Spivey Fuels National Celebration

After meeting on the infield grass for high-fives and back slaps in celebration of their 10th consecutive victory, the Washington Nationals looked into the stands at RFK Stadium and saw most of the 37,170 spectators on their feet, applauding.

Several players clapped right back, making for matching standing ovations, and Manager Frank Robinson doffed his cap.

The Nationals completed a 12-1 homestand by beating the Seattle Mariners, 3-2, on Sunday, thanks mainly to Junior Spivey’s two-run homer and five trying but scoreless innings from Tony Armas Jr. (3-3).

“It’s been a long time coming. We feel energized by our situation now,” outfielder Brad Wilkerson said. “To walk off and know they recognize what we do is just a great feeling.”

Washington stretched its winning streak to 10 games, setting a high for the National League this season. The team has swept three series in a row and four overall.

The Nationals are 24-9 at home, a .727 winning percentage that’s the best in baseball.

Spivey’s sixth homer this season -- and first hit since joining Washington in a trade with Milwaukee on Friday -- came in the second inning, and Jamey Carroll drove in the other run on a bloop single in the fourth.

Boston 8, Chicago Cubs 1 -- Johnny Damon fell a single shy of the cycle, Tim Wakefield (5-6) gave up one run and four hits in seven strong innings and the Red Sox avoided a three-game sweep at Chicago.

Damon doubled in the third, homered in the fifth and hit a two-run triple in the sixth.

Derrek Lee had two hits for the Cubs, who were trying for a sweep of the first series between the teams since the 1918 World Series.

St. Louis 5, New York Yankees 3 -- The first homer of Scott Seabol’s career, a two-run, pinch-hit drive in the seventh inning, proved the difference at St. Louis.

It was New York’s fifth consecutive series loss. St. Louis won for the 18th time in 21 interleague games dating to 2003.

Yadier Molina was three for three and scored twice for the Cardinals.

Cincinnati 10, Baltimore 6 -- Ken Griffey Jr. hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth, and the Reds overcame two homers by Sammy Sosa.

Sosa had his 68th career multihomer game, tying Barry Bonds for second on the career list. Babe Ruth had 72. Sosa has 582 homers, one short of tying Mark McGwire for sixth place.

Griffey hit his 512th, tying Eddie Mathews and Ernie Banks for 16th place on the all-time list.

Texas 6, Florida 2 -- Ricardo Rodriguez (1-0), who had been recalled from the minors, gave up two runs and seven hits in five innings at Miami in his season debut, and Richard Hidalgo homered to help the Rangers end a season-high five-game losing streak.

Brian Moehler (2-4) is 0-3 at home despite a 2.33 earned-run average. The Marlins have lost 13 of 18.

Houston 3, Toronto 0 -- Roy Oswalt (7-7) pitched his first two-hitter and won his sixth consecutive home start, leading the Astros to their season-high fifth victory in a row.

Oswalt retired 24 of the last 25 batters he faced and needed only 88 pitches for his second complete game and seventh of his career.

Oakland 11, Atlanta 5 -- Eric Chavez was five for five, including two home runs, and drove in four runs to help the Athletics get their first road series win since the season’s opening week.

Mark Kotsay drove in four runs. His three-run home run in a six-run seventh inning helped send the Braves to their fifth consecutive series loss.

Colorado 7, Detroit 3 -- Preston Wilson homered twice, and Byung-Hyun Kim (1-5) gave up two runs and five hits in six innings at Denver for his first win in nearly a year.

Cleveland 5, San Francisco 3 -- Casey Blake had two hits, including a three-run homer, and the Indians completed a three-game sweep of the host Giants.

Cleveland has won six of its last seven to improve to 20-17 on the road. The Giants have lost 14 of 16 and finished the homestand 1-5.

Kansas City 9, Arizona 4 -- Mark Teahen’s broken-bat single in the 12th inning drove in Ruben Gotay and started a six-run rally that lifted the Royals at Phoenix.

Tampa Bay 7, Pittsburgh 5 -- Alex Gonzalez hit a two-run homer in the 13th inning at Pittsburgh after the Devil Rays, who ended a seven-game skid, blew a three-run lead for the fifth time in eight games.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Philadelphia 6, Milwaukee 2 -- Pat Burrell and Chase Utley homered, and Cory Lidle (6-4) gave up one run in seven innings to help the Phillies cap a 12-1 homestand.

The Phillies have won six consecutive games and 15 of 17.