MLB: Brandon Barnes spurs Rockies past Giants

SAN FRANCISCO — Brandon Barnes isn’t a classic power hitter. In fact, neither of the Colorado right fielder’s two home runs this season even left the park.

They did help the Rockies to victories, however, and for that Barnes isn’t making any apologies.

Barnes hit a two-run, inside-the-park home run in the ninth inning and Colorado rallied for the second straight day to stun the San Francisco Giants 5-4 on Saturday.

“I’d really like to hit one out so I can jog around the bases to make it easier,” said Barnes, who hit his first inside-the-park home run against Arizona on June 5. “I always seem to make it hard on myself. I hit the ball and I’m going to run hard until something stops me.”

Charlie Blackmon singled with two outs off Giants closer Sergio Romo (3-3) before Barnes lined a hit to center field. San Francisco’s Angel Pagan misplayed the ball and it skipped to the fence as Blackmon and Barnes raced around the bases.

Barnes, who had a walkoff triple to beat the Dodgers on June 7, had flown out to center in three consecutive at-bats before helping Colorado extend its winning streak to four games.

“My father made the trip up from Anaheim for Fathers’ day tomorrow and my step-mom and sister were here,” Barnes said. “It’s special to play in front of them, especially like a day like today.”

It’s the second consecutive blown save and fourth this season for Romo, who gave up five runs in the ninth inning of Friday’s 7-4 loss to Colorado.

“I don’t feel like I could have done much more there,” Romo said. “I had two outs, one pitch away again … and they found a way to stay alive. They got me again. What can I do?”

Buster Posey’s sacrifice fly in the seventh inning had given the Giants a 4-3 lead. Posey also doubled and homered to finish with a season-high three RBIs — the most by San Francisco’s two-time All-Star in more than 11 months.

Hunter Pence hit his ninth home run of the year while Gregor Blanco had three hits for San Francisco.

ANGELS 11, BRAVES 6, 13 INNINGS

ATLANTA — Kole Calhoun’s bases-loaded single in the 13th inning drove in the go-ahead run and Los Angeles recovered after blowing a four-run lead in the ninth to beat Atlanta.

Mike Trout and Albert Pujols each had three hits, including homers back-to-back homers in the sixth inning, and drove in four runs.

Erick Aybar led off the 13th with his fourth hit, an infield single, and moved to second on catcher Gerald Laird’s passed ball. David Hale (2-1) walked pinch-hitter C.J. Wilson and hit Chris Iannetta with a pitch to load the bases.

Calhoun’s soft fly ball fell just in front of center fielder B.J. Upton, who attempted a sliding catch. Trout’s two-run double and Pujols’ two-run single pushed the lead to five runs.

The teams combined to use 16 pitchers in a game that lasted nearly 5 hours.

Fernando Salas (4-0) pitched two scoreless innings.

ATHLETICS 5, YANKEES 1

OAKLAND, Calif. — Eric Sogard drove in two runs and threw out a runner at the plate to help Oakland win a game delayed 38 minutes by a partial power outage.

The game was stopped in the middle of the fourth inning after a panel of lights went out above left field. The A’s said the circuit breaker turned off and had to be manually reset.

New York’s four-game winning streak ended because of its own errors. Two passed balls by backup catcher John Ryan Murphy, who was inserted in the lineup after Mark Teixeira was scratched with tightness in his rib cage, helped Oakland score twice in the fifth.

Scott Kazmir (8-2) allowed one unearned run and three hits in six innings for his third straight win. Dan Otero pitched two perfect innings before Sean Doolittle closed out the ninth.

The A’s tagged Hiroki Kuroda (4-5) with four runs and five hits in 4 2-3 innings. He pitched a perfect fourth after the delay but lost his rhythm in the fifth.

DODGERS 6, DIAMONDACKS 4

LOS ANGELES — Dan Haren pitched into the seventh inning and hit a tiebreaking three-run double to lead Los Angeles.

Dee Gordon hit a rare home run for the Dodgers, who are 10-3 against the Diamondbacks and 27-30 against everyone else. With six games left between the NL West rivals, this is the earliest the Dodgers have ever clinched a season series with Arizona. They began the year by sweeping a two-game set Down Under in Sydney.

