AMERICAN LEAGUE
The Cleveland Indians capitalized on a Tampa Bay error to snap a three-game losing streak with a 7-3 win at Tropicana Field on Saturday.
With a runner on and no outs in an unfortunate eighth inning, Rays second baseman Ben Zobrist misplayed a tailor-made double play ball.
Relief pitcher J.P. Howell hit the next batter with a pitch to load the bases and pinch-hitter Shelley Duncan promptly delivered two runs with a long single off the wall in left field.
Orlando Cabrera also hit a two-run single in the inning to stretch the Indians lead to 7-2.
“Huge hit by Shelley. Huge hit by Orlando, who always seems to be in the middle of these rallies,” Indians manager Manny Acta told reporters.
Cleveland blitzed the Rays with four consecutive hits to start the game and opened a 2-0 lead before pushing it to 3-0 on a solo home run by Matt LaPorta in the second inning.
Tampa Bay closed the Indians’ early advantage to 3-2 with a solo home run by Evan Longoria in the third and an RBI bunt single by Sean Rodriguez to score Matt Joyce in the fourth.
“We got ourselves back in [the game],” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “We kept battling well. The big play was the ground ball that should have been a double play in the eighth inning that we did not turn. That was a big play.”
Tampa Bay added a run in the ninth, but were unable to capitalize further, despite loading the bases with two outs.
Carlos Carrasco pitched six strong innings for Cleveland to improve to 4-2, allowing two runs on seven hits and striking out four.
MARINERS 5, YANKEES 4, 12 INNINGS
In Seattle, Washington, Adam Kennedy scored Luis Rodriguez with a bloop single off Mariano Rivera in the bottom of the 12th as Seattle edged New York and won for the ninth time in 10 games.
Rivera (1-1) made career appearance No. 1,001 in the 12th inning and gave up a one-out single by Justin Smoak and a double by Jack Cust. Rodriguez replaced Smoak as a pinch-runner at third, and after an intention walk to load the bases, Kennedy dumped an pitch in front of the center fielder to score Rodriguez.
David Pauley (4-0) worked two innings of relief to get the victory.
In other AL play, it was:
‧ Blue Jays 9, White Sox 8
‧ Rangers 10, Royals 1
‧ Athletics 4, Orioles 2
Twins 1, Angels 0, 10 innings
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN
Jonathan Lucroy’s bases-loaded suicide squeeze scored Ryan Braun in the ninth, lifting the Milwaukee Brewers to a 3-2 win over the San Francisco Giants in the National League on Saturday.
Braun and Prince Fielder opened with consecutive singles off Guillermo Mota (2-2) in the ninth and moved up on a groundout before an intentional walk loaded the bases.
Pinch-hitter Lucroy’s then delivered a well-executed bunt, out of the reach of Mota and Braun easily scored.
The Brewers had squandered a 2-0 lead after the Giants scored twice in the eighth.
PHILLIES 5, METS 2
In New York, Ryan Howard hit a tiebreaking double in the eighth inning and Philadelphia went on beat New York.
Phillies starter Cole Hamels (7-2) struck out a season-high 10 and walked none over seven innings to win his third straight outing and improve to 3-9 in 15 career games against the Mets. He had lost five consecutive starts against them.
This time, he recovered from a shaky start to retire his final 11 batters — five by strikeout — without allowing a ball out of the infield.
Ryan Madson got three quick outs for his 11th save in as many tries. Philadelphia pitchers set down the last 17 Mets.
Mike O’Connor (0-1) took the loss.
In other NL play, it was:
‧ Rockies 15, Cardinals 4
‧ Braves 7, Reds 6, 12 innings
‧ Marlins 6, Dodgers 1
‧ Diamondbacks 11, Astros 3
‧ Pittsburgh 10, Cubs 0
‧ Padres 2, Nationals 1
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