NEW YORK - Lucas Duda hit a long home run and the New York Mets threw out the potential tying run at the plate in the ninth inning to hold off the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2 on Wednesday night with a stiff wind whipping through Citi Field.
Jonathon Niese earned his first victory of the season, and shortstop Ruben Tejada cut down Matt Carpenter for the second out of the ninth on a strong relay from center fielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis.
St. Louis Manager Mike Matheny challenged the call by plate umpire Marty Foster, which was upheld following a replay review of 1 minute, 20 seconds that showed catcher Travis d’Arnaud nicked Carpenter with a sweep tag near his armpit.
Cardinals right-hander Michael Wacha (2-2) set career highs with 10 strikeouts and 5 walks in the shortest of his 14 regular-season starts in the majors.
Curtis Granderson snapped his career-worst hitless skid at 22 at bats with a first-inning single, and the Mets got 6 2/3 effective innings from Niese (1-2) before turning it over to the bullpen.
Carlos Torres and Scott Rice escaped an eighth-inning jam before Kyle Farnsworth worked the ninth for his second save. He gave up consecutive singles and an RBI double to Daniel Descalso that one-hopped the wall in left-center, but New York’s defense saved Farnsworth.
BRAVES 3, MARLINS 1 Pinch-hitter Evan Gattis broke an eighth-inning tie with a two-run double off A.J. Ramos, and host Atlanta beat Miami for their ninth victory in 12 games.
GIANTS 12, ROCKIES 10 Hector Sanchez hit two of San Francisco’s six home runs, including a grand slam in the 11th inning Wednesday that gave the Giants a victory over host Colorado.
BREWERS 5, PADRES 2 Jean Segura hit a three-run home run, and Milwaukee broke out of an offensive slumber at home to support Kyle Lohse in a victory over San Diego.
REDS 5, PIRATES 2 Alfredo Simon pitched into the seventh inning despite erratic control, Jay Bruce drove in a run for a fifth consecutive game and visiting Cincinnati beat Pittsburgh.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
MARINERS 5, ASTROS 3 Kyle Seager hit a three-run home run with one out in the bottom of the ninth, and Seattle beat visiting Houston to stop an eight-game losing streak.
INDIANS 5, ROYALS 3 Jason Kipnis drove in Nick Swisher with a two-out double in the seventh inning, sending host Cleveland past Kansas City.
ORIOLES 10, BLUE JAYS 8 Nelson Cruz hit two of Baltimore’s season-high four home runs and Chris Davis and Matt Wieters also connected for the visiting Orioles.
RANGERS 3, ATHLETICS 0 Martin Perez (4-0) pitched a three-hitter for his second consecutive shutout, helping visiting Texas complete a three-game sweep.
RED SOX 5, YANKEES 1 Michael Pineda was ejected for using pine tar less than two weeks after appearing to get away with using a foreign substance in another game against Boston, and the Red Sox beat New York. The right-hander was thrown out in the second inning when plate umpire Gerry Davis found the substance on the right side of Pineda’s neck after Red Sox Manager John Farrell asked him to check. Pineda walked from the mound without protest. Both Pineda and Davis said it was pine tar.
TWINS 6, RAYS 4 Chris Colabello drove in four runs and two of them came on a 12th-inning single that lifted visiting Minnesota to a victory over Tampa Bay.
WHITE SOX 6, TIGERS 4 Marcus Semien’s seventh-inning grand slam lifted Chicago over host Detroit. Jose Abreu hit another long home run for the White Sox, but it was Semien’s first career slam that turned around the game. Detroit starter Drew Smyly (Little Rock Central, Arkansas Razorbacks) allowed two runs in six innings, but Evan Reed (0-1) gave up two singles and a walk, and Ian Krol allowed the home run to Semien.
INTERLEAGUE
NATIONALS 5, ANGELS 4 Adam LaRoche’s tie breaking RBI single off the first pitch from Fernando Salas capped a four-run rally in the bottom of the ninth inning that kept Washington from getting swept.
Wednesday’s games
NATIONAL LEAGUE Atlanta 3, Miami 1 Arizona 7, Chicago Cubs 5 San Francisco 12, Colorado 10 (11) Cincinnati 5, Pittsburgh 2 NY Mets 3, St. Louis 2 Milwaukee 5, San Diego 2 Philadelphia at LA Dodgers, (n)
AMERICAN LEAGUE Texas 3, Oakland 0 Seattle 5, Houston 3 Cleveland 5, Kansas City 3 Baltimore 10, Toronto 8 Chicago White Sox 6, Detroit 4 Minnesota 6, Tampa Bay 4 (12) Boston 5, NY Yankees 1
INTERLEAGUE Washington 5, LA Angels 4
Sports, Pages 20 on 04/24/2014