SCOREBOARD

Friday, Aug. 8

Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco (10:15 p.m. EDT). Brad Penny (5-9, 5.88 ERA) makes his first start for the Dodgers since June 14, when he was sidelined by shoulder tendinitis and bursistis. He takes on Barry Zito (6-13, 5.40) and the Giants.

STARS

Wednesday

- Aaron Rowand, Giants, went 2-for-2 with a home run, driving in all of San Francisco's runs in a 3-2 win over the Braves.

- Jeff Karstens, Pirates, set down the first 23 batters he faced in a complete-game, 2-0 victory over the Diamondbacks.

- Vladimir Guerrero, Angels, homered and drove in four runs in a 9-4 win over Baltimore.

- Jacoby Ellsbury, Red Sox, went 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs, scoring twice in an 8-2 rout of the Royals.

- Ryan Ludwick, Cardinals, followed a grand slam by Albert Pujols with a home run, the fifth straight game in which he's gone deep, in a 9-6 win over the Dodgers.

- Mark DeRosa, Cubs, hit a grand slam during an eight-run third inning and finished with five RBIs in an 11-4 victory over the Astros.

- Jhonny Peralta, Indians, went 5-for-5 with a homer, a pair of doubles and two RBIs in a 10-7 loss to the Rays.

- Rickie Weeks, Brewers, went 4-for-5 with a pair of RBIs in a 6-3 win over the Reds.

- Shaun Marcum, Blue Jays, gave up three hits over seven innings in a 5-1 win over the A's.

PIRATE BOOTY

Jeff Karstens is making Pittsburgh fans forget all about Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte. The right-hander set down his first 23 batters before Chris Young's two-out double in the eighth inning and finished with a two-hitter in a 2-0 victory over Arizona. Karstens (2-0) has tossed 15 scoreless innings since coming over in the six-player trade that sent Nady and Marte to the New York Yankees.

JUST LIKE ALBERT

Albert Pujols isn't the only slugger in the Cardinals lineup, even if he did hit a grand slam in their 9-6 win over the Dodgers. Ryan Ludwick also went deep, tying a franchise record by doing so in his fifth straight game. Ludwick is the fifth Cardinals player to homer in five straight games and the first since Pujols from Aug. 17-22, 2007. He has totaled six homers during the streak, including a game-winning two-run shot on Tuesday.

SORIA-NO DOUBT

Alfonso Soriano made sure everybody knew he was fine after coming off the disabled list, launching a three-run homer after Mark DeRosa's grand slam during an eight-run third inning in an 11-4 win over Houston. The Cubs have won nine of 11 and improved to an NL-best 69-46.

LEADING THE WAY

The Rays sure don't seem to be going anywhere. Carlos Pena's three-run homer capped a six-run ninth inning, helping Tampa Bay rally to a 10-7 victory over Cleveland. The Rays, whose 45 home wins are the most in the majors, now embark on their final trip West this season.

JOBA JOINS DL

Joba Chamberlain was placed on the 15-day disabled list by the Yankees with rotator cuff tendinitis in his pitching shoulder. The club said Chamberlain will rest for about a week before beginning a throwing program. Ian Kennedy is expected to be called up from the minors to start.

SPEAKING

"That's something that we definitely think about it and envision. We actually see it in reality at the same time. It's very important for us that we also put it in perspective. We know it's great, we're enjoying it, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. We never lose focus in the fact, 'Hey, let's play the game today.' It's most important for us."' - Carlos Pena, whose home run helped the Rays to a 10-7 win over Cleveland and kept them in first place as they chase their first division title.

SEASONS

Aug. 8

1903 - A week after pitching his first doubleheader triumph, Joe "Iron Man" McGinnity of the New York Giants scored a double victory over the Brooklyn Dodgers 6-1 and 4-3. In the second game, he stole home.

1915 - Philadelphia's Gavvy Cravath hit four doubles and drove in eight runs in a 14-7 victory over the Reds at Cincinnati.

1920 - Howard Ehmke of the Detroit Tigers pitched the fastest 1-0 game in American League history - 1 hour, 13 minutes, for a victory against the New York Yankees.

1931 - Bob Burke of the Washington Senators pitched a 5-0 no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox.

1954 - The Brooklyn Dodgers pounded the Cincinnati Reds 20-7 at Ebbets Field. The Dodgers scored 13 runs in the eighth inning after two were out.

1973 - Designated hitter Orlando Cepeda hit four doubles as the Boston Red Sox posted a 9-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals.

1982 - California's Doug DeCinces hit three home runs in a game for the second time in less than a week. DeCinces hit solo homers in the first and third innings and connected for a two-run shot in the eighth of a 9-5 victory over the Seattle Mariners. DeCinces hit three against Minnesota on Aug. 3.

1985 - Baseball, after a two-day walkout, resumed playing with 18 games scheduled, including five doubleheaders.

1988 - The first night game scheduled in the 74-year history of Chicago's Wrigley Field's was postponed with the Cubs leading the Philadelphia Phillies 3-1 after heavy rains started in the bottom of the fourth inning. Philadelphia's Phil Bradley led off the game with a home run, but all numbers were wiped out when the rain came.

1992 - Oakland's Dennis Eckersley had his consecutive saves record snapped at 40. His consecutive saves records - 36 straight to start a season, and 40 straight over two seasons - ended trying to protect a 2-1 lead in the ninth inning against the Kansas City Royals. Eckersley gave up a two-out, two-run single to Gregg Jefferies to give the Royals a 3-2 lead. The Athletics came back to win the game in the ninth, 5-3.

1997 - Randy Johnson struck out 19, matching the major league record for left-handers he had tied earlier this season, as the Seattle Mariners defeated the Chicago White Sox 5-0.

1998 - Paul Molitor stole his 500th base in Minnesota's 6-3 loss to Baltimore to become the fifth player with 3,000 hits and 500 steals. Molitor joined Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Eddie Collins and Lou Brock.

2000 - Darren Dreifort of the Los Angeles Dodgers hit two homers and was the winning pitcher in a 7-5 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

2007 - Barry Bonds added to his home run record with a two-run shot into McCovey Cove for No. 757. It helped Bruce Bochy to his 1,000th managerial victory as the San Francisco Giants beat Washington 5-0.

Today's birthdays: Ross Ohlendorf 26; Craig Breslow 28; Humberto Quintero 29.