S p o r t s FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2015 Cespedes, Mets rally past Nationals for 3-game sweep WASHINGTON: Yoenis Cespedes hit a go-ahead homer four-plus innings. Billy Butler and Josh Reddick homered in the eighth inning moments after pinch-hitter Kelly for Oakland, which gave manager Bob Melvin a two- Johnson connected for a game-leveling shot as the New year contract extension before the game. York Mets rallied past the 5-3 Wednesday for a pivotal three-game sweep. Jacob MARINERS 6, RANGERS 0 deGrom (13-7) pitched seven strong innings in a tight Vidal Nuno allowed one hit over seven dominant duel with Nationals starter , who struck innings for his first victory in more than a year, and Mark out a season-high 13. Johnson’s leadoff drive against Trumbo and Kyle Seager each had four hits and a two- Strasburg (8-7) tied it 2-all before Cespedes teed off for a run homer to lead Seattle past Texas. Nuno (1-2) had two-run shot against struggling Drew Storen, sending gone 20 starts without a win, which was tied with the Mets to their third consecutive comeback victory in Atlanta right-hander Shelby Miller for the longest active the series. The sweep extended New York’s lead in the NL stretch in the majors. The left-hander struck out a East to seven games over Washington with 23 to play. career-high 10 and yielded only Prince Fielder’s first- The Mets have won six straight against the Nationals, inning single. As a starter, Nuno was 0-10 with a 4.17 including a three-game sweep at Citi Field from July 31 to ERA since his previous win on June 27, 2014, with the Aug. 2. Bryce Harper homered twice, doubled and scored . Nuno also made 24 relief appear- three times for Washington, but it wasn’t enough. New ances during that span without a victory. Danny York with an RBI single off Jonathan Papelbon in the Farquhar and Carson Smith each followed with a per- ninth. Travis d’Arnaud also homered for the Mets. Jeurys fect inning to finish the one-hitter. Martin Perez (2-5) Familia closed for his 39th . allowed five runs and seven hits in five-plus innings.

CARDINALS 4, CUBS 3 ANGELS 3, DODGERS 2 Matt Carpenter tripled and scored twice, and OAKLAND: George Springer #4 of the Houston Astros scores ahead of the tag by Albert Pujols drove in Kole Calhoun with the Stephen Piscotty doubled in the decisive run as St. Louis Carson Blair #39 of the Oakland Athletics in the top of the eighth inning at O.co tiebreaking run in the eighth inning as the Los Angeles beat Chicago to end a three-game skid. Angels ended their eight-game skid in the Freeway The NL Central leaders scored three times in the Coliseum on Wednesday in Oakland, California. Springer scored on a ground Series with a victory over the Dodgers. Calhoun doubled eighth inning to avoid their first sweep at home this out to short by Carlos Correa #1. — AFP into the right-field corner leading off the eighth against season and their first against the Cubs since September Luis Avilan (2-5). Pujols then bounced a one-out single 2010. Cubs starter Jon Lester left after seven dominant Happ (5-1) struck out a season-high 10. He won his fifth July 23 at San Diego, ending a seven-game losing through the middle against Pedro Baez. Garrett Richards innings. He didn’t allow a hit after the third batter and straight start, pitching into the seventh inning and giv- streak. He allowed two runs and four hits. A.J. Ramos matched his career high with 11 during 7 2-3 retired 20 of his final 21 hitters. Jonathan Broxton (2-4) ing up three hits. Mark Melancon worked the ninth for pitched the ninth for his 25th save in 31 chances. Martin innings of four-hit ball as the Angels beat their local rivals got the win and Trevor Rosenthal earned his 43rd save. his major league-leading 44th save. Keyvius Sampson Prado drove in the other three runs for the Marlins. Tyler for the first time since last year, avoiding a six-game sea- Clayton Richard (3-1) took the loss. (2-4) took the loss. Cravy (0-6) took the loss. son sweep. Chase Utley tied it with a two-out RBI double on Richards’ 109th and final pitch, but the Dodgers’ five- RED SOX 10, BLUE JAYS 4 BRAVES 8, PHILLIES 1 INDIANS 6, WHITE SOX 4 game winning streak was snapped. Scott Schebler David Ortiz hit a three-run shot for his 498th home