SUNDAY, APRIL 20, 2014 SPORTS Braves defeat Mets

NEW YORK: Aaron Harang threw no-hit ball for seven innings but was pulled after 121 pitches, and reliever Luis Avilan gave up David Wright’s two-out single in the eighth as the Atlanta Braves beat the New York Mets 6-0 Friday night. As Harang’s pitch count increased on a chilly evening, it seemed doubtful manager Fredi Gonzalez would let him go the distance. Harang worked around six walks, including two in the sixth inning and another pair in the seventh. Harang (3-1) left for a pinch hitter during a long, four-run eighth. He was never in the on- deck circle - the decision had already been made that he was done. Jordan Walden completed the combined one-hitter. The Mets hit few balls hard against the resurgent Harang, who lowered his ERA to an NL-best 0.70 ERA. The closest they came to a hit off the 35-year-oldright-hander was actually DETROIT: Erick Aybar No. 2, Brennan Boesch 00, Colin Cowgill No. 7, JB Shuck No. 3 on a check-swing tapper by Travis d’Arnaud in and John McDonald No. 8 of the of Anaheim celebrate a win over the second inning. Jonathan Niese (0-2) took the the at Comerica Park. —AFP loss.

BREWERS 5, PIRATES 3 Angels tame Tigers Kyle Lohse pitched effectively into the sev- enth inning and Carlos Gomez homered to lead DETROIT: Albert Pujols hit his 497th home Martin homered for a 10-0 lead in the fourth. Milwaukee past Pittsburgh. Lohse (3-1) run and Howie Kendrick added two of his Chirinos and Jim Adduci set career highs improved to 11-2 in his career against the own to lead the Los Angeles Angels to an 11- with three hits apiece. Alex Rios also had Pirates, allowing one earned run in a win against 6 win over the Detroit Tigers on Friday night. three hits and scored each time he reached them for the second time in six days. The Angels chased Detroit starter Drew base. , who came in hitting .164, He fell one out shy of a complete game NEW YORK: Gonzalez Germen No. 71 of the New York Mets delivers a pitch in the eighth inning Smyly (1-1) after three innings and then reached base all five times he batted, includ- Sunday at Miller Park. This time, he was charged against the Atlanta Braves in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queensborough of New York added seven runs off reliever Luke Putkonen. ing a run-scoring . He also singled, with three runs - two unearned - and four hits City. —AFP with three walks with five . Los Angeles finished with 13 hits, 10 for extra walked twice and was hit by a pitch. Chicago’s represented a season high for the Rockies and bases. Alexei Ramirez extended a franchise record Gomez homered deep to center to lead off the fifth and added an RBI single an inning later PADRES 2, GIANTS 1 their run total matched a season high. Kendrick hit two-run homers in the third by getting a hit in his 17th straight game to Tyson Ross held the to Chatwood (1-0), who missed the first two and fourth, and Pujols lined a three-run shot start the season. His soft single to right in the as the Brewers rallied from two runs down. Charlie Morton (0-2) allowed five runs and four hits and struck out nine in eight scoreless weeks of the season with a left hamstring strain, to left field in the sixth to make it 11-1. Jered fifth extended his streak to 21 games going innings, and San Diego handed his allowed one unearned run on two hits in his sec- Weaver (1-2) allowed a run and three hits in back to last season. eight hits in six innings while losing to Lohse for the second time this week. Russell Martin had third straight loss. ond start of the season and first at home. six innings. He walked three and struck out Ross (2-2) beat Cain five days after topping AL Phillies starter Jonathan Pettibone (0-1) went three. ROYALS 5, TWINS 0 two hits and two RBIs for the Pirates, who have lost six of eight. Cy Young Award winner and the four innings and allowed eight runs on nine hits. The Angels have won 10 straight against Jason Vargas pitched seven sharp innings, Detroit Tigers. The right-hander was rarely in the Tigers, the longest active streak in the Mike Moustakas cracked a two-run homer REDS 4, CUBS 1 trouble, other than allowing a leadoff double to INTERLEAGUE majors by one team over another. Kendrick and Kansas City romped to a victory over Angel Pagan. Ross then retired the next eight MARLINS 8, MARINERS 4 and Ian Stewart both had three hits for the Minnesota. Alfredo Simon lowered his ERA to 0.86, and Cincinnati won for the 16th time in its last 17 batters. He walked one. Giancarlo Stanton hit a grand slam with none Angels, with Stewart falling a homer shy of Alcides Escobar had three hits and Omar Pablo Sandoval was the only Giants runner to out in the ninth inning, and Miami took advan- the cycle. Mike Trout doubled twice. Infante