Moyer, Boone Lift Mariners

Jamie Moyer showed the Philadelphia Phillies exactly why they wanted him last off-season.

Moyer pitched seven shutout innings and Bret Boone homered, leading the Seattle Mariners over the Phillies, 4-0, Tuesday night at Philadelphia in the first meeting between the teams.

The American League West-leading Mariners improved the major leagues’ best record to 38-18 with their seventh consecutive victory. Philadelphia had won three straight.

Moyer (9-2) gave up four hits, struck out eight and had no walks to win his sixth consecutive start. The Phillies pursued Moyer in free agency last winter, but the 40-year-old left-hander re-signed with the Mariners.

“They have a good club, good hitters. You can’t let up against them,” said Moyer, who grew up near Philadelphia. “I tried to stay competitive, stay ahead in the count and keep the ball down.”

Kevin Millwood (7-3) gave up four runs and seven hits in five innings to lose his second straight start.

“I thought my stuff was there, but when I didn’t locate, they hit it,” Millwood said.

Moyer hit an infield single to start the third inning. With two out, Boone hit a 2-and-1 pitch over the right-center field wall for his 17th homer, giving Moyer all the runs he would need.

Boone finished three for four, extending his hitting streak to nine games. He’s batting .382 with 25 runs batted in over his last 16 games.

“The last time I faced Millwood in 2000, he struck me out three times,” Boone said. “He’s a tough pitcher.”

The Phillies’ best chance against Moyer came when Bobby Abreu doubled leading off the second inning. But Mike Lieberthal struck out, David Bell grounded out and Pat Burrell popped up.

Minnesota 6, San Francisco 4 -- Doug Mientkiewicz homered and doubled twice at San Francisco, and Joe Mays won his fourth straight start.

Minnesota tagged starter Damian Moss (6-4) for 12 hits. The three-game series marks the first time the Giants have played the AL Central and the first time the Twins have faced the NL West.

Barry Bonds homered in the fourth inning, driving a 1-and-1 pitch from Mays (7-3) into the seats in right-center field.

It was Bonds’ 14th homer and No. 627 of his career. He also had a single.

The Giants have lost two in a row after winning five straight to start the 12-game home stand.

Cristian Guzman and Torii Hunter each doubled twice, and Corey Koskie and A.J. Pierzynski also had two hits apiece for first-place Minnesota.

Eddie Guardado pitched the ninth for his 16th save in 16 chances, giving up a two-out solo homer to Marquis Grissom.

Florida 13, Oakland 2 -- Mike Lowell hit two three-run homers and Brad Penny (4-3) pitched seven strong innings and hit a triple at Miami.

The six runs batted in were a career high for Lowell, who homered against Mark Mulder (8-3) as part of a six-run third inning, then connected against John Halama in the fifth.

Oakland outfielder Eric Byrnes was hitless in four at-bats, ending a 22-game hitting streak.

Atlanta 6, Texas 5 -- Andruw Jones hit a two-out, two-run, pinch-hit homer in the bottom of the eighth inning against closer Ugueth Urbina (0-2).

Jones, who didn’t start because of shoulder and knee injuries, had been two for 27 as a pinch-hitter. It was his 14th homer this season.

Kevin Gryboski (4-3) got two out in the eighth, then John Smoltz worked a scoreless ninth for his major league-leading 21st save in 22 chances.

Houston 11, Baltimore 6 -- Morgan Ensberg hit his first career grand slam in a six-run eighth inning, and the Astros rallied at Houston.

Craig Biggio, Lance Berkman and Jeff Kent also homered for the Astros, who moved to within a game of the first-place Chicago Cubs in the National League Central.

St. Louis 11, Toronto 5 -- Matt Morris won his third straight decision and Jim Edmonds’ two-run homer sparked a four-run seventh inning for the host Cardinals.

Morris (7-3) gave up nine hits and four runs in seven innings. It was his fourth straight victory against AL teams, dating to last season.

Colorado 7, Cleveland 3 -- Juan Uribe, playing for the first time after breaking his right foot in spring training, hit two two-run homers at Denver.

Uribe was activated from the 60-day disabled list earlier in the day. Preston Wilson and Todd Helton also homered for the Rockies, who ended the Indians’ five-game winning streak.

Detroit 3, San Diego 2 -- Dmitri Young hit a three-run homer in the top of the ninth inning in a matchup of the worst teams in the majors.

Earlier Tuesday, Young’s brother, Delmon, was the top pick in the amateur draft, going to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Arizona 2, Chicago White Sox 1 -- Chad Moeller’s single drove in Shea Hillenbrand with the winning run in the ninth inning at Phoenix.

The Diamondbacks had broken through with a run in the eighth inning, which was charged to Esteban Loaiza. The right-hander had pitched seven scoreless innings.

Boston at Pittsburgh -- The game was rained out and will be made up tonight as part of a doubleheader.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Milwaukee at New York -- The game was rained out and rescheduled for July 28.