By GIDEON RUBIN
Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) With a timely swing in the 12th inning, Wil Myers turned his frustrating day into a fantastic one.
Myers hit a three-run homer in the top of the 12th to send the San Diego Padres past the San Francisco Giants 5-2 on Sunday.
His seventh home run and second in two games came on a 1-0 fastball from reliever George Kontos (0-2). Cory Spangenberg singled against Kontos leading off the inning, and Erick Aybar singled two batters later.
Myers was hitless in his five previous at-bats.
"I had some tough pitches. I thought they pitched me very well in my first five, but I felt really good," he said. "I was just looking for that one mistake and I was able to get it in that last at-bat."
Hector Sanchez, who played parts of five seasons with the Giants, socked a pinch-hit, two-run homer off San Francisco closer Mark Melancon in the ninth to send the game to extra innings.
Sanchez turned on a 1-1 cut fastball over the heart of the plate for his first home run of the season and third career pinch-hit homer. It was the Padres' first pinch-hit drive in the ninth inning or later to tie a game since Adrian Gonzalez connected against Arizona on Sept. 16, 2009.
Melancon's flop followed a full meltdown by the Giants' bullpen Saturday, when the Padres tagged San Francisco relievers for 11 runs in three innings of a 12-4 win that included Myers' three-run homer.
"I felt really good about the fight to the end," Padres manager Andy Green said.
It was Melancon's second blown save in seven chances.
Sanchez represented the tying run after shortstop Eduardo Nunez booted Luis Sardinas' leadoff grounder for an error.
Ryan Buchter (2-1) pitched two shutout innings for the Padres. Jose Torres worked a scoreless 12th for his first save.
Giants starter Ty Blach pitched seven innings of three-hit ball, retiring 10 of his last 11 batters in his second start for San Francisco since taking injured ace Madison Bumgarner's spot in the rotation. Bumgarner is expected to miss three months with a separated left (pitching) shoulder he sustained in a dirt-bike crash.
Padres starter Clayton Richard gave up two runs in 5 1/3 innings of six-hit ball.
The Padres have won 12 of 16 games against the Giants dating to last season.
San Francisco (9-17) has the National League's worst record and is 39-59 since going into last year's All-Star break 24 games over .500 with the best record in the majors.
STRAIGHT TALK
"We better start panicking," Melancon said about the Giants' awful April. "If we don't get our act together, it's going to be ugly. There's too many good teams out there ready to go after us. This energy level needs to get going. We need to pick up our play, throw quality strikes. We need to figure it out."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Padres: RHP Jarred Cosart, on the disabled list with a hamstring injury, tentatively plans to pitch for Class A Lake Elsinore on a rehab assignment Tuesday, Green said. Cosart will throw three innings or about 45-50 pitches.
Giants: RHP Neil Ramirez was designated for assignment and the Giants called up RHP Bryan Morris from Triple-A Sacramento. ... CF Denard Span, on the disabled list with a right shoulder injury, tentatively plans to take batting practice in Los Angeles on Monday.
UP NEXT
Padres: After an off day, RHP Trevor Cahill (1-2, 4.50 ERA) will pitch the home series opener against Colorado on Tuesday. Cahill is 5-6 with a 4.44 ERA in his career against the Rockies.
Giants: RHP Johnny Cueto (3-1, 5.10) starts the series opener against the Dodgers in Los Angeles on Monday. The two-time All-Star gave up three runs in six innings vs. the Dodgers last week and was 3-1 with a 2.67 ERA against them last season.
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More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
This is "The Line Drive", MLB and baseball news brought to you by the UNB! Network!
Monday, May 1, 2017
Votto, Duvall lead sagging Reds over Cardinals 5-4
By STEVE OVERBEY
Associated Press
ST. LOUIS (AP) Adam Duvall is not about to reveal his secret.
The slumping Cincinnati outfielder hit three doubles and a single Sunday, helping the Reds to a 5-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.
Duvall began the day in a 4-for-35 skid. He spent several hours working in the indoor batting cage after Saturday's game was postponed by rain - and discovered a flaw.
"Let's just say I corrected it," Duvall said. "I can't talk about it, or give details."
"But, I was seeing the ball great today," he said.
Duvall tied a career high with four hits and raised his batting average 33 points to .247.
"He had a huge day," Cincinnati manager Bryan Price said. "There is always that feeling, even in the times when he's struggling, that the next day he's going to come in and bust out and do some damage. He just doesn't concede to the struggles."
Joey Votto hit a tiebreaking single in the eighth inning for the Reds, who had lost eight of their previous nine games.
Votto's bases-loaded single came off Trevor Rosenthal (0-1). Votto had been 0 for 5 with three strikeouts against the hard-throwing reliever.
"We've just got to continue to chug along and get better," Votto said. "Games like this are how you set a tone."
Wandy Peralta (1-0) picked up the win by tossing a scoreless seventh inning. Closer Raisel Iglesias threw two innings to record his fourth save in as many chances. It was his second two-inning save of the season.
Duvall, Eugenio Suarez and Scott Schebler drove in runs in the three-run seventh to tie the game.
Devin Mesoraco singled sandwiched around walks to Tucker Barnhart and Billy Hamilton to load the bases against Rosenthal in the eighth. Votto followed with a two-strike single up the middle.
"We never stopping fighting," Duvall said. "It was a satisfying win."
St. Louis starter Mike Leake gave up one run on eight hits over seven innings. He is 0-3 against his former team in six career starts.
