AMERICAN LEAGUE
Chicago’s Jake Peavy pitched effectively into the seventh inning to steer the White Sox to a 5-2 win over the Detroit Tigers on Friday in a clash of the early American League Central pacesetters.
Dayan Viciedo hit his first homer of the season in the fifth to break up a scoreless duel between Peavy and Detroit’s Max Scherzer (0-1), who struck out 11 in six innings. Paul Konerko singled in a run and then scored himself in the sixth to make it 3-0.
Peavy (1-0) had only given up one hit until Delmon Young’s two-run homer in the seventh made it 3-2 and prompted Peavy’s removal. With runners at second and third, Viciedo made a diving catch of Andy Dirks’ sinking liner to end the inning and preserve the lead.
The Tigers again had two men on base in the eighth before an -innings-ending double play.
In other AL action, it was:
‧ Orioles 7, Blue Jays 5
‧ Rangers 4, Twins 1
‧ Athletics 4, Mariners 0
‧ Yankees 5, Angels 0
‧ Red Sox 12, Rays 2
‧ Indians 8, Royals 3
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, WASHINGTON
Washington’s Jayson Werth hit a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the 13th inning to give the Nationals a marathon 2-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday and their fourth straight win.
The NL East-leading Nationals improved to 6-2, their best start since moving from Montreal to Washington in 2005.
Reds closer Sean Marshall (0-1) got the first batter of the 13th on a groundout, but Danny Espinosa reached with a broken-bat infield single and Ryan Zimmerman and Adam LaRoche then walked. That brought up Werth, who got the winning hit to end the game after four hours and four minutes.
DODGERS 9, PADRES 8
In Los Angeles, California, Aaron Harang set a Dodgers record with nine straight strikeouts, one short of the league record, and Los Angeles beat San Diego on four straight walks in the bottom of the ninth.
Matt Kemp hit a two-run homer and Harang tied his career high with 13 strikeouts in 6-1/3 innings to help the Dodgers win their fourth in a row. They lead the majors with a 7-1 record, their best start since 1981, when they opened 9-1 and went on to win the World Series.
In other NL action, it was:
‧ Cubs 9, Cardinals 5
‧ Mets 5, Phillies 2
‧ Rockies 7, Diamondbacks 6
‧ Braves 10, Brewers 8
‧ Marlins 5, Astros 4, 11 Inns
‧ Giants 5, Pirates 0
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