WASHINGTON: San Francisco’s Eduardo Nunez got four hits, including two triples and a double off Washington ace Stephen Strasburg, to lead the Giants to a 7-1 win at the Nationals in Saturday’s clash of National League division leaders.
The Giants stayed two games clear atop the NL West ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who shut out Boston.
Washington, despite the defeat, remains seven games clear in the NL East. Their divisional rivals, the New York Mets, lost an interleague game to put a further dent in their playoff wildcard hopes.
In the key American League clash, Texas edged state and division rival Houston thanks to contributions from their two recent big-name signings.
San Francisco’s Brandon Belt homered, doubled and singled for the Giants, while Matt Cain pitched five scoreless innings.
Strasburg was trying to become the first pitcher with 16 wins this season. Instead, he lasted only 4 2/3 innings in his shortest outing this year, giving up eight hits.
The Dodgers kept the heat on the Giants by defeating Boston 3-0.
Los Angeles starter Ross Stripling pitched five innings after being called up from the minors due to an injury to Bud Norris. Making his first start in the majors in 10 weeks, he gave up hits to the first two Boston batters but only two hits thereafter.
Detroit’s J.D. Martinez threw out Jay Bruce at the plate on the final play of the game, preserving a 6-5 win against the Mets.
New York trailed 6-1 before rallying with two runs each in the fifth and seventh. With men on first and second and two out in the ninth, Travis d’Arnaud poked a single into right field. Martinez charged the ball, and his one-hop throw home was in time to get Bruce.
The Tigers have won 10 of 11 and trail AL Central-leading Cleveland by two games.
Texas’ Jonathan Lucroy homered twice and Carlos Beltran had a tiebreaking single and three hits as the Rangers’ big signings combined to lead the team to a 3-2 win against Houston.
The first-place Rangers improved to 10-2 against the Astros this season and pulled 6 1/2 games ahead of Houston in the AL West.
Beltran singled in the seventh to score Shin-Soo Choo and make it 2-1. Beltran left after the inning with a left quad contusion. Lucroy hit his second home run in the eighth.
Cleveland’s Corey Kluber steered the Indians to a 5-2 victory over the New York Yankees.
Kluber struck out eight in eight innings, beating C.C. Sabathia in a matchup of pitchers who won the AL Cy Young Award with Cleveland.
Indians closer Andrew Miller earned a save against the team that traded him last weekend. After getting a warm welcome from Yankees fans upon his return, he gave up a leadoff single in the ninth before two strikeouts.
Chicago’s Jake Arrieta pitched eight strong innings to get his first victory in over a month, leading the Cubs past Oakland 4-1.
Arrieta was 1-4 since ending a 20-decision winning streak. He issued only one walk and threw 108 pitches.
The NL Central-leading Cubs have won five straight while the A’s have lost seven of eight.
The Cubs crosstown rivals, the White Sox, also won, defeating Baltimore 4-2 in a game that turned on a replay challenge.
With the bases loaded and nobody out in the seventh inning, Omar Navarez hit a pop to shallow left field. Orioles third baseman Manny Machado tried to make an over-the-shoulder catch, but the ball dropped and the umpire ruled it foul. Replays showed the ball hit the foul line, so was fair. Base-runner J.B. Shuck was awarded home and Navarez got a single.
Kansas City’s Danny Duffy outpitched Aaron Sanchez, stopping the Toronto ace’s 10-game winning streak and leading the Royals to a 4-2 win against the Blue Jays.
Duffy, who struck out a team-record 16 and permitted just one hit over eight innings in his previous start, won his seventh straight decision. He held Toronto to two runs over 6 2-3 innings.
Sanchez gave up nine hits in six innings and suffered his first loss since April.
Miami’s Ichiro Suzuki made his 2,999th career his but grounded out in his first try at 3,000 as the Marlins lost 12-6 to Colorado.
San Diego’s Paul Clemens, who was forced to change jerseys because of a foreign substance on its surface, still outpitched Jake Thompson and helped the Padres beat Philadelphia 9-7.
Seattle’s Shawn O’Malley capped a comeback with a three-run home run in the seventh inning as the Mariners defeated the Los Angeles Angels 8-6.
Pittsburgh’s Ivan Nova pitched seven innings to win his first start with his new team as the Pirates beat Cincinnati 5-3.
Atlanta’s Freddie Freeman and Adonis Garcia hit three-run home runs to power the Braves past St. Louis 13-5.
Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun tied a team record by driving in seven runs, hitting two homers, as the Brewers crushed Arizona 15-6.
