NATIONAL LEAGUE
Ryan Howard homered in his return to the lineup, while Roy Halladay continued the Phillies’ pitching dominance in Milwaukee, leading Philadelphia to a 5-3 victory over the Brewers on Friday.
The NL East’s top team won their fifth straight and bettered the NL Central-leading Brewers again.
Cole Hamels tossed a complete game in Thursday’s opener with Howard out because of a lingering heel injury. On Friday, the Phillies’ cleanup hitter staked Halladay a three-run, first-inning lead with his 32nd homer of the season.
Halladay (17-5) struck out nine to reach 204 for the season and scattered four hits and a run over eight innings.
DODGERS 2, GIANTS 1
In San Francisco, NL Cy Young pitching award contender Clayton Kershaw outdueled two-time winner Tim Lincecum, while pinch hitter Jamey Carroll drove home the go-ahead run in the ninth as Los Angeles beat San Francisco.
Rod Barajas singled to start the ninth against Santiago Casilla (2-2) and former Giant Eugenio Velez came in to pinch-run. Justin Sellers sacrificed him to second and Velez moved to third on a wild pitch. Second baseman Jeff Keppinger then threw home on Carroll’s grounder, but a sliding Velez just beat the tag by catcher Eli Whiteside.
In other NL games, it was:
‧ Cardinals 4, Braves 3, 10 inns
‧ Marlins 13, Pirates 4
‧ Nationals 4, Astros 3
‧ Mets 5, Cubs 4
‧ Reds 4, Rockies 1
‧ Diamondbacks 3, Padres 2
AMERICAN LEAGUE
AP, ST PETERSB
Wade Davis threw a six-hitter and John Jaso hit a three-run homer as the Tampa Bay Rays moved within five-and-a-half games of AL wildcard-leading Boston with a 7-2 victory over the Red Sox on Friday.
Davis (10-8) struck out eight in his second career complete game.
Jaso put the Rays ahead 3-0 with a three-run homer off John Lackey (12-12) in the second.
URG, FLORIDAANGELS 2, YANKEES 1
In Anaheim, California, pinch hitter Maicer Izturis drove home pinch runner Jeremy Moore with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the ninth inning as Los Angeles rallied to beat New York for their fifth win in six games.
Jered Weaver struck out 11 during eight innings of three-hit ball, but the Los Angeles ace left without a victory when his teammates could not solve Bartolo Colon, who yielded six hits and an unearned run in seven resilient innings.
After Alberto Callaspo led off the ninth with an infield single off Aaron Laffey (2-2), Vernon Wells singled to left off Luis Ayala, who then hit Peter Bourjos with a pitch.
In other AL games, it was:
‧ Orioles 2, Blue Jays 0
‧ Tigers 8, Twins 4
‧ Rangers 13, Athletics 4
‧ Indians 8, White Sox 4
‧ Mariners 7, Royals 3
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