PITTSBURGH — Russell Martin’s pinch-hit single with two outs in the 10th inning lifted the Pittsburgh Pirates over the Miami Marlins 5-4 Thursday for their fifth straight win. PITTSBURGH — Russell Martin’s pinch-hit single with two outs in the 10th
PITTSBURGH — Russell Martin’s pinch-hit single with two outs in the 10th inning lifted the Pittsburgh Pirates over the Miami Marlins 5-4 Thursday for their fifth straight win.
Martin delivered his fourth game-ending hit at PNC Park this year for the NL Central leaders.
The Pirates swept the three-game series and improved to 70-44, the best record in the majors. Miami lost its fifth in a row.
Josh Harrison opened the 10th with a single off Steve Ames (0-1) and took second on Clint Barmes’ sacrifice bunt. After Jose Tabata bounced out and Starling Marte was intentionally walked, Martin batted for Jared Hughes (2-2) and grounded a single down the left-field line.
Neil Walker had three hits and two RBIs for Pittsburgh. Marte had two hits.
DODGERS 5, CARDINALS 1
ST. LOUIS — A.J. Ellis hit a three-run home run and rookie Hyun-Jin Ryu pitched seven stellar innings to help the red-hot Dodgers beat the Cardinals.
The Dodgers have won 17 of their last 18 games on the road, with the only loss coming Tuesday to St. Louis in the second game of the four-game set. Los Angeles returns home for a six-game home stand against Tampa and the New York Mets.
Ryu (11-3) allowed one unearned run on five hits while striking out seven and walking no one. He increased his winning percentage to .786, which is the highest winning percentage for a rookie in Dodgers’ history.
Los Angeles spoiled the first start for St. Louis rookie Carlos Martinez (0-1), who was called up from Triple-A Memphis earlier in the day to make the start.
GIANTS 4, BREWERS 1
SAN FRANCISCO — Tim Lincecum pitched another gem, allowing only one hit over eight shutout innings and leading the Giants past the Brewers.
Lincecum, who threw his first career no-hitter July 13 at San Diego, permitted just a double to Juan Francisco leading off the third inning.
Lincecum (6-11) struck out eight and walked one in eight innings before getting pulled for a pinch-hitter. The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner had been 0-2 in three starts since throwing 148 pitches in his no-hitter.
Brandon Belt hit a three-run homer in the first inning off Donovan Hand (0-4). Marco Scutaro and Brandon Crawford each added three hits.
PHILLIES 12, CUBS 1
PHILADELPHIA — Ethan Martin earned his first major league win, Cody Asche hit his first home run and the Phillies routed the Cubs.
Asche’s two-run drive capped a six-run burst in the fourth inning that made it 10-1. He had three hits and fellow rookie Darin Ruf also homered.
Martin (1-1) got more than enough support. He pitched five innings and allowed one run and four hits, striking out four and walking three. Nat Schierholtz homered in the fourth.
Chase Utley delivered an RBI double on the day the Phillies announced a new contract with the star second baseman that goes through the 2015 season.
Jeff Samardzija (6-11) was chased in the fourth inning.
The game was delayed by rain for 22 minutes in the seventh inning.
METS 2, ROCKIES 1
NEW YORK — Dillon Gee followed Matt Harvey’s first career shutout with an impressive outing of his own, helping the Mets beat Colorado and sending the Rockies home after matching the worst road trip in team history.
Gee (8-8) scattered eight hits without yielding a walk in 7 2/3 innings to win for the first time since July 14. He allowed Corey Dickerson’s homer leading off the fourth inning.
Rookie Wilmer Flores had an RBI groundout and Anthony Recker a sacrifice fly off spot starter Jeff Manship as the Mets completed their first three-game sweep over the Rockies since 2008 at Shea Stadium.
Manship (0-1) was called up from Triple-A Colorado Springs for the start because right-hander Tyler Chatwood experienced inflammation in his right elbow after a bullpen session Tuesday. Chatwood was throwing to test a tight hamstring that forced Colorado to push back his start two days to Thursday.
Now he’s headed to the DL, the latest blow for the sinking Rockies.
Tigers 10, Indians 3
CLEVELAND — Max Scherzer became baseball’s first 17-game winner as Detroit posted its 12th straight victory, routing Cleveland.
Miguel Cabrera drove in three runs as the AL Central leaders completed a four-game sweep and opened a seven-game lead over the second-place Indians.
Scherzer (17-1) allowed two runs and four hits in seven innings. He helped the Tigers beat Cleveland for the 12th time in their last 13 meetings.
Zach McAllister (4-7) allowed six runs in 2 1-3 innings, his shortest start of the season.
ROYALS 5, RED SOX 1
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Bruce Chen outdueled Jon Lester as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Boston Red Sox.
The Royals won for the 16th time in 20 games since the All-Star break. The Red Sox, who have the best record in the American League, lost for only the third time in 10 games.
Chen (5-0), who was making his fifth start since beginning the season in the bullpen, did not allow a runner past first base until the eighth and retired 11 in a row in one stretch.
He yielded five singles, walked one and struck out two.
Lester (10-7), who came into the game with a 6-2 record and 1.64 ERA in nine starts against the Royals, needed 41 pitches in the first inning when Kansas City sent eight men to the plate and scored three runs.