"They've always been a pesky team," Leake said. "Every time I face them, it seems like they're a little more into it."
RAIN GO AWAY
The Cardinals have had three games postponed due to the rain so far, their most ever in the month of April. Saturday's contest with Cincinnati was called. No makeup date has been announced.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Reds: RHP Homer Bailey will throw a bullpen session on Tuesday. He began the season on the disabled list after undergoing surgery to remove bone chips in his elbow in February.
Cardinals: INF Jhonny Peralta remains on the 10-day disabled list with an adverse reaction to medication taken for a respiratory infection.
UP NEXT
Reds: LHP Amir Garrett (2-2, 5.09) will face Pittsburgh's RHP Gerrit Cole (1-3, 3.60) on Monday in the first of a four-game series. Garrett did not allow a run in the first two starts covering 12 innings.
Cardinals: RHP Michael Wacha (2-1, 2.55) will take on Milwaukee RHP Zach Davies (2-2, 6.57) in the first of a four-game set on Monday in St. Louis. Wacha is 4-0 in his career against the Brewers.
Associated Press
ST. LOUIS (AP) Adam Duvall is not about to reveal his secret.
The slumping Cincinnati outfielder hit three doubles and a single Sunday, helping the Reds to a 5-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.
Duvall began the day in a 4-for-35 skid. He spent several hours working in the indoor batting cage after Saturday's game was postponed by rain - and discovered a flaw.
"Let's just say I corrected it," Duvall said. "I can't talk about it, or give details."
"But, I was seeing the ball great today," he said.
Duvall tied a career high with four hits and raised his batting average 33 points to .247.
"He had a huge day," Cincinnati manager Bryan Price said. "There is always that feeling, even in the times when he's struggling, that the next day he's going to come in and bust out and do some damage. He just doesn't concede to the struggles."
Joey Votto hit a tiebreaking single in the eighth inning for the Reds, who had lost eight of their previous nine games.
Votto's bases-loaded single came off Trevor Rosenthal (0-1). Votto had been 0 for 5 with three strikeouts against the hard-throwing reliever.
"We've just got to continue to chug along and get better," Votto said. "Games like this are how you set a tone."
Wandy Peralta (1-0) picked up the win by tossing a scoreless seventh inning. Closer Raisel Iglesias threw two innings to record his fourth save in as many chances. It was his second two-inning save of the season.
Duvall, Eugenio Suarez and Scott Schebler drove in runs in the three-run seventh to tie the game.
Devin Mesoraco singled sandwiched around walks to Tucker Barnhart and Billy Hamilton to load the bases against Rosenthal in the eighth. Votto followed with a two-strike single up the middle.
"We never stopping fighting," Duvall said. "It was a satisfying win."
St. Louis starter Mike Leake gave up one run on eight hits over seven innings. He is 0-3 against his former team in six career starts.
"They've always been a pesky team," Leake said. "Every time I face them, it seems like they're a little more into it."
RAIN GO AWAY
The Cardinals have had three games postponed due to the rain so far, their most ever in the month of April. Saturday's contest with Cincinnati was called. No makeup date has been announced.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Reds: RHP Homer Bailey will throw a bullpen session on Tuesday. He began the season on the disabled list after undergoing surgery to remove bone chips in his elbow in February.
Cardinals: INF Jhonny Peralta remains on the 10-day disabled list with an adverse reaction to medication taken for a respiratory infection.
UP NEXT
Reds: LHP Amir Garrett (2-2, 5.09) will face Pittsburgh's RHP Gerrit Cole (1-3, 3.60) on Monday in the first of a four-game series. Garrett did not allow a run in the first two starts covering 12 innings.
Cardinals: RHP Michael Wacha (2-1, 2.55) will take on Milwaukee RHP Zach Davies (2-2, 6.57) in the first of a four-game set on Monday in St. Louis. Wacha is 4-0 in his career against the Brewers.
Santana 2 HRs, Brewers end Atlanta's 4-game win streak 4-3
By JOE DiGIOVANNI
Associated Press
MILWAUKEE (AP) Domingo Santana spent most of April scuffling at the plate. He heated up at just the right time for the Milwaukee Brewers.
Santana homered twice and drove in all four Milwaukee runs as the Brewers ended the Atlanta Braves' four-game winning streak with a 4-3 victory Sunday.
"He drove the bus offensively," Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said. "To break out in a game is one thing, but in a game where you are doing all of the damage is a satisfying feeling. It puts the struggles behind you."
Santana hit a solo shot in the fifth, then added a three-run drive in the sixth inning. The big right fielder has five homers this season, including three in the three-game series against Atlanta.
Santana, who came into the series batting .169 (11 for 65), said Counsell has encouraged him twice in the past few days.
"Counsell came to up to me and said `Good things are going to happen, just keep hitting the ball,'" said Santana, who was 3 for 6 with two walks in the series. "He just kept talking about it, so it was really nice."
Freddie Freeman hit his ninth home run for the Braves, a solo shot in the sixth for a 2-1 lead before Santana's three-run shot gave the Brewers the lead for good.
Matt Garza (1-0) pitched 6 2/3 solid innings in his second start of the year. Neftali Feliz worked the ninth for his sixth save in seven chances.
Mike Foltynewicz (0-3) gave up both of Santana's homers, allowing four runs, one earned, on four hits while striking out six in six innings. He remains winless after five starts despite a 2.81 ERA.
