August 8

The Pirates end a 10-game losing streak that has taken the team out of playoff contention with a 5 – 0 win at San Francisco. Charlie Morton is the winner over Ryan Vogelsong with 8 scoreless innings. Garrett Jones has four hits for the Bucs, whose goal for the season is now to finish above .500. The losing streak took the team to 5 games below the mark, and they will be unable to stop their record string of 18 consecutive losing seasons.

Toronto’s Brandon Morrow keeps the Rays hitless for 8 2/3 innings before Evan Longoria bounces a single just outside the reach of 2B Aaron Hill. Morrow has to settle for a one-hit shutout when he fans the next batter, Dan Johnson, to complete the 1 – 0 victory. Johnson is his 17th strikeout victim on the day, one shy of the team record established by Roger Clemens in 1998.

Boise Hawks manager Jody Davis is suspended six games and fined an undisclosed amount for pulling his team off the field and causing a forfeit in a Northwest League game against the Everett AquaSox yesterday. Davis argued that the field was unsafe after rain delayed the start of the game, and when the umpires disagreed, he ordered his players to walk off.

Carl Pavano makes his debut with the Minnesota Twins a good one, pitching 7 scoreless innings in an 11 – 0 win over Detroit. Denard Span goes for 5 for 5 for the Twins.

Albert Pujols, in the Cardinals’ 5-3 victory over Pittsburgh at PNC Park, drives in three runs, surpassing the 100 RBI mark for the ninth straight season to start his career. The only major leaguer with a longer streak was Hall of Fame outfielder Al Simmons, who accomplished the feat for 11 consecutive seasons starting with his rookie year with the A’s in 1924.

2007 – Aaron Harang shuts out the Dodgers, 1 – 0. It is the third straight shutout endured by Los Angeles. The last time the franchise suffered three whitewashes in a row was in the 1966 World Series.

2006 – In Oakland’s 7 – 6 win over the Rangers, the A’s Jason Kendall turns the fourth unassisted double play of his career. It happens when Mark DeRosa strikes out, then is called for interfering with Kendall’s throw to catch Jerry Hairston, Jr., stealing second. The play ends the game.

Mark DeRosa makes two outs in one at-bat, ending the McAfee Coliseum contest in a most unlikely manner. On a 3-2 pitch, the Texas right fielder swings and misses, making the second out of the inning, but when his momentum causes him to make contact with Oakland catcher Jason Kendall, who is throwing to second trying to prevent pinch-runner Jerry Hairston Jr. from stealing a base, plate umpire Jim Joyce calls interference on the batter for the third and final out of the Rangers’ 7-6 loss to the A’s.

The Tigers defeat the Blue Jays‚ 9 – 8‚ in 12 innings. Alex Rios gets 5 hits for Toronto‚ including a home run, in a losing cause.