MLB Capsules - NL: Melancon's tough inning dooms Astros in loss
HOUSTON (AP) — Astros closer Mark Melancon couldn’t make it through a third inning unscathed.
Melancon, who cruised through his first two innings Sunday, was unable to handle a grounder toward first with one out in the 11th, and things got worse from there for Houston.
Pinch-runner Josh Harrison scored on a passed ball for the first of Pittsburgh’s three runs in the 11th and rookie Alex Presley drove in his third run of the game later in the inning to lead the Pirates to a 7-5 win over the mistake-prone Astros.
Brandon Wood doubled to start the 11th and was replaced by Harrison. Xavier Paul reached on an error when Melancon (5-3) couldn’t handle his dribbler that sent Harrison to third.
Melancon said he rushed the play and looked up to see where first baseman Carlos Lee was.
“I make that routine play at first base, they have a guy on second with two outs,” Melancon said. “Looking back, it seems like three or four things went wrong. It seems like that sums up our season a little bit. It’s a game of inches, and we never get those inches. That’s on us. It’s not the way that luck falls, it’s on us, but it’s tough.”
Harrison scored on a passed ball by catcher Humberto Quintero to make it 5-4, and Presley followed with an RBI single. Presley scored on an error by reliever Aneury Rodriguez to push the lead to 7-4.
Melancon gave up three runs — one earned — and two hits in 2 1-3 innings, his longest outing of the year.
“(Pitching coach Doug) Brocail asked me if I was all right, and I said: ‘Yeah, I felt good,”’ Melancon said. “I was pitching well. I felt like I had it in me to go one more. Looking back, you can say whatever, but I felt good out there.”
Pittsburgh closer Joel Hanrahan allowed an RBI double to Chris Johnson that tied it 4-all in the eighth, the All-Star’s first blown save of the season. That broke a streak of 28 straight saves dating back to last year.
“I was glad I got a ball in the gap and got a guy in to score,” Johnson said. “He’s pretty good ... you’re just battling against him. I got him 3-2, and he left one over the plate, and I put it in the gap.”
Hanrahan pitched a 1-2-3 ninth before Chris Leroux (1-0) allowed one hit in a scoreless 10th for his first major league win. Chris Resop allowed a solo homer to Quintero in the 11th, but got his first career save.
Presley had an RBI single in the fourth inning and put the Pirates on top 4-3 with his run-scoring double in the sixth.
Houston manager Brad Mills was ejected for arguing balls and strikes on an at-bat by Jeff Keppinger in the third inning. Keppinger, who finished a triple short of the cycle, homered for the second straight day when he launched a two-run shot that gave Houston a 3-2 lead two pitches later.
Clint Barmes singled with two outs before Keppinger’s homer. Mills was tossed as he walked out of the dugout during Keppinger’s at-bat. He trotted onto the field after he was ejected and spent a couple of minutes arguing with plate umpire Eric Cooper before leaving.
“There were some pitches that looked pretty good that Wandy (Rodriguez) was throwing from my angle, which isn’t the best angle in the world,” Mills said of his fifth ejection this season. “I understand that it was early in the game, and maybe his strike zone hadn’t been established yet, but at that point, I thought that Wandy was making some pretty good pitches, and he hadn’t been rewarded. I voiced my opinion probably a little too strongly.”
Rodriguez allowed eight hits and four runs while matching a career high with 11 strikeouts in 5 2-3 innings, but it was a two-run double to Pittsburgh starter Kevin Correia in the second that Rodriguez regretted.
“I felt great,” Rodriguez said. “I think my biggest mistake today was when the pitcher was hitting. I got behind in the count, and I tried to make a good pitch, and he hit the pitch very well. I had 11 strikeouts because I had good command over my pitches. My breaking ball and fastball had great location.”
Correia yielded five hits and three runs in six innings.
NOTES: The Astros placed INF Matt Downs on the paternity leave list and purchased the contract of LHP Wesley Wright from Triple-A Oklahoma City after the game. ... Lee was shaken up in a collision with Andrew McCutchen in the 11th. Lee was jumping to grab a high throw to first when McCutchen crashed into him, sending Lee face down to the dirt. He remained there for a couple of minutes and was checked out by trainers before getting up and remain-ing in the game. Mills said Lee was OK.
Reds 3, Cardinals 1
CINCINNATI (AP) — Zack Cozart hit his first major league homer, and the Cincinnati Reds used a disputed call and a pair of wild pitches by Jaime Garcia to rally for a victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.
The defending NL Central champs got a much-needed win against Garcia (9-4), who was 5-0 in his career against them.
Cardinals shortstop Ryan Theriot was ejected while arguing a call in the sixth that set up the tying run. Garcia then threw a pair of wild pitches that let Cincinnati pull even.
Ryan Hanigan singled home the tiebreaking run an inning later, and Cozart homered in the eighth.
Homer Bailey (4-4) gave up three hits, including Lance Berkman’s 25th homer, in 7 1-3 innings. Bailey got his first win since May 16.
Francisco Cordero, who blew his last three save chances before the All-Star break, improved to 18 for 23 with a perfect ninth against the heart of the Cardinals’ order.