"The slider was working in the beginning, but a lot of them were really right over the middle of the plate, they were kind of backed up a little but they just weren't ready for it," Foltynewicz said. "The team gave me the lead twice and I just couldn't hold onto it."
CRUCIAL ERROR
Atlanta shortstop Dansby Swanson booted a routine grounder for an error with two outs in the sixth, allowing Santana to come to the plate with two runners on and the Braves leading 2-1. Santana homered on the first pitch. "I played it right, it just came up," Swanson said. "So, that's one of those things sometimes, that's just how it goes."
BRAUN EXITS EARLY
Brewers slugger Ryan Braun left after six innings with soreness in his right arm and tightness in his right trapezius, a large muscle that extends from the shoulder into the upper back. He said he didn't expect to go on the disabled list, but said he might be out "at least a couple of days" because it was hurting to throw. "There's a couple things in my arm, hopefully not too bad, but probably more than a day or so," he said.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Braves: RHP Mauricio Cabrera (elbow tightness) only allowed one hit and two walks in two scoreless innings Saturday night in a Class A rehab start. He struck out two, throwing 18 strikes in 34 pitches. He is scheduled to pitch for Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday.
Brewers: 3B Travis Shaw was out of the starting lineup Sunday, a day after suffering a bruised right hand when being hit by a pitch. X-rays showed no break in the hand, Counsell said. "His hand is just a little sore, feels better than it did (Saturday)," Counsell said. "Nothing to be worried about." ... RHP Junior Guerra, who suffered a strained right calf on opening day, will work on agility drills this week, Counsell said. He also is pitching bullpen sessions every third day.
UP NEXT
Braves: Atlanta begins a seven-game homestand with four contests against the New York Mets. RHP Julia Teheran (2-1, 3.38) is pitching Monday.
Brewers: Milwaukee begins a seven-game road trip with four contests against St. Louis. RHP Zach Davies (2-2, 6.57) is pitching Monday.
Associated Press
MILWAUKEE (AP) Domingo Santana spent most of April scuffling at the plate. He heated up at just the right time for the Milwaukee Brewers.
Santana homered twice and drove in all four Milwaukee runs as the Brewers ended the Atlanta Braves' four-game winning streak with a 4-3 victory Sunday.
"He drove the bus offensively," Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said. "To break out in a game is one thing, but in a game where you are doing all of the damage is a satisfying feeling. It puts the struggles behind you."
Santana hit a solo shot in the fifth, then added a three-run drive in the sixth inning. The big right fielder has five homers this season, including three in the three-game series against Atlanta.
Santana, who came into the series batting .169 (11 for 65), said Counsell has encouraged him twice in the past few days.
"Counsell came to up to me and said `Good things are going to happen, just keep hitting the ball,'" said Santana, who was 3 for 6 with two walks in the series. "He just kept talking about it, so it was really nice."
Freddie Freeman hit his ninth home run for the Braves, a solo shot in the sixth for a 2-1 lead before Santana's three-run shot gave the Brewers the lead for good.
Matt Garza (1-0) pitched 6 2/3 solid innings in his second start of the year. Neftali Feliz worked the ninth for his sixth save in seven chances.
Mike Foltynewicz (0-3) gave up both of Santana's homers, allowing four runs, one earned, on four hits while striking out six in six innings. He remains winless after five starts despite a 2.81 ERA.
"The slider was working in the beginning, but a lot of them were really right over the middle of the plate, they were kind of backed up a little but they just weren't ready for it," Foltynewicz said. "The team gave me the lead twice and I just couldn't hold onto it."
CRUCIAL ERROR
Atlanta shortstop Dansby Swanson booted a routine grounder for an error with two outs in the sixth, allowing Santana to come to the plate with two runners on and the Braves leading 2-1. Santana homered on the first pitch. "I played it right, it just came up," Swanson said. "So, that's one of those things sometimes, that's just how it goes."
BRAUN EXITS EARLY
Brewers slugger Ryan Braun left after six innings with soreness in his right arm and tightness in his right trapezius, a large muscle that extends from the shoulder into the upper back. He said he didn't expect to go on the disabled list, but said he might be out "at least a couple of days" because it was hurting to throw. "There's a couple things in my arm, hopefully not too bad, but probably more than a day or so," he said.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Braves: RHP Mauricio Cabrera (elbow tightness) only allowed one hit and two walks in two scoreless innings Saturday night in a Class A rehab start. He struck out two, throwing 18 strikes in 34 pitches. He is scheduled to pitch for Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday.
Brewers: 3B Travis Shaw was out of the starting lineup Sunday, a day after suffering a bruised right hand when being hit by a pitch. X-rays showed no break in the hand, Counsell said. "His hand is just a little sore, feels better than it did (Saturday)," Counsell said. "Nothing to be worried about." ... RHP Junior Guerra, who suffered a strained right calf on opening day, will work on agility drills this week, Counsell said. He also is pitching bullpen sessions every third day.
UP NEXT
Braves: Atlanta begins a seven-game homestand with four contests against the New York Mets. RHP Julia Teheran (2-1, 3.38) is pitching Monday.
Brewers: Milwaukee begins a seven-game road trip with four contests against St. Louis. RHP Zach Davies (2-2, 6.57) is pitching Monday.
Rendon drives in 10, hits 3 HRs as Nationals rout Mets 23-5
By HARVEY VALENTINE
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon said he'd never had a day like this one.
Not many players have.
