Baseball Capsules
September 30, 2015
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Clayton Kershaw pitched the big-money Dodgers to their third straight NL West title, tossing a 1-hitter as Los Angeles beat the San Francisco Giants 8-0 on Tuesday night.
Kershaw allowed just a third-inning single and struck out 13, and the Dodgers (88-69) advance to face the NL East champion New York Mets in the best-of-five NL Division Series.
Kershaw (16-7) finally got the best of his 2015 nemesis in their fourth matchup of the year, striking out the side in order three times and retiring the final 19 batters as the Dodgers snapped a four-game losing streak.
Don Mattingly's Dodgers earned a third straight playoff berth for the first time in franchise history, and did so by snapping a seven-game losing streak at AT&T Park this year. It's also their sixth postseason berth in 10 years.
Justin Ruggiano and A.J. Ellis hit back-to-back home runs in the sixth to chase World Series MVP Madison Bumgarner (18-9), denying the Giants their first 19-game winner in 18 years.
ANGELS 8, ATHLETICS 1
ANAHEIM, Calif (AP) - Albert Pujols had an RBI double among his three hits, Erick Aybar drove in three runs and the Los Angeles Angels took over the lead for the second AL wild-card playoff spot with their seventh consecutive victory.
A few minutes after matching their longest winning streak of the season, the Angels (83-74) moved a half-game ahead of the Astros (83-75) when Houston lost 6-4 at Seattle.
Nick Tropeano (3-2) struck out 11 during 6 2-3 innings of three-hit ball for the Angels, who have won 10 of 12 overall during their majors-best 18-8 run through September.
The Angels remained two games behind the AL West-leading Texas Rangers (85-72), who beat Detroit. The Minnesota Twins (81-75) were rained out in Cleveland, dropping them 1 1-2 games behind Los Angeles in the wild-card race.
With four games in Texas to close the season, the Angels are in control of their playoff destiny no matter the result of the wild-card race. Rebounding splendidly from an awful August, the Angels have chased down the AL leaders with five games to play.
MARINERS 6, ASTROS 4
SEATTLE (AP) - Shawn O'Malley damaged Houston's playoff hopes with a two-run, bases-loaded single in the eighth inning that gave Seattle a comeback victory.
The Astros, who are still involved in two postseason races, were displaced in the American League wild-card chase by the Los Angeles Angels, an 8-1 winner over Oakland on Tuesday. The New York Yankees, who lost to Boston 10-4, maintains the top wild-card spot with the Angels now second. Houston slips a half-game behind Los Angeles
As for the AL West race, division-leading Texas beat Detroit 7-6, and has a two-game lead over the Angels and 2 1-2 over the Astros.
The victory broke the Mariners' six-game losing streak.
Robinson Cano hit his 20th home run, a two-run shot in the sixth off Mike Fiers that tied the game at 4-all.
RANGERS 7, TIGERS 6
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Cole Hamels won his sixth consecutive decision, overcoming a shaky start to strike out eight in six innings, and AL West-leading Texas snapped a three-game skid.
Texas' lead in the division stretched to two games, with the Angels leapfrogging Houston for second place - the Astros are 2 1/2 games back. Los Angeles starts a four-game series in Texas Thursday to end the regular season.
Adrian Beltre had three hits and drove in two runs, including Shin-Soo Choo when they had consecutive doubles in the fourth to break a 6-all tie. Choo also had a two-run homer in the first.
Hamels is 6-1 in 11 starts since getting traded from Philadelphia at the end of July, and the Rangers have won his last nine starts after losing the first two. The lefty surpassed 200 innings for the seventh time in his career and 200 strikeouts for the fourth time.
Buck Farmer (0-4), the second of six Detroit pitchers, retired the first six batters he faced.
RED SOX 10, YANKEES 4
NEW YORK (AP) - Michael Pineda was hit hard at the start, and New York's playoff push was delayed once again by its longtime rival as Boston got two homers and five RBIs from rookie catcher Blake Swihart.
Rick Porcello (9-14) recovered neatly from a rocky first inning, and the Red Sox won their season-best fifth straight game to pass the Orioles for third place in the AL East.
New York is running second in the division and was spared the possibility of the Blue Jays clinching the crown when they were rained out in Baltimore. Toronto will play a doubleheader Wednesday against the Orioles and needs only one win - or another Yankees loss - to wrap up its first AL East title in 22 years.
Pineda (12-9) and the Yankees began the day looking to lock up at least a wild card, but that chance was washed away when Minnesota was rained out in Cleveland. New York needs two wins in its final five games - or some help - to reach the postseason for the first time since 2012.
