Baseball Today April 9

Baseball Today

L.A. Dodgers at Arizona (3:40 p.m.). Hiroki Kuroda tries to match his stellar major league debut in a start against the NL West-leading Diamondbacks.

STARS

- Daisuke Matsuzaka, Red Sox, allowed four hits in 6 2-3 innings and Boston won its home opener, 5-0 over winless Detroit.

- Aubrey Huff, Orioles, matched a career high with four hits and Baltimore matched its longest win streak of last year with its sixth straight, beating Texas 8-1.

- Matt Holliday, Rockies, went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Colorado scored a season-high four runs in a 4-3 win over Atlanta.

- Travis Hafner, Indians, hit a two-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning to lead Cleveland to a 4-3 victory over the Angels.

- Doug Davis, Diamondbacks, pitching two days before his scheduled surgery for thyroid cancer, allowed two runs in six innings, and Arizona beat the Dodgers 10-5 for their fifth consecutive victory.

- Bengie Molina, Giants, hit his second homer of the game with one out in the 11th inning, giving San Francisco a 3-2 win over San Diego.

SWING AND A MISS

Alex Rodriguez struck out four times in a game for only the fourth time in his major league career, and the Royals won their home opener 5-2 over the New York Yankees on Tuesday. Rodriguez, coming off his third AL MVP award, took called third strikes in the second, third and fifth innings, then struck out swinging in the seventh against Ramon Ramirez. The 14-season veteran had not struck out four times in a game since Aug. 25, 2006.

AILING

The Oakland Athletics held Rich Harden out of his scheduled start because of a strained muscle in his upper arm. Harden is expected to be healthy in time to pitch at Cleveland on Saturday. The A's also placed Justin Duchscherer on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday with an inflamed biceps. Duchscherer was scheduled to start on Wednesday. ... Tampa Bay right-hander Matt Garza left the game against the Seattle Mariners with two outs in the third inning because of an irritated nerve in his pitching arm. Garza walked three batters and allowed three runs in the inning before summoning a trainer and manager Joe Maddon to the mound. After walking Raul Ibanez intentionally to load the bases, he walked in a run and gave up a two-run single to Brad Wilkerson. ... Giants outfielder Dave Roberts was placed on the 15-day disabled list just before San Francisco's game with the San Diego Padres. The 35-year-old Roberts hit .118 (2-for-17) through the first eight games. He was also on the disabled list between May 10-June 8 last year because of left elbow surgery.

REHABBING

Arizona's Randy Johnson struck out seven in six innings for Triple-A Tucson in what probably was his final minor league rehabilitation start. The 44-year-old left-hander, coming off his second back surgery in less than a year, allowed three runs and three hits against Salt Lake City. He walked one and had two wild pitches. ... Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Scott Kazmir threw 42 pitches during his first batting practice. Kazmir is on the 15-day disabled list because of a left elbow strain. He was shut down after experiencing discomfort while warming up for an intrasquad game on Feb. 26. The left-hander could have another BP session or pitch in an extended spring training game this weekend. ... Nationals right-hander Shawn Hill reached 91 mph while throwing five shutout innings in a game at Class-A Potomac, his latest step toward coming off the disabled list. Hill allowed four hits and had four strikeouts and one walk. Of his 69 pitches, 45 were strikes. General manager Jim Bowden said he and manager Manny Acta planned to meet Wednesday to discuss Hill's status.

SUSPENDED

Outfielder Jordan Schafer, the top prospect in the Atlanta Braves' farm system, was suspended for 50 games by the baseball commissioner's office, which said he used human growth hormone in violation of the sport's minor league drug program. The 21-year-old Schafer, ranked as the No. 25 prospect overall this year by Baseball America, is projected to take over in center field for the Braves in 2009.

FRIENDLY FOE

Erik Bedard allowed five runs and five hits over six innings of Seattle's 6-5 win over Tampa Bay to earn his first win with the Mariners. With the win, Bedard improved to 11-3 in 19 career starts against Tampa Bay. The other 10 victories came while he was with the Orioles, who dealt him to Seattle just before the start of spring training.

SAVED

Brewers closer Eric Gagne blew his second save in three chances Tuesday night against the Reds when he gave up a tying homer to Corey Patterson in the ninth inning. Gagne, who signed a one-year, $10 million contract this offseason, also blew a save on opening day against the Cubs last Wednesday. Rickie Weeks, however, gave Milwaukee a 3-2 win in the 10th with an RBI single.

SNAPPED

St. Louis' Skip Schumaker broke out of an 0-for-16 slump with an RBI triple in the Cardinals' 5-3 win over Houston. ... The Angels' 4-3 loss to Cleveland ended their streak of victories in games in which they led after eight innings at 163. Until Tuesday, They hadn't lost under those circumstances since April 19, 2006, at Minnesota. Los Angeles extended the streak Monday on Torii Hunter's grand slam in the ninth.

SPEAKING

``There's none of us in here going, geez, the Phillies are coming to town, we're probably going to lose,'' Mets closer Billy Wagner said after New York lost its ninth straight to Philadelphia, 5-2. ``I think all of us are tired of hearing the Phils have our number. The Phils don't have our number. We shoot ourselves in the foot every time we go out there. When they come here, they bring it. They show up and they play great. That's what we have to do.''