Julio Teheran threw seven impressive innings and Francisco Lindor had three hits, including a home homered for the Dodgers on Richards’ first pitch, but the run as Boston beat AL East-leading Toronto to hand the Christian Bethancourt hit a go-ahead homer as Atlanta run, and Jose Ramirez also went deep in Cleveland’s vic- NL West leaders lost for just the third time in 16 games. Blue Jays just their second series loss since late July. Joe beat Philadelphia. Teheran (10-7) gave up one run and tory over Chicago. Josh Tomlin (5-1) allowed three runs The Giants’ loss kept the Dodgers 8 1/2 games up in the Kelly (10-6) won his eighth consecutive start, the four hits to help Atlanta take two of three and avoid in 5 2-3 innings to win his fifth straight. Cody Allen division race. Jose Alvarez (4-3) struck out Adrian longest stretch by a Red Sox since Hall of Famer tying the Phillies for the worst record in the majors. The allowed a run in the ninth before securing his 30th save. Gonzalez to end the eighth, and Huston Street pitched Pedro Martinez won nine straight in 1999. Mookie Betts Braves had lost 12 in a row and 19 of 20 before coming Lindor, who also tripled and scored twice, finished a the ninth for his 33rd save. had a solo homer and drove in three runs, and Ryan to Philadelphia. Michael Bourn had four of Atlanta’s sea- double shy of the cycle. Trayce Thompson, Tyler Hanigan had three hits and three RBIs for the Red Sox, son-high 18 hits. Bethancourt and Hector Olivera each Saladino and Jose Abreu each had a solo homer for the TWINS 3, ROYALS 2, 12 INNINGS who have won nine of 13 after taking two of three from had three hits. The trio entered the game batting a White Sox. Jeff Samardzija (9-12) allowed four runs and Pinch-hitter Miguel Sano homered with two outs in Toronto. Despite the loss, the Blue Jays maintained a 1 combined .170 (37 for 218). David Buchanan (2-8) eight hits in 6 2-3 innings. Samardzija has lost seven of the 12th inning as Minnesota beat Kansas City. Sano 1/2-game lead over New York, which lost to Baltimore. allowed four runs and 10 hits in 3 1-3 innings. eight overall and six straight at home. was stuck in an 0-for-14 slump that included 11 strike- Toronto heads to Yankee Stadium for a four-game outs when he stepped to the plate against Franklin series that begins Thursday night. Ortiz connected off RAYS 8, TIGERS 0 ASTROS 11, ATHLETICS 5 Morales (3-2), the Royals’ sixth reliever of the night. Drew Hutchison (13-4). It was his 32nd homer of the Jake Odorizzi pitched six strong innings as Tampa Bay Collin McHugh earned his 16th win and Houston hit Blaine Boyer (3-4) pitched 1 2-3 innings of relief for the season the 59th of his career against the Blue Jays, most hit four homers in a rout of Detroit. Odorizzi (7-8) held the four home runs to beat Oakland, avoiding a series Twins, and Kevin Jepsen got three outs for his 12th save by any opponent. Tigers to six hits and a walk while striking out six. Logan sweep. Colby Rasmus, Evan Gattis, Carlos Gomez and while sat out again with a back injury. Kurt Forsythe, Tim Beckham, J.P. Arencibia and Mikie Mahtook Marwin Gonzalez homered for the Astros, who Suzuki homered and Joe Mauer also drove in a run for ORIOLES 5, YANKEES 3 went deep for the Rays. Kyle Lobstein (3-7) took the loss increased their AL West lead over Texas to two games. the Twins. Ben Zobrist went deep for the AL Central- CC Sabathia’s strong start in his return from the dis- in his second start back from a shoulder injury. He gave They are tied with Toronto for the major league lead leading Royals. abled list was undone by Stephen Drew’s fielding mis- up five runs and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings. with 192 home runs. McHugh (16-7) labored through his plays at second base as Baltimore rallied past New York. worst start in more than a month but got enough sup- DIAMONDBACKS 2, GIANTS 1 Steve Pearce hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth MARLINS 5, BREWERS 2 port to win his third straight. He allowed five runs and six Zack Godley pitched six effective innings as Arizona inning for the Orioles off Adam Warren (6-6). Baltimore Tom Koehler tied career highs with 10 strikeouts in hits in 5 1-3 innings. Jose Altuve added two doubles and intentionally loaded the bases