Cardinals Beat Dodgers, Cubs Edge Royals

Once he wiped away the tears, Carlos Martinez went to work. Martinez watched an emotional pregame tribute to late teammate and best friend Oscar Taveras, then pitched one-hit ball for seven shutout innings to lead the St. Louis Cardinals over the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1 Sunday.

"When (I) went out to start, (I) was just about `OK, this is an opportunity to take this win for Oscar, to play hard, to compete, to get my focus and do it for him," Martinez said through an interpreter.

Jhonny Peralta homered and drove in all three runs for the Cardinals.

On the one-year anniversary of Taveras' major league debut, his family was on the field to honor him. Taveras and his girlfriend were killed in a car accident in his native Dominican Republic in October.

Martinez was best friends with Taveras, and is wearing the outfielder's No. 18 this season.

Martinez (5-2) struck out eight and extended his scoreless-inning streak to 20 1-3.

Cubs 2, Royals 1

David Ross did just fine when he swung away. After failing to execute a safety-squeeze in the ninth inning, Ross hit an RBI single with one out in the 11th inning Sunday that lifted the Chicago Cubs over the Kansas City Royals 2-1.

"I'm playing the game out in my head. I knew what was coming the first time and I didn't get the bunt down, but luckily I drove that ball into the gap right there at the end," Ross said with a smile.

The Cubs and Royals split the abbreviated two-game series. Saturday's game was rained out and will be made up at Wrigley Field during the last week of the regular season.

Ross delivered the fifth game-ending hit of his career, a bases-loaded single just beyond the reach of shortstop Alcides Escobar, who tried to make a sliding, over-the-shoulder catch.

White Sox 6, Astros 0

John Danks pitched an unusual shutout against the Houston Astros on Sunday. Danks allowed 10 hits, including five extra-base hits, in the Chicago White Sox's 6-0 victory over the Astros. According to STATS, Danks is the only pitcher to give up at least 10 hits and at least five extra-base hits in a shutout going back to 1914.

The most recent pitcher to give up at least 10 hits in a shutout was Carlos Silva on August 3, 2004, against the Angels.

"I caught some breaks," Danks said. "I was really just trying to keep the ball in the ballpark and let these guys do work. It worked out."

Chicago manager Robin Ventura made a mound visit in the bottom of the ninth to check on Danks, but left him in to finish the shutout.

Sunday, May 31 Scoreboard

Cincinnati 8, Washington 2

New York Mets 4, Miami 3

Tampa Bay 9, Baltimore 5

Colorado 4, Philadelphia 1

Milwaukee 7, Arizona 6 (F/17)

Minnesota 6, Toronto 5

Chicago White Sox 6, Houston 0

St. Louis 3, Los Angeles Dodgers 1

Chicago Cubs 2, Kansas City 1 (F/11)

Texas 4, Boston 3

Oakland 3, New York Yankees 0

Atlanta 7, San Francisco 5

Cleveland 6, Seattle 3 (F/12)

Los Angeles Angels 4, Detroit 2

San Diego 7, Pittsburgh 1

Monday, June 1 Schedule (All Times Central)

Toronto at Washington 6:05 p.m.

Minnesota at Boston, 6:10 p.m.

Chicago at Miami, 6:10 p.m.

Milwaukee at St. Louis, 7:00 p.m.

Baltimore at Houston 7:10 p.m.

Los Angeles at Colorado, 7:40 p.m.

Atlanta at Arizonam, 8:40 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Los Angeles, 9:05 p.m.

New York at Seattle, 9:10 p.m.

New York at San Diego, 9:10 p.m.

Pittsburgh at San Francisco, 9:15 p.m.