Associated Press
Associated Press
CINCINNATI — The Brewers lost another close game and their best player, the latest setbacks to an already disheartening season.
Milwaukee put outfielder Ryan Braun on the 15-day disabled list following a 4-3, 10-inning loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night. Jay Bruce homered off Burke Badenhop with one out in the 10th, ending a game full of errors and wasted chances.
The Brewers hoped Braun could get back into the lineup on Friday. He’d missed four games while resting a sore right thumb, but went out to take batting practice. The session didn’t go well, leaving Milwaukee with no other choice.
Braun is batting .304 with nine homers and 36 RBIs. He won the NL’s Most Valuable Player award in 2011 and finished second to San Francisco’s Buster Posey last year.
“He went out and swung today, took batting practice and the soreness is still there,” manager Ron Roenicke said. “This is a move we tried to avoid. After talking to him, I think this is the right way to go.”
The Brewers have gone 7-6 in June following a 6-22 May that left them at the bottom of the NL Central along with the Cubs. Now, they have to get along without their MVP.
First, they have to figure out a way to win in Cincinnati.
The Reds have won 11 of their last 13 against the Brewers at Great American Ball Park, a hitters’ haven that hasn’t suited Milwaukee. The Brewers stranded eight runners in scoring position on Friday, leaving the bases loaded twice.
Bruce connected on a 1-2 pitch from Badenhop (0-3) for his fifth game-ending homer, leaving the Reds 4-7 in extra innings this season. Alfredo Simon (5-2) retired the side in the 10th.
The teams combined for five errors — including a season-high three by Cincinnati. Bronson Arroyo hit Martin Maldonado with the bases loaded to force in a run, and Maldonado homered off him to tie it 3-all in the eighth.
Scooter Gennett, who was born and grew up in the Cincinnati area, had three hits off Arroyo, including his first career homer. His homer landed in the seats in right, and a fan threw the ball back onto the field.
Bruce grabbed the ball and tossed the keepsake into the Milwaukee bullpen. Gennett had it in his locker after the game.
“It’s weird how that works,” Gennett said. “It’s a great feeling not only hitting the home run, but I’m in Cincinnati and all my family and friends got to see it.”
Logan Schafer also had three hits off Arroyo, who went 7 2-3 innings a day after the Reds depleted their bullpen in a 6-5, 14-inning loss at Wrigley Field.
The Reds scored three times off Kyle Lohse, with two of the runs set up by errors. Shin-Shoo Choo led off the first with a double, advanced and scored from third on Brandon Phillips’ high-hop single over shortstop Jean Segura with the infield drawn in.
“I felt all right,” Lohse said. “I’ve got to figure something out. It seems like I keep giving up hits in the first inning. Usually I’m pretty good there.”
Zack Cozart and Ryan Hanigan singled in the second, with Hanigan’s hit breaking an 0-for-17 slump. Choo hit a grounder that Gennett charged at second base but couldn’t handle, letting the ball skip off his glove for an error that let Cozart score.
“The whole thing didn’t have a good feel,” Roenicke said. “There were probably four things we did early in the game and they all went wrong.”
Todd Frazier singled, stole second, advanced on an error by first baseman Yuniesky Betancourt and scored on Jack Hannahan’s sacrifice fly for a 3-2 lead in the sixth.
It was the second straight solid start by Lohse, who has pulled out of a stretch of five losses in seven starts. The Brewers signed Lohse to a three-year, $33 million deal after he went 16-3 for St. Louis last season.
GIANTS 6, BRAVES 0
ATLANTA — Madison Bumgarner allowed two hits in seven innings and combined with Sandy Rosario for a three-hit shutout.
Bumgarner (6-4) was dominant in earning his second straight win. The left-hander did not allow a baserunner for 4 2-3 innings before losing his bid for a perfect game in the fifth and shot at a no-hitter in the sixth.
Bumgarner matched his season high with 10 strikeouts while walking one.
Atlanta’s Kris Medlen (3-7) lasted six innings and gave up four runs on nine hits, including a homer by Gregor Blanco to lead off the game. The Giants had five doubles off Medlen.
Buster Posey had three doubles. Blanco had two hits, including a run-scoring single in the second.
PIRATES 3, DODGERS 0
PITTSBURGH — Jeff Locke allowed just two hits over seven innings and Pittsburgh sent Los Angeles to its fifth loss in six games.
