WASHINGTON: Mike Leake outpitched 2016 NL Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer, Stephen Piscotty homered and had five RBIs, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Washington Nationals 6-1 on Wednesday to avoid a three-game sweep.
Leake (1-1) gave up four hits, struck out seven and walked none over seven shutout innings. The right-hander allowed hits to the first two batters, then picked off a runner before getting 19 straight outs. The streak ended when Daniel Murphy singled with two outs in the seventh.
By that time, St. Louis had taken a 3-0 lead against Scherzer, who yielded only one earned run. He did, however, throw three wild pitches — two in the third inning — after tossing only two all last year while going 20-7.
Scherzer (1-1) allowed three runs and four hits in six innings. He struck out 10, the 50th time in his career he reached double figures in strikeouts.
White sox 2 Indians 1: In Cleveland, Derek Holland held Cleveland hitless until the sixth inning and late fill-in Matt Davidson had a two-run single for Chicago.
Holland (1-1) gave up a leadoff double to Francisco Lindor in the sixth. The White Sox lefty struck out four, walked four and threw 101 pitches in six innings.
Holland is 4-0 with a 1.02 ERA in five starts at Progressive Field. He is 6-1 with a 2.35 ERA in 10 career starts against Cleveland.
David Robertson pitched the ninth for his first save.
Danny Salazar (0-1) went six innings and struck out 11, matching a career high.
Yankees 8 Rays 4: In New York, Jordan Montgomery showed power and poise in his major league debut after allowing Rickie Weeks’ two-run homer in the first inning, and New York rallied past sloppy Tampa Bay to get back to .500.
New York’s Brett Gardner and Weeks both left the game after a collision at first base in the sixth inning. Both fell to the field as Chase Headley came home with the go-ahead run.
Gardner was diagnosed with a bruised jaw and strained neck, and Weeks with neck and right shoulder soreness.
Tigers 5 Twins 3: In Detroit, Andrew Romine hit his first career grand slam and Detroit rallied from an early three-run deficit to beat Minnesota.
The Tigers trailed 3-0 before scoring five runs in the fourth inning, with Romine delivering the key blow.
Michael Fulmer (1-0) allowed three runs and four hits in six innings, striking out seven. Detroit’s maligned bullpen pitched three hitless innings, with Alex Wilson working the final two for his third career save and first this season.
Detroit has won five of six to take sole possession of first place in the AL Central.
Padres 6 Rockies 0: In Denver, Zach Lee and four relievers combined on a three-hitter, Ryan Schimpf homered as part of a four-run first inning and San Diego blanked Colorado.
Lee (1-0) earned his first major league win in his second career start. The other one came on July 25, 2015, with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The righty was filling in for Luis Perdomo, who went on the disabled list before the game with shoulder inflammation.
Reds 9 Pirates 2: In Pittsburgh, Reds rookie Amir Garrett threw another gem, taking a shutout into the seventh inning and leading Cincinnati over Pittsburgh for a three-game sweep.
Garrett (2-0), the former St. John’s basketball player, blanked the Pirates until David Freese hit a two-run homer.
Garrett gave up five hits, walked none and struck out five in 6 2/3 innings. In his major league debut last week, the 24-year-old lefty pitched six scoreless innings to win at St. Louis.
Cincinnati has won seven of eight since losing to the Phillies on opening day.
Mets 5 Phillies 4: In Philadelphia, Zack Wheeler earned his first win in 2 1/2 years, Michael Conforto hit a solo homer and New York held off Philadelphia to complete a three-game sweep.
Yoenis Cespedes and Asdrubal Cabrera each drove in two runs for the Mets. Wheeler (1-1) left with a shutout intact but was charged with three runs and four hits over 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander missed the last two seasons following Tommy John surgery and had not won since Sept. 19, 2014, against Atlanta.
Wheeler was pulled with a 5-0 lead and the bases loaded in the sixth. Maikel Franco hit the first pitch from Hansel Robles for a grand slam that cut it to 5-4.
Robles and Jerry Blevins combined to get four outs. Fernando Salas worked the eighth and Addison Reed finished for his third save.
Phillies starter Vince Velasquez (0-2) allowed five runs and five hits in five innings.
Brewers 2 Blue Jays 0: In Toronto, Chase Anderson and two relievers combined on a four-hitter, Jonathan Villar homered and Milwaukee handed Toronto its fifth straight loss.
The last-place Blue Jays are off to the worst start in team history at 1-7.
Anderson (1-0) allowed three hits in seven innings. He walked two and struck out seven. Corey Knebel pitched the eighth and Neftali Feliz finished for his third save.
