Big Unit gets roughed up by Mets

Share this: Email | Facebook | X

By The Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) " Randy Johnson's pursuit of 300 wins will take a little longer.

Johnson dug himself an early hole against New York and ace Johan Santana, and the potent Mets beat the San Francisco Giants 9-6 on Saturday.

Carlos Beltran hit a pair of doubles and drove in three runs, and David Wright had a two-run double and three RBIs for New York. Fill-in cleanup hitter Gary Sheffield added three hits as the Mets won their 11th in 13 games and improved to 12-3 in May.

The Big Unit, looking to become the 24th pitcher to reach the 300-win milestone, is stuck on 298 victories.

Santana (5-2) gave up four runs and raised his ERA to 1.89, and it was only the second time he had allowed 11 hits in his career.

The Mets pounded Johnson (3-4) even without slugger Carlos Delgado in the middle of their order. He allowed 11 hits and seven runs with three strikeouts and no walks in four-plus innings.

Cubs 5, Astros 4

CHICAGO (AP) " Alfonso Soriano drove in Bobby Scales with the winning run in the ninth inning after the Cubs had squandered a four-run lead.

Scales drew a leadoff walk against LaTroy Hawkins in the ninth inning before Aaron Miles' sacrifice moved him into scoring position. Soriano singled to right off Hawkins (1-1), and Hunter Pence's throw to the plate was high, allowing Scales to score.

The rally came after Cubs closer Kevin Gregg couldn't hold a 4-0 lead in the ninth inning.

Sean Marshall (2-2) got one out for the win.

Diamondbacks 12, Braves 0

ATLANTA (AP) " Max Scherzer pitched six scoreless innings for his first major league win and Chris Snyder hit a grand slam in the ninth, capping Arizona's rout.

Snyder matched his career high with five RBIs, including the grand slam off Buddy Carlyle in a six-run ninth. Rookie Gerardo Parra drove in three runs with three hits as Arizona ended a four-game losing streak.

Scherzer (1-3) gave up four hits and three walks with four strikeouts.

Scherzer's first win came in his 14th start. He lost his first seven decisions over two seasons and entered the game with a career 3.39 ERA in 22 games.

Kenshin Kawakami (2-5) gave up five hits and three runs in five innings.

Brewers 1, Cardinals 0

ST. LOUIS (AP) " Jeff Suppan threw seven scoreless innings in his favorite stadium and Corey Hart hit his first homer in 27 games to lift Milwaukee over the Cardinals.

Suppan, who parlayed an 2006 NLCS MVP for the Cardinals into a free-agent contract with the Brewers, outdueled Adam Wainwright in the first of 18 matchups between teams who entered the day tied for the NL Central lead.

Suppan (3-3) is 131-126 for his career, but 9-2 with a 3.02 ERA in 20 starts in St. Louis and 7-2 with a 2.92 ERA in 12 starts against the Cardinals.

The Brewers won for the 10th time in 12 games despite getting only one other hit in eight innings against Wainwright (3-2), who struck out seven and walked two in his longest outing of the year.

Hart's first homer since April 13, a stretch of 27 games and 106 at-bats, put the Brewers ahead in the second.

Phillies 8, Nationals 5, first game

Phillies 7, Nationals 5, 5 innings, second game

WASHINGTON (AP) " Brett Myers cranked out seven innings in the afternoon, and emergency callup Andrew Carpenter pitched into the fifth in his first major league start in a nightcap called in the sixth inning due to rain as the Philles swept a day-night doubleheader.

Raul Ibanez hit three long home runs, and Philadelphia got a scoreless one-inning save in Game 1 from closer Brad Lidge, who had allowed at least one run in each of his six previous outings.

Meanwhile, things got worse for the Nationals: Game 1 starter Scott Olsen is headed to the disabled list with a shoulder injury, and Game 2 starter Daniel Cabrera dropped to 0-5 with another miserable performance.

Myers (3-2) matched his longest outing of season while striking out a season-high eight batters and allowing a season-low three hits.

Carpenter (1-0), promoted overnight from Triple-A because scheduled starter J.A. Happ worked in relief Friday night, allowed five runs and eight hits in 4 1-3 innings in Game 2.

Ibanez finished the day with five hits, four runs and seven RBIs.

Marlins 6, Dodgers 3

MIAMI (AP) " There was a mess on the field, and for a change it wasn't the Florida Marlins' fault.

Countless silvery pompon strands blew onto the diamond Saturday on pompom giveaway night, but the Marlins emerged from the litter with a 6-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers to break a five-game losing streak.

Andrew Miller (1-1), activated from the disabled list before the game, won for the first time since June 16. John Baker broke a 2-all tie in the fifth inning with a two-run homer for the Marlins, who scored five of their runs with two out.

With the score 2-all, Jeff Weaver (2-1) retired the first two batters in the fifth before Jorge Cantu singled and Baker hit his fifth homer.

The Dodgers' Eric Milton, making his first major-league start in two years, threw 84 pitches in four innings and left with the score 2-2. Milton is mounting a comeback from Tommy John surgery in June 2007. Pirates 7, Rockies 4

PITTSBURGH (AP) " Nate McLouth homered, Andy LaRoche and Delwyn Young each had two hits and two RBIs, and the Pirates beat Colorado.

Jack Wilson added two RBIs, Brandon Moss had two hits and scored twice for Pittsburgh, which has won three of five since snapping an eight-game losing streak.

The game was delayed by rain for 1 hour, 47 minutes in the bottom of the second inning.

Clint Barmes hit his fourth home run and Ryan Spilborghs had a two-run double for the Rockies, who have lost three of four.

Sean Burnett (1-1) earned the win with three effective innings of relief, and beleaguered closer Matt Capps pitched the ninth for his seventh save.

Matt Belisle (1-1) gave up McLouth's homer in the fifth.