NATIONAL LEAGUE
Jorge De La Rosa overcame a shaky start to pitch seven sharp innings and guide the Colorado Rockies to a 10-2 win over the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday, extending their early lead in the National League West division.
De La Rosa (3-0) gave up just four hits.
Photo: AFP
Ty Wigginton tied a career-high with four RBIs. Hitting only .214 entering the game, he lined a three-run homer to left off Matt Cain (2-1) in the second inning and brought in another run with a groundout in the fifth. It was the ninth time Wigginton has driven in four runs in his career.
Cain lasted just 4-2/3 innings, allowing nine hits.
PHILLIES 4, BREWERS 3
In Philadelphia, Shane Victorino hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning to lift Philadelphia over Milwaukee.
The Milwaukee Brewers took a 3-0 lead, but Placido Polanco hit a three-run shot to tie it in the sixth. Victorino then hit a long drive to off Brandon Kintzler (1-1) to put the Phillies up 4-3.
Philadelphia reliever Ryan Madson (2-0) pitched a scoreless eighth to earn the win and Jose Contreras finished for his fourth save in four tries.
MARLINS 6, PIRATES 0
In Miami, Chris Coghlan drove in three runs, two of them on an -infield single, as the Florida Marlins shut down Pittsburgh and won their fifth game from six.
Emilio Bonifacio had two hits and scored from second on Coghlan’s slow roller in a four-run Florida second inning.
Marlins starter Ricky Nolasco (2-0) struck out eight in seven innings, walking only one and throwing 66 of his 96 pitches for strikes.
Pittsburgh starter Charlie Morton (2-1) was tagged for six runs in five innings, his ERA more than doubling to 3.33.
DODGERS 6, BRAVES 1
In Los Angeles, the home team capped a tumultuous day with victory over the Atlanta Braves.
Andre Ethier had three hits, including his 100th career homer, to extend his hitting streak to a major league-best 17 games — the longest by a Dodger since Matt Kemp’s 19-game stretch in 2008.
Jon Garland (1-1) struck out four to take the win in his second start of the season after overcoming injury.
Derek Lowe (2-3) started for Atlanta on three days’ rest and lasted three innings, giving up five runs.
NATIONALS 8, CARDINALS 6, GAME 1 CARDINALS 5, NATIONALS 3, GAME 2
In St Louis, Missouri, Washington piled on six runs in the third inning to set up victory over the St Louis Cardinals in the opening game of a doubleheader.
Laynce Nix homered and drove in two runs for the Nationals.
St Louis’ Albert Pujols hit his fifth homer and Colby Rasmus also went deep. Rasmus had three RBIs, but also grounded into two of the Cardinals’ four double plays.
John Lannan (2-1) pitched five innings for the Nationals. Drew Storen got four outs for his second save in two chances.
Cardinals starter Jake Westbrook (1-2) has a dismal 9.82 ERA after four starts.
In the second game, Lance Berkman had three hits and two RBIs to steer St Louis to victory and end the Nationals’ four-game winning streak.
CUBS 2, PADRES 1, 11 INNS, GAME 1
PADRES 5, CUBS 4, GAME 2
In Chicago, Reed Johnson lined a pitch into the left-field bleachers in the 11th inning to give the Chicago Cubs a win over San Diego in the opening game of a doubleheader.
Johnson’s first homer of the season came off Luke Gregerson (0-1), the fifth Padres pitcher.
Matt Garza struck out nine in six shutout innings for the Cubs. He also scored in the third inning.
Cubs reliever Jeff Samardzija (1-0) worked two innings for the victory.
In the second game, Ryan Ludwick had three hits, including a two-run shot as one of the Padres’ three home runs. Cameron Maybin and Chris Denorfia also homered off Cubs starter James Russell (1-3).
In other NL play, it was:
‧ Diamondbacks 3, Reds 1
‧ Astros 4, Mets 3
AMERICAN LEAGUE
AP, KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI
The Cleveland Indians, after being stymied for five innings by Kansas City pitcher Luke Hochevar, rallied to beat the Royals 7-5 on Wednesday and open a two-game lead atop the American League Central division.
Hochevar (2-2) retired the first 15 batters, running his string over two starts to 31 straight, but the Indians sent nine men to the plate during a four-run sixth inning.
Indians starter Justin Masterson (4-0) shut down the Royals after allowing two runs in the first.
Melky Cabrera’s RBI double in the ninth off Tony Sipp ended a string of 9-1/3 scoreless innings for the Cleveland bullpen and Jeff Francoeur followed with a two-run homer to make it interesting, but Chris Perez came in to get the last out and earn his sixth save in six opportunities.
YANKEES 6, BLUE JAYS 2
In Toronto, New York’s Bartolo Colon earned his first win in two years in the victory over Toronto.
Colon (1-1) allowed two runs in 6-2/3 innings to win for the first time since 2009, having made his most recent start in that same year. The 2005 AL Cy Young Award winner struck out seven and walked two.
Curtis Granderson homered for New York, who remain the only team without consecutive losses this season.
Toronto starter Brett Cecil (1-2) gave up five runs.
ANGELS 4, RANGERS 1
In Arlington, Texas, Jered Weaver became the major league’s first five-game winner, striking out eight to lead Los Angeles over Texas.
It was the fifth career complete game for Weaver (5-0), who lowered his ERA to 1.23. He issued no walks, while throwing 80 of his 119 pitches for strikes.
Howie Kendrick and Vernon Wells homered for Los Angeles. Jeff Mathis drove in a run on a suicide squeeze and also scored.
RAYS 4, WHITE SOX 1
In St Petersburg, Florida, Tampa Bay made it eight wins from nine games by downing Chicago.
Rays starter Wade Davis (2-2) pitched seven solid innings, giving up only one run.
John Jaso put Tampa Bay ahead 2-0 with a two-run shot off Phil Humber (1-2) in the second.
Tampa Bay became just the -second team since 1900 — joining the 1991 Seattle Mariners — to reach .500 in April after starting the season with a six-game losing streak.
Carlos Quentin homered for the White Sox, who have lost seven in a row.
RED SOX 5, ATHLETICS 3
In Oakland, California, Boston finally got their first road win of the season after a franchise-worst seven straight losses, beating Oakland.
Kevin Youkilis and Jed Lowrie homered off the previously untouchable Athletics pitcher Gio Gonzalez (2-1), who gave up eight hits in six innings.
Despite building a 5-1 lead, there were some tense moments late for the Red Sox as Oakland added a run in each of the eighth and ninth innings, before closer Jonathan Papelbon ended the game for his third save.
In other AL play, it was:
‧ Tigers 3, Mariners 2
‧ Orioles 5, Twins 4
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