Indians surge past Angels
Associated Press
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CLEVELAND — The Indians are at it again, finding ways to win late.
Asdrubal Cabrera’s one-out RBI single in the ninth inning gave Cleveland a 3-2 win over the struggling Los Angeles Angels.
Albert Pujols went 1 for 4 as Los Angeles lost its fifth straight. He is homerless in 20 games since signing a $240 million, 10-year contract to join the Angels — his longest drought to start a season.
Looking to shake things up, the Angels released veteran outfielder Bobby Abreu after the game Friday night. Angels manager Mike Scioscia said touted rookie Mike Trout is being called up from Triple-A Salt Lake.
Cleveland, which had 36 comeback triumphs, including 12 walkoff wins a year ago, rallied against the Angels’ battered bullpen.
“Last year, we had a lot of fun with some walkoffs,” Indians manager Manny Acta said. “It’s nice to be able to go out and do that again.”
Aaron Cunningham opened the ninth against David Carpenter (0-1) by doubling over leaping left fielder Vernon Wells at the wall. Michael Brantley lined out to center before Jason Kipnis singled. Angels shortstop Erick Aybar got a glove on the line drive, slowing the ball down and preventing Cunningham from scoring.
Cabrera hit a 2-0 pitch to right, making the Indians 6-0 in one-run games and the Angels 0-6. Los Angeles relievers are 1 for 7 in save opportunities. It was the sixth time the Angels lost after leading in the seventh inning.
Vinnie Pestano (1-0) struck out the only two batters he faced for the win. The native of southern California was inundated with tweets and text messages from family and friends afterwards.
“Everybody back home was watching it on TV,” Pestano said. “It was a high leverage situation and I’m glad I got it done.”
He replaced Justin Masterson after the Indians starter walked Kendrys Morales and Peter Bourjos in the ninth. Pestano fanned Vernon Wells and Aybar to keep it tied at 2.
“He came in and blew it by some people, just what you want to see,” Masterson said.
Masterson allowed only four hits over 8 1-3 innings, but remained winless since Sept. 18.
“He was outstanding,” Acta said, noting that Masterson came up big against Pujols with a runner on second in the eighth. He retired Pujols on a foul popup to end the inning after pitching coach Scott Radinsky visited the mound.
“You go after Pujols in that situation,” Acta said. “He’s (Masterson) our number one and you go after him.”
Right fielder Torii Hunter drove in two runs and threw out a runner trying to score for the Angels.
Pujols lined a two-out single in the first and scored on a single to right by Hunter, who was out trying for second.
Despite the hit, it extended Pujols’ homerless drought to a career-worst 109 at-bats. He has not connected since Sept. 22 last year with St. Louis.
Pujols, who on Thursday snapped his career-worst hitless streak at 21 at-bats with a ground single against Tampa Bay, has not homered in 20 games and 80 at-bats in an Angels uniform. He had a 105-at-bat drought April 23 to May 23 last year — then rebounded to help the Cardinals win the World Series.
The big first baseman made a good play in the field to keep the game tied in the eighth. With runners on first and third, he ranged far to his right to field a bouncer off the bat of Casey Kotchman and threw to second for the inning-ending force play.
The Indians have their own power outage. Cleveland hasn’t hit a homer in nine games, their longest drought in 21 years. They also went without a homer for nine games in June 1991.
Cleveland got three hits and a walk in the second inning off Angels starter Jered Weaver and failed to score. Brantley singled and was thrown out trying to steal second as Kipnis struck out. Cabrera then singled and Travis Hafner walked. Carlos Santana singled to right, but Cabrera was easily thrown out at the plate by Hunter to end the inning.
In the first, the Indians got two hits and two walks off Weaver and didn’t score. Kipnis grounded into a double play and Jack Hannahan struck out with the bases loaded.
Kotchman broke a 0-for-24 skid with a seventh-inning single off reliever Hisanori Takahashi and scored on a double by Brantley. Kevin Jepsen then yielded an RBI single to Kipnis that tied it at 2.
“The big thing is to get a knock when it means something,” Kotchman said. “The important thing is we won.”
Weaver went six scoreless innings, allowing seven hits, walking four and striking out eight.
YANKEES 7, TIGERS 6
NEW YORK — Derek Jeter scored on a passed ball with one out in the ninth inning and the New York Yankees rallied to hand the Tigers their fifth straight loss.
Alex Rodriguez homered and drove in two runs, Russell Martin hit a two-run homer and the Yankees’ bullpen held steady after Ivan Nova turned in a shaky performance.
Jeter drew a one-out walk from Brayan Villarreal (0-1) and went to third when Villarreal threw a wild pitch on ball four to Curtis Granderson. With Rodriguez up, Villarreal’s 2-0 pitch glanced off catcher Alex Avila’s glove and Jeter barely beat Avila’s throw to Villarreal.
Mariano Rivera (1-1), the fourth Yankees reliever, worked a perfect ninth for the win. The bullpen pitched 3 2-3 scoreless innings.