Phillies 8, Mets 5
NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Martinez hit a three-run shot for his first major league homer to back a steady out-ing by Kyle Kendrick and lead Philadelphia past New York for its seventh straight series win.
Kendrick (5-4) singled twice and scored on Martinez’s drive in the fifth inning off Mike Pelfrey (5-9). Martinez, a Rule 5 pick from Washington, added a sacrifice fly in the seventh for a career-high four RBIs.
Ryan Howard hit a run-scoring single in the first and Philadelphia took two of three from the NL East rival Mets for the fourth time this season. Jimmy Rollins had a two-run single in a three-run eighth aided by Jason Bay’s error in left field and reliever Pedro Beato’s three walks.
Giants 4, Padres 3, 11 innings
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Chris Stewart drove in the go-ahead run with a suicide squeeze in the 11th inning, then pounced on a bunt moments later to start a slick double play that helped San Francisco hold off San Diego.
Emmanuel Burriss, who entered as a pinch-runner in the ninth, reached on a one-out single off Chad Qualls (4-3) in the 11th. Burriss stole second and continued to third on catcher Kyle Phillips’ throwing error.
With the infield in, Qualls pitched out on his first delivery to Stewart, who stayed in the game after pinch-hitting in the ninth. But on a 3-1 count, Stewart laid down a perfect bunt to easily score Burriss.
The Giants stole six bases, two by Burriss, to tie a San Francisco record.
Javier Lopez (5-1) pitched two innings for the win and Brian Wilson wriggled out of a jam for his 28th save in 32 chances.
San Francisco, which has won seven of its last nine games, took three of four in the series. The Padres have lost eight of nine.
Braves 9, Nationals 8
ATLANTA (AP) — Freddie Freeman singled home the winning run in the ninth inning following an intentional walk, giving Atlanta a victory over Washington.
Ryan Mattheus (2-1) walked pinch-hitter Brooks Conrad to start the bottom of the ninth. With two outs, Martin Prado stole second and the Nationals issued an intentional walk to Brian McCann, who hit a three-run homer in the fifth.
Freeman lined a 1-0 pitch into right field and was soon in the middle of a celebration between first and second base after Prado scored easily.
Craig Kimbrel (3-2) worked a scoreless ninth.
Washington left-hander Tom Gorzelanny left the game with a twisted right ankle in the third inning.
Nationals All-Star reliever Tyler Clippard recorded five straight outs, four on strikeouts, before giving up Nate McLouth’s tying homer in the eighth.
Danny Espinosa had three hits, including a two-run homer and an RBI triple for Washington.
Brewers 4, Rockies 3
DENVER (AP) — Shaun Marcum tossed five solid innings before leaving with a strained neck and Milwaukee held off Colorado to win consecutive road games for the first time in six weeks.
Rickie Weeks, Casey McGehee and Nyjer Morgan had two hits each for Milwaukee. The Brewers last won back-to-back road games when they swept a four-game series in Florida from June 3-6.
Jason Giambi homered and Seth Smith also had two hits for Colorado.
John Axford got his 25th save after his second straight nail-biting ninth inning. With two on, he struck out All-Star slugger Troy Tulowitzki on three pitches to end it.
Marcum (8-3) was cruising along until he gave up a leadoff homer to Giambi in the sixth.
Milwaukee took the lead for good in the fifth and chased Rockies starter Aaron Cook (0-5).
Diamondbacks 4, Dodgers 1
PHOENIX (AP) — Daniel Hudson threw a five-hitter, belted his first big league home run and finished with three RBIs, almost single-handedly leading Arizona past Los Angeles.
Hudson (10-5) struck out three and walked none in his second complete game of the season. The right-hander also earned his first win since he beat Kansas City on June 23 and improved to 9-1 in 16 starts after beginning the season 0-4.
Hudson connected against Ted Lilly (6-10) in the sixth, then hit a two-run single in the seventh to make it 4-1. The Dodgers intentionally walked Xavier Nady to get to Hudson, who raised his batting average to .359.
Ryan Roberts homered for the Diamondbacks.
Marlins 7, Cubs 5
CHICAGO (AP) — Greg Dobbs hit a two-run homer and drove in the go-ahead run with a bases-loaded walk in the eighth inning, leading Florida past Chicago.
After Dobbs’ four-pitch walk against Kerry Wood (1-5), Logan Morrison capped the Marlins’ three-run rally with a two-run single that made it 7-4.
Aramis Ramirez hit a two-out RBI double in the bottom half but Randy Choate came in and got Carlos Pena to bounce out to end the inning. Leo Nunez worked the ninth for his 26th save.
Hanley Ramirez homered during Florida’s three-run first, belting a long solo drive for his ninth of the season. John Buck hit three singles and reached four times.
Four Florida pitchers retired 20 straight batters after Darwin Barney’s single in the second. Edward Mujica (8-2) tossed a perfect seventh and leads the Marlins in victories.
Florida has won 12 of 16 and is 14-9 under 80-year-old manager Jack McKeon.
