NATIONAL LEAGUE
Raul Ibanez homered twice and hit a game-winning double in the 10th inning to lift the Philadelphia Phillies to a 6-5 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday.
The Phillies trailed 5-3 in the eighth when Ibanez hit a two-run shot for his second homer of the game.
He doubled to right off Tony Watson (0-2) in the 10th to score Hunter Pence and help the Phillies complete a three-game sweep.
Ibanez hit a solo homer in the second off Pirates starter Jeff Karstens and his tying drive was off Jose Veras.
Diamondbacks 6, Dodgers 3
In Los Angeles, Joe Saunders came within four outs of his second straight complete game and Gerardo Parra homered twice as Arizona beat Los Angeles.
Ryan Roberts also homered for the Diamondbacks, who won for the 10th time in 15 games. Coupled with San Francisco’s loss at Cincinnati, the victory helped them climb within two games of the NL West-leading Giants.
Nationals 3, Mets 2
In Washington, Rick Ankiel scored off Ian Desmond’s shot up the middle in the bottom of the ninth inning, giving Washington a win over New York.
With runners on second and third and the infield in, Desmond bounced the ball over pitcher Bobby Parnell (3-3), who deflected it with his glove. Second baseman Willie Harris’ throw was too late to get Ankiel.
Cubs 6, Cardinals 3
In St Louis, Missouri, Starlin Castro and Marlon Byrd had key hits as Chicago broke up Jake Westbrook’s perfect game with a four-run sixth inning and held off St Louis to avoid a three-game sweep.
Reds 9, Giants 0
In Cincinnati, Ohio, Johnny Cueto allowed just three. His three-hitter, Joey Votto had a three-run homer and tied his career high with five RBIs, and Cincinnati completed a three-game sweep of San Francisco.
Todd Frazier hit his first career home run and Drew Stubbs had a career-best four hits as the Reds rebounded from being swept by the New York Mets.
Marlins 3, Braves 1
In Atlanta, Georgia, Ricky Nolasco scattered 12 hits and Emilio Bonifacio homered as Florida handed the Atlanta Braves the 10,000th loss in franchise history.
The Braves squandered numerous scoring chances to become only the second team in big league history with 10,000 losses.
The Phillies reached that mark in 2007.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
AP, DETROIT
Justin Verlander came within four outs of another no-hitter, outpitching an angry Jered Weaver as the Detroit Tigers beat the Los Angeles Angels 3-2 on Sunday in a testy game that grew particularly heated in the late innings.
Yankees 4, Orioles 2
In New York, Brett Gardner hit a bases-loaded triple to power New York past Baltimore for their third consecutive win.
Freddy Garcia (10-7) struck out six in six innings to send the Yankees to 22 games over .500, their highest point of the season.
The Yankees improved their major league-best record in day games to 31-7 and won for the 20th time in their last 26 home games. Mariano Rivera pitched the ninth for his 27th save.
Red Sox 5, White Sox 3
In Chicago, Dustin Pedroia hit a go-ahead, two-run single in the seventh and Jason Varitek homered as Boston beat Chicago to win the weekend series at US Cellular Field.
Alfredo Aceves (7-1), who relieved starter Andrew Miller in the sixth, pitched a scoreless inning to get the victory.
White Sox star Paul Konerko left with a bruised left calf after being hit with a pitch from Miller in the bottom of the fourth inning. X-rays were negative.
Jesse Crain (5-3) surrendered Pedroia’s hit, and Adrian Gonzalez doubled in a run in the ninth to give Boston a 5-3 lead.
Jonathan Papelbon struck out the side in the bottom half for his 24th save.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
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Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
Playing soccer and competing for trophies is the best way that many transplanted Hong Kongers and Macanese have found to stay in touch, and to interact with Taiwanese society, said officials at the Taiwan-Hong Kong-Macau Football Friendship Cup, which was held on April 13. Twelve clubs, mostly of players and coaches originally from Hong Kong and Macau, took part in the tournament in New Taipei City. The event is sponsored by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and the Taiwan-Hong Kong Economic and Cultural Co-operation Council. Participating teams were from the wider Taipei area, Hsinchu, Taichung, Kaohsiung and other areas. They divided into two