Tampa Bay’s Chris Archer won for only the third time in 15 starts as the Rays downed Minnesota 7-3.
The Giants stayed two games clear atop the NL West ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who shut out Boston.
Washington, despite the defeat, remains seven games clear in the NL East. Their divisional rivals, the New York Mets, lost an interleague game to put a further dent in their playoff wildcard hopes.
In the key American League clash, Texas edged state and division rival Houston thanks to contributions from their two recent big-name signings.
San Francisco’s Brandon Belt homered, doubled and singled for the Giants, while Matt Cain pitched five scoreless innings.
Strasburg was trying to become the first pitcher with 16 wins this season. Instead, he lasted only 4 2/3 innings in his shortest outing this year, giving up eight hits.
The Dodgers kept the heat on the Giants by defeating Boston 3-0.
Los Angeles starter Ross Stripling pitched five innings after being called up from the minors due to an injury to Bud Norris. Making his first start in the majors in 10 weeks, he gave up hits to the first two Boston batters but only two hits thereafter.
Detroit’s J.D. Martinez threw out Jay Bruce at the plate on the final play of the game, preserving a 6-5 win against the Mets.
New York trailed 6-1 before rallying with two runs each in the fifth and seventh. With men on first and second and two out in the ninth, Travis d’Arnaud poked a single into right field. Martinez charged the ball, and his one-hop throw home was in time to get Bruce.
The Tigers have won 10 of 11 and trail AL Central-leading Cleveland by two games.
Texas’ Jonathan Lucroy homered twice and Carlos Beltran had a tiebreaking single and three hits as the Rangers’ big signings combined to lead the team to a 3-2 win against Houston.
The first-place Rangers improved to 10-2 against the Astros this season and pulled 6 1/2 games ahead of Houston in the AL West.
Beltran singled in the seventh to score Shin-Soo Choo and make it 2-1. Beltran left after the inning with a left quad contusion. Lucroy hit his second home run in the eighth.
Cleveland’s Corey Kluber steered the Indians to a 5-2 victory over the New York Yankees.
Kluber struck out eight in eight innings, beating C.C. Sabathia in a matchup of pitchers who won the AL Cy Young Award with Cleveland.
Indians closer Andrew Miller earned a save against the team that traded him last weekend. After getting a warm welcome from Yankees fans upon his return, he gave up a leadoff single in the ninth before two strikeouts.
Chicago’s Jake Arrieta pitched eight strong innings to get his first victory in over a month, leading the Cubs past Oakland 4-1.
Arrieta was 1-4 since ending a 20-decision winning streak. He issued only one walk and threw 108 pitches.
The NL Central-leading Cubs have won five straight while the A’s have lost seven of eight.
The Cubs crosstown rivals, the White Sox, also won, defeating Baltimore 4-2 in a game that turned on a replay challenge.
With the bases loaded and nobody out in the seventh inning, Omar Navarez hit a pop to shallow left field. Orioles third baseman Manny Machado tried to make an over-the-shoulder catch, but the ball dropped and the umpire ruled it foul. Replays showed the ball hit the foul line, so was fair. Base-runner J.B. Shuck was awarded home and Navarez got a single.
Kansas City’s Danny Duffy outpitched Aaron Sanchez, stopping the Toronto ace’s 10-game winning streak and leading the Royals to a 4-2 win against the Blue Jays.
Duffy, who struck out a team-record 16 and permitted just one hit over eight innings in his previous start, won his seventh straight decision. He held Toronto to two runs over 6 2-3 innings.
Sanchez gave up nine hits in six innings and suffered his first loss since April.
Miami’s Ichiro Suzuki made his 2,999th career his but grounded out in his first try at 3,000 as the Marlins lost 12-6 to Colorado.
San Diego’s Paul Clemens, who was forced to change jerseys because of a foreign substance on its surface, still outpitched Jake Thompson and helped the Padres beat Philadelphia 9-7.
Seattle’s Shawn O’Malley capped a comeback with a three-run home run in the seventh inning as the Mariners defeated the Los Angeles Angels 8-6.
Pittsburgh’s Ivan Nova pitched seven innings to win his first start with his new team as the Pirates beat Cincinnati 5-3.
Atlanta’s Freddie Freeman and Adonis Garcia hit three-run home runs to power the Braves past St. Louis 13-5.
Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun tied a team record by driving in seven runs, hitting two homers, as the Brewers crushed Arizona 15-6.
Tampa Bay’s Chris Archer won for only the third time in 15 starts as the Rays downed Minnesota 7-3.
