D'backs' Davis makes inspirational return
Doug Davis received more than the usual pats on the back after he was lifted for a pinch hitter in the eighth inning.
"I don't think I remember shedding a tear, but I did give him a big hug," Arizona catcher Chris Snyder said. He wasn't alone. It turned into a group hug in the Diamondbacks' dugout.
Davis was relaxed and in control in his first start following his return from cancer surgery, giving up only 1 run in 7 innings, and the inspired Diamondbacks hit 5 homers and rolled to an 11-1 win over the Atlanta Braves on Friday night.
"When you get 5 runs it takes a lot of pressure off," Davis said.
"It felt great. It was kind of hard to control the emotions sometimes because I'm excited to be back and I'm anxious to throw my pitches and I got away on some of the pitches and walked a couple, but overall that was the only downside."
Doctors declared Davis cancer-free this month. He came off the disabled list after going 1-1 with a 3.72 ERA in two rehab starts for Triple-A Tucson.
"I tried to throw strikes and get my team back in the dugout as soon as possible," Davis said, adding "Everybody gave me a hug" after his last inning.
Giants 8, Marlins 2: Barry Zito earned his first win of the season after 8 straight losses, Bengie Molina and Aaron Rowand hit consecutive home runs, and Jose Castillo also connected to help the Giants win their third consecutive game.
Zito (1-8) allowed 1 run and 3 hits in 6½ innings. He struck out five and walked four for his first win since Sept. 30, 2007.
Nationals 5, Brewers 1: Host Washingtons turned Milwaukee shortstop J.J. Hardy's error into 4 unearned runs in the sixth inning to give Brian Sanches a win in his Nationals debut.
Sanches (1-0), promoted earlier in the day from Class AAA Columbus, struck out the side while allowing 1 hit in the sixth. His one inning of work was enough to earn him his second major-league victory -- the first came last year with Philadelphia.
Astros 4, Phillies 3: Jose Valverde earned a save after getting struck in the face with a line drive and Hunter Pence hit 2 homers as Houston beat Philadelphia.
Phillies starter Adam Eaton (0-3) allowed Pence's 2 homers and lost for the third time in 4 starts.
American League
Yankees 13, Mariners 2: Andy Pettitte struck out nine to win for the first time in over a month, Shelley Duncan hit a go-ahead, 3-run homer, and host Nerw York beat Seattle with help from an 8-run fifth inning.
Robinson Cano and Hideki Matsui added 2-run hits against Erik Bedard (3-3), who gave up a career-high 9 runs and lost at Yankee Stadium for the second time in three weeks.
Rangers 13, Indians 9: Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit his first career grand slam to lift visiting Texas handed Cleveland its seventh loss in a row, with the Indians also losing starter Fausto Carmona to injury.
Saltalamacchia connected off Jorge Julio, who replaced Carmona during a 7-run third inning.
Carmona (4-2) strained his left hip covering first on a ball hit by David Murphy to first baseman Ryan Garko. Carmona was slow to the bag and Murphy beat it out for a single, putting runners on first and third with none out.
The right-hander, a 19-game winner a year ago who came in with a 2.25 ERA, threw 1 strike to Brandon Boggs, then backed off and called trainer Lonnie Soloff to the mound. Carmona flexed his left leg, threw 1 practice pitch, then walked off. He is day-to-day.
Rays 2, Orioles 0: Matt Garza took a 4-hitter into the eighth inning, and Carl Crawford snapped a scoreless tie with a fifth-inning single to help Tampa Bay beast visiting Baltimore.
The Orioles have been shut out two of the past three games and were 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position against Garza (3-1).
Twins 9, Tigers 4: Kevin Slowey pitched 7 shutout innings as Minnesota beat host Detroit
The last-place Tigers (20-28) scored 30 runs in a three-game sweep of Seattle, but Slowey (1-4) pushed them back into a slump. The Tigers had scored 14 runs in their previous seven games before clobbering the Mariners.
Slowey gave up 4 hits and 3 walks in 6 innings for his first win since Sept. 23.
Blue Jays 7, Royals 1: Roy Halladay won for the third time in 4 starts, Marco Scutaro matched a career high with 4 RBI, and host Toronto handed Kansas City its fifth straight loss.
Halladay (5-5) threw his major-league-leading fifth complete game and his first since a run of 4 straight ended April 29 at Boston. He is 8-3 in 13 career starts against the Royals.