Sports | Rays

Rays/MLB

NL roundup

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published May 13, 2006

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PHILLIES 8, REDS 4: CINCINNATI - Left-hander Cole Hamels threw five shutout innings in a solid major league debut, and Shane Victorino and Ryan Howard had two-run homers that helped the Phillies win for the 11th time in 12 games, a stretch that includes nine straight victories.

Hamels, 22, gave up one hit - Felipe Lopez's double with two outs in the fifth - and struck out seven on a raw night, meeting the grand expectations for Philadelphia's top pitching prospect.

He didn't get the victory because the guy he replaced in the rotation couldn't hold on. Ryan Madson (2-2) gave up solo homers to Austin Kearns and Edwin Encarnacion in the sixth, tying it at 2.

That's when a move by Reds manager Jerry Narron backfired. Outfielder Adam Dunn, making his first start of the season at first base, let Jimmy Rollins' grounder deflect off his glove for a two-base error that opened the seventh. Utley followed with his go-ahead single off Elizardo Ramirez (1-3).

The Phillies then pulled away against Cincinnati's bullpen. Victorino, starting in center for injured Aaron Rowand, had two singles, a double and a two-run homer in the ninth.

The NL's highest-scoring lineup hit only a few balls hard off Hamels, whose mixed a 93 mph fastball with off-speed pitches that kept the Reds guessing. Hamels pitched fast and showed little emotion as he worked his way through a power-laden lineup getting its first glimpse of him.

The first time Ken Griffey Jr. came to bat, he struck out on three pitches - an offspeed pitch froze him for the final strike. The next time up, he walked on four pitches. Then, he struck out again.

BREWERS 9, METS 6: MILWAUKEE - Prince Fielder homered twice, Geoff Jenkins hit a three-run double and Milwaukee finally figured out New York's Jose Lima.

The Brewers scored their first seven runs with two outs, including six in the fifth inning to deal the NL East-leading Mets their fourth loss in five games.

Carlos Delgado homered and David Wright drove in two runs for New York.

Lima came in with a 10-0 record and 1.92 ERA in 14 appearances against Milwaukee, and the Mets' starter was cruising into the fifth, allowing just two hits and one run.

But he loaded the bases on a hit batter, a walk and a single. Jenkins' double cleared the bases, giving the Brewers a 4-3 lead.

NOTABLE: The second of Fielder's two home runs traveled an estimated 475 feet, the second-longest in Miller Park.

QUOTABLE: "He's not getting ahead in the count. That's a recipe for disaster." - Brewers manager Ned Yost, on new starting pitcher Ben Hendrickson's poor command of pitches in Thursday's loss.

CARDINALS 5, DIAMONDBACKS 3: ST. LOUIS - Jim Edmonds homered and drove in three runs, Albert Pujols drove in his major league-leading 44th run and David Eckstein singled twice for his 15th multihit game. The Cardinals have won six of seven overall and are 13-4 against the Diamondbacks the last four seasons.

Edmonds had a sacrifice fly off Juan Cruz (1-1) in the first after Pujols' RBI single, and Edmonds' fifth homer, a two-run shot, snapped a 2-all tie in the fifth.

Mark Mulder (4-1) gave up six hits in six innings, the only damage Eric Byrnes' two-run homer in the fifth. Those are the only runs Mulder has allowed the Diamondbacks in three starts covering 24 innings, the first two appearances producing a one-hitter in 2001 when he was with the Athletics and a second shutout last year.

NOTABLE: Mulder is 81-11 in 108 career starts with four or more runs support. His 92 victories since 2001 lead the majors, and the Cardinals have won seven of his eight starts this season.

ASTROS 12, ROCKIES 2: HOUSTON - Morgan Ensberg had four RBIs, including a tie-breaking three-run homer in the sixth inning as Houston beat Colorado.

Craig Biggio and Mike Lamb also had home runs for the Astros, who came up one run shy of their season high.

Colorado lost three games for the first time this season.

Ensberg took Rockies starter Jason Jennings to a full count with the scored tied 1-1 and the crowd on its feet and cheering wildly. He then homered to left field to drive in Biggio and Lance Berkman.

Astros manager Phil Garner followed through on his plan not to use closer Brad Lidge in save situations for a couple of games as he tries to make adjustments to remedy recent struggles. Lidge pitched the seventh inning, allowing no hits or runs with one strikeout.

NOTABLE: Colorado is 20-40 in Houston and has lost 16 of 19 games at Minute Maid Park.

PADRES 10, CUBS 5: CHICAGO - Mike Piazza had his first four-hit game of the season and San Diego won for the 12th time in 13 games.

Piazza doubled in the go-ahead run in the fourth. The Padres broke the game open with five runs in the fifth, thanks to three errors by the Cubs, who have dropped 12 of 14.

Padres starter Woody Williams had an MRI and was headed to the disabled list after straining his left calf in the second.

NOTABLE: The loss was the Cubs' fifth to the Padres in a week.

QUOTABLE: "When you get a broken-bat hit or half swing, it gives you momentum. Your confidence is picked up a little bit." - Piazza

BRAVES 6, NATIONALS 2: ATLANTA - John Smoltz pitched a four-hitter as Atlanta won for the fourth time in five games.

The Braves broke open a 3-2 game with three runs in the seventh. Andruw Jones had a run-scoring single that knocked out Washington starter Ramon Ortiz, and Jeff Francoeur drove in two more with a bases-loaded single that extended his hitting streak to 10 games.

Smoltz made his only big mistake in the fifth, surrendering a two-run homer to Ryan Zimmerman.

The Nationals made four errors - two by reluctant leftfielder Alfonso Soriano. He bounced a throw off Jose Vidro's knee in the third, allowing a Braves' runner to take an extra base, then stumbled over Francoeur's hit in the seventh.

NOTABLE: Smoltz struck out seven, moving past Chuck Finley for 21st place on the career list with 2,611.

PIRATES 12, MARLINS 9: PITTSBURGH - Jason Bay had four RBIs after getting dropped to sixth in the batting order, and the Pirates overcame an early five-run deficit in a wild game between teams with the two worst NL records.

Craig Wilson and Jose Castillo each had three hits for the Pirates. Jeromy Burnitz and Freddy Sanchez drove in two runs apiece, and Nate McLouth scored four times. Bay hit a bases-loaded triple. Florida blew a 5-0 first-inning lead, then rallied to tie at 9 before Bay's sacrifice fly off Todd Wellemeyer scored McLouth for the go-ahead run in the eighth.

DODGERS 6, GIANTS 1: SAN FRANCISCO - Barry Bonds is still sitting at 713 home runs, one shy of tying Babe Ruth for second place on the career list after the Giants' loss.

Bonds went 0-for-3 with an intentional walk in his fourth straight homerless game, and blew a play in the outfield.

Kenny Lofton hit a two-run single in the Dodgers' three-run third off Matt Morris and singled in another run in the fifth for a season-high three RBIs. Nomar Garciaparra had three hits and drove in a run for the sixth straight game.

Brad Penny pitched five scoreless innings as the Dodgers won for the sixth time in seven games since a seasonlong five-game skid. Penny came out because of stiffness in his back.

NOTABLE: Willie Mays celebrated his 75th birthday six days late in a ballpark bash featuring six other Hall of Fame players and, of course, godson Barry Bonds. Fans gave the Giants Hall of Famer a standing ovation and chanted "Willie! Willie!" during the on-field ceremony in which Bonds escorted Mays from the dugout to the mound before the first pitch.

[Last modified May 13, 2006, 01:28:02]

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