NATIONAL LEAGUE
Philadelphia’s Cliff Lee threw a shutout to give the Phillies a 3-0 win over the San Francisco Giants in Thursday’s clash of National League divisional leaders.
Lee threw a seven-hitter, while Hunter Pence and John Mayberry hit back-to-back home runs for Philadelphia.
Photo: AFP
Lee (11-7) was commanding in his first regular-season start against the Giants in two years, striking out eight, including Cody Ross four times, while not walking a batter.
Lee set down 10 straight at one point in his major league-leading fifth shutout of the season.
Lee lost twice to the Giants in last year’s World Series pitching for Texas.
Photo: AFP
Hunter Pence had three hits and drove in two runs and is hitting .360 (9 for 25) since joining the Phillies from Houston. He ended a 19-game, 67-at-bat homerless drought when he connected on Madison Bumgarner’s first pitch in the second inning.
John Mayberry followed immediately with another homer.
Bumgarner (6-11) retired 13 of 14 following Mayberry’s blast and went eight innings.
Cardinals 7, Marlins 4
In Miami, Albert Pujols hit his 25th home run of the season and finished a triple shy of the cycle, powering St Louis past Florida.
Pujols came into the game only 1 for 14 on the Cardinals’ road trip. He walked and scored in the first inning, singled and scored in the third, homered in the fourth and doubled in the sixth.
The Cardinals’ David Freese was hit on the helmet by a pitch with the bases loaded in the third inning. It put the Cardinals ahead 4-3, but Freese left the game with a mild concussion and a bruise.
In a further casualty, Marlins second baseman Omar Infante broke his right middle finger diving for a ground ball in the third.
St Louis reliever Kyle McClellan (9-6) pitched three scoreless innings to take the win.
Florida starter Clay Hensley (1-4) lasted just 2-1/3 innings and allowed six runs.
Cubs 7, Pirates 6
In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Carlos Pena hit one of Chicago’s three home runs and walked with the bases loaded during a three-run eighth-inning rally that lifted the Cubs over Pittsburgh and to a season-best fifth straight win.
Pena, Geovany Soto and Blake DeWitt homered to give Chicago 10 long balls in the four-game sweep, the Cubs’ first in Pittsburgh in 52 years.
The Pirates — in first place in the NL Central 10 days ago — have lost a season-worst seven consecutive games.
Pittsburgh reliever Daniel McCutchen (3-3) came to the mound in the eighth and did not retire any of the three batters he faced: All of them scored.
Chicago reliever Jeff Samardzija (6-4) pitched a scoreless seventh to earn the win, while Carlos Marmol worked a perfect ninth for his fourth save in the past five days.
In other NL action, it was:
‧ Rockies 6, Nationals 3
AMERICAN LEAGUE
AP, DETROIT, Michigan
Rangers pitcher Alexi Ogando defeated Detroit for the third time this season, leading Texas to a 5-2 victory in a clash of divisional leaders on Thursday.
Ogando (11-5) allowed two runs over 6-1/3 innings. He has allowed just three earned runs in 21 innings against Detroit for a 1.29 ERA.
Texas added three runs in the fourth on RBI singles by Mike Napoli and Ian Kinsler, as well as a sacrifice fly by Endy Chavez.
Detroit starter Brad Penny (7-9) took the loss, giving up five runs in 6-2/3 innings.
Yankees 7, White Sox 2
In Chicago, Ivan Nova struck out a career-high 10 as New York completed a four-game sweep of Chicago.
The Yankees have won seven straight to pull level with Red Sox ahead of the three-game series between the archrivals at Fenway Park.
Russell Martin hit a three-run homer in the ninth to break open the game and send Chicago to their sixth straight loss. He drove in four runs. Robinson Cano homered, singled, walked and scored a pair of runs for the Yankees.
Nova (10-4) pitched 7-2/3 innings and won his sixth consecutive decision. He held Chicago to one run and did not walk a batter.
White Sox pitcher Phil Humber (8-8) lost his fourth straight start, giving up four runs in 6-1/3 innings.
Rays 7, Blue Jays 6, 12 innings
In St Petersburg, Florida, Robinson Chirinos hit a tying single in the 11th inning, then delivered a two-out single in the 12th that lifted Tampa Bay over Toronto.
The Rays twice rallied in extra innings. Desmond Jennings’ solo homer in the 10th made it 4-4 and Chirinos tied it again the next inning with his two-out single off Shawn Camp (1-2).
Tampa Bay loaded the bases in the 12th on B.J. Upton’s triple and two intentional walks. One out later, Chirinos grounded the game-winning single off Camp past the diving shortstop.
Evan Longoria hit a three-run homer for Tampa Bay. Jose Bautista hit his major league-leading 33rd home run for Toronto.
Rays reliever Brandon Gomes (1-1) pitched one scoreless inning for his first major league win.
In other AL action, it was:
‧ Angels 7, Twins 1
‧ Royals 9, Orioles 4
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two