Harper, Nats win 5th in row, top Familia, Mets in 11
NEW YORK >> Bryce Harper homered early, then doubled and scored the go-ahead run in the 11th inning on a bases-loaded walk by Jeurys Familia, sending the Washington Nationals over the New York Mets 4-3 Friday night for their fifth straight win.
Familia again had trouble finding the strike zone, forcing home a run with a walk to Trea Turner, as the Mets lost for the sixth time in seven games. New York fell to 1-3 in extra innings early this season.
The Nationals, the top-hitting team in the major leagues, hadn’t gotten a hit since Jose Lobaton’s leadoff homer in the fifth when Harper sliced a double to open the 11th.
After Daniel Murphy was intentionally walked by Josh Smoker (0-1), Familia relieved. On Thursday night, Familia — who led the majors with 51 saves last year — made his season debut after a 15-game domestic violence suspension and labored through 30 pitches, walking two.
This time, he bounced a wild pitch to Anthony Rendon and Harper hustled safely into third. Rendon wound up walking on a full-count pitch and Turner, activated from the disabled list before the game, walked on four pitches.
Enny Romero (1-0) got the win, and Shawn Kelley earned his third save.
Harper hit his seventh homer, lining a two-run drive in the first off nemesis Matt Harvey. Harper was 1 for 26 in his career against Harvey before connecting.
Both teams played without starters.
Outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera and catcher Travis d’Arnaud didn’t start for the Mets on the day they put first baseman Lucas Duda and infielder Wilmer Flores on the disabled list.
Plus, Harvey wound up pitching when scheduled starter Jacob deGrom was scratched with a stiff neck.
Ailing outfielder Jayson Werth sat out for Washington, catcher Matt Wieters got a day off and several first baseman Ryan Zimmerman entered in the ninth. CUBS 6, REDS 5 >> Anthony Rizzo tied it with a two-out, three-run homer in the ninth, and Kris Bryant hit a sacrifice fly in the 11th inning rallying Chicago over Cincinnati.
The Cubs won for the 19th time in their last 23 games against the Reds and for the 16th time in their last 20 games at Great American Ball Park. CARDINALS 6, BREWERS 3 >> Adam Wainwright homered and drove in four runs while getting his first victory of the season, leading St. Louis s over Milwaukee.
Wainwright ripped a two-run homer into the second deck in left field off Wily Peralta (3-1) to put the Cardinals up 2-1 in the third. He drove in two more runs with a single in the fourth to extend the lead to 5-1. PIRATES 6, YANKEES 3 >> Josh Bell hit his second home run in as many games and Pittsburgh got to CC Sabathia early for a win over New York.
Jordy Mercer led off with a solo shot against Sabathia (2-1) in the first and Bell followed an inning later with a two-run homer to the left field bleachers to give Pittsburgh a four-run cushion. TWINS 6, TIGERS 3 >> Justin Verlander stumbled again, Miguel Cabrera left after straining his right groin and Detroit wasted a three-run lead against Minnesota, which burst ahead when Eddie Rosario hit a three-run homer that capped a six-run sixth.
Cabrera, a two-time AL MVP, had three hits but was hurt while stretching for a throw from third baseman Nicholas Castellanos to first on Brian Dozier’s inning-ending grounder in the sixth. INDIANS 3, WHITE SOX 0 >> Corey Kluber pitched a three-hitter and faced two over the minimum, leading Cleveland over Chicago. Kluber (21) faced 29 batters in the first complete-game shutout in the majors this season. RANGERS 6, ROYALS 2 >> Joey Gallo and Robinson Chirinos each homered twice to back a season-high eight innings from Cole Hamels and Texas beat Kansas City. ASTROS 6, RAYS 3 >> Carlos Beltran, playing three days before his 40th birthday, led off the second inning with his 423rd home run, and Houston rallied past Tampa Bay. ORIOLES 2, RED SOX 0 >> Dylan Bundy took a five-hitter into the eighth inning, Manny Machado homered and surging Baltimore beat Boston.
Boston second baseman Dustin Pedroia had to be helped from the field in the bottom of the eighth inning after hurting his knee. The injury occurred when Machado slid into second on a force play and appeared to unintentionally spike Pedroia in the back of the left leg.