NATIONAL LEAGUE
Vicente Padilla enjoyed a strong start in his season debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers as the National League West leaders overhauled the Colorado Rockies 3-2 on Thursday to push their divisional lead to four games.
Acquired by the Dodgers last week after being released by the Texas Rangers, Padilla needed just 80 pitches over five innings to take the win in the rubber match of the three-game series.
PHOTO: AP
The in-form Rockies (72-56) pulled within two games of Los Angeles after winning the series opener on Tuesday, but the Dodgers’ (76-52) hit back with two straight wins to put some distance between them and their nearest challengers.
“There was no panicking,” Los Angeles outfielder Matt Kemp told reporters.
“We came in here and made a statement. Every team hits a bump in the road where nothing is going your way, but you have to snap out of it,” he said.
Four Los Angeles relievers combined to weave through trouble and closer Jonathan Broxton earned his 28th save by striking out the final two batters of the game to leave a man stranded on second base.
Shortstop Rafael Furcal delivered the game-winning RBI single in the sixth inning to score Orlando Hudson, who finished two-for-four. Kemp went three-for-five with a two-run homer in the first where the team took a 2-0 advantage.
The pesky Rockies responded with two runs of their own in the third inning thanks to an RBI triple from Seth Smith and then a game-tying single by Troy Tulowitzki.
Tulowitzki, who had the game-winning hit in the 10th inning of the series opener on Tuesday, made three hits to support Colorado starter Jorge De La Rosa (12-9), who took the loss despite striking out seven hitters over seven innings.
The Rockies had their chances with runners in scoring positions in the sixth and seventh innings, but bullpen hurlers Kuo Hong-chih, Ramon Troncoso and George Sherrill helped close out the win for Padilla.
“I play hard, play the best baseball I can,” said Padilla, who allowed two runs and six hits while striking out four.
“I don’t think this was that bad, considering [I had] three weeks between starts,” Padilla said.
The Dodgers ran their dominant season series record against the Rockies to 12-3 with the teams scheduled to face each other once more in the season’s final series which will take place between Oct. 2 and Oct. 4.
ASTROS 4, CARDINALS 3
In St Louis, Jeff Keppinger hit a tie-breaking homer with two outs in the ninth inning to help Houston pip St Louis.
The win meant the Astros avoided a second three-game sweep at St Louis this season.
Matt Holliday homered for the National League Central-leading Cardinals, who retained a comfortable nine-game buffer atop the division.
Thursday’s other results:
• Pirates 3, Phillies 2
• Diamondbacks 11, Giants 0
• Mets 10, Marlins 3
• Braves 9, Padres 1
• Reds 8, Brewers 5
• Nationals 5, Cubs 4
AMERICAN LEAGUE
AP, NEW YORK
The Texas Rangers became the first visiting team to win a series at Yankee Stadium since mid-June by beating the New York Yankees 7-2 in the American League on Thursday.
Ian Kinsler homered twice for Texas, who moved within one-and-a-half games of wild card holders Boston.
Kinsler got Texas’ first hit, a three-run homer in the fourth, and connected for a solo homer in the eighth, giving him a career-high 28.
After starting pitcher Dustin Nippert was pulled for walking seven batters in three-and-two-third innings, the Rangers bullpen got through five-and-a-third scoreless innings.
WHITE SOX 9, RED SOX 5
In Boston, Chicago scored four runs in each of the second and third innings, setting up a comfortable win over Boston.
Jayson Nix drove in three runs for the White Sox, who avoided a four-game sweep and edged within four games of American League Central leaders the Detroit Tigers.
Chicago battered Red Sox rookie pitcher Junichi Tazawa for nine runs just five days after he pitched six scoreless innings to beat New York.
ATHLETICS 2, ANGELS 0
In Anaheim, California, Oakland’s rookie pitcher Trevor Cahill and two relievers combined to shut out Los Angeles.
Ryan Sweeney homered, singled and tripled in his three at-bats to help the A’s recover from a three-game sweep at Seattle.
The Los Angeles Angels’ lead in the American League West was cut to four games over the Texas Rangers.
Thursday’s other results:
• Royals 8, Mariners 4
• Indians 5, Orioles 4
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