NATIONAL LEAGUE
Rick Ankiel hit a go-ahead RBI double as the St Louis Cardinals rallied from four runs down to beat the New York Mets 6-4 in the National League on Tuesday.
Ankiel’s hit came after Daniel Murphy misplayed Brendan Ryan’s line drive to left field for a triple.
PHOTO: AP
Albert Pujols had a two-run double, Ankiel broke out of a 1-for-20 slide with three hits for the Cardinals. Khalil Greene, Joe Thurston and Ryan Ludwick also had RBIs for St Louis.
Jason Motte (1-0) got two outs in the eighth to earn his first Major League win. Ryan Franklin pitched a perfect ninth for his third save.
Ryan led off the bottom half with a liner off J.J. Putz (1-1) to left that Murphy charged in for, but Murphy misjudged the ball and fell trying to correct himself. The ball rolled to the wall and Ryan had a triple. Ankiel followed with his double to right.
Carlos Beltran had an RBI double, and Jose Reyes, David Wright and Murphy had RBI singles for the Mets.
PIRATES 3, MARLINS 2
At Pittsburgh, Jeff Karstens pitched six sharp innings and Freddy Sanchez homered as the surging Pirates beat Florida.
Cameron Maybin hit his first homer for Florida, who have lost two straight against the Pirates after opening the season with an 11-1 stretch.
Matt Capps pitched the ninth for his fourth save. Karstens (1-0) won for the first time since Aug. 6. Sanchez led off the third with a drive to left-center off Anibal Sanchez (1-1).
NATIONALS 4, BRAVES 3
At Washington, Adam Dunn homered as Washington’s beleaguered relievers tossed three scoreless innings for the second day in a row in a win over Atlanta.
After opening the season 0-7, then dropping to 1-10, Washington is 3-10. Atlanta has lost five of six games.
Shairon Martis (2-0) went six innings and gave up three runs — two earned.
Then came the procession of Nationals relievers: Mike Hinckley went one-and-two-third innings, Julian Tavarez got one out, and closer Joel Hanrahan had an adventurous ninth for his second save.
Also on Tuesday it was:
• Astros 8, Dodgers 5
• Cubs 7, Reds 2
• Phillies 11, Brewers 4
• Rockies 9, Diamondbacks 6
• Giants 8, Padres 3
AMERICAN LEAGUE
AP, CLEVELAND, OHIO
Grady Sizemore hit a three-run homer as the Cleveland Indians made double plays in six straight innings to beat the Kansas City Royals 8-7 in the American League on Tuesday.
Sizemore connected in Cleveland’s four-run fourth inning as the Indians built a 6-1 lead, but it was the six double-play balls that saved the day for the Tribe.
Aaron Laffey (1-0) gave up a run in the first — the only run he allowed in seven innings — and was helped by double-play grounders in the third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh.
Coco Crisp bounced into an inning-ending double play in the seventh after the Royals loaded the bases.
Kansas City rallied for four runs in the eighth, but that threat ended when Jensen Lewis got Miguel Olivo to bounce into a double play with the tying run on first base.
The six double plays tied a club record for the Indians and set a team mark for the Royals.
YANKEES 5, ATHLETICS 3
At New York, Johnny Damon hit the only home run in the first night game at the new Yankee Stadium as New York downed Oakland.
Brett Gardner came through with a sensational catch and a two-run single for New York.
Damon’s sixth-inning shot off Andrew Bailey gave the Yankees a 5-2 lead, and they held on behind Brian Bruney and Mariano Rivera before a crowd of 42,065.
In Tuesday’s other games it was:
• Rangers 5, Blue Jays 4
• Angels 4, Tigers 3
• Mariners 4, Rays 2
• Orioles 10, White Sox 3
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