Around the Horn - 4/7

Frank Thomas and the Blue Jays ruined Josh Beckett's return as the Jays completed a 3-game series sweep in Toronto. Thomas hit career HR #515, a grand slam off of Manny Delcarmen, in the Blue Jays 7-4 win over the Red Sox. Roy Halladay won his first game of the year.

The Tigers are now 0-6 after the White Sox thumped them 13-2 in a Sunday night nationally televised game. Joe Crede went 4-5 with 3 RBI as Mark Buerhle beat Justin Verlander.

With J.J. Putz on the DL, Mariners manager John McLaren is using a closer by committee. It didn't work out too well on Sunday when the Mariners blew a 2-0 lead in the 9th to the Orioles. Felix Hernandez had dominated the O's on 5 hits over 8 innings, but Eric O'Flaherty and Mark Lowe couldn't protect the lead. Luis Hernandez had been 0-6 on the season before singling in the game winner.

Brett Tomko tossed 5 shutout innings against the Twins to help the Royals snap their 2 game losing streak. Alex Gordon drove in 2 runs in the 2nd and it stood up in a 3-1 win. Joakim Soria struck out the side in the 9th for the save.

Gerald Laird homered twice and drove in 6 in the Rangers 10-4 pounding of the Angels.

The Indians nipped the Angels 2-1. Ryan Garko's walk with the bases loaded in the 7th proved to be the difference.

The Cubs came at the Astros with heat yesterday and won 3-2. Carlos Zambrano threw 7 innings, followed by an inning each for Carlos Marmol and Kerry Wood. Derek Lee's home run in the 7th was the game winner.

Ben Sheets has made two starts this season and has not allowed a run. The Brewers right-hander tossed a complete game shutout in the Brew Crew's 7-0 blanking of the Giants. Barry Zito gave San Fran another sub par performance (5 IP 5 R 3 ER).

The Cardinals blanked the Nationals 5-0 for their 5th straight win. Kyle Lohse won his first game for the Redbirds, helped by a home run and an RBI double by Rick Ankiel.

The Diamondbacks rallied in the 9th to tie the Rockies (Mark Reynolds 2-run HR), blew the lead in the bottom of the 9th (Matt Holliday HR), and then scored 3 times in the 10th to win it (that incl. a Stephen Drew HR).

The Reds pounded the Phillies 8-2 behind Jeff Keppinger's 3 hit, 3 run, 3 RBI day. Ken Griffey Jr. hit his first home run of the year and #594 for his career.

Chin-Lung Hu had the game winning single in the top of the 9th in the Dodgers 3-2 win over the Padres.

Xavier Nady hit his 3rd home run and the Pirates banged out 15 hits in their 9-2 drubbing of the Marlins.

The Braves still have the Mets number. Johan Santana pitched a gem, but Tim Hudson came away with a victory in the Braves 3-1 win. Mark Teixeira's 2-run HR off of Aaron Heilman in the 8th proved to be the difference.

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