Atkins slams Colorado past BoSox

Baseball Betting Lines

06/15/2007 - Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Garrett Atkins went 3-for-5 with a double and a grand slam, as Colorado turned aside Boston once again, 7-1, in the rubber match of a three-game interleague series at Fenway Park.

Jeff Francis (6-5) scattered seven hits over five-plus innings, striking out six to move above the .500 mark on the year.

Matt Holliday added a solo home run, his 11th of the season for the Rockies, who won two of three in the series and four of their last five overall. Todd Helton contributed a run-scoring single and Willy Taveras added an RBI.

Josh Beckett (9-1) was rocked for 10 hits and six runs over five innings, allowing a pair of home runs for his first loss of the season. He failed to become the first Sox starting pitcher to begin a season with 10 straight wins since Roger Clemens went 14-0 in 1986, and the first AL hurler to do so since Clemens began the 1997 season in Toronto at 11-0.

Mike Lowell collected a pair of hits and drove in a run for the Red Sox, who have dropped two straight and three of four, and who now lead the AL East by only 7 1/2 games over the surging New York Yankees. Manny Ramirez had two hits and scored a run in defeat.

The Rockies started fast against Beckett, as Helton's RBI single put Colorado up 1-0 in the first.

With one swing of the bat in the third, Atkins made it 5-0 on a grand slam just over the Green Monster. It was the slugger's fourth career slam, and extended his on-base streak to 15 games.

Holliday added a solo homer with two outs in the fourth for a 6-0 Rockies advantage.

The Sox had the bases loaded with two outs in the second but the rally ended when Dustin Pedroia fanned, then picked up a pair of hits in the fourth and failed to send a runner home. Two more baserunners were stranded in the fifth when Kevin Youkilis popped out and Lowell grounded into a force out after David Ortiz walked and Ramirez singled to start the frame.

Boston finally broke through with two outs in the seventh, as Ramirez came home on Lowell's line drive single to center.

A Taveras ground out brought in Colorado's seventh run in the eighth and capped the scoring.

Game Notes

Before Thursday, the last time the Red Sox lost an interleague series was June 10-12, 2005 at Wrigley Field against the Cubs...Colorado has won five of the nine meetings between the clubs...Beckett suffered his first loss at Fenway this season after starting the year 5-0, and also suffered his first career loss against Colorado, coming into the contest with a 4-0 mark...Attendance was 36,936.

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Marlins could start season without No. 2 starter Johnson

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Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.

Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.

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Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.

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With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.

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