The Dodgers have now won nine consecutive games, a streak that began after they lost eight straight. They are the sixth team in major-league history to lose at least eight straight games and follow that immediately with a winning streak of at least eight games. The others: the 1931 Cubs, 1949 Red Sox, 1965 Pirates, 1985 Twins and 2001 Cubs.
Papi makes history
David Ortiz hit his 40th home run of the season on Sunday and increased his RBI total to 109. The Red Sox have played 110 games in 2006, and it's the first time in 45 years that an American League player has reached 40 home runs and 100 RBI within his team's first 110 games of the season. In 1961, both Roger Maris (in the Yankees' 106th game) and Mickey Mantle (109th game) did that.