ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Andrew Miller threw a force attempt at second base into center field, allowing pinch-runner Cole Figueroa to score in the bottom of the 15th inning as the Tampa Bay Rays handed the Boston Red Sox their
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Andrew Miller threw a force attempt at second base into center field, allowing pinch-runner Cole Figueroa to score in the bottom of the 15th inning as the Tampa Bay Rays handed the Boston Red Sox their ninth consecutive loss, 6-5 Saturday.
Boston scored five runs in the first inning but still lost its ninth in a row for the first time since Aug. 25-Sept. 4, 2001.
James Loney opened the 15th with a single off Miller (1-4). Figueroa ran for Loney and went to second on Brandon Guyer’s bunt single. He scored when Miller threw the ball into center field while attempting to get a double play on Desmond Jennings’ grounder.
Cesar Ramos (2-3) allowed an infield single and two walks in three scoreless innings for the win. Five Tampa Bay pitchers limited Boston to six hits, with just two coming after the first inning.
A.J. Pierzynski homered for the Red Sox in a game that took 5 hours, 16 minutes.
Matt Joyce had an RBI single and Guyer drove in two with a double off Jake Peavy in the fifth as the Rays rallied from a five-run deficit to tie it at 5. Logan Forsythe had a second-inning sacrifice fly and an RBI single during the fourth.
The struggling Boston offense broke out against David Price. After Mike Carp was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Jonny Gomes had a sacrifice fly, Pierzynski connected on a three-run homer.
Boston, which scored just 16 runs in its previous eight games, had just two baserunners — Gomes’ walk in the third and an eighth-inning single by Xander Bogaerts — over the next seven innings against Price, who allowed five runs and five hits in eight innings.
Bogaerts left the game due to right hamstring cramps and was replaced defensively at shortstop by Jonathan Herrera in the 11th.
Peavy gave up five runs and eight hits over six innings.
The Red Sox used a makeshift lineup with David Ortiz, Mike Napoli and Shane Victorino all out with injuries.
Saturday was a planned off day for Ortiz, who has calf soreness. Napoli could sit out a few games due to lingering affects of flu-like symptoms along with hamstring, calf and finger issues. Victorino was placed on the 15-day disabled list after aggravating a right hamstring injury running to first base in the ninth inning of Friday’s 1-0 loss to the Rays.
Ortiz hit a grounder pinch-hitting in the 10th.
ROCKIES 3, BRAVES 1
ATLANTA — Michael Cuddyer and Troy Tulowitzki each homered, Juan Nicasio solved the Braves and the Colorado Rockies beat Atlanta 3-1.
The Rockies were without some of their big bats. Carlos Gonzalez missed his third straight start with a swollen finger and Nolan Arenado was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a broken finger.
Nicasio (5-2) didn’t need much offense. The right-hander turned around his ugly history against the Braves — 0-3 and 9.82 ERA in four starts. He gave up only two hits in six shutout innings. Nicasio pitched around four walks and had five strikeouts.
Atlanta’s Mike Minor (2-3) allowed three runs on four hits — including the two homers — in 6 2-3 innings.
PHILLIES 5, DODGERS 3
PHILADELPHIA — David Buchanan threw five effective innings in his major league debut and Chase Utley hit a two-run homer to power Philadelphia.
Filling in for injured ace Cliff Lee, Buchanan (1-0) gave the struggling Phillies a lift. The 25-year-old righty allowed two runs and five hits, striking out two.
CARDINALS 6, REDS 3
CINCINNATI — Left-hander Jaime Garcia got his first victory in more than a year in his comeback from shoulder surgery, and Yadier Molina homered again in the city where he’s always booed, leading St. Louis to victory.
The Cardinals evened their series at a game apiece. St. Louis has won nine of the last 10 series between the NL Central rivals.
Garcia (1-0) made his second start since recovering from surgery on his labrum and rotator cuff last May. He gave up six hits and a pair of runs in 5 2-3 innings, fanning seven and retiring 12 batters in a row over one span.
MARLINS 2, BREWERS 1
MIAMI — Jacob Turner pitched 6 1-3 scoreless innings to help Miami win for the third time in four games.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Jeff Baker drove in the runs for the Marlins, and Steve Cishek recorded the final four outs for his 10th save in 11 chances.