Haren (7-4) allowed three runs and eight hits, including a one-out single in the seventh by pinch-hitter Jordan Pacheco that chased the former Diamondbacks right-hander.

Kenley Jansen got three outs for his 19th save despite giving up a leadoff homer in the ninth by Martin Prado — his third hit of the game and 1,000th of his career.

Arizona right-hander Josh Collmenter (4-4) gave up six runs and eight hits through six innings.

PHILLIES 7, CUBS 4

PHILADELPHIA — Jimmy Rollins singled in the fifth to pass Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt as Philadelphia’s hits leader and Domonic Brown capped the inning with a three-run homer.

Rollins got hit No. 2,235 off Edwin Jackson, sending a 3-1 pitch into right field to open the fifth. The game was then delayed for an on-field celebration.

Chase Utley also homered for Philadelphia, which has won four of five following a dismal 1-8 stretch.

David Buchanan (2-3), in his fifth start for injured lefty Cliff Lee (elbow), allowed three runs and six hits in five innings.

Schmidt, a Phillies TV analyst for Sunday games, retrieved Rollins’ bat and greeted the 2007 NL MVP with a high-five and hug at first base. The Phillies then came out of the dugout to offer congratulatory hugs and handshakes.

RANGERS 4, MARINERS 3

SEATTLE — Leonys Martin hit a run-scoring single with two outs in the ninth and Texas extended Seattle’s losing streak to five games.

Luis Sardinas singled off Fernando Rodney (1-3) with one out in the ninth and moved to second on a groundout. Martin then hit a grounder just past the glove of a diving Kyle Seager at third base, scoring Sardinas without a play at the plate.

Neal Cotts (2-3) earned the win with 1 2-3 innings of relief, striking out four. Joakim Soria pitched a perfect ninth for his 15th save in 16 chances.

The Mariners tied the game in the seventh after a Rangers fielding gaffe loaded the bases. Robinson Cano followed with a soft line drive to right, scoring Willie Bloomquist to tie it 3-all.

INDIANS 3, RED SOX 2

BOSTON — Jason Kipnis had three hits and Cleveland rallied for two runs in the seventh inning to snap a four-game losing streak.

Asdrubal Cabrera and Michael Brantley each had a pair of hits for the Indians, who had lost eight of their past nine games at Fenway Park. John Axford (2-3) earned the win with one scoreless inning in relief of T.J. House.

Cody Allen pitched the ninth for his seventh save.

Craig Breslow (2-2) took the loss, allowing two unearned runs and two hits and a walk in two-thirds of an inning.

BREWERS 4, REDS 2

MILWAUKEE — Ryan Braun hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning to lift Milwaukee to victory.

With one out in the eighth inning, Scooter Gennett ended up with a double after blooping a ball to center that Billy Hamilton got his glove on but couldn’t hold. Braun then drove the first pitch from reliever J.J. Hoover (1-5) over the right field fence for his 10th homer of the season.

Francisco Rodriquez pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his 21st save in 23 opportunities. Will Smith (1-0) got the win despite giving up a game-tying home run to Hamilton in the eighth inning.

Reds starter Mat Latos went six shutout innings in his season debut, giving up two hits while striking out four. He started the season on the disabled list while recovering from elbow and knee surgeries.

Brewers starter Yovani Gallardo allowed one run on six hits in seven innings and struck out eight.

ROYALS 9, WHITE SOX 1

CHICAGO — Danny Duffy matched a career high with nine strikeouts and Kansas City extended its winning streak to six games.

Duffy (4-5) scattered five hits over seven-plus shutout innings for Kansas City.

Mike Moustakas homered among his three hits as the Royals won their second straight in this weekend series.

The Royals scored five times in the fourth — four with none out — to chase Chicago starter Hector Noesi (2-5).

TIGERS 12, TWINS 9

DETROIT — Rookie Eugenio Suarez hit a leadoff homer and a run-scoring double in a seven-run third inning to lead slumping Detroit to victory.

The Tigers led 11-1 after six innings, but their struggling bullpen had trouble finishing off the game.

Detroit came into the game having lost 17 of 24 after a fast start to the season, but it was helped by another strong pitching performance. Anibal Sanchez (3-2) was charged with three runs and four hits in 6 1-3 innings.

