CARDINALS 6, PADRES 2
SAN DIEGO -- Shelby Miller and three relievers combined on a three-hitter and Oscar Taveras hit a two-run home run as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the San Diego Padres 6-2 Thursday to avoid a three-game sweep.
Miller (8-8) held San Diego to 2 runs and 3 hits in 6 innings, struck out 5 and walked none. He earned his first victory since June 7.
St. Louis roughed up San Diego rookie Odrisamer Despaigne a day after playing what Manager Mike Matheny called the team's ugliest loss of the season, a 12-1 defeat Wednesday night.
Taveras' home run to right with two outs in the second, his second, gave St. Louis a 2-0 lead that didn't last long.
Jedd Gyorko, on a tear since returning Monday from a 44-day stay on the disabled list, homered to right off Miller with one out in the second. It was Gyorko's second in two games and seventh overall. Will Venable homered to right with two outs, his fifth.
Matt Holliday singled with one out in the third to bring in Matt Carpenter, who hit a leadoff single, and Kolten Wong, who doubled.
Peter Bourjos hit an RBI single with two outs in the sixth followed by a single by Miller that chased Despaigne. Carpenter drew a bases-loaded walk off Blaine Boyer.
Despaigne (2-3) allowed 6 runs and 9 hits in 5 2/3 innings, struck out 3 and walked 1. He won his first two starts but is 0-3 in his past five starts.
CUBS 3, ROCKIES 1 Jake Arrieta struck out seven in seven innings, leading Chicago to a victory over visiting Colorado. Arrieta (6-2) allowed one run and three hits in his first victory since June 30 at Boston. The 6-4 right-hander has a 1.73 ERA in his past 11 starts, holding opponents to a .162 batting average. The Cubs won 3 of 4 in a matchup of last-place teams. The Rockies have lost 4 of 5 and 11 of 15 overall. Pedro Hernandez (0-1) allowed 3 runs and 6 hits in 5 2/3 innings in his first start for Colorado. Chicago scored three times in the sixth despite getting one ball out of the infield the entire inning. Arismendy Alcantara sparked the rally with a leadoff smash down the third-base line that Nolan Arenado was unable to handle cleanly. Chris Coghlan then singled off the glove of first baseman Justin Morneau, putting runners on first and second. Hernandez then walked Anthony Rizzo and Starlin Castro to force in a run. Justin Ruggiano added a sacrifice fly and Luis Valbuena drove in Rizzo with a grounder to shortstop. Nolan Arenado's RBI double cut Chicago's lead to 3-1 in the seventh, but that was it for the Rockies. Hector Rondon picked up three outs for his 14th save in 17 opportunities. He retired three consecutive after Arenado and Justin Morneau singled to start the ninth.
PHILLIES 10, NATIONALS 4 Ben Revere tied a career-high with four hits and visiting Philadelphia defeated Washington despite starter Cliff Lee (Benton, Arkansas Razorbacks) leaving in the third inning with an elbow injury. The Phillies announced he had a recurrence of the flexor pronator strain that sidelined him in May.
REDS 3, MARLINS 1 Cincinnati benefited from Major League Baseball’s new instant replay system and the rule preventing catchers from blocking the plate in a victory over host Miami. Reds starter Johnny Cueto (12-6) struck out nine and allowed one run in seven innings.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
WHITE SOX 7, TIGERS 4 Moises Sierra had four hits, and Jose Abreu and Adam Eaton added three apiece to lift Chicago to a victory over host Detroit. The game quickly became a secondary concern in the Motor City when the Tigers acquired star left-hander David Price from Tampa Bay in a three-team deal. Joakim Soria (1-4) -- another pitcher Detroit recently traded for -- hit Paul Konerko with the bases loaded in the seventh to give the White Sox a 5-4 lead. Abreu extended his hitting streak to 20 games. Ronald Belisario (4-7) earned the victory in relief, and Jake Petricka pitched the ninth for his sixth save. Chicago's John Danks allowed 4 runs and 7 hits in 5 innings. There had been speculation he might be dealt before the deadline, but instead it was Detroit's Thursday starter -- Drew Smyly (Arkansas Razorbacks) -- who ended up in the trade for Price. Smyly pitched 5 innings and allowed 4 runs on 11 hits. He was at 95 pitches when he was taken out -- the move didn't appear to be related to the trade. But Tigers center fielder Austin Jackson had to be pulled with one out in the top of the seventh, jogging off the field with the trade deadline looming. Jackson went from Detroit to Seattle in the deal that brought Price to the Tigers. Detroit's Torii Hunter (Pine Bluff) and J.D. Martinez hit back-to-back home runs in the third. Abreu doubled twice off Smyly to extend his hitting streak. The Chicago slugger has hit safely in 38 of his past 39 games.
ANGELS 1, ORIOLES 0 (13) Albert Pujols hit an RBI single in the 13th inning, and visiting Los Angeles beat Baltimore to avert a three-game series sweep. Tyler Skaggs and six relievers combined on a five-hitter, and David Freese matched a career high with four hits.
MARINERS 6, INDIANS 5 Mike Zunino’s two-run home run in the eighth inning lifted Seattle to a victory over host Cleveland. Bryan Shaw (4-3) walked Kyle Seager to start the inning before Zunino hit a 2-0 pitch into the left-field bleachers for his 17th home run.
ROYALS 6, TWINS 3 Alcides Escobar hit a two-run triple and Yordano Ventura pitched seven effective innings as Kansas City defeated visiting Minnesota. Ventura (8-8) limited the Twins to 2 runs, 1 earned, on 5 hits, while striking out 7.
BLUE JAYS 6, ASTROS 5 Nolan Reimold hit two home runs, including a tiebreaking solo shot in the ninth, and streaking Toronto rallied for a victory over host Houston.
Sports on 08/01/2014