Locke (6-1) struck out five and walked one to win his sixth straight decision while shaving his ERA to 2.19. Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run double in the third inning off Stephen Fife (1-2).
Jason Grilli worked out of a two-on, no-out jam in the ninth for his National League-leading 24th save.
The Dodgers played without manager Don Mattingly, who served a one-game suspension for his role in the brawl with Arizona earlier in the week. Bench coach Trey Hillman filled in for Mattingly. Los Angeles has fallen a season-worst 10 games under .500 (28-38).
MARLINS 5, CARDINALS 4
MIAMI — Rookie Jose Fernandez outpitched a rusty Jake Westbrook, and the team with the worst record in the majors beat the team with the best record.
Fernandez had a career-high 10 strikeouts in seven innings, and Miami Marlins Westbrook’s return from an elbow injury by defeating the St. Louis.
The 20-year-old Fernandez (4-3) became the first pitcher under 21 to strike out 10 or more since Felix Hernandez with Seattle in 2007. Relying heavily on breaking balls, he threw a career-high 107 pitches and allowed three runs, two earned.
Westbrook (2-2), who had been sidelined with elbow inflammation, went five innings in his first game since May 8. He allowed five runs, two of them unearned because of a misplayed grounder by second baseman Matt Carpenter, and his ERA rose to 2.05.
CUBS 6, METS 3
NEW YORK — David DeJesus hit a bases-loaded triple before injuring his shoulder when he crashed into the outfield wall, and Chicago beat New York behind resurgent starter Edwin Jackson.
Nate Schierholtz homered and Anthony Rizzo had three hits for Chicago in the opener of a three-game series between big-market teams trying to rebuild. Jackson (3-8) went six innings for his second consecutive win, allowing one run and five hits while striking out seven.
Mets starter Shaun Marcum (0-8) was hit hard early but retired 12 straight during one stretch and pitched into the sixth. It was his first outing since throwing eight innings of splendid relief in a hard-luck loss to Miami on Saturday, when the Mets were beaten 2-1 in 20 innings.
PHILLIES 8, ROCKIES 7
DENVER — Freddy Galvis hit two 2-run triples and scored the go-ahead run on Humberto Quintero’s single, and Philadelphia rallied from a five-run deficit to beat Colorado.
The Phillies overcame home runs by Carlos Gonzalez and Josh Rutledge, who was recalled from Triple A Colorado Springs to fill the roster spot left by the loss of slugging shortstop Troy Tulowitzki to a broken rib.
Trailing 7-2 going into the sixth, the Phillies chased Rockies starter Juan Nicasio and pulled to within 7-5 on the first of Galvis’ triples and a run-scoring groundout by Quintero.
They went ahead in a three-run seventh keyed by Galvis’ second triple and Quintero’s single.
Jonathan Papelbon got his 13th save in as many chances and Michael Stutes (2-0) pitched a scoreless inning of relief for the win.
PADRES 2, DIAMONDBACKS 1
SAN DIEGO — Left-hander Eric Stults threw a career-best two-hitter and Logan Forsythe hit a bases-loaded, two-run single with two outs in the sixth to give San Diego the victory against NL West-leading Arizona.
Arizona’s Gerardo Parra doubled opening the game and scored on Cody Ross’ sacrifice fly. Stults didn’t give up another hit until Willie Bloomquist singled with one out in the ninth.
Stults (6-5) retired 16 of the last 17 batters for his third career complete game. He struck out three and walked one. He previously had thrown two four-hitters.
The fourth-place Padres pulled within four games of the Diamondbacks. San Diego has won four straight and seven of nine.
Bench coach Alan Trammell managed the Diamondbacks while Kirk Gibson served his one-game suspension stemming from Tuesday night’s brawl against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
ORIOLES 2, RED SOX 0
BALTIMORE — Chris Tillman took a two-hitter into the seventh inning, Chris Davis hit his major league-leading 22nd home run and the Baltimore Orioles blanked the Boston Red Sox 2-0 Friday night in a duel between the top two teams in the AL East.
Manny Machado had three hits for the Orioles, who have won five of six — including the first two in this four-game series. Baltimore moved within 1½ games of the division-leading Red Sox, the closest the Orioles have been to first place since May 13.
Tillman (7-2) allowed three hits and four walks in six-plus innings. Jim Johnson completed the three-hitter to earn his 24th save.