to get out of a seventh- had lost 15 of 18 and faded from postseason con- eight innings and Christian Yelich had a tiebreaking, Hank Conger drove in four runs for the Astros. Houston’s inning jam and beat San Francisco. Godley (5-1) was tention before winning the final two in the three-game two-run double in the seventh as Miami beat 76 wins are its most since 2010 when the club went 76- sharp in his last start before heading to the bullpen, series. Carlos Beltran homered and drove in three runs Milwaukee. Koehler (9-13) won for the first time since 86. Aaron Brooks (1-3) gave up five runs and eight hits in allowing a run and three hits. Jarrod Saltalamacchia for the Yankees, who took a 3-1 lead in the third but got homered for the second straight game, a two-run shot only one more hit. Ubaldo Jimenez (11-9) allowed four MLB results/standings off Chris Heston (11-10). Ender Inciarte had three hits. hits in seven innings, struck out eight and walked none. The Diamondbacks took a bit of a gamble in the sev- St. Louis 4, Chicago Cubs 3; Baltimore 5, NY Yankees 3; NY Mets 5, Washington 3; Atlanta 8, Philadelphia Darren O’Day and Zach Britton finished the four-hitter, 1; Tampa Bay 8, Detroit 0; Boston 10, Toronto 4; Pittsburgh 5, Cincinnati 4; Miami 5, Milwaukee 2; enth, intentionally walking Buster Posey with runners at with Britton saving his 32nd game in 35 chances. The Cleveland 6, Chicago White Sox 4; Minnesota 3, Kansas City 2 (12 innings); San Diego 11, Colorado 4; the corners to avoid facing the NL’s third-leading hitter. crowd of 30,038 was the smallest at new Yankee Arizona 2, San Francisco 1; Houston 11, Oakland 5; LA Angels 3, LA Dodgers 2; Seattle 6, Texas 0. Randall Delgado got Angel Pagan to pop out to end the Stadium, which opened in 2009, and the lowest for a American League National League inning. Brad Ziegler retired the final five hitters for his Yankees home game since 2004. Eastern Division Eastern Division 23rd straight save and 25th overall. The Giants went 0 W L PCT GB NY Mets 78 61 .561 - for 10 with runners in scoring position during their PIRATES 5, REDS 4 Toronto 79 60 .568 - Washington 71 68 .511 7 ninth loss in 12 road games. Reds star Joey Votto went berserk after a called NY Yankees 77 61 .558 1.5 Miami 59 81 .421 19.5 Tampa Bay 68 71 .489 11 Atlanta 56 84 .400 22.5 strike and got ejected, with teammates and even an Baltimore 67 72 .482 12 PADRES 11, ROCKIES 4 umpire needing to hold him back in Cincinnati’s loss to Philadelphia 54 86 .386 24.5 Matt Kemp and Jedd Gyorko homered, and James Boston 66 73 .475 13 Central Division Pittsburgh. Jung Ho Kang hit Pittsburgh’s first grand Central Division St. Louis 88 51 .633 - Shields pitched San Diego past Colorado. The Padres slam of the season, a tiebreaking shot in the sixth Kansas City 83 56 .597 - Pittsburgh 83 55 .601 4.5 had 18 hits in winning their second straight after a four- inning. The Pirates hold the top spot in the NL wild-card Minnesota 72 67 .518 11 Chicago Cubs 80 58 .580 7.5 game skid. San Diego scored four runs in the third to Cleveland 68 70 .493 14.5 race. Votto was tossed by plate umpire Bill Welke while Milwaukee 61 78 .439 27 take a 6-2 lead. The big blow was Gyorko’s three-run Chicago White Sox 66 72 .478 16.5 Cincinnati 57 81 .413 30.5 the Reds were trying to rally in the eighth. The 2010 NL Detroit 64 75 .460 19 homer. Shields (11-6) worked six innings and was MVP slammed down his batting helmet, hollering and Western Division Western Division charged with four runs. The right-hander improved to gesturing as he went nose-to-nose with Welke. The dis- Houston 76 64 .543 - LA Dodgers 80 59 .576 - 5-0 against the Rockies in his last six starts against them. pute quickly escalated and Reds teammates intervened Texas 73 65 .529 2 San Francisco 72 68 .514 8.5 Chris Rusin (5-8) went three innings and allowed six LA Angels 70 69 .504 5.5 Arizona 67 73 .479 13.5 to restrain Votto, with first base umpire Laz Diaz helping San Diego 67 73 .479 13.5 runs on eight hits. He walked Shields with the bases prevent the big hitter from getting back at Welke. Seattle 67 73 .479 9 loaded in the second. Colorado has lost 17 of its past 21 Oakland 60 80 .429 16 Colorado 57 82 .410 23 Cincinnati manager Bryan Price also was ejected. J A at Petco Park. — AP