It was the best outing of the season for Turner (1-2), who struck out two and walked one while allowing eight hits. It was only the second time in six starts that he has not allowed at least four runs.
Brewers starter Wily Peralta (4-4) allowed one run and six hits in six innings.
Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun was in the lineup after missing Friday’s game with tightness in his right side and went 1 for 4.
D-BACKS 3, METS 2
NEW YORK — Josh Collmenter provided another solid start, Martin Prado hit a pair of RBI singles and Arizona ended a three-game skid.
A day after Aaron Hill had a home run washed out when the game at Citi Field was postponed because of rain, he cracked a key hit that counted. His second-inning double set up run-scoring singles by Prado and Cody Ross that put Arizona ahead to stay.
David Wright homered, doubled and singled for the Mets.
Collmenter (3-2) won his third decision in a row over a span of six starts. The righty with the unusual, straight over-the-top delivery allowed two runs in six innings before the Arizona bullpen held on.
YANKS 4, WHITE SOX 3
CHICAGO— Jacoby Ellsbury homered with two outs in the 10th inning, and the New York Yankees snapped an eight-game road losing streak against the Chicago White Sox with a 4-3 victory on Saturday.
The Yankees scored three times in the ninth against Ronald Belisario and then grabbed their first lead of the day when Ellsbury hit a drive to right off Zach Putnam (2-1) for his second homer.
Dellin Betances (3-0) pitched a perfect inning for the win and David Robertson finished for his 10th save in 11 chances, bouncing back nicely after yielding Adam Dunn’s game-ending homer in Chicago’s 6-5 victory on Friday night.
BLUE JAYS 5, A’s 2
TORONTO — R.A. Dickey won for the third time in four starts, Brett Lawrie homered and the Blue Jays beat the Athletics.
The AL East-leading Blue Jays (28-22), who won for the 10th time in 12 games, haven’t been atop the division this late into the season since July 6, 2000, when they were 46-40.
Dickey (5-4) allowed one run and five hits in a season-high 8 1-3 innings. He walked one and struck out four.
Jesse Chavez (4-2) allowed four runs, two earned, and eight hits in 5 1-3 innings, the second straight start he has failed to reach six innings.
INDIANS 9, ORIOLES 0
BALTIMORE — Corey Kluber struck out nine in seven innings, and the Indians beat former teammate Ubaldo Jimenez and the Orioles for their fifth win in six games.
Carlos Santana homered and walked three times for the Indians, who took control with a five-run fifth and pulled away by scoring four in the seventh.
Kluber (5-3) became the first pitcher in the majors this season to have five straight outings with at least eight strikeouts. He gave up five hits, walked two and did not allow a runner past second base.
Jimenez (2-6) tied two undesirable season highs, giving up five runs and walking five, in four-plus innings.
INTERLEAGUE
GIANTS 2, TWINS 1
SAN FRANCISCO — Ryan Vogelsong struck out seven in 6 2-3 scoreless innings, Pablo Sandoval homered for the fourth time in six games and San Francisco won its sixth straight interleague game dating to last season.
Vogelsong (3-2) allowed three hits and one walks to give him a 1.35 ERA in his past six starts.
Josmil Pinto broke up the shutout bid with a leadoff homer in the ninth inning against Sergio Romo, but that was all the Twins could manage. Romo retired the next three batters to get his 16th save in 18 chances.
Samuel Deduno (1-3) allowed two runs in 5 2-3 innings after being moved up a day in Minnesota’s rotation.
CUBS 3, PADRES 2
SAN DIEGO — Chicago held on after left-hander Travis Wood came within five outs of pitching his first career shutout before allowing Carlos Quentin’s pinch-hit, two-run home run in the eighth.
Wood (5-4) hit an RBI single and Luis Valbuena homered for the Cubs, who bounced back from an 11-1 loss Friday night.
Wood allowed two runs and three hits in 7 1-3 innings, struck out three and walked two.
Quentin, who missed the previous four games with a groin injury, hit an 86-mph slider an estimated 405 feet off the left-field facade with one out in the eighth to chase Wood. Quentin has five career pinch homers and two in one week. Yasmani Grandal was aboard on a one-out walk.
Hector Rondon pitched the ninth for his sixth save in seven chances.
