NATIONAL LEAGUE
Cincinnati’s Jay Bruce delivered a bases-clearing double in the ninth inning to help the Reds snap a six-game losing streak with a 6-3 win over National League East leaders Philadelphia on Tuesday.
With the score tied at 3-3 in the final inning, Bruce stroked the double against Phillies reliever Ryan Madson, who took the loss.
Cincinnati’s win ended a stretch of eight straight losses to the Phillies, including a three-game sweep in last season’s NL Division Playoff series.
“Finally tonight, hopefully, we can get some sleep,” Reds manager Dusty Baker told reporters. “I don’t think anybody’s slept over these last six games. All of us take it hard when you don’t win.”
With two outs and a man on base in the ninth, Philadelphia intentionally walked Joey Votto, while Scott Rolen reached base on an infield single to load the bases and set the stage for Bruce.
“I am learning a lot about driving in runs and really getting them when they’re there. I’m not good yet, but I’m getting better at that aspect of it,” Bruce said.
The Phillies (29-19) scored twice in the second inning and had one run in the fourth to take a 3-1 lead, but Cincinnati’s (26-23) Brandon Phillips tied the game with a two-run single in the fifth.
Philadelphia starter Vance Worley, who made just the fourth start of his career while pitching in place of the injured Joe Blanton (elbow), tossed five innings and allowed the three runs before handing things over to his bullpen.
Raul Ibanez went 3-for-4 with an RBI double in the second against Cincinnati starter Johnny Cueto, who threw six innings and allowed all three runs in the no-decision.
Logan Ondrusek got the final out of the eighth to earn the win for the Reds.
BRAVES 2, PIRATES 0
At Pittsburgh, Jair Jurrjens pitched six-hit ball into the eighth inning to lead Atlanta over Pittsburgh.
Alex Gonzalez had three hits and scored a run for the Braves, who scratched out just enough offense to end Pittsburgh starter Charlie Morton’s three-game winning streak. Martin Prado had an RBI double.
ROCKIES 12, DIAMONDBACKS 4
DIAMONDBACKS 5, ROCKIES 2
At Denver, Carlos Gonzalez homered twice as Colorado became the first team to decipher Josh Collmenter’s tomahawk-pitching style, rallying past Arizona despite losing pitcher Jorge De La Rosa to a torn elbow ligament in the opener of a day-night doubleheader.
Then the Rockies lost the nightcap when Joe Saunders (1-5) snapped his six-game losing streak and Kelly Johnson hit a solo homer and had one of three RBI doubles off Jhoulys Chacin (5-3) in the sixth inning.
Colorado manager Jim Tracy was ejected in the third inning of Game 2 after arguing a call at home plate.
Between games, the Rockies said an MRI showed a complete tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in De La Rosa’s left elbow. That likely means surgery that would sideline the hard-throwing lefty for at least a year.
Collmenter (3-1), the Arizona rookie with the unusually straight overhand delivery, blanked Colorado for three innings to run his scoreless streak to 24 before he gave up solo homers to Gonzalez and Seth Smith in the fourth.
DODGERS 5, ASTROS 4
At Houston, Jerry Sands hit a Grand Slam and Jay Gibbons also homered as Los Angeles snapped a three-game losing streak with a win over Houston.
Astros starter J.A. Happ (3-6) walked Jamey Carroll with two outs in the third inning before a single by James Loney. Matt Kemp reached on an error by second baseman Bill Hall to set up the Slam by Sands.
The home run by Gibbons in the second put Los Angeles up 1-0.
Carlos Lee drove in two runs in Houston’s three-run third.
Also on Tuesday, it was:
‧ Cubs 11, Mets 1
‧ Brewers 7, Nationals 6
‧ Cardinals 3, Padres 2, 11 inns
‧ Marlins 5, Giants 1
AMERICAN LEAGUE
AP, ARLINGTON, TEXAS
Carlos Quentin hit three home runs as the Chicago White Sox beat the Texas Rangers 8-6 on Tuesday in a game delayed nearly three hours by heavy rain and hail that sent fans scurrying for cover throughout the ballpark.
Fans were moved from the upper deck to the lower seating bowl and then told to take cover in tunnels beneath the ballpark as a storm approached that halted play in the fourth inning.
The game resumed after a delay of 2 hours, 58 minutes. The final out was recorded at 1:27am
Quentin had his first career three-homer game and slumping Adam Dunn hit a tiebreaking shot in the sixth off Brett Tomko (0-1).
Mitch Moreland’s run-scoring single in the sixth got the Rangers within 6-5, but Dunn’s RBI double in the seventh restored the two-run lead. Quentin’s third homer — a solo shot off Dave Bush in the ninth — made it 8-6.
ORIOLES 5, ROYALS 3
At Baltimore Adam Jones capped a ninth-inning rally with a two-run walkoff homer against Joakim Soria to give Baltimore a victory over Kansas City.
Jones hit an pitch over the center-field wall to cap a three-run rally that gave Baltimore their third consecutive victory.
The Orioles improved to 1-21 when trailing after eight innings.
Baltimore trailed 3-2 entering the ninth. After one out, J.J. Hardy doubled off the glove of third baseman Wilson Betemit. Pinch-hitter Felix Pie then grounded a double inside third base to tie it.
In Tuesday’s other games, it was:
‧ Red Sox 4, Indians 2
‧ Yankees 5, Blue Jays 4
‧ Tigers 7, Rays 6
‧ Twins 4, Mariners 2
‧ Athletics 6, Angels 1
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