NATIONAL LEAGUE
REUTERS, CINCINNATI, OHIO
PHOTO: EPA
Clayton Kershaw pitched seven strong innings and his bullpen triggered a crucial double-play in the eighth to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 6-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday.
Kershaw (7-3) struck out seven and allowed one run before exiting the game with a 5-1 lead in the eighth, where the Reds threatened with the bases loaded.
However, Los Angeles reliever Kuo Hong-chih of Taiwan extinguished the threat by getting Drew Stubbs to line into an inning-ending double play as the Dodgers (38-27) went on to seal their second straight win against Cincinnati (36-30).
PHOTO: EPA
Kuo recorded the last five outs for his first save of the year and preserved the win for the Dodgers’ young left-hander Kershaw.
“Every time [Kershaw] goes out there he finds something else out about himself,” Los Angeles manager Joe Torre told reporters. “It doesn’t surprise me. The big thing is he goes out and even when he doesn’t have his best stuff he’s able to pitch a quality game.”
With the win, the Dodgers moved a half-game ahead of the San Diego Padres for first place in the National League West.
Los Angeles stormed to a 5-0 advantage after Andre Ethier launched a three-run home run in the sixth. Manny Ramirez also homered for the second straight night, blasting the 553rd of his career in the ninth.
Cincinnati scored once in the sixth and also got a home run from Chris Heisey in the ninth. Rookie pitcher Mike Leake (5-1) suffered his first loss of the year after allowing five runs in six innings.
Struggling recently with their offense, the Reds suffered a 12-0 shutout loss to the Dodgers on Tuesday.
In the sixth inning with runners on first and third on Wednesday, Scott Rolen struck out on a questionable called strike and was ejected from the game alongside manager Dusty Baker as the two men argued the call.
INTERLEAGUE
AP, CLEVELAND, OHIO
Angel Pagan drove in three runs with three hits to help the New York Mets stretch their winning streak to six games by beating the Cleveland Indians 8-4 on Wednesday.
All nine batters in the Mets’ starting lineup had a hit. New York has won 10 of 11 and is a major league-best 17-5 since May 21 to move from last place in the NL East to challenging for first place.
Jonathon Niese (4-3) won his third straight start, extending the Mets’ string of strong pitching during their streak. New York starters are 16-3 with a 2.61 ERA over 27 games since May 17.
BRAVES 6, RAYS 2
In Atlanta, Georgia, Tommy Hanson pitched seven scoreless innings and Troy Glaus drove in two runs as Atlanta returned to its winning ways at home with a victory over Tampa Bay.
Atlanta has won 10 of 11 at Turner Field and is 20-7 overall there this season.
One night after stranding 14 runners in a 10-4 loss to the Rays, the Braves took a 3-0 lead with two outs in the third on Brian McCann’s RBI double and Glaus’ two-run single.
PHILLIES 6, YANKEES 3
In New York, Jamie Moyer worked eight sharp innings to become the oldest pitcher to beat the Yankees, as the 47-year-old left-hander bounced back from the worst start of his career to pitch Philadelphia past New York.
Shane Victorino hit a bases-loaded triple, and Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth hit the Phillies’ first back-to-back homers of the season to end the Yankees’ nine-game home winning streak.
Philadelphia roughed up A.J. Burnett (6-5) for only its ninth win in 26 games, a stretch that has dropped them into third place in the NL East.
Alex Rodriguez returned to the Yankees’ lineup after missing four games because of tendinitis in his right hip and went 1 for 3 with a walk and an RBI double as the designated hitter.
GIANTS 6, ORIOLES 3
In San Francisco, Tim Lincecum struck out 10 batters before getting hit in the back of the right shoulder by a line drive and leaving after six innings as San Francisco beat Baltimore.
Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Lincecum was OK.
The two-time National League Cy Young pitching award winner was struck by Miguel Tejada’s shot, which turned into a groundout that ended the sixth.
The righty ace crouched close to the ground for a moment, but walked off the field under his own power.
Aubrey Huff and Juan Uribe hit back-to-back home runs leading off the sixth, putting the Giants ahead 4-2.
BLUE JAYS 7, PADRES 1
In San Diego, California, John Buck hit his third home run of the series, Vernon Wells also went deep and Fred Lewis had four hits as the Toronto Blue Jayts beat the San Diego Padres.
The Blue Jays had no trouble with spacious Petco Park, padding their big league-leading home run total to 103.
Lewis tripled, singled and doubled in his first three at-bats before striking out and then hitting a two-run, bases-loaded single with one out in the ninth. He also scored two runs.
In other IL action, it was:
• White Sox 7, Pirates 2
• Angels 5, Brewers 1
• Tigers 8, Nationals 3
• Red Sox 6, Diamondbacks 2
• Rangers 6, Marlins 3
• Cubs 6, Athletics 2
• Twins 2, Rockies 1
• Mariners 2, Cardinals 1
• Astros 4, Royals 2
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