Sanchez was in complete control before he walked the leadoff hitter in the seventh and allowed a one-out RBI triple to Eduardo Nunez. Evan Reed then came in, and Nunez scored on a passed ball.

Samuel Deduno (2-5) lasted just 2 2-3 innings for Minnesota, which had won three in a row. The right-hander allowed seven runs and seven hits, struck out three and walked two.

ORIOLES 3, BLUE JAYS 2

BALTIMORE — Chris Davis homered to back Bud Norris’ effective pitching for Baltimore.

Davis hit a two-run shot off knuckleballer R.A. Dickey (6-5) to put Baltimore up 3-1 in the fifth inning. It was the 11th homer of the year for Davis, who led the majors last year with 53.

Norris (6-5) gave up one run and seven hits in 6 2-3 innings to win his third straight start. The right-hander extended an impressive run by Orioles starters, who have allowed two runs or fewer in 13 of the last 16 games.

After Toronto closed to 3-2 in the eighth, Zach Britton got three outs for his seventh save.

CARDINALS 4, NATIONALS 1

ST. LOUIS — Matt Adams hit the go-ahead home run for the second straight game, connecting off Stephen Strasburg in St. Louis’ three-run seventh inning.

Adams snapped a 1-all tie with his sixth homer leading off the seventh, driving a 3-1 offering from Strasburg (6-5) over the wall in right-center. On Friday, he homered on his first swing since coming off the 15-day disabled list from a left calf strain, lifting St. Louis to a 1-0 victory.

Jayson Werth had an RBI double in the first for the Nationals, who managed just four hits for a two-day total of six. They will try to avoid a three-game sweep in the series finale Sunday.

St. Louis reliever Randy Choate (1-2) needed one pitch to escape a bases-loaded threat in the seventh after a strong start from Shelby Miller, who gave up four hits in 6 2-3 innings. Pat Neshek worked a perfect eighth and Trevor Rosenthal finished for his 19th save in 22 chances.

ASTROS 7, RAYS 3

HOUSTON — Matt Dominguez broke out of a slump with two hits that included a three-run double in Houston’s big third inning.

Dominguez was 1 for 12 in the first three games of this homestand before singling in the second inning. The Astros led by one when he cleared the bases with his double in a five-run third inning that made it 5-1.

Jarred Cosart (6-5) allowed nine hits and three runs in seven innings in his longest outing since May 5.

Tampa Bay starter Chris Archer (3-4) was done in by an error and a lack of control in his shortest start this season. He allowed three hits and six runs — one earned — with three walks in three innings.

PIRATES 8, MARLINS 6

MIAMI — Andrew McCutchen hit a three-run homer and Jody Mercer also went deep for Pittsburgh.

Josh Harrison and Chris Stewart had three hits apiece, and the Pirates finished with 18 overall in their sixth consecutive game in double digits. Touted rookie Gregory Polanco had two hits and two RBIs.

Marcell Ozuna and Jeff Baker each hit a two-run homer in the ninth for Miami. Randy Wolf (1-3) allowed five runs and nine hits in four innings.

The Pirates (34-34) have won four straight and five of six to get back to .500 for the first time since they were 8-8 following a victory over Milwaukee on April 17.

Pittsburgh right-hander Charlie Morton pitched seven effective innings for his third consecutive win. He allowed two runs and five hits to improve to 4-1 with a 2.40 ERA in his last five starts.

PADRES 5, METS 0

NEW YORK — Jesse Hahn earned his first big league victory, pitching one-hit ball for six innings and contributing an RBI single to help San Diego end a five-game losing streak.

Hahn and San Diego’s bullpen limited the Mets to two hits: Ruben Tejada’s infield hit leading off the first and Lucas Duda’s bloop single down the left field line in the ninth.

Hahn (1-1) worked six innings and relievers Dale Thayer, Joaquin Benoit and Huston Street each went an inning.

Called up from Double-A to make his second appearance in the majors, Hahn struck out seven and walked three. The 24-year-old righty escaped his biggest jam by fanning Matt den Dekker with the bases loaded to end the fourth.

By wire sources