Associated Press
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Facing a struggling Washington lineup that can’t seem to get a timely hit, Trevor Cahill had no trouble extending an impressive run by Arizona’s starting rotation.
Cahill took a four-hit shutout into the eighth inning, and the Diamondbacks beat Washington 5-1 Tuesday night to stretch the Nationals’ losing streak to five games.
Teenager Bryce Harper went 0 for 3 in his home debut for the Nationals. Harper, the No. 1 pick in the 2010 draft, is 2 for 9 since being recalled from the minors on Saturday.
Cahill (2-2) allowed one run and six hits in 7 1-3 innings, striking out five and walking one. Arizona starters are 4-0 with a 1.30 ERA over the past five games.
“We kind of build on one another,” Cahill said. “Hitters say hitting’s contagious. Maybe pitching’s contagious, too. … After the first month you kind of get into a groove, and when everyone’s throwing like they are, you kind of build off one another. So it helps out a lot.”
Signed as a free agent during the offseason, Cahill lowered his ERA to 3.13 with a 94-pitch gem.
“I think I made more quality pitches than any other start,” he said. “I felt good. It’s just too bad I couldn’t continue and get deeper in the game.”
Manager Kirk Gibson said, “It’s the best he’s thrown for us.”
After Ian Desmond hit an RBI single, Bryan Shaw got the last two outs in the eighth and David Hernandez worked a perfect ninth.
Justin Upton had two hits and two RBIs, and John McDonald and Miguel Montero each had two hits and an RBI for the Diamondbacks.
Washington has scored only seven runs during its five-game skid. The Nationals were mired in a run of 17 straight scoreless innings before the eighth and went 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position.
After letting out an audible sigh, Washington manager Davey Johnson said, “I feel like we’ve got the hitters that can hit. Not as aggressive as I’d like to see. We’re not getting a good strike and driving it. I know that talent is there. … It’s going to put a strain on the pitching staff if we don’t start scoring some runs.”
Jordan Zimmermann (1-2) gave up four runs, three earned, in 6 1-3 innings. In four of his five starts, Washington has scored one run or fewer while he was on the mound.
“I can’t really speak for the offense,” the right-hander said. “I just have to go out there and pitch the way I can pitch.”
Harper received enthusiastic applause from the crowd of 22,675 when he stepped to the plate for the first time in the second inning. Teammate Stephen Strasburg drew 40,315 fans to the park for his debut in 2010, but that was also his first major league game.
Harper struck out on four pitches in his first trip to the plate, missing badly on his three swings, but the crowd cheered again as the 19-year-old walked back to the dugout.
In this next at-bat, Harper grounded out on a 3-2 pitch in the fifth. He also grounded out in the seventh.
Harper did, however, play well in left field. After Jason Kubel led off the second with a double, Harper fielded a single and threw a no-hopper to the infield to keep Kubel at third. One inning later, Harper sprinted to the line to make a fine catch of an opposite-field liner hit by Gerardo Parra.
Even better, Harper threw a 300-foot, no-bounce dart from left field to the plate on a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning and barely missed getting the runner.
“I just thought I had a shot,” Harper said. “Reared back and gave it my all. That’s what I try to do, make plays like that.”
Gibson, a former outfielder, said, “”It kind of surprised me. We knew he had a solid arm, but it was a pretty impressive throw.”
Arizona got runners at the corners with one out in the second inning before Zimmermann struck out Cody Ransom and retired McDonald on a twisting liner to right field.
The next time the Diamondbacks got a runner in scoring position, they didn’t waste the opportunity. Paul Goldschmidt reached second on a throwing error by Desmond from shortstop and McDonald delivered an RBI single to left.
Arizona made it 2-0 in the sixth. Upton singled and stole second before Montero hit a two-out, run-scoring double.
Limited to a pair of hits through five innings, the Nationals began the sixth with singles by Desmond and Steve Lombardozzi. But Rick Ankiel hit into a double play and Adam LaRoche bounced out meekly to second.
Zimmermann left after two singles and an intentional walk loaded the bases in the seventh. Ryan Mattheus then hit Aaron Hill with a pitch and yielded a sacrifice fly to Upton.
Upton singled in a run in the ninth.
DODGERS 7, ROCKIES 6
DENVER — Ted Lilly threw six solid innings and the Los Angeles Dodgers got home runs from Dee Gordon, Andre Ethier and A.J. Ellis.
Lilly gave up four hits and two runs while the Dodgers pounded out 11 hits off Rockies right-hander Jhoulys Chacin and then held on despite a shaky bullpen performance. The victory capped a big day for the storied franchise that marked the end to the tumultuous Frank McCourt era.
The $2 billion sale of the team to Guggenheim Baseball Management, a group that includes former Los Angeles Lakers star Magic Johnson, was finalized Tuesday, just hours before the Dodgers improved to an NL-best 17-7.
