NATIONAL LEAGUE
Photo: AFP
The Washington Nationals handed New York pitching ace R.A. Dickey his first loss in nearly three months by beating the Mets 5-2 in the National League on Tuesday.
Dickey (13-2) allowed five consecutive hits in the sixth, ending his 11-game winning streak, as the Mets lost their 11th in 12 games. Their lone victory during that skid was over the Nationals.
Washington’s Adam LaRoche hit a tiebreaking homer, while Gio Gonzalez (13-5) did not allow an earned run in seven innings as the NL-leading Nationals notched a fourth straight win.
CARDINALS 8, DODGERS 2
In St Louis, Missouri, pitcher Adam Wainwright got his first two RBIs of the season to help St Louis beat Los Angeles.
On the mound, Wainwright (8-10) allowed two runs with seven strikeouts in 7-1/3 innings.
His performance with the bat was more surprising. He is batting .079 (3-for-38) with just three singles and 17 strikeouts this season.
However, he doubled with two outs in the fifth for St Louis’ first run, then scored the tying run on Rafael Furcal’s single. After an intentional walk loaded the bases in the sixth, Wainwright walked on five pitches to give the Cardinals a two-run lead. By the end of the six-run sixth, the hosts were up 8-2.
Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw (7-6) gave up eight runs in 5-2/3 innings, the second-most runs ever allowed by last year’s NL Cy Young winner. Los Angeles have won five straight.
BRAVES 4, MARLINS 3
In Miami, Tim Hudson pitched seven innings to guide Atlanta to a tight win over Miami.
After conceding a home run in the second inning, Hudson (9-4) retired 16 straight before he was relieved. He allowed five hits.
Jason Heyward broke a 3-3 tie in the seventh inning with an RBI single off Wade LeBlanc (1-1) that scored Martin Prado, who tripled to lead off the inning.
Craig Kimbrel pitched the ninth for his 29th save in 30 chances.
GIANTS 3, PADRES 2
In San Francisco, Brandon Crawford singled home the winning run in the ninth inning to give San Francisco victory over the San Diego Padres.
Brandon Belt walked to open the ninth, while Angel Pagan singled. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch ahead of Crawford’s single off Joe Thatcher (0-4).
Padres reliever Santiago Casilla (4-4) pitched the ninth for the win.
In other NL play, it was:
‧ Cubs 5, Pirates 1
‧ Reds 4, Astros 2
‧ Phillies 7, Brewers 6
‧ Diamondbacks 6, Rockies 2
AMERICAN LEAGUE
AP, ARLINGTON, Texas
Boston’s Mike Aviles blooped a tiebreaking single in the ninth inning to give the Red Sox a 2-1 win over the Texas Rangers in the American League on Tuesday, ending a four-game losing streak.
Rangers closer Joe Nathan (1-3) issued a pair of two-out walks in the ninth, while Aviles singled just beyond the reach of shortstop Elvis Andrus.
Red Sox reliever Vicente Padilla (4-0) escaped a first-and-third jam in the eighth. He hit Adrian Beltre in the helmet with a pitch, leaving the Texas star with a bruise on his head. The Red Sox’s Alfredo Aceves notched the save.
RAYS 3, ORIOLES 1
In Baltimore, Maryland, Tampa Bay starter Jeremy Hellickson held Baltimore scoreless into the seventh inning to earn his first win in 10 starts.
Hellickson (5-6) was 0-6 since beating Boston on May 16, although he allowed more than three earned runs only once during his losing streak.
The light-hitting Brooks Conrad hit a homer for the Rays, who were playing their first road game since the All-Star break.
Fernando Rodney got three outs around two walks to pick up his 28th save in 29 tries.
Orioles starter Chen Wei-yin (8-6) yielded three runs in 6-2/3 innings.
INDIANS 3, TIGERS 2
In Cleveland, Ohio, Aaron Cunningham drove in the go-ahead run with a suicide squeeze in the seventh inning, giving Cleveland victory over Detroit.
Travis Hafner tripled with one out in the seventh inning off Doug Fister (4-7) and Lou Marson ran for him.
Marson took off running as Cunningham dropped a bunt in front of the plate. Fister quickly got the ball and tried to shovel it to catcher Alex Avila. It rolled away, Marson scored, and Cunningham took second on the error.
Miguel Cabrera’s two-run homer off reliever Joe Smith (6-2) had tied the game 2-2 in the top half.
Chris Perez pitched the ninth for his 28th save in 30 chances. Cleveland are 6-1 against the Tigers, while Perez has saved each win.
MARINERS 4, YANKEES 2
In Seattle, Washington, New York’s Alex Rodriguez sustained a broken left hand when he was hit by a pitch in Seattle’s win.
The Yankees said Rodriguez has a non-displaced fracture and there is no timetable for his return.
He was hit with a pitch from Seattle ace Felix Hernandez (9-5), who got his fifth straight win. As well as Rodriguez, he also hit Derek Jeter and former teammate Ichiro Suzuki.
Yankees starter Freddy Garcia (4-4) struck out a season-high eight and retired his final 15 batters, before being pulled with one out in the eighth.
In other AL play, it was:
‧ Athletics 7, Blue Jays 2
‧ Royals 4, Angels 1
‧ White Sox 11, Twins 4
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