CHICAGO Ted Lilly struck out 10 in eight strong innings and hit a two-run double, powering the Chicago Cubs to a 6-1 victory over the Florida Marlins on Saturday.

Ryan Theriot homered for the second consecutive day and Derrek Lee added a solo shot for the Cubs, who won their second straight after losing seven of nine.

Lilly (3-2) allowed a run and five hits with no walks, giving the bullpen a much-needed rest after Cubs relievers pitched 11 1-3 innings over the previous three games. Aaron Heilman struck out the side in the ninth.

Anibal Sanchez (1-3) gave up six runs and nine hits over four innings for Florida.

Hanley Ramirez went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in his return to the Marlins starting lineup. Ramirez entered Fridays game in a double switch for his first appearance since being hit on the right hand in New York on Monday.

Cody Ross homered for Florida.

Nationals 6, Cardinals 1=

WASHINGTON – Shairon Martis pitched a five-hitter and Adam Dunn hit a three-run homer for the Nationals.

Dunn connected in the fifth after first baseman Chris Duncan dropped Ryan Zimmermans foul pop that would have been the last out of the inning.

Martis (3-0) retired the first 14 hitters he faced before Yadier Molina grounded a single through the middle in the fifth. The right-hander, who had never gone more than 6 1-3 innings, struck out six and walked none while throwing 110 pitches.

Colby Rasmus hit his first career homer for St. Louis. Joel Pineiro (4-1) allowed four runs – one earned – and seven hits in seven innings.

Ryan Zimmerman doubled in the first, extending his Nationals-record hitting streak to 21 games, the longest in the majors this season.

Phillies 6, Mets 5, 10 innings=

PHILADELPHIA – Shane Victorinos bases-loaded walk off Sean Green with two outs in the 10th inning lifted the Phillies to a victory over the Mets.

Green (0-2) retired the first batter he faced before Pedro Feliz reached on an infield single. Green hit pinch-hitter Matt Stairs with a pitch, but retired pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs on a fly ball.

After pinch-hitter Chris Coste walked to load the bases, Victorino walked on a 3-2 pitch to give the Phillies a split in the first two games of the series against their rival.

Jack Taschner (1-0) pitched out of trouble in the 10th, retiring Carlos Beltran on an inning-ending double-play grounder with runners at first and third.

Rockies 5, Giants 1=

SAN FRANCISCO – Ryan Spilborghs homered twice and drove in three runs, Jason Marquis pitched a five-hitter and the Rockies beat the Giants.

Brad Hawpe also homered for the Rockies, who have won four of six. Garrett Atkins also drove in a run.

Pablo Sandoval hit a leadoff homer in the ninth for the Giants.

Marquis (4-1) struck out five and walked one in his first complete game since a 1-0 victory on May 9, 2007, against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Matt Cain (2-1) allowed five runs and seven hits in six innings for the Giants.

Astros 5, Braves 1=

ATLANTA – Lance Berkman hit a first-inning homer, Hunter Pence had three hits and the Astros responded to their managers call for more offense with a victory over the Braves.

Before the game, manager Cecil Cooper said, Our big horses have got to hit. If they dont hit, the wagon dont move!

The Astros had 12 hits, including Berkmans sixth homer, a liner off Jair Jurrjens that barely cleared the left-field wall.

Houston still led 1-0 in the second inning when a rain delay of 1 hour, 37 minutes took both starting pitchers out of the game.

Tim Byrdak (1-0) gave up two hits in 2 1-3 scoreless innings.

Chipper Jones error helped the Astros score three runs off Buddy Carlyle (0-1) in the fourth.

Diamondbacks 4, Brewers 1=

MILWAUKEE – Dan Haren struck out 11 to win his third straight start and Justin Upton hit a homer to lift the Diamondbacks over the Brewers.

With Diamondbacks ace Brandon Webb sidelined with a nagging shoulder strain, Haren (3-3) has picked up the slack and Arizona is beginning to hit, winning five of the last seven.

With Haren, the Diamondbacks know they dont need to score much. He scattered one run off four hits over eight innings and has given up three runs over his last three starts to lower his ERA to 1.47. Chad Qualls pitched around a one-out double in the ninth for his sixth save.

Brewers starter Braden Looper (2-1) took the loss.

Pirates 8, Reds 6=

PITTSBURGH – Nate McLouths run-scoring single allowed Pittsburgh to stop a 22-inning scoreless streak in a span of only three batters and the Pirates held on to beat the Reds as Ross Ohlendorf won his third in a row.

McLouth had three hits and scored three times and Ramon Vazquezs two-run single keyed the four-run first inning that got the Pittsburgh offense going following consecutive shutout losses. The Pirates had lost four in a row and five of seven.

The Reds, down 8-4 starting the ninth, scored twice and had the bases loaded with two out before Pirates closer Matt Capps struck out Alex Gonzalez, who hit a three-run homer earlier in the game.

Dodgers 2, Padres 1, 10 innings=

LOS ANGELES – Andre Ethier hit a bases-loaded RBI single in the 10th inning, giving the Dodgers a victory over the Padres.

The Dodgers second walkoff win in two nights made them 9-0 at home, tying the franchise record set in 1946 in Brooklyn. They won 1-0 Friday night on a bases-loaded walk to Russell Martin in the ninth.

Rafael Furcal led off the 10th with a single against rookie Luke Gregerson (0-2) and Orlando Hudson followed with a single through the box, putting runners at the corners. Manny Ramirez was walked intentionally, and Ethier drove a 2-1 pitch off the right field fence to hand Gregerson his second loss in three nights.

Guillermo Mota (2-0) pitched one inning for the victory.

Posted on May 3rd, 2009 by admin
Filed under: MLB baseball news