RAYS 8, RANGERS 4
ARLINGTON, Texas — Evan Longoria homered and drove in four runs to help Tampa Bay extend its winning streak to six games with a victory over Texas.
Longoria hit a three-run homer in the first inning and added an RBI single in the fourth for the Rays, who had a season-high 16 hits in support of starter James Shields (4-0).
The Tampa Bay ace became the first starter in the AL to win four games this season. Shields, who struck out eight, allowed four runs and 11 hits in six innings.
Matt Harrison (3-1) gave up seven runs and a career-high 14 hits in five innings, and Josh Hamilton hit his league-leading ninth home run for Texas.
INDIANS 3, ANGELS 2
CLEVELAND — Asdrubal Cabrera singled home the winning run with one out in the ninth inning to lift Cleveland over struggling Los Angeles.
Albert Pujols went 1 for 4 in the Angels’ fifth straight loss. Pujols is homerless in 20 games since signing a $240 million, 10-year contract — his longest drought to start a season.
Aaron Cunningham opened the ninth against David Carpenter (0-1) by doubling over leaping left fielder Vernon Wells at the wall. Michael Brantley lined out to center before Jason Kipnis singled. Cabrera then sent a 2-0 pitch into right field.
Vinnie Pestano (1-0) struck out the only two batters he faced for the win.
ATHLETICS 5, ORIOLES 2
BALTIMORE — Brandon McCarthy pitched seven strong innings for his first win this season and Eric Sogard hit a two-run home run in a three-run second as Oakland beat Baltimore.
In McCarthy’s first five starts, the Athletics scored a combined 10 runs.
McCarthy (1-3) gave up two runs and five hits, walked three and struck out four. Ryan Cook struck out four Orioles in the eighth inning, with Adam Jones reaching on a wild pitch.
Grant Balfour worked the ninth for his sixth save in seven chances.
Jake Arrieta (1-2) allowed four runs on four hits in 5 2-3 for Baltimore, which had a four-game winning streak snapped.
MARINERS 9, BLUE JAYS 5, 10 INNINGS
TORONTO — Michael Saunders hit two home runs, including a grand slam in the 10th, and Seattle rallied to beat Toronto to extend its win streak to a season-high four games.
Saunders started a two-run rally in the ninth with a shot to center, then hit the tiebreaking homer to right off Luis Perez (2-1) in the 10th for his third homer of the season.
Charlie Furbush (2-1) got two outs for the win and Jesus Montero also homered for the Mariners, who had lost eight of their past nine games in Toronto.
Edwin Encarnacion and Eric Thames hit solo homers for the Blue Jays, undone by three errors as their losing streak reached four games.
RED SOX 10, WHITE SOX 3
CHICAGO — Darnell McDonald hit a tiebreaking three-run double and homered to help Boston rally past Chicago.
David Ortiz hit a two-run shot for the Red Sox, who are 5-0 since blowing a 9-0 lead against the New York Yankees on Saturday for their fifth straight loss.
After Paul Konerko’s home run in the fifth gave the White Sox a 3-2 lead, the Red Sox responded with a five-run sixth inning, highlighted by McDonald’s bases-clearing double.
Boston starter Daniel Bard (2-2) threw seven strong innings for the win.
John Danks (2-3) allowed seven runs on six hits in 5 2-3 innings for Chicago.
ROYALS 7, TWINS 6
MINNEAPOLIS — Alex Gordon and Billy Butler each hit a two-run homer, and Kansas City beat Minnesota for its third straight win.
Mike Moustakas delivered the go-ahead single in the eighth inning and Alcides Escobar added an RBI single three batters later for Kansas City, which dropped 12 straight before its streak.
Trevor Plouffe homered for the Twins and Alexi Casilla drove in two runs.
Jose Mijares (1-1) got the win and Jonathan Broxton worked the ninth for his third save.
Brian Duensing (0-2) allowed two runs in relief of Carl Pavano, who gave up five runs — four earned — in 6 1-3 innings.
Cardinals rout Brewers
ST. LOUIS — Matt Holliday had three hits and the St. Louis Cardinals scored eight runs in the third inning Friday night, roughing up Yovani Gallardo in a 13-1 rout of the Milwaukee Brewers.
Jake Westbrook (3-1) gave up one run over seven innings for the Cardinals. He has allowed two earned runs or less in all four of his starts this season.
St. Louis, which set season highs for runs in an inning and a game, won for the eighth time in its last 12.
Jon Jay also had three hits and drove in three runs to pace a 15-hit attack. Skip Schumaker added two hits and three RBIs, and Holliday knocked in a pair.
The Cardinals sent 12 batters to the plate in the third and chased Gallardo (1-2), who gave up eight earned runs in two-plus innings. He lost for the ninth time in 10 regular-season starts against St. Louis.
DODGERS 3, NATIONALS 2
LOS ANGELES — Clayton Kershaw won his 10th straight decision, Andre Ethier hit a two-run homer and Los Angeles beat Washington in a matchup of the top two teams in the National League.
