Associated Press
Associated Press
BOSTON — The rain kept falling and Bartolo Colon kept throwing fastballs for strikes.
He did it while wearing a short sleeve shirt while other players wore head coverings that left only a part of their faces exposed.
The 39-year-old right-hander allowed three hits in a rain-shortened seven-inning complete game and the Oakland Athletics broke a four-game losing streak with a 13-0 win over the Boston Red Sox on a chilly, windy Tuesday night.
“That’s the perfect guy to have on the mound in games like that,” Oakland manager Bob Melvin said, “a guy who’s going to throw strikes, doesn’t let the conditions affect him and keeps everybody on their toes because they know, potentially, the ball’s going to be in play very quickly.
“He was the right man for the job.”
Colon (3-0) needed just 24 pitches to get through the first two innings, 21 of them strikes. By the end, he had thrown 67 strikes and just 27 balls.
“He likes to use his fastball any time,” regardless of the conditions, Colon’s interpreter said.
But he said he was “a little” sad that he walked his first batter this season in 25 innings when Jacoby Ellsbury reached first leading off the sixth.
The Red Sox made many more mistakes than the A’s, who capitalized on eight walks, two balks and two errors.
The A’s broke a scoreless tie with six runs in the third when Seth Smith hit a two-run homer, then added two in the fourth, four in the fifth and one in the sixth.
Colon struck out seven and allowed only an infield single in the first by Dustin Pedroia and two-out singles in the fifth by Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Jonny Gomes.
“It was really cold and every time I’d catch the ball I hurt my hand. It didn’t seem to faze (Colon) at all. I guess he’s been doing this for a while,” A’s catcher John Jaso said. “He’s a guy who doesn’t complain.”
Aceves (1-1) retired the first four batters then struggled before being relieved by Steven Wright with the score 8-0 with one out in the fourth. It was, by far, the worst performance by a Boston starter this season. In the other 19 games, starters allowed three or fewer runs 18 times and four runs once.
Oakland went ahead in the third when the first four batters reached base.
“The weather conditions weren’t ideal, but to say that it was a major distraction, I don’t know that we can go that far. We see what Bartolo did against us,” Boston manager John Farrell said. “I thought Alfredo got off to a couple of good innings and then in the third inning things started to unravel.
“It was an ugly inning.”
Eric Sogard walked, Coco Crisp singled and Jaso and Smith walked, scoring the first run of the game. Aceves struck out Jed Lowrie before the inning got away from him.
Brandon Moss hit a two-run single, a balk put runners at second and third and a sacrifice fly by Josh Donaldson made it 4-0. Josh Reddick then hit a hard grounder that first baseman Mike Napoli stopped, but Aceves was late covering the base and Reddick was safe.
“It was my fault,” Aceves said.
Moss kept running and scored. And when Aceves’ throw home went wild for an error, Reddick took second.
Another balk sent Reddick to third and he scored on a throwing error by third baseman Will Middlebrooks on a grounder by Chris Young, making it 6-0.
“There seemed to be a lack of focus” by Aceves, Farrell said.
The Athletics took an 8-0 lead in the fourth on Smith’s second homer of the year then added four runs in the fifth off Wright on a two-run double by Crisp and a two-run single by Jaso. Melvin was anxious for the inning to end, making it an official game.
“I was a little nervous because it started raining a little bit harder in the fifth,” he said. “You can’t tell anybody to go up there and make an out and you never know how many (runs) you’re going to need (but) you breathe a little bit more a sigh of relief once you’re done with the fifth.”
Reddick’s RBI double in the sixth gave Oakland a 13-0 lead.
The A’s finished with 13 hits after managing a total of 11 in their previous three games and had eight walks for the second consecutive game.
YANKEES 4, RAYS 3
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Ichiro Suzuki hit a go-ahead two-run single in the ninth inning for the Yankees.
Robinson Cano ended AL Cy Young Award winner David Price’s night with a leadoff single in the ninth. Tampa Bay is winless in all five of Price’s starts this year. The left-hander (0-2) allowed three runs and eight hits over eight-plus innings.
After Cano stole second on a pitch by Fernando Rodney that struck out Vernon Wells, pinch-hitter Travis Hafner was intentionally walked and Lyle Overbay walked to load the bases.
First baseman James Loney helped Rodney by making a sliding catch on Chris Stewart’s foul ball, but Suzuki then drove in two for a 4-2 lead on a liner to center.
David Robertson (1-0) worked a perfect eighth before Mariano Rivera got his sixth save despite allowing Evan Longoria’s leadoff homer.
The only other team to lose the first five starts made by a reigning Cy Young winner was the 1989 Minnesota Twins. They lost in Frank Viola’s first seven starts before finally winning on May 9.
ANGELS 5, RANGERS 4, 11 INNINGS
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Howie Kendrick hit his second home run of the game in the 11th inning and finished with four RBIs, leading Los Angeles over Texas.
Kendrick, who hit a two-run shot in the sixth off Alexi Ogando and an RBI single in the first, drove a 1-1 pitch to left-center against rookie Joe Ortiz (2-1) for his third homer of the season.
