AMERICAN LEAGUE
Zack Greinke struck out eight batters while pitching his fifth complete game as the Kansas City Royals downed the Detroit Tigers 6-1 in the American League on Tuesday.
Mitch Maier drove in three runs after coming off the bench, while Greinke (8-1), who leads the majors in ERA, complete games and shutouts (two), allowed six hits and one first-inning run. For the rest of the night, his varied assortment of fastballs and corner-biting breaking pitches dealt nothing but zeros to a Detroit lineup that scored 13 runs the day before.
PHOTO: AP
Greinke threw a season-high 116 pitches and did not allow a walk while his ERA rose from 0.82 to 0.84. In two starts against the Tigers this year, he has allowed one earned run in two complete-game wins.
RANGERS 7, YANKEES 3
At Arlington, Texas, Chris Davis homered twice and Jarrod Saltalamacchia made up for a rough game behind the plate by driving in the go-ahead run, sending Texas to a victory over New York.
The start was held up 2 hours, 24 minutes because of rain. Because of the delay, the Yankees knew that Boston had lost, which meant a win would’ve tied them with the Red Sox for first place in the AL East.
But New York fell behind 3-0 and never led — despite stealing a season-high five bases off Saltalamacchia and getting two more free bases on a passed ball and a wild pitch from Texas starter Kevin Millwood.
ORIOLES 7, BLUE JAYS 2
At Baltimore, Maryland, Nolan Reimold, Aubrey Huff and Adam Jones homered and right-hander Jason Berken won his major league debut as Baltimore extended Toronto’s losing streak to eight games.
Only 10,130 fans — the smallest crowd in the 18-year history of Camden Yards — showed up on a cold, misty night.
Summoned from minor league Triple-A Norfolk to replace Adam Eaton in the rotation, Berken (1-0) gave up two runs, seven hits and three walks in five innings. He retired the side in order only once, but stranded five runners in scoring position.
INDIANS 5, RAYS 1
Cleveland, Ohio, Carl Pavano won for the fifth time in six starts and Ryan Garko hit one of four homers in Cleveland’s win over Tampa Bay.
Asdrubal Cabrera, Kelly Shoppach and Mark DeRosa also connected for the Indians, who won for the fifth time in seven games and earned their 15th consecutive home win over the Rays since Sept. 29, 2005.
Pavano (5-4) allowed one run and four hits over seven innings.
In other AL action it was:
• Twins 5, Red Sox 2
• White Sox 4, Angels 2
• Athletics 4, Mariners 3
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, CINCINNATI
Joey Votto hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning as the Cincinnati Reds rallied for a 6-4 victory Tuesday that sent the Houston Astros to their sixth straight loss.
Votto’s homer off Tim Byrdak (0-1) snapped a 4-4 deadlock and sent the Reds to their third straight win, which matches their season high.
Nick Masset (2-0), who was activated off the disabled list before the game, got the victory with one inning in relief.
Francisco Cordero pitched the ninth for his 13th save in as many chances.
The last-place Astros extended their longest losing streak of the season after one of their dependables failed them again.
DIAMONDBACKS 6, PADRES 5
At Phoenix, Arizona, Max Scherzer struck out 10 batters and drove in two runs, and Chris Young made a leaping catch at the fence for the final out as Arizona snapped San Diego’s 10-game winning streak.
The Diamondbacks nearly blew a six-run lead for the second straight day. On Monday, they let the Padres rally from a 7-1 deficit in the eighth for a 9-7 victory in 10 innings.
On Tuesday, the Padres scored four in the eighth to pull to 6-4.
METS 6, NATIONALS 1
At New York, Livan Hernandez shut down Ryan Zimmerman and Washington, pitching New York’s first complete game of the season.
Hernandez (4-1) worked around nine hits in going the distance for the 46th time in his career, most recently in May 2008 with Minnesota.
Zimmerman’s streak of safely reaching base ended at 43 games. He went 0 for 4 and struck out twice, falling three games short of the franchise record set by Rusty Staub for Montreal from 1969-70.
PHILLIES 5, MARLINS 3
At Philadelphia, Joe Blanton had a career-high 11 strikeouts in seven scoreless innings as Philadelphia held on to beat Florida.
Blanton (3-3) allowed five hits in his best outing since last August. Brad Lidge pitched out of a jam in the ninth to earn his ninth save in 13 chances.
In other NL action it was:
• Cubs 6, Pirates 1, 5 inns
• Cardinals 8, Brewers 1
• Dodgers 7, Rockies 1
• Giants 4, Braves 0
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