Strasburg tosses three-hit gem as Nats blank Phils

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Stephen Strasburg pitched a four-hitter and struck out 10 in the first complete game of his career, Jayson Werth had his second straight three-hit game and the Washington Nationals completed a three-game sweep with a 6-0 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday night.

Strasburg (6-9) dominated the reeling Phillies for his first win since July 7 against San Diego. The Nationals had lost five straight games started by the right-hander.

The Phillies never had a runner in scoring position during their 11th straight road loss. Philadelphia has lost nine of 11 overall.

Washington scored two runs in the fourth and three in the fifth against Kyle Kendrick (9-9), who surrendered 11 hits over 5 1-3 innings.

BRAVES 9, MARLINS 4

ATLANTA — Freddie Freeman hit a three-run homer and Atlanta beat Miami after having its 14-game winning streak snapped Saturday.

B.J. Upton drove in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly and Chris Johnson hit a two-run double in the four-run seventh inning that broke open a tie game.

Jason Heyward had four hits, including a run-scoring single in the eighth.

Evan Gattis had three, including his run-scoring double in the seventh.

Mike Minor (12-5) gave up four runs on six hits and one walk in seven innings, ended a streak of six straight starts with no more than two earned runs allowed.

Dan Jennings (1-3) gave up two runs without recording an out in the Braves’ four-run seventh.

ROCKIES 3, PIRATES 2

DENVER — Nolan Arenado hit a go-ahead double in the seventh inning and Colorado beat Pittsburgh for a three-game sweep of the NL Central leaders.

The Pirates came to Coors Field this weekend with a five-game winning streak. They hold a three-game edge over St. Louis, and visit the Cardinals for a three-game series starting Tuesday night.

Pedro Alvarez homered for the Pirates. Reliever Bryan Morris (5-5) took the loss.

The Rockies last swept a series April 16-18 against the Mets on their way to a 13-4 start. They have struggled the last two months to fall from the top of the NL West to out of the playoff race.

Manuel Corpas (2-2) pitched a clean seventh inning for the win.

REDS 3, PADRES 2

13 INNINGS

CINCINNATI — Joey Votto delivered a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 13th inning and Cincinnati overcame two more errors for its fourth win in five games.

Jack Hannahan drew a one-out walk from Tim Stauffer (1-1) and Shin-Soo Choo snapped a 0-for-16 slump with a one-out double to right field. Ryan Hanigan, pinch-hitting against a drawn-in, five-man infield and shallow two-man outfield, was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

The Padres went back to three outfielders with everybody drawn in, and Votto hit a fly to left field to drive in Hannahan from third base.

Xavier Paul tied the score with a two-run, pinch-hit home run off Ian Kennedy in the eighth. Sam LeCure (2-1), Cincinnati’s seventh pitcher, pitched 1 1-3 innings for the win.

CARDINALS 8, CUBS 4

ST. LOUIS — Pete Kozma singled home the tiebreaking run in the sixth inning and St. Louis ended a four-game losing streak, beating Chicago and avoiding a sweep.

Matt Carpenter and Allen Craig each had three hits and drove in a run. Jon Jay and David Freese both drove in two runs, though they only had one hit between them.

The Cardinals dropped five of six to begin a 10-game homestand.

Randy Choate (2-1) faced one batter, getting leadoff man David DeJesus to pop out with two men on to end the sixth. Edward Mujica worked the last two innings for his 31st save in 33 chances.

Tony Cruz doubled with two outs in the sixth off Blake Parker (1-2) and scored easily on Kozma’s single. Parker was the winner Saturday with an inning of relief.

ORIOLES 10, GIANTS 2

SAN FRANCISCO — J.J. Hardy hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the seventh inning, Adam Jones added a three-run shot in the ninth and Baltimore pounded San Francisco.

Hardy’s 21st home run of the season gave the Orioles a 3-2 lead. Four players drove in a run in the eighth, Jones hit his 24th homer and every player in Baltimore’s starting lineup finished with at least one hit.

Brandon Belt and Hunter Pence each hit RBI doubles off Bud Norris in the first for San Francisco’s only runs.

Matt Cain (7-8) retired 15 of the first 16 batters he faced. He struck out five and walked one in seven innings, allowing only an RBI single by Nate McLouth in the sixth before Hardy’s homer.

Troy Patton (2-0) tossed one scoreless inning of relief. Baltimore has won four of its past five games.

METS 9, D-BACKS 5

PHOENIX — Andrew Brown’s three-run, pinch-hit home run broke open a close game and New York beat Arizona.

Jonathan Niese (4-6), in his first start since June 20, came off the disabled list to go six innings, giving up four runs and seven hits in his first win since May 16. The Mets took two of three from the Diamondbacks.