also drove in two runs for the Royals, games at Wrigley Field. Making his third start, Simon (2-1) allowed an unearned run in six-plus reach third base, after hitting a single leading off tage of an overturned call on a replay review to who have won four straight after getting the seventh and advancing on a walk and a dou- beat Seattle. RAYS 11, YANKEES 5 swept in Minnesota last weekend. innings and sent the Cubs to their fifth straight loss. Jonathan Broxton pitched a hitless ninth for ble-play ball. He was stranded when Ross got Reed Johnson was called out on a force play drove in four runs and Tampa Ricky Nolasco (1-2) gave up five runs and Brandon Crawford to line to shortstop. Cain (0-3) following a bunt, but the umpires reviewed the Bay overcame a four-run deficit to beat New 11 hits in 5 2-3 innings for the Twins. He was his second , completing a six-hitter as the Reds stretched their winning streak to a season- allowed four hits and one unearned run in seven ruling and determined third baseman Kyle York, stopping a four-game skid. Pinch-hitter coming off a 7-1 win over Kansas City in innings while striking out eight and walking two. Seager had juggled the ball. The Mariners then Desmond Jennings had an RBI single before which he went eight innings. best three. Jeff Samardzija (0-2) gave up three runs - one deployed five infielders, and Stanton cleared Loney’s two-run single off Adam Warren (0-1) Vargas (2-0), who signed a $32 million, ROCKIES 12, PHILLIES 1 them all with a towering homer to the left of the in the seventh inning gave the Rays a 6-5 four-year deal in the offseason, allowed seven earned - and six hits in seven innings with seven strikeouts and two walks. Troy Tulowitzki hit a three-run after home-run sculpture. lead. Sean Rodriguez hit a two-run homer hits while striking out four in another daz- No. 3 hitter Carlos Gonzalez was intentionally Johnson singled to start the ninth against during a five-run eighth that made it 11-5. Wil zling start. The crafty left-hander lowered his walked in front of him, Tyler Chatwood pitched Yoervis Medina (0-1), and Christian Yelich beat Myers, who finished with three RBIs, added a ERA to 1.24 while going at least seven innings DIAMONDBACKS 4, DODGERS 2 Aaron Hill hit a two-run single in the 12th seven strong innings for his first win of the sea- out a sacrifice bunt for his third hit. Marcell two-run single. in each of his four outings this season. son, and Colorado routed Philadelphia. Ozuna’s bunt loaded the bases following the Yankees reliever Cesar Cabral was ejected inning and Miguel Montero homered to lead Arizona past Los Angeles. Chris Perez (0-1), Tulowitzki went 3 for 3 on the night, drove in replay review, and Stanton hit his sixth homer on by plate umpire Joe West after hitting his BLUE JAYS 3, INDIANS 2 five runs and drew a key walk during the Rockies’ a 1-2 count. Stanton had five RBIs to increase his third batter, Logan Forsythe, in the eighth Melky Cabrera had four hits and scored beginning his second inning of relief, gave up a leadoff double to A.J. Pollock in the 12th and four-run first inning. and Charlie total to 26, most in the majors. Steve Cishek (1-0) after Myers’ hit. The left-hander earlier the go-ahead run in the seventh inning on Blackmon added three hits apiece. The 18 hits pitched a perfect ninth.—AP plunked and Loney. Edwin Encarnacion’s single, and Toronto held plunked pinch-hitter Cliff Pennington on the left Longoria had three hits and reached base on to beat Cleveland. foot with a pitch as he squared to bunt. Gerardo in all five plate appearances. Jake McGee (1-0) The Blue Jays trailed 2-1 in the seventh Parra advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt, got the win. Scott Sizemore hit a three-run before Munenori Kawasaki hit an RBI single and Hill lined an 0-1 pitch to right-center to MLB results/standings double as the Yankees took a 4-0 lead in the off reliever Marc Rzepczynski (0-1). break the tie. second. New York had won five straight. Encarnacion delivered against Cody Allen. Joe Thatcher (0-1) pitched 1 1-3 innings for Cincinnati 4, Chicago Cubs 1; Toronto 3, Cleveland 2; Washington 3, St. Louis 1; Milwaukee 5, Pittsburgh 3; LA Steve Delabar (1-0), one of three Toronto the victory and six-year veteran Trevor Cahill got Angels 11, Detroit 6; Baltimore 8, Boston 4; Atlanta 6, NY Mets 0; Miami 8, Seattle 4; Tampa Bay 11, NY Yankees 5; three outs for his first major league save. Cahill Texas 12, 0; Kansas City 5, Minnesota 0; Colorado 12, Philadelphia 1; Oakland 11, Houston 3; ORIOLES 8, RED SOX 4 relievers to combine for eight walks in the Arizona 4, LA Dodgers 2 (12 innings); San Diego 2, San Francisco 1. Jonathan Schoop went 4 for 5 with two eighth inning of a loss at Minnesota on was 0-4 with a 