WHITE SOX 4, ROYALS 2
CHICAGO (AP) - Eric Hosmer and Kendrys Morales homered and Johnny Cueto threw six quality innings, but Kansas City lost to Chicago.
The Royals, who have lost four of their last five, fell behind 3-0 after Adam Eaton drove a two-run homer into the bullpen in right field off Cueto (10-13) in the fifth inning.
Cueto lost for the third time in his four September outings and gave up three runs and eight hits over six innings. He struck out two and walked two.
Kansas City got within 3-2 in the sixth when Hosmer and Morales hit back-to-back homers off Chicago starter Jeff Samardzija (11-13), who won for the second straight time after losing nine of his 10 previous outings.
The runs were the first the Royals scored in 17 innings during a three-game stretch that included Kansas City being shut out 1-0 in 11 innings by the Chicago Cubs on Monday night.
CUBS 4, REDS 1
CINCINNATI (AP) - Miguel Montero doubled home a pair of runs during Chicago's four-run first inning, and Dan Haren pitched into the eighth following a long rain delay.
The Cubs already have clinched a spot in the NL wild-card game for their first playoff berth since 2008. They trail Pittsburgh by three games for home-field advantage. The Pirates' game against first-place St. Louis was rained out on Tuesday.
The Reds lost their season-high 10th in a row, their longest slump since they dropped 11 straight in 1998.
PHILLIES 4, METS 3
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Darin Ruf hit a three-run homer, Odubel Herrera had four hits and Philadelphia snapped New York's franchise-record 11-game road winning streak.
Lucas Duda hit two homers for the NL East champion Mets, who hadn't lost away from home since Sept. 6, at Miami.
Duda hit a two-run shot off Ken Giles on an 0-2 pitch in the ninth before Giles retired Travis d'Arnaud for his 14th save in 18 chances.
Bartolo Colon (14-13) allowed three runs and eight hits in five innings for his first loss to the Phillies since Aug. 30, 2014. He beat them four times this season.
Adam Loewen (1-0) retired the only batter he faced in relief of starter David Buchanan to earn his first win since 2007 with Baltimore. The lefty struck out Duda with runners on second and third to end the fifth.
BRAVES 2, NATIONALS 1
ATLANTA (AP) - A.J. Pierzynski hit two home runs and rookie Matt Wisler threw seven strong innings as Atlanta beat Washington for just its fourth win in 17 tries against the Nats.
Wisler (7-8) picked up the victory, giving up one run while striking out four and walking two.
Rookie Arodys Vizcaino recorded his eighth save in nine chances. With runners on first and second and no outs in the ninth, Ian Desmond bunted into a 2-5-4 double play. Vizcaino then struck out Matt den Dekker to end it.
Tanner Roark (4-7), who rejoined the Nationals' rotation in September, took the loss. He handled everyone in the Braves' lineup except Pierzynski, who was 3 for 3, giving up just five hits and two runs in 6 2-3 innings. He struck out four, walked one and hit a batter.
RAYS 4, MARLINS 2
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Asdrubal Cabrera hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning, a one-out drive off Bryan Morris (5-4), to push the Rays to 12-6 in interleague play this season.
Adam Conley gave up two runs and five hits over six innings for the Marlins, who had a five-game winning streak end. Miami dropped to 0-8 in road games against American League teams this season.
Tampa Bay's Matt Moore, bidding to win consecutive starts, allowed one run and seven hits in seven innings.
Miami pulled even at 2 in the eighth on Martin Prado's run-scoring single off Alex Colome (7-5). Brad Boxberger pitched the ninth for his 39th save.
DIAMONDBACKS 4, ROCKIES 3 (11 INNINGS)
PHOENIX (AP) - Pinch-hitter Phil Gosselin singled in the winning run after Colorado reliever Brooks Brown walked the bases loaded in the 11th inning.
Gosselin knocked in Paul Goldschmidt from third base with one out after Brown (1-3), the eighth of nine pitchers for the Rockies on the night, walked the three batters he faced in the inning. A.J. Pollock, Goldschmidt and David Peralta reached base after Brown threw 11 straight balls.
Christian Friedrich gave up the winning hit. Randall Delgado (7-4) pitched a scoreless top of the 11th.
BREWERS 4, PADRES 3
SAN DIEGO (AP) - Jean Segura hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the sixth inning to help Jorge Lopez win his major league debut.
Lopez (1-0) allowed three runs and eight hits in five innings, struck out seven and walked two. The 22-year-old's contract was selected a week earlier from Double-A Biloxi, where he went 12-5 with a 2.26 ERA in 24 starts.
The Brewers trailed 3-2 going into the sixth. Khris Davis singled to left and Segura hit a one-out homer off Tyson Ross (10-12) into the balcony on the third level of the Western Metal Supply Co. Building in the left-field corner.
