Phillies’ High-Flying Byrd Beats Yankees

Paul Byrd, who has gone from journeyman to solid major league starter, kept the New York Yankees off balance all night, holding them to two runs and six hits in eight innings as the Phillies won, 6-5, Monday night at Philadelphia.

Byrd spent seven years bouncing around baseball, having never pitched more than six innings in a major league game before the Phillies signed him off the waiver wire last August.

He then outpitched Randy Johnson in his first start and has been one of the most reliable starters in the National League since. He is 13-5 with a 2.92 earned-run average in 20 starts for Philadelphia.

“After his first start we kept our fingers crossed and hoped for more,” Manager Terry Francona said. “Now we’ve come to expect it.”

In his first appearance against the Yankees, Byrd (8-2) used an assortment of pitches to stay ahead in the count and keep the Yankees guessing.

“It was a great feeling pitching against that team,” said Byrd, who has pitched at least six innings in 11 of 12 starts this year. “My parents, my wife and my kids were all in the stands. I was pumped up to pitch against the lineup.”

The Yankees were only two for 12 with runners on base.

Rico Brogna hit a two-run homer in the first off Andy Pettitte (3-4) and Scott Rolen added a solo shot in the sixth as the Phillies improved to 4-0 against the Yankees at Veterans Stadium.

Byrd improved to 6-1 with a 2.72 ERA in his last seven starts and tied teammate Curt Schilling for third in the National League in wins.

He faced the minimum through five innings, with the help of a conventional double play in the third and an unusual one in the fourth.

After Derek Jeter tripled with one out, Paul O’Neill hit a grounder to Rolen at third. Jeter broke home and was caught in a rundown. He was eventually tagged out by Rolen, who then threw to second to double up O’Neill. The play was scored 5-2-5-4.

New York Mets 8, Toronto 2--Benny Agbayani hit two solo home runs and Mike Piazza homered for the second consecutive game for the Mets at New York.

Orel Hershiser (5-5) earned his 195th career victory, giving the Mets their second win in a row following an eight-game losing streak.

St. Louis 7, Kansas City 5--Shawon Dunston, filling in because Mark McGwire rested a sore back, hit a two-run homer for the Cardinals at Kansas City.

McGwire, who has 17 homers, was expected to play tonight. He has missed four games this year, two because of his back, one because of an infected corn in his right foot and one for a day of rest.

Seattle 4, Colorado 2--Rookie John Halama pitched into the eighth inning and got his first major league hit as the Mariners won at Denver.

Ken Griffey Jr. was 0 for 5 with two strikeouts in his first appearance at Coors Field since winning the home run derby before last year’s All-Star game.

Halama (4-2), making third start of the season, used a 70 mph curveball and an 86 mph fastball to keep Colorado guessing. He threw 72 pitches through the first seven innings before running into trouble in the eighth.

Minnesota 8, Cincinnati 6--The Twins tagged Steve Avery for seven runs and six hits in less than two innings--his shortest start in three seasons--and ended the Reds’ eight-game winning streak at Minneapolis.

Detroit 9, Pittsburgh 4--Karim Garcia, Brad Ausmus and Damion Easley homered and reliever Will Brunson picked up his first major league victory as the Tigers won at Detroit.

Garcia’s homer followed Easley’s two-out single and gave the Tigers a 5-3 lead in the sixth. Ausmus, who earlier in the day received a two-game suspension and was playing because he appealed, hit a solo shot off Jason Schmidt (5-4) in the seventh. Easley hit a three-run homer in the eighth.

Brunson (1-0), the second of six Detroit pitchers, made his sixth appearance since he was brought up from the minors May 21. He took over from starter Jeff Weaver to start the sixth, his only inning. Brunson held the Pirates scoreless with a hit, a walk and a strikeout.

Montreal 8, Boston 2--Carl Pavano came within three outs of his first complete game and led the Expos at Montreal as the Red Sox lost their third game in a row.

Pavano (4-5), acquired from Boston in the November 1997 deal that sent Pedro Martinez to the Red Sox, gave up a two-run homer to Brian Daubach following John Valentin’s one-out single in the first. He struck out five and walked one, taking a five-hitter into the ninth.

Atlanta 9, Tampa Bay 5--John Smoltz hit a three-run homer and won his seventh game of the season, and Wade Boggs made two errors that helped the Braves score six unearned runs at Atlanta.

Boggs went two for four to get within 46 hits of 3,000 and drove in two runs with a first-inning single. But he also made the key miscues in Atlanta’s three-run second inning and in the third, when the Braves scored four times.

Tampa Bay has made 15 errors in its last six games and leads the AL with 50.

Smoltz (7-1) is 19-2 since the 1998 All-Star break.

Houston 8, Chicago White Sox 2--Jose Lima became the National League’s first 10-game winner, leading the Astros at Chicago.

Bill Spiers had three hits and drove in two runs, and Derek Bell hit a two-run single in a five-run fourth inning for the Astros, who have won five of their last seven games.

Houston had 17 hits, one short of its season high.

Lima (10-2) pitched his third complete game, allowing eight hits, striking out three and walking one. The animated pitcher pumped his right arm after getting Frank Thomas to hit a comebacker to end the fifth and was booed by the crowd of 16,881. Lima then tipped his cap as he walked to the dugout.