NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, LOS ANGELES
Jonathan Sanchez pitched seven crisp innings and Juan Uribe hit a two-run homer for the second straight game to lead San Francisco to a 3-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday to put the Giants within one game of first place in the National League West.
The division-leading Padres lost 4-2 to Colorado earlier in the day for their 10th consecutive defeat. The Giants have picked up five-and-a-half games on San Diego during the Padres’ skid, going 5-4 during that span. It is the closest they have been to first place in the division in the last 27 days.
Los Angeles has lost six of eight heading into a three-game series at San Diego which was to begin yesterday.
Sanchez (10-8) yielded three hits, struck out nine and walked one to win for just the second time in his last six appearances. The left-hander was 0-5 with a 6.04 ERA in 13 previous appearances against Los Angeles.
NATIONALS 8, PIRATES 1
In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Ryan Zimmerman drove in four runs, Adam Dunn homered and Jason Marquis won his second in a row after previously going winless all season as the Nationals beat the Pirates in a matchup of last-place clubs.
The Nationals outscored the Pirates 17-3 in the final two games of the three-game set for their first road series victory in 18 attempts since they won two of three against the Mets from May 10 to May 12.
Washington did most of its damage against Pirates right-hander Charlie Morton (1-11), who gave up six runs and eight hits over three-and-two-thirds innings yet still lowered his ERA to 9.66 because four runs were unearned. Morton began the game with a 10.03 ERA that was the third highest in major league history at this stage of a season for a pitcher with at least 10 decisions, according to STATS LLC.
In other NL action, it was:
• Cardinals 4, Reds 2
• Marlins 7, Braves 6, 10 innings
• Mets 18, Cubs 5
• Brewers 6, Phillies 2
• Rockies 4, Padres 2
• Astros 3, Diamondbacks 2
AMERICAN LEAGUE
AP, MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA
In a bizarre ending, Texas third base coach Dave Anderson was called for interfering with runner Michael Young for the final out on Sunday, giving the Minnesota Twins a 6-5 win over the Rangers.
Down 6-2, the Rangers scored twice in the ninth inning and had the bases loaded with two outs.
Vladimir Guerrero grounded an RBI single up the middle that Twins second baseman Orlando Hudson fielded behind the bag. Young, who had been on second, came running around third and appeared to tap hands with Anderson before stopping and scrambling back to the bag.
Young made a dive back into third and appeared to beat Hudson’s throw to third baseman Matt Tolbert. However, third base umpire Alfonso Marquez pointed and made the interference call, ending the game.
BLUE JAYS 7, YANKEES 3
In New York, Aaron Hill and Vernon Wells each hit two-run homers as Toronto spoiled Alex Rodriguez’s return to the New York lineup, beating the Yankees to halt their eight-game winning streak.
Rodriguez had been out since Aug. 20 with a strained left calf, but the Yankees did not seem to miss him. They were riding their longest winning stretch of the season and 11-3 since he went on the disabled list, carrying a two-and-a-half game lead over Tampa Bay in the American League East into Sunday.
The three-time AL most valuable player had a pair of hits and drove in a run, but he also grounded out with a runner aboard in the first, dribbled one back to the pitcher with two on in the third, and struck out looking with a runner on third base to end the game.
RSS