Domingo Santana doubled in the second and scored on a two-out double by Keon Broxton. Villar hit a leadoff drive in the sixth, his third home run this season.
Leake (1-1) gave up four hits, struck out seven and walked none over seven shutout innings. The right-hander allowed hits to the first two batters, then picked off a runner before getting 19 straight outs. The streak ended when Daniel Murphy singled with two outs in the seventh.
By that time, St. Louis had taken a 3-0 lead against Scherzer, who yielded only one earned run. He did, however, throw three wild pitches — two in the third inning — after tossing only two all last year while going 20-7.
Scherzer (1-1) allowed three runs and four hits in six innings. He struck out 10, the 50th time in his career he reached double figures in strikeouts.
White sox 2 Indians 1: In Cleveland, Derek Holland held Cleveland hitless until the sixth inning and late fill-in Matt Davidson had a two-run single for Chicago.
Holland (1-1) gave up a leadoff double to Francisco Lindor in the sixth. The White Sox lefty struck out four, walked four and threw 101 pitches in six innings.
Holland is 4-0 with a 1.02 ERA in five starts at Progressive Field. He is 6-1 with a 2.35 ERA in 10 career starts against Cleveland.
David Robertson pitched the ninth for his first save.
Danny Salazar (0-1) went six innings and struck out 11, matching a career high.
Yankees 8 Rays 4: In New York, Jordan Montgomery showed power and poise in his major league debut after allowing Rickie Weeks’ two-run homer in the first inning, and New York rallied past sloppy Tampa Bay to get back to .500.
New York’s Brett Gardner and Weeks both left the game after a collision at first base in the sixth inning. Both fell to the field as Chase Headley came home with the go-ahead run.
Gardner was diagnosed with a bruised jaw and strained neck, and Weeks with neck and right shoulder soreness.
Tigers 5 Twins 3: In Detroit, Andrew Romine hit his first career grand slam and Detroit rallied from an early three-run deficit to beat Minnesota.
The Tigers trailed 3-0 before scoring five runs in the fourth inning, with Romine delivering the key blow.
Michael Fulmer (1-0) allowed three runs and four hits in six innings, striking out seven. Detroit’s maligned bullpen pitched three hitless innings, with Alex Wilson working the final two for his third career save and first this season.
Detroit has won five of six to take sole possession of first place in the AL Central.
Padres 6 Rockies 0: In Denver, Zach Lee and four relievers combined on a three-hitter, Ryan Schimpf homered as part of a four-run first inning and San Diego blanked Colorado.
Lee (1-0) earned his first major league win in his second career start. The other one came on July 25, 2015, with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The righty was filling in for Luis Perdomo, who went on the disabled list before the game with shoulder inflammation.
Reds 9 Pirates 2: In Pittsburgh, Reds rookie Amir Garrett threw another gem, taking a shutout into the seventh inning and leading Cincinnati over Pittsburgh for a three-game sweep.
Garrett (2-0), the former St. John’s basketball player, blanked the Pirates until David Freese hit a two-run homer.
Garrett gave up five hits, walked none and struck out five in 6 2/3 innings. In his major league debut last week, the 24-year-old lefty pitched six scoreless innings to win at St. Louis.
Cincinnati has won seven of eight since losing to the Phillies on opening day.
Mets 5 Phillies 4: In Philadelphia, Zack Wheeler earned his first win in 2 1/2 years, Michael Conforto hit a solo homer and New York held off Philadelphia to complete a three-game sweep.
Yoenis Cespedes and Asdrubal Cabrera each drove in two runs for the Mets. Wheeler (1-1) left with a shutout intact but was charged with three runs and four hits over 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander missed the last two seasons following Tommy John surgery and had not won since Sept. 19, 2014, against Atlanta.
Wheeler was pulled with a 5-0 lead and the bases loaded in the sixth. Maikel Franco hit the first pitch from Hansel Robles for a grand slam that cut it to 5-4.
Robles and Jerry Blevins combined to get four outs. Fernando Salas worked the eighth and Addison Reed finished for his third save.
Phillies starter Vince Velasquez (0-2) allowed five runs and five hits in five innings.
Brewers 2 Blue Jays 0: In Toronto, Chase Anderson and two relievers combined on a four-hitter, Jonathan Villar homered and Milwaukee handed Toronto its fifth straight loss.
The last-place Blue Jays are off to the worst start in team history at 1-7.
Anderson (1-0) allowed three hits in seven innings. He walked two and struck out seven. Corey Knebel pitched the eighth and Neftali Feliz finished for his third save.
Domingo Santana doubled in the second and scored on a two-out double by Keon Broxton. Villar hit a leadoff drive in the sixth, his third home run this season.
