NATIONAL LEAGUE
DODGERS 4, GIANTS 2
SAN FRANCISCO -- Clayton Kershaw outpitched Yusmeiro Petit for his major league-leading 19th victory, and the Los Angeles Dodgers moved three games ahead of San Francisco in the NL West with a 4-2 victory over the Giants on Sunday.
Kershaw (19-3) boosted his credentials for the NL MVP and a third Cy Young Award with another big performance in a big start. The left-hander allowed 7 hits, struck out 9 and walked 1 in 8 innings, putting the Dodgers in command of the division.
Matt Kemp hit his 20th home run, and Juan Uribe and A.J. Ellis each drove in a run to back Kershaw's latest gem. Buster Posey and pinch-hitter Matt Duffy had RBI singles for San Francisco.
Kenley Jansen pitched a perfect ninth for his 42nd save in 47 chances.
MARLINS 5, PHILLIES 4 Philadelphia closer Jonathan Papelbon made a lewd gesture to fans and was ejected after giving up four runs in the ninth inning during the host Phillies loss to Miami. Papelbon (2-3) had converted 14 consecutive save chances since July 22.
NATIONALS 3, METS 0 Wilson Ramos hit a tiebreaking, two-run home run in the seventh off Jonathon Niese (8-11), and the visiting Nationals won their ninth consecutive start with Jordan Zimmermann (11-5), who allowed six hits and a walk in 6 2/3 innings.
PIRATES 7, CUBS 3 Third baseman Josh Harrison started host Pittsburgh's first triple play at home in 21 years and hit a tying two-run double in a six-run fifth against Jacob Turner (5-10).
CARDINALS 4, ROCKIES 1 Rookie Marco Gonzales (3-2) struck out nine in 5 2/3 innings and Jhonny Peralta homered as host St. Louis remained 3 1/2 games ahead of second-place Pittsburgh in the NL Central. Trevor Rosenthal struck out the side in the ninth for his NL-leading 44th save, giving St. Louis pitchers 16 strikeouts.
BREWERS 9, REDS 2 Matt Clark hit a three-run homer in a five-run seventh inning, and Mark Reynolds added a solo shot in the eighth for the host Brewers. Matt Garza (8-8) allowed 1 run and 4 hits in 6-plus innings to beat Mike Leake (11-12).
DIAMONDBACKS 8, PADRES 6 Zeke Spruill (1-1) allowed one hit in three shutout innings of long relief, and Will Harris escaped a bases-loaded jam in the eighth, striking out Rymer Liriano and pinch-hitter Tommy Medica to preserve host Arizona's 5-4 lead. Odrisamer Despaigne (3-7) was hurt by a pair of Padres misplays in a five-run third.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
TIGERS 6, INDIANS 4 Ian Kinsler hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the seventh inning, and host Detroit reopened a 1 1/2-game AL Central lead by beating Cleveland for a three-game sweep. Kinsler's home run off Bryan Shaw (5-5), his first since Aug. 30, followed Rajai Davis' infield single and put the Tigers ahead 4-3.
RED SOX 8, ROYALS 4 Daniel Nava hit a grand slam and Xander Bogaerts added a three-run drive as visiting Boston overcame a 4-0, third-inning deficit. Kansas City, which lost three of four to the last-place Red Sox, maintained a one-game lead over Seattle for the second AL wild card.
ASTROS 6, ANGELS 1 Former Arkansas Razorbacks pitcher Dallas Keuchel (11-9) didn't allow a hit until Mike Trout's one-out single in the seventh, and Houston ended the Angels' 10-game winning streak, one shy of the team record set in 1964.
ATHLETICS 4, MARINERS 0 Sam Fuld and Brandon Moss hit solo home runs, and Jon Lester (15-10) combined with three relievers on a seven-hitter to improve to 5-3 with the A's. Visiting Oakland won consecutive games for the first time since Aug. 22-23 and opened a 1 1/2-game lead over Kansas City for the first AL wild card.
RAYS 6, BLUE JAYS 5 Yunel Escobar riled up the crowd with an exaggerated display after a home run in the eighth and Sean Rodriguez hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th. A frequent target of boos in Toronto after being suspended by the Blue Jays for writing an anti-gay slur on his eye-black in 2012, Escobar homered off the facing of the fourth deck against Todd Redmond. Escobar drew more jeers by facing the crowd and making an elaborate safe sign as he crossed home plate.
TWINS 6, WHITE SOX 4 Staked to an early 4-0 lead, rookie Trevor May (3-4) struck out a season-high 10 in six innings and visiting Minnesota overcame Jose Abreu's 35th home run to end a four-game losing streak. Trevor Plouffe and Jordan Schafer homered for the Twins.
INTERLEAGUE
RANGERS 10, BRAVES 3 Colby Lewis (10-13) allowed 1 run and 5 hits in 7 innings, Luis Sardinas doubled his career total with four RBIs and host Texas completed a three-game sweep -- the Rangers' first sweep since April 21-23 in a three-game set at Oakland.
Sports on 09/15/2014