AMERICAN LEAGUE: Replay backs umpire's call of Rodriguez's home run

ST. PETERSBURG. Fla. - Baseball's first use of instant replay backed an onfield call of a home run for Alex Rodriguez during the ninth inning of the New York Yankees' 8-4 victory over the American League East-leading Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night.

Third-base umpire Brian Runge signaled a home run after Rodriguez's towering, two-run shot off Troy Percival caromed off the catwalk behind the foul pole in left field. Rays catcher Dioner Navarro protested the call, bringing Manager Joe Maddon out of the dugout.

The umpires convened before leaving the field to check the replay on a monitor not far from the field. It took 2 minutes, 15 seconds to uphold thehome run. Baseball instituted replay for home run calls only last Thursday.

Rodriguez was denied a home run on May 21 at Yankee Stadium on a ball that cleared the fence but was not ruled a home run.

Rodriguez went 3 for 4 with 4 RBI. The home run was his 31st of the season and 549th of his career, breaking a tie for 12th place with Mike Schmidt on the all-time list.

RANGERS 1, MARINERS 0

Dustin Nippert (2-4), making his third start in place of injured Vicente Padilla, allowed 7 hits in 7 innings and walked none as host Texas beat Seattle. In the first, Michael Young singled, advanced to third on Josh Hamilton's double and scored on Milton Bradley's sacrifice fly.

TIGERS 9, ANGELS 6

Placido Polanco had three hits and three RBI as host Detroit beat Los Angeles.

WHITE SOX 4, INDIANS 2

Alexi Ramirez hit a two-run home run and Nick Swisher homered as Chicago beat host Cleveland.

RED SOX 5, ORIOLES 4

Dustin Pedroia, who went 3 for 4, homered in the seventh to begin host Boston's comeback from a 4-0 deficit against Baltimore, which has lost six consecutive.

BLUE JAYS 5, TWINS 4 John McDonald singled home the go-ahead run in the 11th as host Toronto beat Minnesota for the eighth consecutive time.

National League ASTROS 4, CUBS 0 Randy Wolf pitched a sixhitter, walked two and struck out eight for his eighth career shutout as Houston got its eighth consecutive victory and handed Chicago its season-high fifth loss in a row, all at home. Ty Wigginton hit his 22nd home run of the season in the fifth, a two-run, twoout shot off Ryan Dempster (15-6) to give the Astros a 3-0 lead. Wigginton, an infielder most of his career, also made a great throw from left field to cut down a potential Cubs run in the fifth. Ronny Cedeno walked and went to second on a sacrifice. When Alfonso Soriano singled sharply to left, Wigginton made a strong on-target throw to catcher Humberto Quintero, who reached back and nicked the back of a sliding Cedeno's jersey for the out.

DIAMONDBACKS 4, CARDINALS 3 Adam Dunn doubled home the winning run in the ninth as host Arizona overcame a 3-0 deficit and beat St. Louis. Stephen Drew tripled to lead off the ninth against Chris Perez (2-2). One out later, Conor Jackson singled through the drawn-in infield to tie it 3-3. It was Perez' second blown save in eight chances. Dunn followed with a shot to the rightfield corner to score Jackson ahead of the throw.St. Louis took a 2-0 lead in the third when Cesar Izturis bunted for a single and Troy Glaus hit his 300th career home run.

METS 9, BREWERS 2

Ryan Church hit a grand slam and Brian Schneider homered in a six-run first inning as New York beat host Milwaukee for its fourth consecutive victory, including a threegame sweep.

PIRATES 6, REDS 5

Adam LaRoche ended an 0-for-16 slump with two RBI singles, including one that broke a 4-4 tie in the eighth, as Pittsburgh beat host Cincinnati. His brother Andy added an RBI single in the inning.

NATIONALS 9, PHILLIES 7

Cristian Guzman went 3 for 5 with 2 runs and 3 RBI as host Washington beat Philadelphia. He is the first Washington-based player to get at least two hits in eight consecutive games in one season since Joe Cronin of the Senators in 1933.

MARLINS 5, BRAVES 3

Hanley Ramirez homered and doubled as host Florida beat Atlanta.

GIANTS 9, ROCKIES 2

Barry Zito (9-16), who lost his first nine decisions this year, won for the third time in his past four starts, allowing 2 runs and 4 hits in 8 innings as San Francisco beat host Colorado to end a five-game losing streak.

Wednesday's games NATIONAL LEAGUE Florida 5, Atlanta 3 NY Mets 9, Milwaukee 2 San Francisco 9, Colorado 2 Arizona 4, St. Louis 3 Washington 9, Philadelphia 7 Pittsburgh 6, Cincinnati 5 Houston 4, Chicago Cubs 0 San Diego at LA Dodgers, (n) AMERICAN LEAGUE Chicago White Sox 4, Cleveland 2 Boston 5, Baltimore 4 Texas 1, Seattle 0 Detroit 9, LA Angels 6 Toronto 5, Minnesota 4, 11 innings NY Yankees 8, Tampa Bay 4 Oakland at Kansas City, ppd., rain

Sports, Pages 20 on 09/04/2008

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