Josh Beckett's debut for the <strong>Los Angeles Dodgers</strong> ended in a 10-0 drubbing at the hands of the <strong>Colorado Rockies</strong> on Monday night. Beckett was signed as part of a nine-player deal with the Boston Red Sox over the weekend but got off to an inauspicious start when he conceded a home run to Tyler Colvin on his second pitch. In total Beckett allowed three runs in less than six innings as the Dodgers fell two games behind the San Francisco Giants in the NL West. "I've only been here a couple of days," Beckett said. "I'm still feeling things out. As I move forward, I'll get more comfortable." Colvin hit a two-run triple and Wilin Rosario added a two-run home run in the inning to wipe out any chance of a Dodgers (69-60) comeback. Colorado starter Jeff Francis allowed three hits in five innings to pick up the win, and his relievers surrendered just one additional hit to complete a dominating performance for the Rockies. "We didn't expect to get shut out, that's for sure," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. There were even more runs in Chicago where Aramis Ramirez hit two of Milwaukee's five homers to lead the <strong>Brewers</strong> to a 15-4 victory over the <strong>Cubs</strong>. Ramirez, who played for the Cubs from 2003-11, hit a two-run shot in the fifth innings and a solo homer in the ninth as Milwaukee beat Chicago for the sixth straight time. It was a much tighter affair in Baltimore as the <strong>Orioles</strong> came from behind to beat the <strong>Chicago White Sox</strong> 4-3, ending the visitors' six-game winning streak. Nate McLouth hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning as the Orioles won a franchise record 13th straight one-run game. Elsewhere, Daisuke Matsuzaka returned from the disabled list with his best start of the season as the <strong>Boston Red Sox</strong> beat the <strong>Kansas City Royals</strong> 5-1. Matsuzaka, who has been out since early July with a neck injury, gave up an unearned run and five hits, but struck out six batters in seven innings. The <strong>Oakland Athletics</strong> claimed their ninth win in 11 games by beating the <strong>Cleveland Indians</strong> 3-0. The home side's misery was compounded when they lost starting pitcher Roberto Hernandez to a sprained right ankle in the third innings. Felix Hernandez had more luck on the mound as he struck out five batters in a five-hitter and Eric Thames hit a solo homer in the eighth inning to lift the <strong>Seattle Mariners </strong>to a 1-0 victory over the <strong>Minnesota Twins</strong>. Most dramatic finish of the night came in New York where Colby Rasmus hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning before the <strong>Toronto Blue Jays</strong> went on to beat the <strong>Yankees</strong> 8-7 in the 11th inning. The Yankees also suffered an injury scare with first baseman Mark Teixeira forced out with a calf strain and being taken to hospital for an MRI scan. Elsewhere, the <strong>St Louis Cardinals</strong> beat the<strong> Pittsburgh Pirates</strong> 4-3 and Adrian Beltre recorded a home run and four RBI's to lead the <strong>Texas Rangers</strong> to a 6-5 victory over the <strong>Tampa Bay Rays</strong>. Casey Kelly combined with three relievers on a four-hitter to win his major league debut for the <strong>San Diego Padres</strong>, who beat the <strong>Atlanta Braves</strong> 3-0 on Monday night to extend their winning streak to eight games. And the <strong>Cincinnati Reds</strong> remain six games ahead of the <strong>St Louis Cardinals</strong> in the NL Central after beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-2. sports@thenational.ae Follow us
