Baseball Notebook: Sheets Pitches Brewers to 4-1 Complete Game Win

Ben Sheets (9-1) pitched the Milwaukee Brewers to a 4-1 win over the Atlanta Braves last night in Atlanta. Sheets allowed only one run and four hits in his complete game win. Sheets was working so fast that one time in the game the Braves had runners on first and third before the commercial was over. Sheets only gave up four singles to the Braves.

In his last seven starts, Sheets has allowed three runs once, two runs twice, and one run four times. He has allowed a total of two homers over his last five starts. Thirteen of his sixteen starts have been quality starts.

Rickie Weeks was 3-for-4 and is hitting .304 in the month of June. Mike Cameron hit his 12th homer and 228th of his career.

Haren Wins Pitching Duel With Beckett As Diamondbacks Edge Red Sox 2-1

Dan Haren (8-4) and Josh Beckett (7-5) were locked in a pitching duel for the first six innings in their game last night at Fenway Park before the Arizona Diamondbacks scored twice in the top of the seventh inning to take a 2-0 lead. J.D. Drew drove in the only run for the Boston Red Sox with a sacrifice fly to make the final score 2-1.

The worst thing about the Red Sox loss was that all the other AL East teams gained a half game on them since they were all idle. The first four hitters in the Diamondbacks' batting order were 1-for-16, while the first four batters for the Red Sox were 2-for-13. The first four hitters in the two lineups combined for a 3-for-29 night.

Lackey Outduels Bergmann In 3-2 Win Over Nationals

John Lackey (5-1) outdueled Jason Bergmann who was leading 2-1 when he left the game but Saul Rivera blew the save and the Los Angeles Angels won the game 3-2. Lackey would be leading the Majors with his 1.65 ERA, but only has 60 of the 76 innings required to qualify for the lead. To qualify, a pitcher has to total as many innings pitched as games played.

Lackey didn't pitch his first game this season until May 14th. In his eight starts, he has allowed as many as three runs only once and has pitched at least seven innings in each start.

Felix Hernandez Grand Slam Leads Mariners to 5-2 Win Over Mets

The New York Mets had a perfect scenario last night with Johan Santana starting against the worst team in baseball at Shea Stadium. The Mariners pitcher was not intimidated by this scenario though, as he did something an American League pitcher hadn't done in 37 years: hit a grand slam. Felix Hernandez hit a grand salami in the top of the second inning to give the Seattle Mariners all the runs they needed to defeat the Mets 5-2. Hernandez hit the first grand slam by an American League pitcher since May 11, 1971 when Steve Dunning hit one against Diego Segui.

Hernandez didn't get the decision since he had to leave the game in the fifth inning when he injured his ankle covering home plate and lost the chance to win his seventh game.

Johan Santana (7-6) failed to win for his fourth consecutive start. The four runs he allowed were the most he has allowed in a game this month after surrendering no runs in once and one run three times this month for an ERA of 1.87 for the month of June. After 16 starts, Santana is only one game over .500. John Maine (7-5) has the best record among Mets starters in 2008.

Bannister Pitches Royals to 8-4 Victory Over Last place Colorado Rockies

Brian Bannister (7-6) allowed no earned runs in seven innings as the Kansas City Royals won their third straight game defeating the last place Colorado Rockies of the NL West 8-4. Jeff Francis (3-7) continued to struggle this season after his 17-9 record in 2008, as he took the loss.

Jose Guillen hit his 13th homer and drove in his 59th and 60th run to move into second in RBI's in AL behind Josh Hamilton with 76.

Guillen, playing for his ninth Major League team since debuting with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1997, has already matched his doubles total of last season with 28 in 593 at-bats in only 300 at-bats this season. He only had 53 extra base hits last season, but already has 41 this season. He is slugging over .500 for only the second time in his career with a .517 percentage. His only other season over .500 was when he slugged .629 for the Cincinnati Reds in 2003.

In his three seasons with the Pirates, he hit an identical .267 in each of those years. With 179 homers at the age of 32, there is a chance he could hit 300 homers by the time he retires.