Now that they're winning, the rejuvenated Philadelphia Phillies are having a grand time at the ballpark.
Cory Lidle pitched a six-hitter, and Pat Burrell went 3 for 3 with a three-run homer and a walk to lead the Phillies past the Orioles, 7-2, yesterday to win the three-game series in Baltimore.
Mike Lieberthal also homered for Philadelphia, which is still last in the NL East, but confident its situation is about to improve.
''I want to tell you, the worst is behind us," said manager Charlie Manuel.
Miguel Tejada homered for Baltimore, which had its AL East lead over the Red Sox cut to two games.
Lidle (4-3) struck out four and walked one in his 11th career complete game. The righthander threw only 99 pitches and faced more than four hitters in only one inning, the eighth.
Orioles starter Sidney Ponson (5-2) absorbed his first loss since April 14, allowing four runs and seven hits in seven innings.
The Phillies went up, 3-1, in the third. After Jimmy Rollins singled and Jim Thome drew a two-out walk, Burrell followed with his ninth home run. Lieberthal made it 4-1 in the fourth with a two-out drive to left.
Yankees 5, Mets 3 -- Hideki Matsui tied the game in the eighth with a two-run single off Roberto Hernandez (2-2) and scored on a Bernie Williams double as the Yankees took advantage of two Mets errors in the inning to win the three-game Subway Series at Shea Stadium.
Dodgers 6, Angels 2 -- The Dodgers salvaged the finale of a three-game home series, riding homers by Ricky Ledee and Jason Phillips and seven crisp innings by Derek Lowe (4-4), who matched a season high with seven strikeouts.
Twins 6, Brewers 5 -- At Minneapolis, Shannon Stewart hit a tying two-run homer in the ninth and Minnesota prevailed in the 11th when Milwaukee second baseman Junior Spivey mishandled Luis Rodriguez's bases-loaded grounder for an error.
Royals 9, Cardinals 2 -- John Buck's homer capped a nightmarish first inning for St. Louis shortstop David Eckstein, whose two errors led to six unearned runs and jump-started host Kansas City, which broke a seven-game losing streak to the Cardinals.
Nationals 9, Blue Jays 2 -- Former Red Sox prospect Tony Blanco hit his first major league homer and Jose Guillen contributed a three-run double to support Tomo Ohka (3-3), who pitched eight strong innings for visiting Washington.
Mariners 5, Padres 0 -- Aaron Sele (3-4) pitched a four-hitter for his first complete game in nearly three years, and Jeremy Reed took care of the offense for host Seattle with three hits and two RBIs.
Giants 3, A's 1 -- Moises Alou hit a two-run homer to help Noah Lowry (2-5) end a six-start winless stretch as host San Francisco took the season's first Bay Bridge Series.