Eds: Will be updated Eds: Will be updated ADVERTISING WASHINGTON — In a showdown of aces with disappointing records, Stephen Strasburg and Cole Hamels matched each other until the Washington Nationals scored five runs in the seventh inning of a
Eds: Will be updated
WASHINGTON — In a showdown of aces with disappointing records, Stephen Strasburg and Cole Hamels matched each other until the Washington Nationals scored five runs in the seventh inning of a 6-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday.
Strasburg (3-5) allowed five hits in eight innings, walked none and struck out a season-high nine, giving up a run in the eighth on his first big league balk.
Making his latest no-support start, Hamels (1-8) struck out six and allowed only three hits through six innings. Ryan Zimmerman’s infield single started a rally that included a pair of errors and Steve Lombardozzi’s two-run double. Hamels has lost five straight starts, has had only 20 runs of support scored all season when he’s been in the game and hasn’t pitched with a lead since April 7.
CUBS 5, REDS 4, 10 INNINGS
CINCINNATI — Alfonso Soriano hit a tying two-run homer in the eighth inning and Welington Castillo had a go-ahead double in the 10th, helping the Cubs rally from a four-run deficit in a win over the Reds that stopped a season-high, six-game losing streak.
Soriano singled in the seventh and scored Chicago’s first run off Johnny Cueto on Luis Valbuena’s two-out single.
Anthony Rizzo hit an RBI double against Logan Ondrusek in the eighth — his third double in two games — and Soriano followed with his fifth homer of the season and first since May 13, a 394-foot drive to left-center.
J.J. Hoover (0-4) walked Scott Hairston with two outs in the 10th, and Castillo followed with his double into the left-field corner.
Kevin Gregg (1-0) pitched 1 1-3 hitless innings, stopping the Reds’ five-game winning streak.
PIRATES 5, BREWERS 4
MILWAUKEE — Wandy Rodriguez won his fourth consecutive start, Pedro Alvarez had a two-run double and the Pirates built an early four-run lead before holding off the Brewers.
The Pirates have won 13 of 15 and are a season high 12 games over .500.
Rodriguez (6-2) gave up three earned runs on seven hits in five innings to earn the victory. He struck out four and didn’t walk a batter. Jason Grilli pitched a scoreless ninth for his major league-leading 20th save.
Pittsburgh got to Milwaukee starter Yovani Gallardo for a run in the second on Jordy Mercer’s two-out triple, which scored Michael McKenry, who walked.
Gallardo (3-5) labored through just four innings.
DIAMONDBACKS 6, PADRES 5
PHOENIX — Patrick Corbin worked six innings without his best stuff to become the first Arizona left-hander to start with eight straight wins, Martin Prado matched a career high with four hits and the Diamondbacks beat the Padres.
Corbin allowed more than two runs for the first time this season, but helped himself with a run-scoring single in the fifth inning off Tommy Layne (0-1) to become the third Arizona pitcher to start a season 8-0.
Eric Chavez homered for the second straight game, Prado drove in a run in the seventh inning after getting three hits the night before and Heath Bell worked a perfect ninth for his eighth save.
Carlos Quentin hit a two-run homer and Kyle Blanks also had two RBIs for the Padres.
CARDINALS 5, DODGERS 3
LOS ANGELES — Matt Carpenter drove in the go-ahead run with an infield single and Pete Kozma hit a three-run double against Clayton Kershaw, leading the Cardinals to a victory over the Dodgers.
The Cardinals improved the major league’s best record to 32-17 and increased their NL Central lead over Cincinnati to 1 1/2 games.
Seth Maness (4-1) got credit for the victory in relief of starter Shelby Miller despite retiring only two of the six batters he faced.
Edward Mujica pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 14th save in 14 attempts.
Kershaw (5-3) gave up four runs, seven hits and three walks in seven innings and struck out five as his ERA rose from 1.35 to 1.68.
GIANTS 7, ROCKIES 3
SAN FRANCISCO — Brandon Belt hit a tiebreaking, two-run double in the fifth inning to back a shaky outing by Matt Cain, and the Giants rallied past the Rockies.
Buster Posey homered and Andres Torres added two hits and an RBI to help the Giants close a six-game homestand with consecutive wins. The defending World Series champions play 14 of their next 18 games on the road.
Cain (4-2) matched his season high of five walks but allowed only two runs and two hits in five innings.
In his first appearance at AT&T Park, Jon Garland (3-6) allowed five runs — two earned — seven hits and four walks in five innings.