Rendon had 10 RBIs, three home runs and six hits as Washington took advantage of Noah Syndergaard's injury and mauled the New York Mets 23-5 on Sunday to set a franchise scoring record.
Rendon went a career-best 6 for 6 and scored five times while breaking the club mark for RBIs. He became the 13th player in major league history to drive in 10 or more runs in a game - the first since Garret Anderson did it for the Angels in 2007.
"I may have had three home runs in high school," Rendon said, "but never like that with the RBIs."
Matt Wieters added two homers, a single and two walks as the Nationals salvaged the finale of a three-game series between NL East rivals. Adam Lind and Bryce Harper also homered, and Harper scored four times.
Washington finished with a season-high 23 hits and scored the most runs in the history of the Expos/Nationals franchise. The Nationals' seven homers were their most since the team moved from Montreal to Washington in 2005.
Rendon began the day with no homers and five RBIs this season. After a two-run single in the first, he followed with a solo homer in the third and a three-run shot in the fourth. He ripped a three-run double off the right-center wall in the fifth and nearly had another RBI when he singled in the seventh, but teammate Daniel Murphy held up at third base.
Rendon, who raised his batting average from .226 to .278, capped his incredible day with a solo home run off Mets backup catcher Kevin Plawecki in the eighth. Harper and Lind went deep against Plawecki earlier in the inning.
"You want balance up and down your lineup and you want everyone to get in on the hit parade," Nationals manager Dusty Baker said.
It was a miserable day all-around for the Mets, who won the first two games of the series after losing six straight. They gave up 17 consecutive runs after trailing 6-5 in the fourth.
Syndergaard, the team's hard-throwing ace, left in the second inning and was on his way back to New York for an MRI on Monday morning.
"The preliminary diagnosis is possible lat strain," general manager Sandy Alderson said, "which may or may not be related to his previous complaint, which was in the biceps. So we'll just have to wait and see what happens tomorrow."
Syndergaard (1-2) allowed five runs on five hits in the first inning. In the second, he threw a strike to Harper on his 38th pitch and grimaced while reaching for his right armpit. Mets manager Terry Collins and the team trainer immediately came out, and Collins summoned reliever Sean Gilmartin.
Syndergaard was making his first start since April 20. The right-hander was a late scratch from his last scheduled outing Thursday against Atlanta due to right biceps discomfort. But he threw a bullpen Friday, said he felt fine and refused an MRI.
Hours after Washington announced leadoff batter Adam Eaton has a torn knee ligament and is likely done for the season, Michael A. Taylor, Eaton's replacement in center field, had two hits.
Jay Bruce had three hits for New York, including a solo home run. Rene Rivera also homered.
Matt Albers (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings in relief.
RECORD SETTER
Harper set a major league record for runs in April with 32. He passed Larry Walker, who scored 29 in March/April of 1997.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mets: Collins doesn't think he'll have 1B Lucas Duda (hyperextended left elbow) back Monday when he's eligible to come off the disabled list. Duda didn't play a rehab game Saturday and Collins said the slugger wasn't scheduled to play Sunday. A team spokesman said Duda felt "slight elbow discomfort on full extension."
Nationals: General manager Mike Rizzo said a date hadn't been set yet for Eaton's surgery.
LIKE FATHER, LIKE SUNS
Big-time offensive performances weren't limited to just the parent club.
The Hagerstown Suns, the Nationals' Single-A affiliate, set a South Atlantic League record with 30 hits in a 22-4 rout of the Lexington Legends. Touted shortstop Carter Kieboom went 5 for 7 with three home runs and five RBIs, while first baseman Anderson Franco also drove in five runs.
The teams combined to tie the league record of 42 combined hits, set by Augusta and Kannapolis on June 27, 2010.
UP NEXT
Mets: RHP Robert Gsellman (0-2, 6.23 ERA) starts the opener of a three-game series Monday at Atlanta. In his last start, Gsellman allowed six runs on 10 hits in four innings of an 8-2 home loss to the Braves.
Nationals: RHP Tanner Roark (3-0, 3.64) makes his sixth start of the season Tuesday night against Arizona.
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More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon said he'd never had a day like this one.
Not many players have.
Rendon had 10 RBIs, three home runs and six hits as Washington took advantage of Noah Syndergaard's injury and mauled the New York Mets 23-5 on Sunday to set a franchise scoring record.
Rendon went a career-best 6 for 6 and scored five times while breaking the club mark for RBIs. He became the 13th player in major league history to drive in 10 or more runs in a game - the first since Garret Anderson did it for the Angels in 2007.
"I may have had three home runs in high school," Rendon said, "but never like that with the RBIs."
Matt Wieters added two homers, a single and two walks as the Nationals salvaged the finale of a three-game series between NL East rivals. Adam Lind and Bryce Harper also homered, and Harper scored four times.
Washington finished with a season-high 23 hits and scored the most runs in the history of the Expos/Nationals franchise. The Nationals' seven homers were their most since the team moved from Montreal to Washington in 2005.
Rendon began the day with no homers and five RBIs this season. After a two-run single in the first, he followed with a solo homer in the third and a three-run shot in the fourth. He ripped a three-run double off the right-center wall in the fifth and nearly had another RBI when he singled in the seventh, but teammate Daniel Murphy held up at third base.
Rendon, who raised his batting average from .226 to .278, capped his incredible day with a solo home run off Mets backup catcher Kevin Plawecki in the eighth. Harper and Lind went deep against Plawecki earlier in the inning.
