Cubs’ new top of order delivering runs, victories

— Rookies Tyler Colvin and Starlin Castro hit home runs Saturday, completing a successful week at the top of Chicago’s order and helping the Cubs to a 6-5 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Cardinals finally scored after being shut out the previous two days but still followed an eight-game winning streak with their third consecutive loss.

Since Cubs Manager Lou Piniella decided last Sunday to put his two youngest position players atop the batting order, Colvin and Castro have hit a combined .385 with 13 runs and 11 RBI.

One of the majors’ lowest-scoring teams, Chicago has averaged 7.2 runs in the six games since the move, winning four times.

Colvin led off with a home run for the second consecutive day. The24-year-old outfielder leads all rookies with 15 home runs.

After the Cardinals went up 2-1 on Tyler Greene’s two-run secondinning single - snapping their 21-inning scoreless streak - Colvin drew a one-out walk in the third and scored when Castro hit a home run on Blake Hawksworth’s next pitch to put the Cubs ahead to stay.

Castro, a 20-year shortstop, also doubled and singled. He is batting .489 with 8 runs and 8 RBI in his past 11 games.

Tom Gorzelanny (6-5) allowed 3 runs on 7 hits and 3 walks in 6 innings.

PHILLIES 10, ROCKIES 2

Ryan Howard hit a bases-loaded triple and Jimmy Rollins had a two-run triple in a seven-run third inning and host Philadelphia beat Ubaldo Jimenez (15-2) and Colorado.

DODGERS 3, METS 2

James Loney hit a home run in the 13th inning, giving host Los Angeles a victory over New York. Oliver Perez (0-4), startinghis second inning of relief, retired Matt Kemp on a broken-bat fly ball before Loney drove a 1-0 pitch into the seats.

BREWERS 4, NATIONALS 3

Ryan Braun’s single in the bottom of the ninth inning gave host Milwaukee a victory over Washington. Braun alsohit a home run in the first and Jim Edmonds hit a home run and made a tough play in center field for the Brewers.

PADRES 9, PIRATES 2

Mat Latos (11-4) pitched effectively over six innings despite giving up two home runs in his first start since July 8 and West Division-leading San Diego won for the seventh time in nine games.

REDS 7, ASTROS 0

Johnny Cueto (10-2) allowed four hits in eight scoreless innings and Joey Votto and Ramon Hernandez each hit home runs to lead Cincinnati to a victory over host Houston.

BRAVES 10, MARLINS 5

Brooks Conrad’s second pinch-hit grand slam of the year put visiting Atlanta ahead in an eight-run eighth inning as the Braves rallied to beat Florida.

GIANTS 10, DIAMONDBACKS 4

Juan Uribe hit a grand slam, Madison Bumgarner (4-2) pitched seven effective innings and visiting San Francisco shook off an injury to Eugenio Velez, who took a fourth-inning line drive to the head in the dugout, to beat Arizona. Velez was taken to the hospital, where he was expected to spend the night.

American League ROYALS 7, YANKEES 4

Jose Guillen hit ahome run and drove in two runs, Rick Ankiel also had two RBI and visiting Kansas City beat New York. Alex Rodriguez was 1 for 4 and remained stuck on 599 home runs for the second consecutive day.

ATHLETICS 10, WHITE SOX 2

Jack Cust hit two home runs, Kurt Suzuki added a home run and host Oakland beat Chicago.

BLUE JAYS 3, TIGERS 2

Jose Bautista drove in two runs to help visiting Toronto beat Detroit, which lost Magglio Ordonez to a fractured ankle. Ordonez broke his ankle sliding into home plate and is expected to miss 6 to 8 weeks.

RAYS 6, INDIANS 3

David Price (13-5) held it together after a rocky start, getting a three-run home run from Ben Zobrist and a home run from Carlos Pena that helped Tampa Bay end their 18-game losing streak in Cleveland.

TWINS 7, ORIOLES 2

Delmon Young went 4 for 4 with a home run and three RBI, and visiting Minnesota received a strong pitching performance from Scott Baker in a victory over Baltimore.

ANGELS 6, RANGERS 2

Ervin Santana (9-7) scattered five hits and struck out eight over eight innings, Jeff Mathis homered, and visiting Los Angeles ended a three-game skid with a victory over Texas.

Saturday’s games NATIONAL LEAGUE Chicago Cubs 6, St. Louis 5 Philadelphia 10, Colorado 2 LA Dodgers 3, NY Mets 2, 13 innings Cincinnati 7, Houston 0 San Diego 9, Pittsburgh 2 Atlanta 10, Florida 5 Milwaukee 4, Washington 3 San Francisco 10, Arizona 4 AMERICAN LEAGUE Kansas City 7, NY Yankees 4 Oakland 10, Chicago White Sox 2 Minnesota 7, Baltimore 2 Tampa Bay 6, Cleveland 3 Toronto 3, Detroit 2 LA Angels 6, Texas 2 Boston at Seattle, (n)

Sports, Pages 32 on 07/25/2010

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