Print

Mail

wiki links

Mets sweep series with Florida Marlins

The Arizona Diamondbacks' Stephen Drew, right, slides safely into third base ahead of the tag by the Houston Astros' Morgan Ensberg during the seventh inning of their game on Sunday in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks won 8-4. PHOTO: AP

The New York Mets continued their mastery of left-handers with a four-run fourth against Florida starter Scott Olsen, carrying them past the Marlins 6-4 on Sunday and to a three-game series sweep.

David Wright had two hits and an RBI and Carlos Beltran walked and scored twice for the Mets, who swept a three-game series at Florida for the first time since October 1993. The Mets improved to a major-league best 18-7 on the road.

Miguel Cabrera had two hits, including an RBI double in the eighth, for Florida. Miguel Olivo had two hits, including his third home run of the year.

Mets starter Jorge Sosa (4-1) scattered five hits and two runs in five-and-two-thirds innings for his fourth win in 23 days. Billy Wagner pitched the ninth for his 12th save and 30th straight dating back to last season, extending the Mets' franchise record.

Olsen (4-4) breezed through the first three innings, retiring 10 straight after Reyes doubled to start the game. But the Mets broke through against Olsen in the fourth.

Phillies 13, Braves 6

At Atlanta, Ryan Howard went 3-for-4 with a pair of two-run homers, Greg Dobbs added another two-run shot and Philadelphia completed its first sweep of the season.

Howard and Dobbs hit two-run homers in the first before the Phillies put the game away with seven runs in the fifth.

The Braves have lost 10 of 14 to fall to 12-13 in May.

Pirates 14, Reds 10

At Cincinnati, Jason Bay capped Pittsburgh's five-run first inning with a three-run homer, Freddy Sanchez drove in a season-high four runs and the Pirates beat the Reds for the third straight game.

Jack Wilson added a two-run homer and the Pirates set a season high for runs.

Kirk Saarloos (0-4) failed to retire any of the seven batters he faced in his second start of the season for the Reds, who have lost six straight.

Nationals 7, Cardinals 2

At St. Louis, Ronnie Belliard hit a two-run homer and finished with four hits for Washington, which took two of three for their first series win over St. Louis since 1999, when the franchise was in Montreal.

Leadoff hitter Felipe Lopez contributed three hits and Ryan Langerhans hit his first career grand slam off Randy Flores to cap a five-run eighth that included two hits, three walks and a bases-loaded wild pitch.

Albert Pujols had three hits for the Cardinals and is 22-for-45 (.477) during an 11-game hitting streak.

Padres 3, Brewers 0

At San Diego, Jake Peavy held Milwaukee to two hits in seven innings and hit an RBI double off Jeff Suppan and San Diego finished off a three-game sweep of the NL Central-leading Brewers.

Adrian Gonzalez added a solo homer for the Padres, who won for the 10th time in 13 games.

It was the first time the Brewers were swept this season.

Diamondbacks 8, Astros 4

At Phoenix, Carlos Quentin hit a two-run homer and Arizona beat Roy Oswalt for the first time, handing the Astros their eighth straight loss.

The Astros have been outscored 66-16 during their longest losing streak in six years.

Livan Hernandez (5-2) allowed 11 hits in his 43rd complete game.

Dodgers 2, Cubs 1, 11 innings

At Los Angeles, Andre Ethier hit a game-tying home run in the eighth and Juan Pierre got hit with the bases loaded in the 11th to force in the winning run for the Dodgers.

Angel Guzman (0-1) opened the 11th with walks to Ramon Martinez and Wilson Betemit. Martinez advanced to third on a delayed steal before Carlos Marmol replaced Guzman with a 1-0 count on Rafael Furcal. Marmol walked Furcal intentionally to set up a force everywhere, but his 2-2 pitch bounced and hit Pierre in the left knee.

Chad Billingsley (3-0) pitched a perfect 11th inning for the win.