9.17 ERA in four starts before he doubles and two RBIs as Baltimore roughed Thursday, got the win in relief of starter Drew was demoted to the bullpen. American League National League up Boston starter John Lackey. Every Orioles Hutchison. Eastern Division Eastern Division W L PCT GB starter had at least one hit except for Chris Sergio Santos worked a very shaky ninth NATIONALS 3, CARDINALS 1 Atlanta 11 5 .688 - Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina’s throwing NY Yankees 10 7 .588 - Washington 10 7 .588 1.5 Davis. Baltimore got 10 of those hits off for his fifth save, one night after his three wild Baltimore 8 7 .533 1 Lackey (2-2), who allowed six earned runs pitches in the eighth-inning debacle allowed error combined with ’s wild pitch NY Mets 8 8 .500 3 Toronto 9 8 .529 1 Philadelphia 7 9 .438 4 over 5 1-3 innings. It was the second straight the Twins to score three runs. Santos loaded to allow two unearned runs in the seventh Tampa Bay 8 9 .471 2 Miami 7 10 .412 4.5 start in which Lackey gave up six runs and the bases before retiring Michael Brantley on inning, breaking a tie and helping Gio Gonzalez Boston 7 10 .412 3 Central Division failed to make it out of the sixth inning. The a hard grounder to first for the final out. and Washington get the win. Gonzalez (3-1) Central Division Milwaukee 12 5 .706 - first four-hit game of Schoop’s career extend- Carlos Santana hit a two-run homer for the allowed one run and four hits in seven innings, Detroit 7 6 .538 - retiring the last 11 batters he faced. He finished Kansas City 8 7 .533 - St. Louis 10 7 .588 2 ed his hitting streak to seven games. Orioles Indians, who have dropped six of eight. Pittsburgh 8 9 .471 4 starter Chris Tillman (2-1) labored through with seven strikeouts and one walk as Minnesota 8 8 .500 0.5 Washington ended an eight-game losing streak Chicago White Sox 8 9 .471 1 Cincinnati 7 9 .438 4.5 five innings. Darren O’Day got four outs for ATHLETICS 11, ASTROS 3 Cleveland 7 9 .438 1.5 Chicago Cubs 4 11 .267 7 his first save of the season. Alberto Callaspo hit a three-run homer against St. Louis that dated to Game 5 of the teams’ 2012 NL division series. Western Division Western Division and Oakland scored seven times in the first Oakland 11 5 .688 - Wacha (2-1) gave up five hits and one earned LA Dodgers 10 7 .588 - RANGERS 12, WHITE SOX 0 inning against Houston to back Sonny Gray. Texas 10 7 .588 1.5 San Francisco 10 7 .588 - run. But a night after the Nationals made three Martin Perez pitched a three-hitter for his Josh Reddick and Coco Crisp each added a LA Angels 8 8 .500 3 Colorado 9 9 .500 1.5 errors - they initially were charged with four, but first career shutout, Leonys Martin drove in two-run shot for the Athletics, who have won Seattle 7 9 .438 4 San Diego 8 9 .471 2 one was changed to a hit Friday - it was the Houston 5 12 .294 6.5 four runs and Texas routed Chicago. Martin nine of 11. Yoenis Cespedes hit a solo homer Arizona 5 14 .263 6 homered and was one of four Rangers batters in the second inning to follow up his two-run Cardinals’ turn to be sloppy. with three hits apiece. Robinson Chirinos also single in the first against Jarred Cosart (1-2). went deep. Cespedes’ single came one batter before Perez (3-0) retired his last 12 batters and Callaspo connected for his second home run struck out eight in his second complete of the season. John Jaso drew Cosart’s fourth Toulouse held by Oyonnax game, including rookie Jose Abreu three walk of the first inning before Reddick hit his times. Perez has thrown 17 straight scoreless first homer with his own towering drive to innings after he went eight in a 1-0 win over right field. That chased Cosart, who retired PARIS: Toulouse will have to wait till the last Top Toulouse, with the wind behind them, spot his effort came back off the outside of the Houston. only one batter before being replaced by Paul 14 game of the season in a fortnight to see opened the scoring with a neatly-taken drop post. Martin had a two-run triple and Chirinos Clemens. Gray (3-0) allowed three runs in six whether or not they qualify for the play-offs after goal by Jean-Marc Doussain, the French interna- Doussain for his part made no mistake when hit a two-run homer on the next pitch in sev- innings, the first time this season he has giv- being held 19-19 by relegation-threatened tional scrum-half deputising once again at fly- offered the chance to restore Toulouse’s early en-run third inning off Felipe Paulino (0-2). en up more than one earned run.