SAN FRANCISCO — Pablo Sandoval splashed a home run into McCovey Cove to back Tim Lincecum’s strong pitching performance, and the San Francisco Giants beat the Atlanta Braves 5-1 on Sunday to wrap up a 7-3 homestand. SAN FRANCISCO —
SAN FRANCISCO — Pablo Sandoval splashed a home run into McCovey Cove to back Tim Lincecum’s strong pitching performance, and the San Francisco Giants beat the Atlanta Braves 5-1 on Sunday to wrap up a 7-3 homestand.
Brandon Belt and Marco Scutaro also homered for the Giants. Lincecum (3-2) struck out seven in seven scoreless innings to end a three-start winless stretch in which he went 0-2. He also stopped a four-start skid against Atlanta, beating the Braves for the first time since April 11, 2010.
Gregor Blanco had an RBI double for the Giants, who won a home series against the NL East for the first time since April last year. Atlanta dropped its third straight since taking the series opener — outscored 23-4 over the final three games.
ROCKIES 8, CARDINALS 2
ST. LOUIS — Jorge De La Rosa held St. Louis hitless into the seventh, and Troy Tulowitzki’s three-run homer ended Colorado’s scoreless streak at 28 innings.
De La Rosa did not allow a hit until David Freese’s two-out single in the seventh, answering a pair of pitching gems by St. Louis over the weekend.
Charlie Blackmon added a two-run homer off Jaime Garcia (4-2) for the Rockies, who snapped a four-game skid. They finished with 11 hits after totaling three in consecutive shutout losses to rookie Shelby Miller and Adam Wainwright.
The Cardinals lost for just the second time in 11 games. Pinch-hitter Matt Adams’ RBI single off Matt Belisle in a two-run ninth ended Colorado’s bid for a shutout.
De La Rosa (4-3) struck out seven and allowed two hits in seven innings.
PHILLIES 4, D’BACKS 2 (10)
PHOENIX — Ryan Howard looped a two-run single to right field in the 10th inning after Philadelphia scored twice in the ninth to tie it against Arizona.
Shut down by Brandon McCarthy for the first eight innings, the Phillies rallied on Delmon Young’s run-scoring double and Domonic Brown’s RBI single off fill-in Diamondbacks closer Heath Bell. Philadelphia had 15 hits to salvage a series split after losing the first two games.
Jimmy Rollins singled with one out in the 10th off Matt Reynolds (0-1), and Chase Utley followed with a double for his fourth hit. Hitless with nine strikeouts in his previous 18 at-bats, Howard floated a single over Arizona’s drawn-in infield.
PIRATES 3, METS 2
NEW YORK — Pedro Alvarez hit a tiebreaking single in the eighth inning against New York’s overworked bullpen, and Pittsburgh got a most fortunate bounce in beating the Mets.
Clint Barmes homered, and Jeanmar Gomez left with a lead against young ace Matt Harvey in the Pirates’ third straight victory in this four-game series. Pittsburgh improved to 6-13 at Citi Field.
With runners at second and third in the eighth, Lucas Duda hit a sharp grounder that struck first base and shot straight up in the air. Pirates second baseman Brandon Inge fielded the ball and tossed to reliever Mark Melancon covering first for the final out of the inning.
REDS 5, BREWERS 1
CINCINNATI — Don Lutz hit his first career home run, a three-run drive off the right-field foul pole in the second inning that led Cincinnati over Milwaukee for a three-game sweep.
Lutz, who made his big league debut on April 29, homered off Wily Peralta (3-3). Pinch-hitter Xavier Paul went deep in the seventh, sending the Brewers to their fourth straight loss and ninth in 10 games.
CUBS 2, NATIONALS 1
WASHINGTON — Alfonso Soriano scored the tiebreaking run in the ninth inning on a throwing error by catcher Kurt Suzuki as Chicago rallied to beat Washington.
The Cubs didn’t have a baserunner through the first five innings against Gio Gonzalez and trailed 1-0 entering the eighth before coming back in the deciding matchup of a three-game series.
Facing closer Rafael Soriano (0-1) in the ninth, Alfonso Soriano singled and went to second on a single by Julio Borbon. After Ryan Sweeney struck out, both runners took off on a double steal.
DODGERS 5, MARLINS 3
LOS ANGELES — Chris Capuano pitched effectively into the seventh inning, and Scott Van Slyke homered to lead Los Angeles over Miami.
Capuano (1-2) allowed a run and five hits in 6 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts and one walk. Brandon League gave up a two-run double to Adeiny Hechavarria in the ninth.