Rockies 6, Giants 4, 10 innings

At San Francisco, Barry Bonds broke out of a lengthy home run drought, hitting his 746th career homer in the sixth inning of the Giants' loss to Colorado to pull within nine of Hank Aaron's career record 755.

Bonds' 12th homer of the year was his first in 15 games since a shot off the Mets' Tom Glavine on May 8.

Former Giant LaTroy Hawkins gave up Bengie Molina's tying single to right with two outs in the eighth after Bonds drew a full-count walk with a runner on first.

John Lackey earned his major league-leading eighth victory and the Los Angeles Angels barely had to swing the bat during a seventh-inning rally on Sunday that gave them a 4-3 win over the New York Yankees and a three-game sweep.

The Angels took advantage after starter Mike Mussina got a quick hook, with pinch-hitter Erick Aybar and Chone Figgins drawing bases-loaded walks from Scott Proctor.

Los Angeles closer Francisco Rodriguez held on in the ninth inning, giving up Melky Cabrera's sacrifice fly before retiring Derek Jeter on a flyball with a runner on third for the final out.

Orioles 8, Athletics 4

At Baltimore, Miguel Tejada, Melvin Mora and Nick Markakis homered for the Orioles, negating a home run by Oakland's Nick Swisher.

Oakland starter Joe Blanton had allowed just six homers in 67 innings before yielding three in six innings against Baltimore's rejuvenated attack.

Daniel Cabrera (4-5) allowed four runs, five hits and four walks in six innings for the Orioles. Tejada has homered in two straight games and three of four after connecting only twice in his first 46 games.

Twins 4, Blue Jays 2

At Minneapolis, Carlos Silva ended a four-game losing streak and Justin Morneau homered and drove in three runs for Minnesota.

Silva (3-5) allowed six hits and struck out three in seven innings and the Twins won at home for just the third time in eight games.

A.J. Burnett (5-4) gave up four runs, three earned, and three hits in eight innings for Toronto.

Mariners 7, Royals 4

At Kansas City, Missouri, Jarrod Washburn pitched seven-plus innings, Jose Vidro and Raul Ibanez drove in two runs each and Seattle completed a three-game sweep of Kansas City.

Washburn (5-4) took a one-hit shutout and 6-0 lead into the sixth, but following a 22-minute rain delay gave up two runs, one on a wild pitch. He struck out four and walked one. The left-hander is 5-1 with a 2.83 ERA in Kauffman Stadium, where he won in his major league debut.

Washburn gave up three runs and four hits.

J.J. Putz came on with two on and no out in the ninth and got three outs for his 12th save in as many chances.

Devil Rays 11, White Sox 5

At Chicago, Carl Crawford hit a go-ahead RBI triple in the seventh inning for Tampa Bay to back Scott Kazmir, who won for the third time in 17 starts dating to last season.

Ty Wigginton and Carlos Pena homered and Tampa Bay came from behind to win for the 17th time. The Devil Rays tied a season high with 15 hits, including four by B.J. Upton.

Kazmir (3-2) allowed four runs and scattered eight hits in seven innings, while striking out seven and walking three.

Javier Vazquez (2-3) allowed five runs and eight hits in six innings. He struck out seven and walked one.

Red Sox 6, Rangers 5

At Arlington, Texas, J.D. Drew and Mike Lowell hit RBI singles in the eighth inning and Boston held on to complete a three-game sweep.

Kevin Youkilis singled off Akinori Otsuka (1-1) to lead off the eighth. Youkilis stole second and scored on Drew's single to tie it at 4.

Lowell then drove a single to left field that scored Drew and put the Red Sox ahead 5-4. Dustin Pedroia added his second homer of the year in the ninth.

Jason Varitek also homered for Boston.

Joel Pineiro (1-0) got out of a jam in the seventh to pick up the win. With two men on, he struck out Sammy Sosa and got some defensive help when center fielder Coco Crisp made a diving catch.
This story has been viewed 1314 times.