NATIONAL LEAGUE
CARDINALS 12, ROCKIES 3
DENVER -- Matt Carpenter led off the game with a double to right.
It was the start of a double feature -- a big day for him and another big series win for the Cardinals.
Carpenter tied a major-league record with four doubles in a nine-inning game, pitcher Austin Gomber had a two-run infield single in a six-run first inning, and the Cardinals routed the Colorado Rockies 12-3 on Sunday.
Carpenter also matched the franchise mark that Joe "Ducky" Medwick set on Aug. 4, 1937, against the Boston Bees (now Braves). Carpenter doubled twice in the first, had another in the third and lined his fourth in the seventh on a day when St. Louis pounded out 16 hits. The first baseman wound up 4 for 5 with 2 RBI.
The Cardinals took two of three from the Rockies in a series between NL playoff contenders. It was the ninth consecutive series St. Louis has captured, the first time it has done that since 2009.
"I don't know why it couldn't last for the rest of the year," Carpenter said. "I don't see why it shouldn't, why it couldn't."
The Cardinals lead the wild-card race in the National League by a half-game on Milwaukee and 1½ games over the Rockies.
The score was 6-0 before many of the fans had time to settle into their seats. The Cardinals sent 11 batters to the plate in a wild first and had seven hits off Tyler Anderson, including a two-run home run by Tyler O'Neill. Anderson later intentionally walked Yairo Munoz to get to Gomber, who bounced a high hopper for an infield hit. A hustling Harrison Bader scored from second.
The runs in the first were scored with two outs.
"For us to come out early and put up that six-spot, it makes my job a lot easier," Gomber said.
Wearing "Big G" on the back of his uniform as part of Players' Weekend, Gomber (4-0) threw 6 efficient innings and allowed 2 runs, 1 earned, to become the first left-handed Cardinals starter to win at Coors Field since Kent Mercker on July 24, 1999.
"Does it show how well [Gomber pitched] or show how few lefties we've had?" Carpenter joked. "Gomber was outstanding."
St. Louis led 10-2 after three innings.
Anderson (6-7) was booed as he walked off the mound after allowing six runs and getting just two outs. He was replaced by Chad Bettis.
The left-hander has been tinkering with a new release point to better utilize his 6-3 frame. He hasn't won since July 4, and has a 15.09 ERA over his past three outings.
"Whatever I was trying to go to wasn't working," Anderson said. "Sometimes when you're making pitches they're on the corners, and sometimes they're just off. Sometimes when you're going for the corners you miss middle, which is what's been happening."
Cardinals' right-handed pitcher Mike Mayers was placed on the 10-day disabled list before the game with shoulder inflammation, and reliever Dominic Leone (right arm nerve irritation) was activated from the 60-day DL. Leone pitched a perfect ninth. Second baseman Kolten Wong wasn't in the starting lineup a day after straining his left hamstring running out a grounder.
BRAVES 4, MARLINS 0 Kevin Gausman and four relievers combined on a two-hitter, and visiting Atlanta beat Miami despite an ongoing offensive slump. Gausman (4-1) won his fourth consecutive start and has an ERA of 1.69 in five outings since the Braves acquired him from the Baltimore Orioles on July 31.
NATIONALS 15, METS 0 Trea Turner scored the run that ended Washington's 32-inning scoreless drought and then the Nationals went wild, hammering host New York. Jefry Rodriguez (2-1) blanked the Mets on two singles for six innings.
BREWERS 7, PIRATES 4 Mike Moustakas and Manny Piña each hit a two-run home run in the third inning, Jonathan Schoop went deep in the seventh and Milwaukee beat visiting Pittsburgh. The Brewers rocked Chris Archer (4-7) for 6 runs and 6 hits in the third. Schoop homered in the seventh off Nick Kingham.
CUBS 9, REDS 0 Kyle Hendricks allowed two hits in seven innings, David Bote and Kyle Schwarber homered and host Chicago beat Cincinnati to complete a four-game sweep. Jason Heyward went 4 for 4 with a triple and drove in two runs for the NL Central-leading Cubs.
DODGERS 7, PADRES 3 Justin Turner drove in five runs while Manny Machado put the Dodgers ahead with a two-run home run, and Los Angeles swept a three-game series against San Diego. Hyun-Jin Ryu (4-1) gave up 11 hits in his 5 2/3 innings, but held the Padres to two runs.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
RAYS 9, RED SOX 1 Blake Snell pitched two-hit ball over six innings and host Tampa Bay won its eighth consecutive game, handing major league-leading Boston its first sweep of the season. Boston (90-42) has lost six of eight and was outscored 24-5 in the three-game set.
WHITE SOX 7, TIGERS 2 Michael Kopech pitched six impressive innings for his first major league victory and visiting Chicago scored four runs in the third against Detroit. Kopech (1-0) allowed one run and seven hits in his second career start.
ATHLETICS 6, TWINS 2 Matt Chapman homered twice, Jed Lowrie drove in three runs with a home run and double, and Oakland's bullpen preserved an effective outing by call-up Chris Bassitt in a victory over host Minnesota.
INDIANS 12, ROYALS 5 Jason Kipnis hit an inside-the-park home run and finished with four RBI, Edwin Encarnacion added a two-run shot and visiting Cleveland beat Kansas City. The AL Central-leading Indians improved to 10-1 this season when facing a series sweep.
ASTROS 3, ANGELS 1 Framber Valdez gave up one run over five innings in his first career start, and Houston beat host Los Angeles for its fifth consecutive victory. The Astros improved to 47-21 on the road, including an 18-5 mark in California. Valdez (2-0) struck out 3 while allowing 2 hits and 3 walks in his first career start, making his case for the spot in Houston's rotation left vacant because of Lance McCullers Jr.'s forearm injury.
INTERLEAGUE
PHILLIES 8, BLUE JAYS 3 Kendrys Morales became the seventh player in major league history to homer in at least seven consecutive games, going deep in the third inning of Toronto's loss to visiting Philadelphia. Morales now has a chance to equal the major league record of home runs in eight consecutive games, shared by Ken Griffey Jr., Dale Long and Don Mattingly. Vince Velasquez (9-9) allowed 2 runs and 3 hits in 5 innings for the victory as Philadelphia won for the second time in eight games.
GIANTS 3, RANGERS 1 Derek Holland pitched three-hit ball into the seventh inning to beat his former team as host San Francisco topped Texas. Holland, who won 62 games over eight seasons with the Rangers after they drafted him in 2006, notched consecutive victories for the first time this season. The Giants won a home series for the first time since taking two of three from the Chicago Cubs in early July.
DIAMONDBACKS 5, MARINERS 2 Paul Goldschmidt hit his 30th home run, Zack Greinke won for the first time in almost a month and Arizona avoided a three-game sweep at the hands of visiting Seattle. With the victory and Colorado's loss to St. Louis, the Diamondbacks were back alone in first place in the NL West.
Sports on 08/27/2018