"You want balance up and down your lineup and you want everyone to get in on the hit parade," Nationals manager Dusty Baker said.
It was a miserable day all-around for the Mets, who won the first two games of the series after losing six straight. They gave up 17 consecutive runs after trailing 6-5 in the fourth.
Syndergaard, the team's hard-throwing ace, left in the second inning and was on his way back to New York for an MRI on Monday morning.
"The preliminary diagnosis is possible lat strain," general manager Sandy Alderson said, "which may or may not be related to his previous complaint, which was in the biceps. So we'll just have to wait and see what happens tomorrow."
Syndergaard (1-2) allowed five runs on five hits in the first inning. In the second, he threw a strike to Harper on his 38th pitch and grimaced while reaching for his right armpit. Mets manager Terry Collins and the team trainer immediately came out, and Collins summoned reliever Sean Gilmartin.
Syndergaard was making his first start since April 20. The right-hander was a late scratch from his last scheduled outing Thursday against Atlanta due to right biceps discomfort. But he threw a bullpen Friday, said he felt fine and refused an MRI.
Hours after Washington announced leadoff batter Adam Eaton has a torn knee ligament and is likely done for the season, Michael A. Taylor, Eaton's replacement in center field, had two hits.
Jay Bruce had three hits for New York, including a solo home run. Rene Rivera also homered.
Matt Albers (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings in relief.
RECORD SETTER
Harper set a major league record for runs in April with 32. He passed Larry Walker, who scored 29 in March/April of 1997.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mets: Collins doesn't think he'll have 1B Lucas Duda (hyperextended left elbow) back Monday when he's eligible to come off the disabled list. Duda didn't play a rehab game Saturday and Collins said the slugger wasn't scheduled to play Sunday. A team spokesman said Duda felt "slight elbow discomfort on full extension."
Nationals: General manager Mike Rizzo said a date hadn't been set yet for Eaton's surgery.
LIKE FATHER, LIKE SUNS
Big-time offensive performances weren't limited to just the parent club.
The Hagerstown Suns, the Nationals' Single-A affiliate, set a South Atlantic League record with 30 hits in a 22-4 rout of the Lexington Legends. Touted shortstop Carter Kieboom went 5 for 7 with three home runs and five RBIs, while first baseman Anderson Franco also drove in five runs.
The teams combined to tie the league record of 42 combined hits, set by Augusta and Kannapolis on June 27, 2010.
UP NEXT
Mets: RHP Robert Gsellman (0-2, 6.23 ERA) starts the opener of a three-game series Monday at Atlanta. In his last start, Gsellman allowed six runs on 10 hits in four innings of an 8-2 home loss to the Braves.
Nationals: RHP Tanner Roark (3-0, 3.64) makes his sixth start of the season Tuesday night against Arizona.
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More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
Justin Bour has 6 RBIs to help Marlins beat Pirates 10-3
By STEVEN WINE
AP Sports Writer
MIAMI (AP) The Miami Marlins took a look at a collage of Ichiro Suzuki's career and began to swing the bat better.
Suzuki was given a Plexiglas mosaic of photographs showing each of his first 3,000 hits during a pregame ceremony Sunday, and the Marlins promptly shook an offensive slump to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 10-3. Justin Bour drove in six runs with four hits, both career highs, and Miami rallied from a three-run deficit to end a four-game losing streak.
Suzuki made a small contribution with a pinch-hit walk, and his teammates drew inspiration from the tribute to him before the game.
"That's someone you feed off," Bour said. "You can never say enough about the guy."
Bour, mired in a slump for much of the season's first month, improved his batting average from .184 to .222. He had an RBI double in the second, an RBI single in the fourth, a two-run single in the fifth and a two-run homer in Miami's six-run seventh.
"There's that patch where you feel like, maybe I won't get a hit for the rest of the season," Bour said. "You've got to continue to stay positive."
Bour helped the Marlins avert a series sweep and break out of a slump after being outscored 26-8 during the previous four games. They totaled a season-high 15 hits, including three each by Dee Gordon and Marcell Ozuna.
Josh Bell hit a two-run homer for the Pirates, but they were shut out over the final 8 2/3 innings.
Bour hit a two-out, two-run single off Trevor Williams (1-1) in the fifth to put the Marlins ahead to stay, 4-3. Pittsburgh starter Chad Kuhl was charged with three runs, two earned, in four-plus innings and left the game with a bruised right knee after being hit by a comebacker.
Bour became the first Marlins player with at least six RBIs and four hits in a game since 2010. He now has four homers and 15 RBIs this year.
Miami's first baseman finished 4 for 5 when he flied out in the eighth needing a triple for the first cycle in Marlins history.
"I'm not sure how many people had me for a triple right there," said Bour, who has one career three-bagger.
Tom Koehler allowed three of the first four batters to score and exited trailing 3-0 after four innings. His ERA rose to 5.40.
Five Marlins relievers combined for five scoreless innings. Dustin McGowan (1-0) pitched the fifth.
PAINFUL COMEBACKER
Kuhl was hurt when hit by Gordon's sharp one-hopper. The right-hander collapsed in pain as Gordon reached on a single. Kuhl eventually got up and threw several warmup pitches, but then walked to the dugout.
"It was pretty intense pain," Kuhl said. "I wanted to stay back out there, but I got taken out."
Kuhl said he plans to make his next start as scheduled.
