[August 21, 2014]Aug 21 (The Sports Xchange) -
Highlights of Wednesday's Major League Baseball games.
Angels 8, Red Sox 3
The Los Angeles Angels beat the Boston Red Sox, but lost 13-game
winner Garrett Richards to what appeared to be a serious knee
injury.
In winning their third straight game, the Angels wiped out a 3-0
deficit and scored five runs in the fifth inning while their bullpen
shut down the Red Sox.
The win, their fifth in six games on a road trip, moved Los Angeles
(75-50) a game and a half ahead of the Oakland Athletics in the
American League West.
But it appeared to be a costly night for the Angels, as Richards
(13-4) was taken off the field on a stretcher after his left knee
appeared to buckle as he ran to cover first base.
The initial report said he had suffered a left patellar (kneecap)
injury.
The Angels have already lost left-hander Tyler Skaggs for the season
with Tommy John surgery.
- - -
Nationals 3, Diamondbacks 2
Pinch-hitter Anthony Rendon had an RBI single with one out in the
bottom of the ninth inning off reliever Evan Marshall as the
Washington Nationals beat the Arizona Diamondbacks for their ninth
win in a row.
The National League East-leading Nationals (72-53) are now a
season-high 19 games above .500 and one win shy of tying a franchise
record for consecutive victories of 10 set in 2005. Washington has
won four of its last five games in walk-off fashion.
The Diamondbacks (53-74) are a season-worst 21 games below .500 and
have lost five in a row.
- - -
Orioles 4, White Sox 3
The Baltimore Orioles used three home runs and another solid outing
from starting pitcher Wei-Yin Chen to sweep a three-game series from
the Chicago White Sox.
Left-handed Chen received just enough run support for American
League East-leading Baltimore to notch its first sweep of the White
Sox in Chicago since taking four straight games from July 6-9, 1995.
- - -
Tigers 6, Rays 0
Rick Porcello retired 20 consecutive batters at one point and Victor
Martinez hit a grand slam as the Detroit Tigers defeated the Tampa
Bay Rays.
Porcello (14-8) tossed a three-hitter and retired the Rays in order
for six straight innings. He finished the complete game in 104
pitches and struck out four.
- - -
Rockies 5, Royals 2
First baseman Matt McBride hit his first career grand slam home run
and the Colorado Rockies beat the Kansas City Royals.
The loss was just the seventh in 29 games for the Royals, whose lead
over the Detroit Tigers in the American League Central was trimmed
to one game.
- - -
Blue Jays 9, Brewers 5
Jose Bautista and Colby Rasmus hit home runs as the Toronto Blue
Jays beat Milwaukee and halted the Brewers' five-game winning
streak.
R.A. Dickey (10-12) gave up eight hits and hit two batters, but
Toronto hitters broke out of a weeklong slump, collecting 14 hits
against six Milwaukee pitchers and driving in seven runs with two
outs.
- - -
Rangers 5, Marlins 4
Texas rookie right-hander Nick Martinez, pitching in his hometown
for the first time in his major league career, shut down Miami early
and the Rangers beat the Marlins.
Martinez, 24, held the Marlins to six hits and two runs in six
innings, striking out a career-high seven to improve his record to
3-9 and end Miami's three game winning streak.
- - -
Phillies 4, Mariners 3
In a game that featured three wild pitches and two errors, the
Philadelphia Phillies scored three unearned runs in the bottom of
the fourth inning to erase a 3-1 deficit and beat the Seattle
Mariners.
Philadelphia starter Cole Hamels (7-6), who entered with the majors'
third-best ERA since June 1 (1.60), lasted just five innings, while
allowing three runs in his shortest start since July 2.
The Phillies' bullpen pitched four scoreless innings to seal the win with
nine of the final 12 outs coming via strikeout.
- - -
Mets 8, A's 5
Zack Wheeler ran his string of consecutive starts without a loss to 10
and Lucas Duda capped a five-run third inning with a three-run homer to
lift the New York Mets to a road victory over the slumping Oakland
Athletics.
Wheeler made it to two outs into the sixth inning before leaving with an
8-4 lead. He has not lost since facing the A's on June 25.
- - -
Pirates 3, Braves 2
Pittsburgh first baseman Gaby Sanchez capped a late-inning comeback with
a walk-off sacrifice fly to left that scored the game-winning run in the
ninth as the Pirates beat the Atlanta Braves.
The win ended Pittsburgh's seven-game losing streak, and snapped
Atlanta's five-game winning streak.
- - -
Giants 8, Cubs 3
Jake Peavy pitched seven solid innings and first baseman Travis Ishikawa
went 3-for-5 with three RBIs as the San Francisco Giants beat the
Chicago Cubs.
Peavy (2-3) allowed two runs and seven hits, struck out eight and threw
111 pitches for his second straight victory.
- - -
Cardinals 7, Reds 3
Lance Lynn allowed only four hits in seven shutout innings and St. Louis
knocked around Cincinnati ace Johnny Cueto as the Cardinals beat the
Reds.
Cueto (15-7), who entered the night trailing only the Los Angeles
Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw for the National League's ERA lead, was knocked
out before recording an out in the sixth. He gave up five runs on seven
hits, walking four and fanning four.
It was the seventh win in eight games for St. Louis (69-57), which
finished its homestand at 6-1 and pulled within 1 1/2 games of National
League Central leader Milwaukee.
- - -
Astros 5, Yankees 2
Robbie Grossman had a two-run single with one out in the top of the
seventh inning and the Houston Astros rallied to beat the New York
Yankees.
The Yankees (63-61) lost their fourth straight home game, dropped to 2-7
in their last nine and continued to falter with runners in scoring
position, going 1-for-8 on a night when they tied a season high with
four stolen bases.
- - -
Indians 5, Twins 0
The Cleveland Indians got five-plus scoreless innings from left-hander
T.J. House in a shutout win against the Minnesota Twins, who have not
scored for 17 consecutive innings.
- - -
Padres 4, Dodgers 1
Right-hander Eric Stults and three relievers combined on a six-hitter as
the San Diego Padres beat the Los Angeles Dodgers, who continued their
mediocre record at home.
San Diego (59-66) defeated Los Angeles (71-57) for only the fourth time
in the last 12 meetings and just the second time in the last eight
contests.
Despite leading the National League West, the Dodgers are only 31-31 at
Dodger Stadium.
