Braves’ Victory Comes at Big Cost

Brian Jordan’s bases-loaded single in the 10th inning Friday night lifted the Atlanta Braves to a 6-5 victory over the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

The win was costly for the Braves, however, as shortstop Rafael Furcal could be lost for the season with a dislocated shoulder.

Atlanta’s Chipper Jones homered off the right-field pole in the eighth inning to tie it at 3-3, then the Braves added two in the ninth for a 5-3 lead.

Boston was down to its last out when Trot Nixon and Manny Ramirez hit consecutive home runs off closer Steve Karsay to send the game into extra innings.

The Braves loaded the bases in the 10th on three walks before Jordan singled to left. Quilvio Veras scored easily, but B.J. Surhoff was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.

Karsay (1-0) earned the win despite blowing the lead. Jose Cabrera pitched a perfect 10th for his second save.

Sun Woo Kim (0-1) pitched 1 1/3 hitless innings, but allowed a run. He walked three--two intentionally--and struck out three.

Furcal drew a leadoff walk in the ninth and stole second, sliding into the base awkwardly and remaining on the ground in obvious pain.

“When I went past the base, I tried to hold on,” Furcal said. “I slid a little late and covered the whole base.”

After first announcing that Furcal would have season-ending surgery for a complete dislocation of his left shoulder, the team said it was possible, but not definite, that the 2000 NL Rookie of the Year would not be back this year.

Atlanta team doctor Joe Chandler said he would schedule an MRI exam for Monday to investigate the degree of damage to the surrounding ligaments and cartilage.

Chicago Cubs 15, Detroit 9--Roosevelt Brown homered, doubled and went five for six as the Cubs posted their first win in Detroit in 56 years.

Matt Stairs drove in four runs for the Cubs, including a key single in a seven-run fifth inning. The total of 24 runs marked the most in the two-year history of Comerica Park.

Eric Young drove in three runs and scored three for Chicago before leaving in the eighth with what appeared to be a minor hip injury.

The Cubs hadn’t won in Detroit since Game 3 of the 1945 World Series.

New York Yankees 8, New York Mets 3--Alfonso Soriano hit a three-run home run that gave the Yankees a seven-run lead, and the World Series champions extended their longest winning streak in three years to nine games at Yankee Stadium.

In the opener of the second and final Subway Series of the regular season, Scott Brosius had a two-run single that gave the Yankees a 3-0 lead in the first and hit a run-scoring single in the third.

Tino Martinez added a pinch-hit home run off Turk Wendell in the eighth, the second pinch homer of his career and second in 11 days. He has hit seven of his 17 homers in his last nine games.

Philadelphia 3, Baltimore 2--Travis Lee hit a home run in the 10th inning to complete the Phillies’ rally at Baltimore, dealing the Orioles their fourth consecutive loss.

Lee was hitless in four at-bats, stranding six runners, before connecting off Mike Trombley (2-2). The solo shot, which traveled far over the right-field scoreboard, was his 13th home run this season and second in four games against Baltimore.

Melvin Mora and Mike Kinkade had homered to give Baltimore a 2-0 lead.

Minnesota 5, Cincinnati 4--Jacque Jones doubled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning as the Twins came from behind to defeat the Reds at Minneapolis.

Torii Hunter led off the eighth with a triple and Jones followed with a double to center field off reliever Chris Nichting (0-2). The Twins (53-32) won for the 11th time in 13 games.

Houston 8, Kansas City 3--Wade Miller won his fourth consecutive start, and the Astros rallied for five runs in the sixth inning to beat the Royals at Kansas City, Mo.

All-Star Lance Berkman went two for four with a home run and two RBIs, and Vinny Castilla hit a two-run double in the sixth for the Astros, who improved to a season-best eight games over .500.

Montreal 10, Toronto 7--Lee Stevens hit a game-tying three-run double in the seventh and Geoff Blum hit a sacrifice fly in the eighth to help lift the Expos to victory at Toronto.

San Diego 8, Texas 3--Ryan Klesko drove in four runs, and fellow all-star Phil Nevin hit his 20th home run in the Padres’ victory at San Diego.

Tampa Bay 5, Florida 4--Russ Johnson singled home the winning run in the 11th inning and the Devil Rays defeated the Marlins at St. Petersburg, Fla.

Pittsburgh 10, Chicago White Sox 6--Reliever Bob Howry’s wild pitch put the Pirates ahead during a five-run rally in the eighth inning, and they went on to victory at Chicago. John Vander Wal hit a two-run homer for the Pirates.