ROSTER MOVE
Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli sat out with a sore right foot and will be re-evaluated Monday. As insurance, before the game the Pirates selected the contract of catcher John Bormann from Class A Bradenton, and OF Danny Ortiz was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis.
Bormann, who was preparing for a game in Port Charlotte when he learned of the promotion at 9 a.m. Sunday, made his major league debut when he struck out as a pinch hitter in the ninth.
"This is once in a lifetime, something I will never forget," he said.
UP NEXT
Pirates: RHP Gerrit Cole (1-3, 3.60 ERA) is scheduled to make his 100th career start Monday when Pittsburgh begins a four-game series in Cincinnati. Cole is 0-6 in eight career starts against the Reds.
Marlins: LHP Wei-Yin Chen (2-1, 4.71) gets the ball Monday when the Marlins open a four-game, home-and-home series against the Tampa Bay Rays.
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More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
AP Sports Writer
MIAMI (AP) The Miami Marlins took a look at a collage of Ichiro Suzuki's career and began to swing the bat better.
Suzuki was given a Plexiglas mosaic of photographs showing each of his first 3,000 hits during a pregame ceremony Sunday, and the Marlins promptly shook an offensive slump to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 10-3. Justin Bour drove in six runs with four hits, both career highs, and Miami rallied from a three-run deficit to end a four-game losing streak.
Suzuki made a small contribution with a pinch-hit walk, and his teammates drew inspiration from the tribute to him before the game.
"That's someone you feed off," Bour said. "You can never say enough about the guy."
Bour, mired in a slump for much of the season's first month, improved his batting average from .184 to .222. He had an RBI double in the second, an RBI single in the fourth, a two-run single in the fifth and a two-run homer in Miami's six-run seventh.
"There's that patch where you feel like, maybe I won't get a hit for the rest of the season," Bour said. "You've got to continue to stay positive."
Bour helped the Marlins avert a series sweep and break out of a slump after being outscored 26-8 during the previous four games. They totaled a season-high 15 hits, including three each by Dee Gordon and Marcell Ozuna.
Josh Bell hit a two-run homer for the Pirates, but they were shut out over the final 8 2/3 innings.
Bour hit a two-out, two-run single off Trevor Williams (1-1) in the fifth to put the Marlins ahead to stay, 4-3. Pittsburgh starter Chad Kuhl was charged with three runs, two earned, in four-plus innings and left the game with a bruised right knee after being hit by a comebacker.
Bour became the first Marlins player with at least six RBIs and four hits in a game since 2010. He now has four homers and 15 RBIs this year.
Miami's first baseman finished 4 for 5 when he flied out in the eighth needing a triple for the first cycle in Marlins history.
"I'm not sure how many people had me for a triple right there," said Bour, who has one career three-bagger.
Tom Koehler allowed three of the first four batters to score and exited trailing 3-0 after four innings. His ERA rose to 5.40.
Five Marlins relievers combined for five scoreless innings. Dustin McGowan (1-0) pitched the fifth.
PAINFUL COMEBACKER
Kuhl was hurt when hit by Gordon's sharp one-hopper. The right-hander collapsed in pain as Gordon reached on a single. Kuhl eventually got up and threw several warmup pitches, but then walked to the dugout.
"It was pretty intense pain," Kuhl said. "I wanted to stay back out there, but I got taken out."
Kuhl said he plans to make his next start as scheduled.
ROSTER MOVE
Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli sat out with a sore right foot and will be re-evaluated Monday. As insurance, before the game the Pirates selected the contract of catcher John Bormann from Class A Bradenton, and OF Danny Ortiz was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis.
Bormann, who was preparing for a game in Port Charlotte when he learned of the promotion at 9 a.m. Sunday, made his major league debut when he struck out as a pinch hitter in the ninth.
"This is once in a lifetime, something I will never forget," he said.
UP NEXT
Pirates: RHP Gerrit Cole (1-3, 3.60 ERA) is scheduled to make his 100th career start Monday when Pittsburgh begins a four-game series in Cincinnati. Cole is 0-6 in eight career starts against the Reds.
Marlins: LHP Wei-Yin Chen (2-1, 4.71) gets the ball Monday when the Marlins open a four-game, home-and-home series against the Tampa Bay Rays.
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More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
Red Sox take weekend series against Cubs with 6-2 victory
By KEN POWTAK
Associated Press
BOSTON (AP) Marco Hernandez's hustle paid off in a big way for the Boston Red Sox.
Hernandez scored the go-ahead run on Pedro Strop's wild pitch in Boston's four-run eighth inning, helping the Red Sox beat the sloppy Chicago Cubs 6-2 on Sunday night.
The Red Sox took two of three in the lively weekend series that featured a strong showing for Cubs fans, chants in support of each side and the World Series trophies that ended long title droughts for the once-frustrated franchises.
"This was a high-build series, a competitive series, certainly," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "A good series win for us that was needed."
Hanley Ramirez hit a two-run homer for Boston, which had dropped four of five before the weekend set against Chicago. The Red Sox got two more runs on shortstop Addison Russell's throwing error in the eighth that bounced past first baseman Anthony Rizzo.
"It was fun," Boston outfielder Andrew Benintendi said. "I felt like there was a lot more Cubs fans here than I expected. It was fun to kind of listen to the fans go back and forth."
Kris Bryant hit a solo homer for Chicago, extending his hitting streak to 11 games. The Cubs closed a nine-game road trip at 5-4.
Boston has won 19 of its last 22 interleague series in Fenway.
