Major League roundup
Mets put Braves nine games back in NL East race NEW YORK (AP) – Jose Reyes and Kaz Matsui each had run-scoring hits in another seventh-inning comeback and the New York Mets beat Atlanta 6-5 Saturday, putting the Braves nine games out in the NL East for the first time since Aug. 11, 1993.
It was the fourth straight win for the Mets and fourth straight loss for the Braves, winners of 14 consecutive division titles.
The Mets, who wiped out a four-run Atlanta lead with a seventh-inning rally Friday night, were trailing 3-2 after Adam LaRoche homered for Atlanta in the top of the seventh.
Xavier Nady opened the bottom half with a single against Tim Hudson (2-3) and after Ramon Castro struck out, pinch-hitter Jose Valentin also singled. Reyes, who had five hits Friday night and went 3-for-5 Saturday, delivered an RBI single to tie it. Reyes took second when the throw to third got away from Chipper Jones.
Phillies 4, Giants 1
PHILADELPHIA – Chase Utley homered again and drove in two runs to help the Phillies win their seventh straight game.
Giants slugger Barry Bonds blooped a wind-blown single into left field and finished 1-for-3 with a walk. He remains stuck at 712 homers, two behind Babe Ruth for second place on baseball’s career list.
The Giants have dropped six of seven.
Ryan Madson (3-1) gave up one run, eight hits – seven singles – and four walks in six-plus innings for Philadelphia. Tom Gordon got three outs for his 10th save in 10 chances.
Rockies 5, Astros 0
DENVER – Jason Jennings pitched a seven-hitter for his second career shutout, leading Colorado over Houston.
Jennings (2-2) struck out a season-high nine, walked one and retired 12 in a row during one stretch. He was 0-2 in his previous four starts and last won April 9 at San Diego.
Choo Freeman and Todd Helton each drove in a run and finished with two hits. Matt Holliday hit his seventh home run.
Wandy Rodriguez (4-1) worked six innings, allowing a season-high five runs and seven hits.
Cardinals 7, Marlins 6
MIAMI – Mark Mulder pitched six innings for his 100th career victory, and the Cardinals finished with 14 hits against Dontrelle Willis and three relievers.
St. Louis nearly blew a 7-0 lead. Florida scored three runs in the fifth inning, then added three in the eighth on Josh Willingham’s seventh home run and a two-run single by Hanley Ramirez.
Jason Isringhausen struck out Dan Uggla with two on to end the inning, then worked the ninth for his eighth save in 10 chances.
Mulder (3-1) allowed three runs, drove in a run with a double and improved his career record to 100-51.
Willis (1-3) lasted only 4 2-3 innings while giving up seven runs and a career-high 12 hits.
Angles 3, Blue Jays 0
TORONTO – Kelvim Escobar and two relievers combined on a four-hitter and Tim Salmon homered to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday.
Salmon went 2-for-3 with an intentional walk in his first start in right field since July 25, 2004. He missed all of last season because of shoulder and knee injuries.
Red Sox 9, Orioles 3
BOSTON – Manny Ramirez homered, and he walked twice in Boston’s five-run second inning.
Tim Wakefield (2-4) had lost three consecutive decisions, but his teammates eliminated the suspense early and sent Baltimore to its fourth straight loss – and 11th in 14 games. The knuckleballer allowed three runs, seven hits and two walks in six innings. He struck out three, uncorked a wild pitch and hit a batter.
The Red Sox beat the Orioles for the 10th straight time.
White Sox 9, Royals 2
CHICAGO – Javier Vazquez took a perfect game into the sixth inning and Tadahito Iguchi had four hits and scored three runs to lead Chicago over Kansas City.
Vazquez (4-1) kept the Royals off balance, lunging at sharp curves, to win his fourth straight start. He allowed two runs on four hits, struck out six – all in the first five innings – and did not walk a batter.
Twins 7, Tigers 6
MINNEAPOLIS – Luis Castillo slapped a single past a drawn-in Detroit infield, capping a two-run rally that lifted Minnesota.
Todd Jones (0-1) blew his first save in seven chances, with a one-out walk followed by an RBI triple by Shannon Stewart that tied the game. Then came Castillo’s hit, giving the Twins their first win over the Tigers in five tries.
Athletics 3, Devil Rays 2
OAKLAND, Calif. – Jay Payton scored the winning run when Jason Kendall’s grounder went between Tampa Bay third baseman Aubrey Huff’s legs with two outs in the ninth.
Moments earlier, Payton stayed on second following a wild 6-4-5-6-4 double play in which Dan Johnson was forced out at second right before Payton returned to the base after taking off on Marco Scutaro’s ground ball. Scutaro was headed for second, too, and became the second out when he arrived at second at the same time.
Chad Orvella (1-3) got the loss. Joe Kennedy (2-0) threw a scoreless inning to get the win for Oakland.
Pinch-hitter Greg Norton and Russell Branyan homered for the Devil Rays, who lost for the fifth time in six games.