ST. LOUIS — Without his best stuff, Chris Carpenter was good enough to make the National League All-Star team. Since the break, he’s been virtually untouchable.
Carpenter worked eight dominant innings and the St. Louis Cardinals got home runs from Randy Winn and Matt Holliday, winning their seventh in a row with a 7-1 victory over the slumping Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night. Five times Carpenter needed fewer than 10 pitches to retire the side.
“I was throwing a lot of good sinkers and they were hitting them in the ground early in the count,” Carpenter said. “Getting quick outs, that’s what happens when you throw quality pitches early to a team that wants to hit.”
Phillies 47-year-old starter Jamie Moyer strained his elbow and lasted only one inning and almost certainly is headed for the 15-day disabled list. The Phillies have lost five of six since the All-Star break and demoted another starter earlier in the day, sending Kyle Kendrick to Class AAA Lehigh Valley.
The door to Manager Charlie Manuel’s office was closed for more than a half-hour after the game while the Phillies discussed their options. One of them would be recalling Kendrick, and Manuel said the team was waiting for minor league affiliates to check in.
“We were talking about things we wanted to do,” Manuel said. “We’ve got a plan. It will work its way out.”
Moyer said he expected to pitch again this season.
“When that is, I have no idea,” Moyer said. “My goal is to keep a positive mental outlook whatever the diagnosis is.”
BRAVES 4, PADRES 1
Matt Diaz homered for the third consecutive game, Jair Jurrjens pitched seven strong innings and host Atlanta beat San Diego in a matchup of first-place teams. Chris Denorfia hit a second-inning home run for the Padres, but Jurrjens (3-3) gave up only two hits over his last five innings.
ROCKIES 10, MARLINS 0
Melvin Mora drove in five runs and Jeff Francis pitched seven crisp innings to lead Colorado past host Florida. Francis (3-3) allowed three hits, struck out seven and walked none while lowering his ERA from 5.14 to 4.63.
PIRATES 11, BREWERS 9
Pedro Alvarez hit a grand slam in host Pittsburgh’s nine-run first and a home run in the second for his first career multiple-home run game, helping the Pirates beat Milwaukee.
CUBS 14, ASTROS 7
Aramis Ramirez hit three home runs and drove in seven runs to help host Chicago rally to beat Houston.
American League ANGELS 10, YANKEES 2 Hideki Matsui, Maicer Izturis and Mike Napoli hit two-run homeruns to back a crisp effort from spot starter Sean O’Sullivan, and host Los Angeles beat New York. O’Sullivan (1-0) was starting in place of Scott Kazmir, who was put on the disabled list Sunday because of shoulder fatigue. Called up from Class AAA Salt Lake earlier Tuesday, the righthander retired 12 in a row after giving up two runs in the first inning. In 6 innings, he allowed 2 hits, 3 walks and struck out 4.
RANGERS 8, TIGERS 0
Tommy Hunter pitched seven scoreless innings, and Josh Hamilton and Ian Kinsler homered as Texas beat host Detroit. Hunter became the first Ranger to start a season 7-0, pitching only as a starter. He gave up three hits and two walks.
INDIANS 4, TWINS 3
Travis Hafner had two hits and the go-ahead RBI in the eighth inning, and Justin Masterson allowed 3 runs and 7 hits
1 in 6 /3 innings in Cleveland’s victory over host Minnesota.
BLUE JAYS 13, ROYALS 1
Toronto’s Jose Bautista hit his major league-leading 26th home run and drove in five runs to back Jesse Litsch (1-4), who picked up his first victory since 2008 by beating host Kansas City.
Tuesday’s games
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Pittsburgh 11, Milwaukee 9 Colorado 10, Florida 0 Atlanta 4, San Diego 1 Chicago Cubs 14, Houston 7 St. Louis 7, Philadelphia 1 Arizona 3, NY Mets 2 Washington at Cincinnati, (n) San Francisco at LA Dodgers, (n)
AMERICAN LEAGUE
LA Angels 10, N.Y. Yankees 2 Baltimore 11, Tampa Bay 10, 13 innings Texas 8, Detroit 0 Cleveland 4, Minnesota 3 Toronto 13, Kansas City 1 Boston at Oakland, (n) Chicago White Sox at Seattle, (n)
Sports, Pages 22 on 07/21/2010