September 30, 2015
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Clayton Kershaw pitched the big-money Dodgers to their third straight NL West title, tossing a 1-hitter as Los Angeles beat the San Francisco Giants 8-0 on Tuesday night.
Kershaw allowed just a third-inning single and struck out 13, and the Dodgers (88-69) advance to face the NL East champion New York Mets in the best-of-five NL Division Series.
Kershaw (16-7) finally got the best of his 2015 nemesis in their fourth matchup of the year, striking out the side in order three times and retiring the final 19 batters as the Dodgers snapped a four-game losing streak.
Don Mattingly's Dodgers earned a third straight playoff berth for the first time in franchise history, and did so by snapping a seven-game losing streak at AT&T Park this year. It's also their sixth postseason berth in 10 years.
Justin Ruggiano and A.J. Ellis hit back-to-back home runs in the sixth to chase World Series MVP Madison Bumgarner (18-9), denying the Giants their first 19-game winner in 18 years.
ANGELS 8, ATHLETICS 1
ANAHEIM, Calif (AP) - Albert Pujols had an RBI double among his three hits, Erick Aybar drove in three runs and the Los Angeles Angels took over the lead for the second AL wild-card playoff spot with their seventh consecutive victory.
A few minutes after matching their longest winning streak of the season, the Angels (83-74) moved a half-game ahead of the Astros (83-75) when Houston lost 6-4 at Seattle.
Nick Tropeano (3-2) struck out 11 during 6 2-3 innings of three-hit ball for the Angels, who have won 10 of 12 overall during their majors-best 18-8 run through September.
The Angels remained two games behind the AL West-leading Texas Rangers (85-72), who beat Detroit. The Minnesota Twins (81-75) were rained out in Cleveland, dropping them 1 1-2 games behind Los Angeles in the wild-card race.
With four games in Texas to close the season, the Angels are in control of their playoff destiny no matter the result of the wild-card race. Rebounding splendidly from an awful August, the Angels have chased down the AL leaders with five games to play.
MARINERS 6, ASTROS 4
SEATTLE (AP) - Shawn O'Malley damaged Houston's playoff hopes with a two-run, bases-loaded single in the eighth inning that gave Seattle a comeback victory.
The Astros, who are still involved in two postseason races, were displaced in the American League wild-card chase by the Los Angeles Angels, an 8-1 winner over Oakland on Tuesday. The New York Yankees, who lost to Boston 10-4, maintains the top wild-card spot with the Angels now second. Houston slips a half-game behind Los Angeles
As for the AL West race, division-leading Texas beat Detroit 7-6, and has a two-game lead over the Angels and 2 1-2 over the Astros.
The victory broke the Mariners' six-game losing streak.
Robinson Cano hit his 20th home run, a two-run shot in the sixth off Mike Fiers that tied the game at 4-all.
RANGERS 7, TIGERS 6
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Cole Hamels won his sixth consecutive decision, overcoming a shaky start to strike out eight in six innings, and AL West-leading Texas snapped a three-game skid.
Texas' lead in the division stretched to two games, with the Angels leapfrogging Houston for second place - the Astros are 2 1/2 games back. Los Angeles starts a four-game series in Texas Thursday to end the regular season.
Adrian Beltre had three hits and drove in two runs, including Shin-Soo Choo when they had consecutive doubles in the fourth to break a 6-all tie. Choo also had a two-run homer in the first.
Hamels is 6-1 in 11 starts since getting traded from Philadelphia at the end of July, and the Rangers have won his last nine starts after losing the first two. The lefty surpassed 200 innings for the seventh time in his career and 200 strikeouts for the fourth time.
Buck Farmer (0-4), the second of six Detroit pitchers, retired the first six batters he faced.
RED SOX 10, YANKEES 4
NEW YORK (AP) - Michael Pineda was hit hard at the start, and New York's playoff push was delayed once again by its longtime rival as Boston got two homers and five RBIs from rookie catcher Blake Swihart.
Rick Porcello (9-14) recovered neatly from a rocky first inning, and the Red Sox won their season-best fifth straight game to pass the Orioles for third place in the AL East.
New York is running second in the division and was spared the possibility of the Blue Jays clinching the crown when they were rained out in Baltimore. Toronto will play a doubleheader Wednesday against the Orioles and needs only one win - or another Yankees loss - to wrap up its first AL East title in 22 years.
Pineda (12-9) and the Yankees began the day looking to lock up at least a wild card, but that chance was washed away when Minnesota was rained out in Cleveland. New York needs two wins in its final five games - or some help - to reach the postseason for the first time since 2012.
WHITE SOX 4, ROYALS 2
CHICAGO (AP) - Eric Hosmer and Kendrys Morales homered and Johnny Cueto threw six quality innings, but Kansas City lost to Chicago.