Hernandez led off the eighth with a grounder to Rizzo, who relayed the ball to reliever Koji Uehara (0-2). But a hustling Hernandez was safe at first in a bang-bang play.
Uehara appeared to break off the mound late.
"I got there as quick as I could, the runner was just faster," he said through a translator.
Xander Bogaerts and Benintendi then singled, loading the bases. Strop came in and bounced a 2-2 pitch to Ramirez, bringing Hernandez home. Mitch Moreland's grounder scored a run before Russell's error allowed two more to score.
Chicago looked as if it might be able to escape after Strop struck out Mookie Betts with the bases loaded for the first out. But the wild pitch led to the big inning.
"I thought Stropy did a great job, striking out Betts, wild pitch, but other than that he did a really nice job in there," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "Then we made another mistake to make it really look ugly at the end."
Matt Barnes (3-0) worked one scoreless inning after completing his four-game suspension for throwing behind the head of Baltimore's Manny Machado. Craig Kimbrel got the final three outs.
Chicago trailed 2-1 before Jon Jay scored from second after reliever Joe Kelly bounced a pitch past Christian Vazquez in the seventh.
Jay's headfirst slide beat Vazquez's throw to Kelly after the catcher couldn't find the ball for a few seconds. He was originally called out, but the call was challenged.
After playing the first two games in summer-like temperatures, the teams took the field to a chilly 47 degrees.
That didn't seem to affect the distance of Ramirez's homer, estimated at 440 feet after it completely left Fenway over the Green Monster seats in the first.
On Saturday, he had one estimated at 469, the longest at Fenway this season.
Boston starter Eduardo Rodriguez struck out nine over six innings, allowing one run and five hits.
Chicago's Kyle Hendricks gave up two runs and three hits in six innings.
WORTH NOTING
Cubs pitching coach Chris Bosio is expected to re-join the team Monday after leaving a week ago for a personal matter.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Red Sox: Farrell said 3B Pablo Sandoval, placed on the disabled list April 24 with a sprained right knee, still hasn't started any baseball activities and is only going through range of motion exercises.
CURSE BUSTERS
The 2016 World Series trophy, won by the Cubs to end their 108-year drought, and the 2004 one captured by the Red Sox, their first in 86 years, were together on a table under the stands behind right field. Fans had the chance to take pictures with the trophies for a $20 donation to charity.
There was a steady flow of fans dressed in both Red Sox and Cubs jerseys.
UP NEXT
Cubs: LHP Brett Anderson (2-0, 3.54 ERA) is set to face Philadelphia RHP Vince Velasquez (1-2, 6.33) at Wrigley Field on Monday night.
Red Sox: RHP Rick Porcello (1-3, 4.75 ERA) hopes to end a string of losses in three consecutive starts Monday. Dylan Bundy (3-1, 1.65) is slated to start for Baltimore.
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More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
Associated Press
BOSTON (AP) Marco Hernandez's hustle paid off in a big way for the Boston Red Sox.
Hernandez scored the go-ahead run on Pedro Strop's wild pitch in Boston's four-run eighth inning, helping the Red Sox beat the sloppy Chicago Cubs 6-2 on Sunday night.
The Red Sox took two of three in the lively weekend series that featured a strong showing for Cubs fans, chants in support of each side and the World Series trophies that ended long title droughts for the once-frustrated franchises.
"This was a high-build series, a competitive series, certainly," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "A good series win for us that was needed."
Hanley Ramirez hit a two-run homer for Boston, which had dropped four of five before the weekend set against Chicago. The Red Sox got two more runs on shortstop Addison Russell's throwing error in the eighth that bounced past first baseman Anthony Rizzo.
"It was fun," Boston outfielder Andrew Benintendi said. "I felt like there was a lot more Cubs fans here than I expected. It was fun to kind of listen to the fans go back and forth."
Kris Bryant hit a solo homer for Chicago, extending his hitting streak to 11 games. The Cubs closed a nine-game road trip at 5-4.
Boston has won 19 of its last 22 interleague series in Fenway.
Hernandez led off the eighth with a grounder to Rizzo, who relayed the ball to reliever Koji Uehara (0-2). But a hustling Hernandez was safe at first in a bang-bang play.
Uehara appeared to break off the mound late.
"I got there as quick as I could, the runner was just faster," he said through a translator.
Xander Bogaerts and Benintendi then singled, loading the bases. Strop came in and bounced a 2-2 pitch to Ramirez, bringing Hernandez home. Mitch Moreland's grounder scored a run before Russell's error allowed two more to score.
Chicago looked as if it might be able to escape after Strop struck out Mookie Betts with the bases loaded for the first out. But the wild pitch led to the big inning.
"I thought Stropy did a great job, striking out Betts, wild pitch, but other than that he did a really nice job in there," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "Then we made another mistake to make it really look ugly at the end."
Matt Barnes (3-0) worked one scoreless inning after completing his four-game suspension for throwing behind the head of Baltimore's Manny Machado. Craig Kimbrel got the final three outs.
Chicago trailed 2-1 before Jon Jay scored from second after reliever Joe Kelly bounced a pitch past Christian Vazquez in the seventh.
Jay's headfirst slide beat Vazquez's throw to Kelly after the catcher couldn't find the ball for a few seconds. He was originally called out, but the call was challenged.
After playing the first two games in summer-like temperatures, the teams took the field to a chilly 47 degrees.
That didn't seem to affect the distance of Ramirez's homer, estimated at 440 feet after it completely left Fenway over the Green Monster seats in the first.
