Mets power way past Nationals
WASHINGTON (AP) – Carlos Beltran, David Wright and Cliff Floyd homered in the first inning, and Carlos Delgado later tacked on a two-run shot, all off All-Star Livan Hernandez, starting the Mets on their way to a 13-4 win over the Nationals on Thursday. Victor Zambrano (1-0) allowed three runs in five innings in his first start of the season for the Mets, who’ve won six straight games.
Washington, meanwhile, has lost five in a row, outscored 35-13 in that span. After Wednesday night’s defeat to the Mets, veteran Jose Vidro renewed a complaint heard often from the Nationals in the second half of 2005: RFK’s dimensions are too big, and that’s hurting the home team.
Marlins 9, Padres 2
MIAMI – Dewon Brazelton gave up eight runs in four-plus innings and fell to 0-16 lifetime on the road.
Florida’s Mike Jacobs hit a three-run homer, his third, and Dan Uggla added a two-run homer, the first of his career. The Marlins, who came into the game with baseball’s worst record, broke a five-game losing streak and improved to 2-6.
Brazelton (0-2) gave up two homers, two doubles, two infield singles and four walks. He has allowed four homers in 6 1-3 innings this season and has an ERA of 24.16.
On the road, the right-hander’s career ERA is 8.59 in 25 games. His winless streak on the road is the longest since Kent Peterson of Cincinnati lost his first 18 away decisions in 1947-49.
Brewers 4, Cardinals 3, 11 innings
ST. LOUIS – Carlos Lee hit a tiebreaking home run in the 11th inning to lift Milwaukee to the win.
Lee also made a pair of game-saving catches at the left-field wall in the bottom of the 10th to help the Brewers avoid a three-game sweep.
The Cardinals couldn’t overcome the first two-error game of center fielder Jim Edmonds’ career, which led to a pair of unearned runs off St. Louis starter Jeff Suppan and a 3-1 deficit in the fifth. St. Louis lost for the first time in three games at new Busch Stadium.
Jorge De La Rosa (1-0) retired Edmonds in the 10th to get the win. Derrick Turnbow got the last three outs for his fifth save in five chances
Lee’s drive just inside the left-field foul pole in the 11th was his fourth of the season and came off closer Jason Isringhausen (0-2).
Reds 8, Cubs 3
CHICAGO – Adam Dunn hit a solo homer, and Felipe Lopez and Austin Kearns added three-run shots for the Reds.
Dunn homered in the first, Lopez went deep in the third, and Kearns hit one out in the eighth.
Eric Milton (2-0) allowed three runs – two earned – in 6 2-3 innings in his second solid outing of the season. He left after retiring pinch-hitter Todd Walker and Juan Pierre to start the seventh. Todd Coffey relieved him and struck out Jerry Hairston Jr.
Giants 5, Astros 3
SAN FRANCISCO – Moises Alou hit the 300th homer of his career and Matt Morris allowed four hits and three runs in 7 2-3 innings for the Giants in the first game of a doubleheader.
Yankees 9, Royals 3
NEW YORK – Randy Johnson won despite lasting only five innings, and the New York Yankees got home runs from Gary Sheffield, Jason Giambi and Johnny Damon to polish off a three-game sweep of the Kansas City Royals with a victory.
Bernie Williams, who finished with three hits, and Robinson Cano each had an RBI single off Denny Bautista (0-1) for the Yankees, who have won 14 straight home games against Kansas City – a streak that dates to August 2002.
Twins 8, Athletics 2
MINNEAPOLIS – Torii Hunter hit a two-run homer, Kyle Lohse threw six innings for his first win and the Minnesota Twins finished a three-game sweep.
Luis Castillo and Mike Redmond each had three hits, and Shannon Stewart drove in two runs for Minnesota, which had three-run innings in the first and fifth against Oakland starter Joe Blanton.
White Sox 13, Tigers 9
DETROIT – Jim Thome homered in his fourth straight game to lead the Chicago White Sox.
Tadahito Iguchi also homered and drove in three runs and Alex Cintron had a pair of RBI triples for the White Sox.