Dane De La Rosa (1-0) pitched two perfect innings for his first major league win.
The Rangers tied it 4-all in the eighth with an unearned run against Scott Downs.
Texas had a runner at third with two outs in the ninth against Ernesto Frieri, but left fielder Mike Trout robbed Adrian Beltre of an extra-base hit with a full-out diving catch on the warning track.
Nelson Cruz hit a three-run homer for the Rangers.
ORIOLES 4, BLUE JAYS 3
BALTIMORE — Manny Machado had two hits and two RBIs, and Baltimore used a four-run second inning to beat R.A. Dickey and Toronto.
Miguel Gonzalez (2-1) allowed three runs in six innings for the Orioles, who have won nine of 13. By taking the first two games of the three-game set, Baltimore improved to 5-2 in seven series.
It was the 100th consecutive game the Orioles have won when leading after seven innings, a streak that began in August 2011. Baltimore is 4-3 in one-run games after starting 0-3.
Edwin Encarnacion hit a three-run homer for the last-place Blue Jays, who have dropped six of eight. Dickey (2-3) gave up four runs, six hits and five walks in six innings.
TWINS 4, MARLINS 3, GAME 1
MARLINS 8, TWINS 5, GAME 2
MINNEAPOLIS — Oswaldo Arcia hit his first career home run and Kevin Correia gave up two runs in seven innings, leading Minnesota over Miami in the opener of a day-night doubleheader.
The Marlins’ offense finally showed some life in the nightcap with an 8-5 victory.
Arcia’s three-run homer in the fourth backed Correia (2-1), who allowed five hits and struck out five in the opener. The Twins shrugged off yet another chilly day to win their fifth straight. Brian Dozier had three hits, and Glen Perkins got his sixth save.
Jose Fernandez (0-2) gave up four runs and six hits for the Marlins, who are off to a franchise-worst 5-16 start after an offseason salary purge. Joe Mahoney had two hits and two RBIs for Miami.
In the second game, Rob Brantly had three hits and a career-high four RBIs for Miami.
Brantly had two doubles and Ricky Nolasco (1-2) allowed two earned runs on six hits in five innings for the Marlins, who won for just the fifth time this season. Miami had a season-high 16 hits, including a double, a single and two RBIs from struggling slugger Giancarlo Stanton. Steve Cishek got his second save.
Joe Mauer had two hits and an RBI, while Mike Pelfrey (2-2) had another rough outing, giving up five runs on nine hits in 4 2-3 innings as the Twins lost for the first time in six games.
ASTROS 3, MARINERS 2
HOUSTON — Marwin Gonzalez homered, Bud Norris rebounded from a tough start last time out and Houston snapped a three-game skid with a victory over Seattle.
The game was tied at 1 when Gonzalez launched his homer about 10 rows into the stands in right field to start Houston’s third. Gonzalez, who bats ninth, hit just four home runs in 80 games last season and has three in 16 this year.
Houston got an insurance run when Hisashi Iwakuma (2-1) hit Justin Maxwell with a pitch with the bases loaded later in that inning.
Norris (3-2) allowed a season-high eight hits in five innings.
Uptons power Braves
DENVER — B.J. Upton and his brother Justin hit back-to-back homers for the first time, leading the Atlanta Braves past the Colorado Rockies 10-2 Tuesday night to complete a doubleheader sweep that began with the coldest game at Coors Field.
It was the 27th time in major league history that brothers homered in the same game, but only the second time they went deep in consecutive at-bats. Lloyd and Paul Waner of the Pittsburgh Pirates also accomplished the feat on Sept. 15, 1938.
In the first game, Justin Upton, Dan Uggla and rookie Evan Gattis homered in support of a solid outing by Mike Minor (3-1) as the Braves won 4-3 in a game that began in 23-degree weather. It was the coldest game-time temperature in the majors since such data collection began in 1991, according to STATS.
The temperature warmed up for the night game — but only a bit. It was 30 degrees at first pitch.
In the nightcap, B.J. Upton homered off Jon Garland (2-1) to start the fifth inning, his third of the season. Justin Upton drove Garland’s next pitch to center for his major league-leading 11th home run.
The Uptons have homered in the same game three times this season.
Atlanta outhomered the Rockies 6-0 in taking both games from Colorado, which entered the twinbill tied with the Braves for the best record in baseball at 13-5.
Julio Teheran (1-0) allowed one run over seven innings in the nightcap to quiet the Rockies, who have lost three in a row at Coors Field since an 8-0 start at home.
The Braves also got a home run and run-scoring double from Juan Francisco.
Reed Johnson, playing right field for Atlanta in the opener because Jason Heyward underwent an appendectomy Monday night, went 4 for 4 with three doubles. Heyward was put on the 15-day disabled list.
Craig Kimbrel earned his eighth save in eight chances.
Jeff Francis (1-2) gave up four runs in four innings, leaving him with an 8.44 ERA.
Ground crews began working around 6 a.m. to clear several inches of snow from the playing surface at Coors Field, which opened in 1995.
