked none in lowering his ERA to 2.25.

YANKEES 6, ROYALS 1:

CC Sabathia (1-1) scattered six singles in 7 2/3 scoreless innings, struck out six and did not walk a batter, and Jorge Posada and Nick Swisher drove in three runs apiece to lead visiting New York over Kansas City.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

CARDINALS 11, ASTROS 2:

Albert Pujols hit a grand slam and a three-run homer to match a career high with seven RBIs, and Adam Wainright (1-0) spaced five hits over five shutout innings to lead host St. Louis over Houston and Roy Oswalt (0-2), who allowed six runs and nine hits in six innings.

PIRATES 10, REDS 2:

Paul Maholm (1-0) allowed only a run and three hits in seven innings, Ryan Doumit hit his first career grand slam, and Nate McLouth and Adam LaRoche also homered to power visiting Pittsburgh past Cincinnati.

BRAVES 5, NATIONALS 3:

Kenshin Kawakami (1-0) allowed three runs and four hits over six innings to win his major league debut, and Kelly Johnson went 3-for-4 and drove in three runs to lead host Atlanta over Washington, the only winless team in the National League.

METS 8, MARLINS 4:

Livan Hernandez (1-0) gave up two runs and six hits over 6 2/3 innings, and Jose Reyes had his first three RBIs of the season, including a two-run homer, to propel visiting New York past Florida, which had won its first four games of the season.

CUBS 6, BREWERS 5:

Alfonso Soriano made up for another poor performance by visiting Chicago's bullpen, smacking a go-ahead two-run homer with one out in the ninth inning to beat Milwaukee.

PHILLIES 8, ROCKIES 4:

Brett Myers (1-1) allowed four runs and four hits — three of them homers — to improve to 5-0 at Coors Field, Ryan Howard hit a three-run double and Jayson Werth had a two-run triple as Philadelphia beat Colorado.

DODGERS 11, DIAMONDBACKS 2:

Orlando Hudson homered, doubled and drove in three runs against his former team, and Eric Stults gave up one run and four hits in 5 1/3 innings as visiting Los Angeles spoiled Arizona's celebration of being selected to host the 2011 All-Star Game.

PADRES 6, GIANTS 3:

Jake Peavy (1-1) allowed three runs on seven hits with 10 strikeouts and no walks in 8 1/3 innings, Adrian Gonzalez drove in three runs and Henry Blanco hit two home runs to lead host San Diego over San Francisco.