Lilly (3-0) improved to 9-2 against the Rockies. Javy Guerra worked the ninth for his eighth save in 10 chances.
Chacin (0-3) allowed seven runs in 4 2-3 innings. He struck out three and walked four. CARDINALS 10, PIRATES 7
ST. LOUIS — Adam Wainwright worked seven innings for his first win since September 2010, and the Cardinals got big nights at the plate from David Freese and Matt Holliday.
Freese’s sixth home run and third in five games was a tiebreaking three-run shot off Charlie Morton (1-2) in the fifth. Holliday homered in the sixth off Jared Hughes to cap a three-hit night with two RBIs.
Allen Craig had two hits and an RBI in his season debut after rehabbing from knee surgery performed last fall shortly after he belted three homers in the World Series. Wainwright (1-3) allowed four runs and five hits.
Jose Tabata and Pedro Alvarez each hit a two-run homer for Pittsburgh.
MARLINS 2, GIANTS 1
SAN FRANCISCO — Giancarlo Stanton homered for the second time in three games to help back Ricky Nolasco’s third straight win, and Miami earned its second victory in 10 games.
Hanley Ramirez had an RBI single in the fourth that ended Matt Cain’s home scoreless streak to start the season at 21 innings.
Nolasco (3-0) outdueled Cain (1-2) in the Marlins’ sixth victory against the Giants in their last eight meetings — a stretch that includes Nolasco’s 2-1 win over Cain last Aug. 12 in South Florida.
Struggling Miami closer Heath Bell pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his third save in six chances and first since walking a career-high four batters and taking his third loss Thursday in a 3-2 road loss to the Mets.
Pablo Sandoval homered for the Giants.
PADRES 2, BREWERS 0
SAN DIEGO — Pinch-hitter Mark Kotsay belted a two-run homer with one out in the eighth, lifting San Diego to the victory.
Kotsay, who played with Milwaukee last year, drove a 1-1 pitch from Francisco Rodriguez (0-3) to right field. Will Venable was aboard on a single.
It was Kotsay’s fourth career pinch homer and his first since Aug. 9, 2002, at Cincinnati during his first stint with the Padres.
Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun, who had his first three-homer game and added a triple for six RBIs in Monday night’s 8-3 win, went 1 for 4 with a single.
Edinson Volquez tossed seven innings of three-hit ball before Andrew Cashner (2-1) pitched the eighth for the win. Huston Street closed it out for his fourth save in four chances, finishing a three-hitter for the Padres’ first shutout of the season.
PHILLIES 4, BRAVES 2
ATLANTA — John Mayberry Jr. doubled and scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, and Philadelphia beat in the first meeting of the season between the NL East rivals.
After Brandon Beachy gave up only two runs in seven innings to outlast Phillies starter Cole Hamels, Philadelphia broke a 2-2 tie with two runs against left-hander Jonny Venters (2-1).
Mayberry, in the game as a pinch hitter, doubled to right with one out, moved to third on Jimmy Rollins’ single and scored on Venters’ wild pitch to Placido Polanco. Shane Victorino added an infield hit and Hunter Pence singled to right, driving in Rollins for a 4-2 lead.
Antonio Bastardo (1-1) pitched a perfect seventh. Jonathan Papelbon earned his ninth save by retiring the Braves in order in the ninth.
ASTROS 6, METS 3
HOUSTON — Chris Snyder hit a three-run homer and Jed Lowrie added a two-run shot to power Houston to the victory.
Lowrie’s drive off Jonathon Niese hit the inside of the foul pole in left field in the first inning. Snyder pushed the lead to 5-0 in the next inning with his first home run of the season, which landed in the Crawford Boxes in left field.
Houston has won the first two games of this three-game series. The Astros had lost six consecutive series entering Monday.
Niese (2-1) allowed a season-high five runs and six hits in three innings.
Houston starter J.A. Happ (2-1) allowed six hits and three runs with seven strikeouts in 6 1-3 innings, which was his longest outing of the year. Brett Myers threw a perfect ninth for his sixth save.
Showalter gets 1,00th win
NEW YORK — Buck Showalter got his 1,000th victory as a major league manager, Brian Matusz ended his 11-month losing streak and the Baltimore Orioles beat the New York Yankees 7-1 Tuesday night.
Chris Davis and J.J. Hardy homered off struggling Phil Hughes (1-4), giving the Orioles their first win in five tries against the Yankees this year.
Showalter, whose first win came 20 years ago across the street at old Yankee Stadium when New York’s Scott Sanderson beat Boston ace Roger Clemens, improved to 1,000-958 in 14 seasons with the Yankees, Arizona, Texas and Baltimore. He joined Dusty Baker, Bruce Bochy, Davey Johnson, Jim Leyland, Mike Scioscia and Bobby Valentine among active managers in the 1,000-win club.