The Royals, who have lost four of their last five, fell behind 3-0 after Adam Eaton drove a two-run homer into the bullpen in right field off Cueto (10-13) in the fifth inning.
Cueto lost for the third time in his four September outings and gave up three runs and eight hits over six innings. He struck out two and walked two.
Kansas City got within 3-2 in the sixth when Hosmer and Morales hit back-to-back homers off Chicago starter Jeff Samardzija (11-13), who won for the second straight time after losing nine of his 10 previous outings.
The runs were the first the Royals scored in 17 innings during a three-game stretch that included Kansas City being shut out 1-0 in 11 innings by the Chicago Cubs on Monday night.
CUBS 4, REDS 1
CINCINNATI (AP) - Miguel Montero doubled home a pair of runs during Chicago's four-run first inning, and Dan Haren pitched into the eighth following a long rain delay.
The Cubs already have clinched a spot in the NL wild-card game for their first playoff berth since 2008. They trail Pittsburgh by three games for home-field advantage. The Pirates' game against first-place St. Louis was rained out on Tuesday.
The Reds lost their season-high 10th in a row, their longest slump since they dropped 11 straight in 1998.
PHILLIES 4, METS 3
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Darin Ruf hit a three-run homer, Odubel Herrera had four hits and Philadelphia snapped New York's franchise-record 11-game road winning streak.
Lucas Duda hit two homers for the NL East champion Mets, who hadn't lost away from home since Sept. 6, at Miami.
Duda hit a two-run shot off Ken Giles on an 0-2 pitch in the ninth before Giles retired Travis d'Arnaud for his 14th save in 18 chances.
Bartolo Colon (14-13) allowed three runs and eight hits in five innings for his first loss to the Phillies since Aug. 30, 2014. He beat them four times this season.
Adam Loewen (1-0) retired the only batter he faced in relief of starter David Buchanan to earn his first win since 2007 with Baltimore. The lefty struck out Duda with runners on second and third to end the fifth.
BRAVES 2, NATIONALS 1
ATLANTA (AP) - A.J. Pierzynski hit two home runs and rookie Matt Wisler threw seven strong innings as Atlanta beat Washington for just its fourth win in 17 tries against the Nats.
Wisler (7-8) picked up the victory, giving up one run while striking out four and walking two.
Rookie Arodys Vizcaino recorded his eighth save in nine chances. With runners on first and second and no outs in the ninth, Ian Desmond bunted into a 2-5-4 double play. Vizcaino then struck out Matt den Dekker to end it.
Tanner Roark (4-7), who rejoined the Nationals' rotation in September, took the loss. He handled everyone in the Braves' lineup except Pierzynski, who was 3 for 3, giving up just five hits and two runs in 6 2-3 innings. He struck out four, walked one and hit a batter.
RAYS 4, MARLINS 2
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Asdrubal Cabrera hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning, a one-out drive off Bryan Morris (5-4), to push the Rays to 12-6 in interleague play this season.
Adam Conley gave up two runs and five hits over six innings for the Marlins, who had a five-game winning streak end. Miami dropped to 0-8 in road games against American League teams this season.
Tampa Bay's Matt Moore, bidding to win consecutive starts, allowed one run and seven hits in seven innings.
Miami pulled even at 2 in the eighth on Martin Prado's run-scoring single off Alex Colome (7-5). Brad Boxberger pitched the ninth for his 39th save.
DIAMONDBACKS 4, ROCKIES 3 (11 INNINGS)
PHOENIX (AP) - Pinch-hitter Phil Gosselin singled in the winning run after Colorado reliever Brooks Brown walked the bases loaded in the 11th inning.
Gosselin knocked in Paul Goldschmidt from third base with one out after Brown (1-3), the eighth of nine pitchers for the Rockies on the night, walked the three batters he faced in the inning. A.J. Pollock, Goldschmidt and David Peralta reached base after Brown threw 11 straight balls.
Christian Friedrich gave up the winning hit. Randall Delgado (7-4) pitched a scoreless top of the 11th.
BREWERS 4, PADRES 3
SAN DIEGO (AP) - Jean Segura hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the sixth inning to help Jorge Lopez win his major league debut.
Lopez (1-0) allowed three runs and eight hits in five innings, struck out seven and walked two. The 22-year-old's contract was selected a week earlier from Double-A Biloxi, where he went 12-5 with a 2.26 ERA in 24 starts.
The Brewers trailed 3-2 going into the sixth. Khris Davis singled to left and Segura hit a one-out homer off Tyson Ross (10-12) into the balcony on the third level of the Western Metal Supply Co. Building in the left-field corner.