The Mets scored four unearned runs in the first, three on first baseman Paul Goldschmidt’s fielding error with two outs and the bases loaded.

Arizona’s Cody Ross was carted off the field in the first inning with a dislocated right hip in the second major league start for Zeke Spruill (0-2).

YANKEES 5, TIGERS 4

NEW YORK — After Mariano Rivera blew a third straight save for the first time in his famed career, Brett Gardner homered with two outs in the ninth inning to lift the New York Yankees over the Detroit Tigers 5-4 Sunday for their first series win in more than a month.

Rivera (3-2) gave up another homer to a limping Miguel Cabrera and a drive to Victor Martinez in the top of the ninth, tying it at 4 and turning Alex Rodriguez’s first homer of the season into a footnote.

Gardner connected off Jose Veras (0-5).

Rivera has a record 643 saves, but had never failed three in a row in 1,087 relief appearances coming in.

ROYALS 4, RED SOX 3

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — James Shields earned his first home win in more than three months, Alex Gordon homered and the Kansas City Royals beat Boston.

The Royals improved to 18-5 since the All-Star break, winning seven consecutive series.

Shields (7-8) gave up three runs and seven hits over seven innings. Greg Holland got his 32nd save in 34 opportunities.

Gordon connected off John Lackey (7-10) for his third homer in five games. Lackey is 0-4 in his past five starts.

The contending Royals announced a trade after the game, getting veteran infielder Jamey Carroll from Minnesota for cash or a player to be named.

RANGERS 6, ASTROS 1

HOUSTON — Martin Perez threw a four-hitter for his first career complete game, leading the Texas Rangers past Houston for their seventh straight victory.

Chris Carter ruined Perez’s shutout bid with a home run with two outs in the ninth inning.

Alex Rios had two hits, drove in a run and scored twice in his second game with the Rangers, who have won 12 of their last 13 games. Adrian Beltre also had two hits.

Perez (5-3) struck out a career-high eight while walking two in earning his second straight win.

Dallas Keuchel (5-7) allowed six runs and eight hits with eight strikeouts in 8 2-3 innings.

ATHLETICS 4, BLUE JAYS 3

TORONTO — Alberto Callaspo hit a tiebreaking two-run double in the eighth inning, Brandon Moss had a two-run homer and the Oakland Athletics beat Toronto.

Oakland outfielder Josh Reddick, who homered five times in the first two games of the series, was moved up to fifth in the order but failed to connect again. He went 1 for 3 with two walks.

Callaspo’s hit came against Darren Oliver (3-3).

Ryan Cook (4-2) pitched 1 1-3 innings for the win. Grant Balfour worked around Brett Lawrie’s RBI double in the ninth for his 30th save in 31 chances. Balfour got Jose Reyes to ground out with the bases loaded to end it.

INDIANS 6, ANGELS 5

CLEVELAND — Michael Bourn drove in the go-ahead run with a seventh-inning single, and the Cleveland Indians rallied from a five-run deficit to break a six-game losing streak by the Los Angeles Angels.

The Indians, held to one hit through five innings, got back in the game in the sixth on two-run homers by Nick Swisher and Mike Aviles, who entered the game in the third after shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera was ejected.

Carlos Santana’s leadoff homer in the seventh off J.C. Gutierrez (0-3) tied the game.

Matt Albers (3-1) pitched 1 2-3 innings and Chris Perez recorded his 18th save as the Indians’ bullpen threw 4 2-3 scoreless innings.

MARINERS 2, BREWERS 0

SEATTLE — Felix Hernandez blanked Milwaukee on four hits for eight innings and the Seattle Mariners topped the Brewers.

Hernandez (12-5) struck out nine and walked one in his first career appearance against the Brewers. The 2010 AL Cy Young winner leads the league with a 2.28 ERA and is second with 178 strikeouts.

Danny Farquhar worked the ninth for his fourth save.

Wily Peralta (8-12) pitched a complete game and allowed four hits. He walked none and struck out four.

TWINS 5, WHITE SOX 2

CHICAGO — Kevin Correia pitched seven shutout innings, Brian Dozier and Joe Mauer backed him with home runs and the Minnesota Twins beat the Chicago White Sox.

The Twins took three of four games in the series and have won nine of 12 against the White Sox this season.

Adam Dunn and Conor Gillaspie hit solo home runs off Casey Fien in the White Sox ninth.

Dozier’s three-run homer off Jose Quintana (6-4) gave the Twins a 3-0 lead in the fifth. After Jamey Carroll singled, Mauer hit his ninth homer.

Correia (8-8) struck out seven, tying a season high. He allowed five hits and one walk.