Kershaw (2-0) allowed three hits over eight innings with six strikeouts and a walk. The league’s reigning Cy Young Award winner became the first Dodgers pitcher to win 10 consecutive decisions since Ramon Martinez from August 1995 through May 1996.
Kershaw also joined Ed Roebuck and Orel Hershiser as the only Dodgers to win 12 decisions in a row at home since the franchise moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1958. Kershaw’s home streak has spanned 16 starts, with a 1.22 ERA.
Kenley Jansen pitched a hitless ninth for his first save of the season.
Ross Detwiler (2-1) allowed three runs and five hits over six innings. Adam LaRoche hit a two-run homer for Washington.
CUBS 5, PHILLIES 1
PHILADELPHIA — Paul Maholm outpitched Roy Halladay to lead Chicago past Philadelphia.
Maholm (2-2) allowed a run on five hits in 6 1-3 innings, dropping his ERA from 8.36 to 6.20. Starlin Castro had two hits and an RBI, and Tony Campana had two hits and scored twice for the Cubs.
Ty Wigginton homered for Philadelphia, which has scored two runs or less in 11 of 20 games this season.
Halladay (3-2) was unhittable at the start, retiring 10 straight batters with four strikeouts, but gave up three runs on six hits in a three-inning stretch to fall to 1-5 lifetime against Chicago.
Rafael Dolis pitched two scoreless innings for his first major league save.
ROCKIES 18, METS 9
DENVER — Carlos Gonzalez was at the center of an 11-run fifth inning, hitting a homer and a single to drive in five of his six RBIs, and Colorado overcame Scott Hairston’s cycle in a wild win over New York.
Ramon Hernandez hit his sixth career grand slam — and first for the Rockies this season — and Troy Tulowitzki and Dexter Fowler also homered for Colorado, which set a season high for runs.
Hairston became the 10th player in Mets history and first in the majors this season to hit for the cycle. He drove in four runs but it wasn’t enough on a night when pitching was an afterthought and the ball was flying all over the place in the Mile High City’s thin air.
New York committed six errors, one shy of the team record. The 11 runs the Mets allowed in the fifth matched a club mark for one inning.
Matt Reynolds (3-0) picked up the win. Manny Acosta (0-1) took the loss.
DIAMONDBACKS 5, MARLINS 0
MIAMI — Joe Saunders pitched a three-hitter, Jason Kubel tied a career best with four hits and Arizona sent Miami to its sixth straight loss.
Kubel extended his hitting streak to 10 games. Miguel Montero drove in three runs and Aaron Hill homered for the Diamondbacks.
Saunders (2-1) struck out four and walked two, getting the third shutout of his career and dropping his ERA from 1.29 to 0.90.
Miami starter Carlos Zambrano (0-2) pitched six innings, giving up three runs and 10 hits.
The Marlins failed to get a runner past first base. They have scored six runs during their losing streak.
ASTROS 6, REDS 4
CINCINNATI — Jose Altuve drove in two runs with a triple and a double, leading Wandy Rodriguez and the Houston Astros past Cincinnati.
Jed Lowrie also had two hits for the Astros, who have won consecutive games for the first time since a three-game winning streak April 7-9.
Rodriguez (2-2) gave up two runs and six hits in six innings. The left-hander allowed only one earned run over 14 innings in his previous two starts.
Astros first baseman Carlos Lee left in the first because of a sprained left ankle and is expected to miss a couple of games.
Jay Bruce and Devin Mesoraco homered in the ninth for the Reds. Brett Myers got two outs for his fourth save.
Houston chased starter Mike Leake (0-3) with a four-run fourth.
BRAVES 6, PIRATES 1
ATLANTA — Tommy Hanson allowed one run in six innings, Dan Uggla and Chipper Jones came through in a four-run seventh and the streaking Atlanta Braves defeated Pittsburgh.
The Braves won for the 13th time in 16 games after an 0-4 start — their worst since 1988.
Hanson (3-2) worked around six hits and three walks, his only blemish an RBI single by Garrett Jones in the fourth. Kris Medlen worked the final three innings, earning his first career save. Uggla and Jones drove in two runs apiece in the seventh to break open a 2-1 game.
A.J. Burnett (1-1) went six innings for the Pirates, pitching well but not enough to prevent his eighth loss in nine career decisions at Turner Field.
PADRES 5, GIANTS 3
SAN FRANCISCO — Nick Hundley matched his career high with four hits to help San Diego beat San Francisco.
Cory Luebke (3-1) pitched six strong innings to win his third consecutive start. He gave up two runs and seven hits. Four of the Padres’ seven victories have come in his last four starts.
Huston Street worked the ninth for his third save.
Buster Posey homered and drove in two runs for the Giants. Angel Pagan also connected and Pablo Sandoval extended his season-opening hitting streak to 20 games.
Eric Hacker (0-1) took the loss in his first major league start, allowing three runs over six innings.