On Saturday, he had one estimated at 469, the longest at Fenway this season.
Boston starter Eduardo Rodriguez struck out nine over six innings, allowing one run and five hits.
Chicago's Kyle Hendricks gave up two runs and three hits in six innings.
WORTH NOTING
Cubs pitching coach Chris Bosio is expected to re-join the team Monday after leaving a week ago for a personal matter.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Red Sox: Farrell said 3B Pablo Sandoval, placed on the disabled list April 24 with a sprained right knee, still hasn't started any baseball activities and is only going through range of motion exercises.
CURSE BUSTERS
The 2016 World Series trophy, won by the Cubs to end their 108-year drought, and the 2004 one captured by the Red Sox, their first in 86 years, were together on a table under the stands behind right field. Fans had the chance to take pictures with the trophies for a $20 donation to charity.
There was a steady flow of fans dressed in both Red Sox and Cubs jerseys.
UP NEXT
Cubs: LHP Brett Anderson (2-0, 3.54 ERA) is set to face Philadelphia RHP Vince Velasquez (1-2, 6.33) at Wrigley Field on Monday night.
Red Sox: RHP Rick Porcello (1-3, 4.75 ERA) hopes to end a string of losses in three consecutive starts Monday. Dylan Bundy (3-1, 1.65) is slated to start for Baltimore.
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More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
Angels' Ramirez gets 1st win as starter, topping Rangers 5-2
By SCHUYLER DIXON
AP Sports Writer
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) JC Ramirez intrigued the Los Angeles Angels as a possible starter if the need ever arose.
It's more than intrigue now.
Ramirez got his first win as a starter on the right-hander's fourth try after 111 career relief appearances, and Jefry Marte homered and hit a tiebreaking, two-run single to help the Angels beat the Texas Rangers 5-2 on Sunday.
The 28-year-old Ramirez (3-2) matched his career high from two starts earlier with nine strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. He has been filling in for Garrett Richards, who hasn't pitched since leaving his first start with a right biceps strain.
"We knew he had definitely a terrific live fastball, he's got a good slider, he's got the curveball," manager Mike Scioscia said. "With that three-pitch mix, we thought that we would look at him to see if he was viable. There was a need, and he's getting his chance."
Ramirez threw seven scoreless innings in his previous start but got a no-decision. He had been a reliever for Philadelphia, Arizona, Seattle and Cincinnati in a span of four seasons when he joined the Angels on a waiver claim last June. Two of his six career wins in relief came this season.
Ramirez, who gave up four hits and two runs, struck out six of the last eight batters he faced, leaving after hitting Carlos Gomez with a pitch. Shin-Soo Choo had a solo homer during that stretch.
"I want to throw a lot of innings every time I go out there," Ramirez said. "Right now, my mind is not like, I want to get 20 wins. I don't want to get 10 wins. It's just, try to gain."
Bud Norris struck out four of the five batters he faced for his fifth save, including Rougned Odor with two on to end the eighth. The Rangers struck out a season-high 15 times.
Marte's two-out single in the fifth came after the Rangers gave Mike Trout a no-pitch intentional walk to load the bases and Texas starter Martin Perez (1-4) retired Albert Pujols on a popup. Marte had a solo homer in the ninth.
"We got beat today with two-out, run-scoring opportunities that they were able to capitalize on," Texas manager Jeff Banister said. "We don't do that and the other team does that, it's a challenge to win baseball games."
Kole Calhoun hit a solo homer in the third, had two hits, scored twice and saved Ramirez a run by throwing out the speedy Gomez trying to score from second on a single with Texas leading 1-0 in the first inning.
Calhoun's homer, his second, was the first by a left-handed hitter against Perez in Arlington since David Ortiz connected for Boston on May 10, 2014. Perez gave up eight hits and four runs in 5 2/3 innings.
No. 9 hitter Martin Maldonado reached base all four times for the Angels with a double, a single and two walks.
Gomez singled in the first for his fifth straight hit and reached base three times a day after hitting for the cycle.
PROFAR DEMOTED
The Rangers claimed infielder Pete Kozma off waivers from the Yankees and sent slumping former top prospect Jurickson Profar to Triple-A Round Rock. Kozma was designated for assignment Friday when New York shortstop Didi Gregorius was activated from the 10-day disabled list. Profar has made 13 starts in left field and is hitting .135 (5 for 37).
PINNED BY PUJOLS
The 37-year-old slugger left the bases loaded in consecutive at-bats. After the popout for the second out preceding Marte's single in the fifth, Pujols struck out in the sixth after the second straight walk to Trout - this one unintentional. Pujols was 0 for 4 and is hitting .231 with three homers in 104 at-bats.
SHINING SHORTSTOPS
Each shortstop made a standout play in the late innings, starting with Andrelton Simmons when he was playing behind the bag at second and snagged Choo's liner in the seventh. Elvis Andrus robbed Trout of a bloop hit with a sprinting grab in the ninth.
UP NEXT
Angels: RHP Matt Shoemaker (1-1, 4.73 ERA) faces Seattle for the second time this season in the opener of a three-game road series Tuesday. He allowed a season-high seven runs over 4 1/3 innings in a no-decision April 9 at home.
Rangers: Houston-area native Andrew Cashner (0-2, 2.93) pitches the opener of a four-game series at the Astros on Monday. The right-hander walked six but allowed just two runs in an 8-1 loss to Minnesota in his previous start.
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