Ryan Dempster (4-7) gave up two runs and five hits in 7 2-3 innings.
MARINERS 3, ATHLETICS 2
OAKLAND, Calif. — Mike Zunino hit his first career home run on a tiebreaking solo shot in the seventh inning and the Mariners held on for a win over the Athletics.
Two days after making his big league debut, Zunino connected on a 1-1 pitch from Oakland starter Tommy Milone (6-6) and hit a towering shot to center field to help snap Oakland’s 11-game home winning streak.
Raul Ibanez added two hits and an RBI for the Mariners, while Joe Saunders (5-6) allowed five hits over seven innings for his first road victory of the season.
Chris Young homered and had three hits but the A’s, coming off an 18-inning win against the New York Yankees, couldn’t get much else going.
BLUE JAYS 8, RANGERS 0
ARLINGTON, Texas — Mark Buehrle threw four-hit ball for seven innings, Colby Rasmus and J.P. Arencibia homered and the Blue Jays handed the Rangers their fourth straight loss.
Buehrle (3-4) improved to 13-5 against the Rangers. The left-hander equaled his season high with seven strikeouts to win his first road game of the year.
Rasmus hit a three-run shot in the fourth, and Arencibia capped the inning with a solo shot as the Blue Jays won for the sixth time in eight games.
Texas starter Justin Grimm (5-5) allowed 10 hits and seven runs in 7 2-3 innings. The rookie is 0-2 with an 11.66 ERA in his last three starts.
ROYALS 7, RAYS 2
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.— Luis Mendoza pitched six innings to win for the first time in six starts and Elliot Johnson had another big hit against his former team, leading Kansas City over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Mendoza (2-3) gave up two runs and six hits and three Royals relievers pitched three hitless innings as Kansas City held a 13th straight opponent to three runs or fewer.
Johnson had a tying triple among his two hits and Billy Butler drove in three runs for the Royals, who have won nine of 10.
Tampa Bay starter Matt Moore (8-3) gave up five runs on seven hits and four walks in 5 1-3 innings with four strikeouts. He is 0-3 in five starts since winning his first eight starts of the season.
ASTROS 2, WHITE SOX 1
HOUSTON — Erik Bedard pitched six solid innings and Jose Altuve hit a go-ahead RBI single to give the Astros a win over the White Sox.
Bedard (2-3) yielded three hits and one run with six strikeouts to bounce back from his previous outing when he allowed six runs in 4 2-3 innings.
Alexei Ramirez committed two errors in the fifth inning to help the Astros take the lead. The miscues ruined a great outing by Chris Sale (5-5), who allowed five hits and no earned runs with a season-high 14 strikeouts in eight innings.
TIGERS 4, TWINS 0
MINNEAPOLIS — Prince Fielder broke open a scoreless game with a two-run double in the sixth inning, the spark that Rick Porcello and the Tigers used to beat the Twins.
Victor Martinez and Jhonny Peralta followed Fielder’s soaring drive with RBI doubles of their own, ending the night for Twins starter Scott Diamond (4-6).
Porcello (4-3) breezed through seven innings, allowing just two singles and one double without a walk.
ANGELS 5, YANKEES 2
ANAHEIM, Calif. — C.J. Wilson outdid Andy Pettitte with seven effective innings, Albert Pujols and Mark Trumbo each had three hits and Chris Iannetta singled home the go-ahead run as the Angels handed the Yankees their fourht straight loss.
Wilson (5-5) allowed two runs and five hits, struck out four and walked three while winning for only the second time in his last eight starts.
Pettitte (5-4) gave up four runs and 11 hits through seven innings on the eve of his 41st birthday.
INDIANS 2, NATIONALS 1
CLEVELAND — Jason Kipnis’ run-scoring fielder’s choice in the ninth inning lifted the Indians to a victory over the Nationals.
With runners on second and third and one out, Kipnis hit a hard groundball to the right side. First baseman Adam LaRoche made a diving backhanded stop and fired a throw to catcher Kurt Suzuki, but Drew Stubbs slid in with the winning run.
Stubbs’ one-out single off Fernando Abad (0-1) started the rally before the Indians executed a perfect hit-and-run play.
Joe Smith (3-0) retired the side in order in the ninth for the Indians, who have won three straight after losing eight in a row.