—AP Oyonnax yesterday. The point sees the 19-time half for first choice former All Black star Luke lead, slotting over a penalty in the 26th minute champions-who host Grenoble in their final McAlister. for 6-3 and the 23-year-old added another short- match-occupy the sixth and last place for the Oyonnax’s Argentinian international fly-half ly before the half hour mark for 9-3. play-offs, five points ahead of Stade Francais and Benjamin Urdapilleta-who has scored over 50 Oyonnax, though, went into the half-time Deysel try seals Bordeaux-Begles who play each other late yes- per cent of his side’s points this season-drew the break ahead after their fullback Florian Denos, terday. hosts level shortly afterwards with a penalty. who came through the Toulouse academy, For Oyonnax the point lifted them to fourth However, he was less successful with a sec- touched down Urdapilleta’s superbly judged win for Sharks from bottom onto 50 points but both Perpignan ond penalty attempt in the 20th minute after chip kick into the Toulouse try area. and Bayonne can leapfrog them late yesterday some sustained pressure induced the visitors The Argentinian added the conversion to give depending on their results against European into an infringement and failed to make amends DURBAN: Flanker Jean Deysel scored his promising break past several would-be them a 10-9 lead. Doussain failed to restore champions Toulon and Grenoble respectively. three minutes later as almost from the same first Super Rugby try as leaders Coastal tacklers only to lose possession close to the Toulouse’s lead early in the second-half as his Sharks moved six points clear with a 19-8 22-metre line. Cheetahs got their first penalty went wide but more than made up for victory over fellow South Africans Central chance to put points on the board after six that with a try in the 47th minute as he sold Cheetahs yesterday. The table toppers were minutes and fly-half Elgar Watts made no Urdapilleta a dummy and the broke another four points ahead with nine minutes left at mistake from close range. tackle to touch down. He converted his try to Kings Park in Durban when Deysel touched The team from Bloemfontein suffered a make it 16-10. down at a ruck and Francois Steyn convert- major blow just before the half hour when The hosts reduced the deficit to three though ed to seal the victory. giant lock Lodewyk de Jager retired with a as the Toulouse scrum conceded a penalty Sharks, seeking a first southern hemi- broken finger. Sharks levelled on 32 min- which Urdapilleta converted for 16-13. sphere inter-provincial championship title, utes when Swiel-the fourth player to play However, Oyonnax were reduced to 14 men were far from their best in an often scrappy fly-half for the Durban outfit this season- in the 59th minute when captain Roimata game containing much aimless field kick- succeeded with his second penalty. Hansell-Pune was sin-binned for tackling ing. But the home side did get on top terri- Home left-wing Tonderai Chavhanga, Doussain after the whistle had gone-Doussain torially in the second half with their scrum making his first Super Rugby appearance missed the resulting penalty. However, he suc- working effectively and Steyn made the since 2010, limped off just before half-time ceeded with another attempt to make it 19-13 Cheetahs pay for conceding penalties. with a suspected hamstring injury. — Urdapilleta, though, kept the hosts in touch Sharks have 31 points and the Australian Swiel had a seemingly simple chance to by adding one of his own with 18 minutes ACT Brumbies and New Zealand Waikato nudge the Sharks ahead just before the remaining for 19-16. Chiefs 25 each with all three teams having break, but pulled his penalty wide of the The hosts thought they had regained the played eight matches. left post to groans from the stand. lead with a second try with eight minutes Cheetahs remain second last with just Steyn replaced Swiel as the goal-kicker remaining but the video referee ruled it out for a nine points and could drop to bottom after the break and slotted three consecu- knock on earlier in the move. place if Western Stormers defeat Golden tive kicks to take the Sharks 12-3 ahead just However, Urdapilleta levelled the game with Lions in another South African derby late past the hour. another penalty and they held on for a deserved yesterday. The visitors were penalised just The third Steyn kick followed relentless share of the points as Toulouse’s former France 15 seconds into the match, presenting fly- pressure in which prop Tendai ‘The Beast’ half Tim Swiel with a scoring chance he Mtawarira figured prominently and international fly-half Lionel Beauxis missed with fluffed by pulling his kick left. Cheetahs flank Heinrich Brussow was yel- SPAIN: Perpignan’s Alasdair Strokosch is pictured before the French Top 14 rugby union match a penalty in front of the posts in the final England-born Swiel recovered to make a low carded. —AFP between Perpignan (USAP) and Toulon (RCT) at Montjuic stadium. —AFP minute.—AFP