Ethier's pinch single lifts Dodgers over Padres

Ethier didn't start in right field due to a stomach bug but manager Joe Torre brought in the noted clutch hitter with the bases loaded and the score tied 0-0.

But led by Ethier and Billingsley, with bullpen help from Hong-Chih Kuo and Jonathan Broxton, the Dodgers cut the lead to five games, and maybe gave themselves a needed lift, too.

L.A. starter Chad Billingsley (9-5) held the Padres pitched six scoreless innings.

The Dodgers have won five of six against the Padres this season, including four straight at Petco Park, and closed within five games of the NL West leaders.

Giants 6, Marlins 4 In San Francisco, Juan Uribe hit a tie-breaking homer leading off the eighth inning to lift San Francisco over Florida.

Uribe, starting in place of Pablo Sandoval at third base, homered off Brian Sanches (0-2) to break a 3-3 tie. Edgar Renteria followed three batters later with a two-run shot for only his second homer of the season.

San Francisco's Sergio Romo (4-3) pitched one scoreless inning for the win.

Mets 8, Cardinals 2 In New York, the hosts returned home, after being shut out four times during a 2-9 road trip, and rediscovered some offensive pep, beating St. Louis.

Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright's career-best scoreless streak was ended at 26 innings. Wainwright (14-6) allowed a season-worst six runs.

Jeff Francoeur hit a three-run homer for the Mets and Jose Reyes added a two-run shot, while starting pitcher Jonathon Niese (7-4) took the win.

Reds 12, Brewers 4 In Milwaukee, Brandon Phillips, Joey Votto and Scott Rolen all had four hits apiece for Cincinnati, which beat Milwaukee and moved into a tie for first in the NL Central.

The top four hitters in Cincinnati's lineup — Phillips, Orlando Cabrera, Votto and Rolen — finished 15 for 22 with seven RBIs as the Reds matched a season high with 19 hits.

Rolen, who returned Monday after missing nine games with a hamstring injury, snapped an 0-for-16 slump with hits in his first four plate appearances.

Milwaukee saw its season-best five-game winning streak snapped.

Cincinnati's rookie reliever Logan Ondrusek (2-0) earned the win with 2 1-3 hitless innings.

Brewers starter Yovani Gallardo (9-5) hit a two-run homer in his only at-bat, but left the mound in the third.

Nationals 3, Braves 0 In Washington, scheduled starter Stephen Strasburg was scratched with a shoulder injury in the warm-up, so reliever Miguel Batista made his first start in nearly two years and guided Washington to victory over Atlanta.

1|2|Next Page>>

SharePrintEmail

Write a Comment

Terms

Enter your comments - 3000 characters max

Type in image code

Submit

 Receive China Post promos
 Respond to this email