Matusz (1-3) allowed six hits in 6 1-3 innings to win for the first time since beating Oakland last June 6. He had been 0-12 with a 10.47 ERA in 14 starts since, the longest active losing streak in the majors and one short of the Orioles record set by Mike Boddicker from 1987-88.
RAYS 3, MARINERS 1
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Matt Joyce had two of Tampa Bay’s three hits, a solo homer and an RBI triple, to help the surging Rays beat Seattle for their ninth victory in 10 games.
Tampa Bay rookie Matt Moore (1-1) scattered seven hits over five innings to get the win, which kept the first-place Rays atop the AL East standings.
Michael Saunders hit a solo homer and Jesus Montero went 4 for 4 for Seattle, but the Mariners were 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position. They have lost four straight following a four-game winning streak.
Joyce tripled off starter Hector Noesi (1-3) and scored on Luke Scott’s sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead in the first. Joyce’s team-leading sixth homer made it 3-1 in the third.
Burke Badenhop and Joel Peralta combined for three scoreless innings out of Tampa Bay’s bullpen. Fernando Rodney struck out the side in the ninth to earn his eighth save in eight opportunities.
The Rays played without third baseman Evan Longoria, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list before the game with a partially torn left hamstring. The three-time All-Star is expected to be sidelined four to eight weeks.
BLUE JAYS 8, RANGERS 7
TORONTO — Brett Lawrie homered leading off the ninth inning to give Toronto a comeback victory over Texas.
Francisco Cordero blew a save opportunity in the top of the ninth, but Lawrie won it in the bottom half against Mike Adams (0-1) with a shot that bounced off the top of the wall in left-center, his third.
It was the second Blue Jays homer of the game to bounce off the wall and out: Kelly Johnson’s three-run shot in the third did the same.
Jose Bautista also connected for Toronto, which rallied from 5-0 down to beat the team with the best record in baseball.
Cordero (1-1) allowed Michael Young’s tying single in the ninth.
Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton (back) sat out for the second straight game and remains day to day.
TIGERS 9, ROYALS 3
DETROIT — Austin Jackson had four hits and Rick Porcello pitched eight strong innings to lead Detroit past Kansas City.
The Tigers scored five runs in the first and won for only the third time in 11 games. Porcello (2-2) took advantage of the offensive support to snap out of his slump, allowing three runs and seven hits. In his previous two starts, the right-hander was 0-2 with a 15.26 ERA.
Luke Hochevar (2-2) yielded nine runs on 12 hits and three walks in four innings.
The teams were washed out Monday night, Kansas City’s second rainout in three days. The Royals have lost two straight following a three-game winning streak that came on the heels of a 12-game skid.
ATHLETICS 5, RED SOX 3
BOSTON — Jarrod Parker scattered four hits over 6 2-3 innings for his first major league win and Oakland stopped a three-game skid by beating Boston.
Jemile Weeks ended on 0-for-12 slump with a leadoff single and finished 2 for 5 with two RBIs and two runs for the A’s. Oakland scored the first five runs to back Parker (1-0), who made his third career start on a frigid night at Fenway Park.
Mike Aviles hit a two-run single in the ninth before Jordan Norberto got two outs for his first major league save.
Red Sox starter Felix Doubront (1-1) gave up five runs and six hits in four innings.
ANGELS 4, TWINS 0
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Jerome Williams pitched a three-hitter for his second major league shutout and Torii Hunter homered for the fourth time in five games to lead Los Angeles over struggling Minnesota.
Howie Kendrick also went deep against Francisco Liriano (0-4), but Albert Pujols was 0 for 4 with a run-scoring groundout. The three-time NL MVP has gone a career-worst 31 games and 125 at-bats since his last home run on Sept. 22, 2011, with St. Louis.
Williams (2-1) threw 109 pitches, striking out six and retiring 18 of his last 19 batters to finish in an economical 2 hours, 10 minutes. It was his third complete game in 81 career starts. His other shutout was on June 27, 2003, with the Giants, a seven-hitter against Oakland in his sixth big league start.
The 30-year-old right-hander from Honolulu faced only one batter more than the minimum before walking Denard Span with two outs in the ninth.
The Twins have lost eight of nine and have a major league-worst 6-17 record.
WHITE SOX 7, INDIANS 2
CHICAGO — Gordon Beckham snapped out of a slump with three hits and Chicago beat Cleveland on a rainy, fog-filled night in the Windy City.
Beckham was mired in a 0-for-10 slide and was batting just .153 before he belted a solo homer in the third inning to give the White Sox a 2-1 lead. He also singled in a run in the fifth.
A.J. Pierzynski also had a solo homer for Chicago, which is 3-0 against Cleveland this season. Chris Sale (3-1) allowed one run and three hits in six crisp innings.
Shelley Duncan connected for Cleveland, snapping the team’s 11-game homerless streak. Ubaldo Jimenez (2-2) issued six walks in 4 2-3 innings and was charged with seven runs, four earned.