CARDINALS 2, NATIONALS 0
WASHINGTON — Adam Wainwright extended his sterling start to the season — and Washington’s mediocre one — by coming within two outs of his second shutout for St. Louis.
Wainwright (4-1) lowered his ERA to 1.93 by allowing five hits in 8 1-3 innings. Edward Mujica got two outs for his third save.
Allen Craig and Carlos Beltran drove in runs in the fourth off Ross Detwiler (1-1), who gave up eight hits across six innings.
The Nationals, who led the majors with 98 wins last season and were a popular pick to do well in 2013, lost for the eighth time in their past 11 games to fall to 10-10.
Wainwright’s walk to Bryce Harper with two outs in the sixth was the pitcher’s first free pass of the season, and it came in his fifth start, after 34 2-3 innings.
BREWERS 6, PADRES 3
SAN DIEGO — Yovani Gallardo pitched into the seventh inning and Milwaukee rode an early offensive outburst against San Diego to its ninth consecutive victory.
The winning streak is Milwaukee’s longest since it won 10 straight in August 2003. The Brewers started 2-8 this season.
Gallardo (2-1) allowed three runs in 6 2-3 innings. Jonathan Lucroy hit a two-run double in the Brewers’ five-run second.
Tom Gorzelanny escaped a bases-loaded threat in the seventh and Jim Henderson earned his fifth save.
Padres starter Clayton Richard (0-2) gave up six runs and six hits in 1 2-3 innings.
The Padres have lost five straight overall and seven in a row at home. They have scored six runs during their five-game slide and are 5-15 on the season.
Gallardo’s victory was his second straight since he was arrested on drunken-driving charges April 16.
CUBS 4, REDS 2, 10 INNINGS
CINCINNATI — Carlos Marmol blew a lead in the ninth inning before Darwin Barney bailed him out with a homer in the 10th that lifted Chicago over Cincinnati.
Chicago ended its four-game losing streak after squandering a late lead for the second straight day. The Cubs let a two-run lead get away in the 13th inning of a 5-4 loss Monday night.
Barney connected off left-hander Manny Parra (0-1), and Dave Sappelt added an RBI single.
Marmol (2-1), who lost the closer’s job after a rough opening week, came on with a runner on second and one out in the ninth to face Joey Votto, who was 1 for 15 in his career against the reliever with nine strikeouts. Votto singled up the middle to tie it.
Marmol escaped a bases-loaded threat to keep it tied. Kevin Gregg fanned Votto with two aboard in the 10th to get his first save.
Chicago won for only the second time in nine games, while the Reds lost for just the second time in nine games.
PIRATES 2, PHILLIES 0
PHILADELPHIA — Jeff Locke pitched six innings of two-hit ball and Gaby Sanchez homered off Cole Hamels to lead Pittsburgh over Philadelphia.
Locke (2-1) struck out six and walked two. After wriggling out of a jam in the fourth, he retired his last eight batters — striking out three of the final four.
Sanchez also doubled and Brandon Inge had an RBI double in his Pirates debut to help Pittsburgh win for the fifth time in seven games.
After opening the season with a pair of poor outings, Hamels (0-3) pitched well for the third straight start but was hurt by a lack of run support again. The Phillies were shut out for the third time this season.
Jason Grilli pitched the ninth for his eighth save in eight chances.
DODGERS 7, METS 2
NEW YORK — Mark Ellis lined two home runs and hit a hard grounder that sent Mets starter Jonathon Niese limping off for X-rays, leading Los Angeles over New York.
Ellis got four hits and drove in four runs. He hit his 100th career homer in the fifth inning, then connected for a tiebreaking, three-run shot with two outs in the seventh.
Los Angeles won despite an uneven outing by ace Clayton Kershaw. With Dodgers great Sandy Koufax watching at Citi Field, Kershaw walked four and struck out five in five innings.
Ronald Belisario (1-2) pitched one inning for the win. Brandon Lyon (1-1) gave up Ellis’ go-ahead homer.
DIAMONDBACKS 6, GIANTS 4, 11 INNINGS
SAN FRANCISCO — Didi Gregorius scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch in the 11th inning and Arizona beat San Francisco after blowing a late four-run lead.
Gregorius hustled for a one-out double off Santiago Casilla (2-2), and pinch-hitter Alfredo Marte reached on an error by first baseman Brandon Belt. Casilla then threw a wild pitch that allowed Gregorius to score.
Gerardo Parra followed with an RBI double to make it 6-4.
Matt Reynolds finished for his first career save. Brad Ziegler (1-0) pitched a scoreless inning for the win.
The Diamondbacks led 4-0 before the Giants scored twice in the eighth and tied it in the ninth on Belt’s pinch-hit, two-run homer off closer J.J. Putz, who has blown three saves in six tries this season.
San Francisco also put two on in the 10th but failed to score when Pablo Sandoval was thrown out at home plate by Arizona right fielder and former teammate Cody Ross following Hunter Pence’s two-out single.
The loss ended San Francisco’s nine-game winning streak against NL West opponents and also stopped the Giants’ seven-game streak at AT&T Park.