Brandon Belt hit a three-run homer, while Buster Posey added a two-run shot off Jason Marquis on Friday night, leading the San Francisco Giants to a 10-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in a game played uninterrupted while an outfield smokestack burned for an inning.
One of the two riverboat smokestacks that shoot off celebratory flames and fireworks caught fire in the top of the sixth because of a malfunctioning propane valve. Flames shot from the top of the smokestack and spewed dark smoke until firefighters extended a ladder from outside the ballpark and sprayed it.
Belt and Posey homered off Marquis (3-3), who lasted a season-low three innings while allowing a season-high six runs. Belt also had an RBI double among his three hits and scored three times.
Photo: AFP
Madison Bumgarner (4-2) gave up eight hits in seven innings, including solo homers by Zack Cozart and Billy Hamilton.
DODGERS 6, ROCKIES 4
In Los Angeles, Clayton Kershaw earned his 100th career victory on his fifth attempt as Los Angeles hung on for a victory over Colorado.
Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen, reinstated from the disabled list after recovering from surgery on his left foot in February, struck out four in the eighth inning on 14 pitches. The first one, Carlos Gonzalez, reached base on a passed ball by Yasmani Grandal.
Jansen was the first big leaguer to accomplish the feat since Arizona’s Oliver Perez last Sept. 20 at Colorado, and it could not have come at a better time, after the Rockies scored four runs in the seventh against relievers Paco Rodriguez and Yimi Garcia.
Rookie Adam Liberatore gave up a pair of one-out singles in the ninth before ex-Rockies right-hander Juan Nicasio got the final two outs for his first save in five big league seasons.
TIGERS 10, CARDINALS 4
In St Louis, Missouri, Miguel Cabrera ended a season-long slump in night games with a two-run homer and two singles and Detroit also got homers from Yoenis Cespedes and J.D. Martinez in a victory over St Louis.
Cabrera entered batting just .158 with no homers and one RBI at night — he has hit .471 with eight homers and 25 RBIs in day games.
Manager Brad Ausmus called those numbers an “anomaly” before the game.
Cabrera hit his 399th career homer and third in two games in the seventh inning off Mitch Harris, tying Andres Galarraga for most by a Venezuelan-born player, and Martinez followed with his eighth homer to make it 5-0.
Shane Greene (4-2) allowed five hits in five scoreless innings before being removed due to numbness in his pitching arm.
CUBS 11, PIRATES 10, 12 INNS
In Chicago, right fielder Gregory Polanco tripped and fell while trying to catch an easy fly and the ball dropped for an RBI single in the 12th inning that sent Chicago to a startling win over Pittsburgh.
The Cubs won their fifth straight game, matching their longest string since June last year.
Chicago loaded the bases with one out in the 12th against Radhames Liz (0-1) and Matt Szczur lifted a routine fly to shallow right field, which was not likely to score the winning run.
Polanco came running in with plenty of time to make the catch, then slipped and stumbled to the ground.
He reached up with his bare left hand trying to make a play, but had no chance and never touched the ball as Starlin Castro ran home.
In the exact same situation in the 10th — bases loaded, one out — Polanco caught a deeper fly by Szczur and threw out Castro at the plate to end the inning.
In other MLB action, it was:
‧ Royals 12, Yankees 1
‧ Astros 8, Blue Jays 4
‧ Mariners 2, Red Sox 1
‧ Brewers 7, Mets 0
‧ Twins 3, Rays 2
‧ Angels 3, Orioles 1
‧ Nationals 10, Padres 0
‧ Braves 5, Marlins 3
‧ Phillies 4, Diamondbacks 3
‧ Indians 8, Rangers 3
‧ White Sox 7, Athletics 6
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