Padres defeat Diamondbacks 5-1
SAN DIEGO — Clayton Richard gave San Diego a desperately needed strong pitching performance with a five-hitter that helped the Padres beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-1 on Sunday to snap a five-game losing streak.
The 33-year-old Richard (3-5) also had an RBI single during a three-run rally off Zack Godley (1-1) in the fifth inning that was cut short due to fan interference.
With two outs and the bases loaded, a fan reached over the fence in the right-field corner and caught Wil Myers’ long foul ball. Myers was ruled out. San Diego manager Andy Green challenged, but the call was upheld after review.
Ryan Schimpf hit a leadoff homer to start the rally, his 10th. Another run scored on an error by center fielder Gregor Blanco on Austin Hedges’ single.
Richard struck out six and walked none in his fourth career complete game. The left-hander matched the career-best five-hitter he threw on Aug. 8, 2012, at the Chicago Cubs.
His performance came after Jered Weaver was knocked out in the first inning of Friday night’s 10-1 loss and Luis Perdomo failed to get an out in the fourth inning of a 9-1 defeat Saturday night.
The rebuilding Padres, who entered with the worst record in baseball, had more hits (six) and runs in the fifth inning than they did on Friday and Saturday combined. They managed only four hits in each of those games.
Richard’s only costly mistake was allowing Chris Iannetta’s home run with one out in the third. It was Iannetta’s first swing since he was reinstated Saturday from the sevenday concussion disabled list. Iannetta had been sidelined since last Sunday after being struck in the face by a pitch.
San Diego added two unearned runs in the eighth.
Cardinals 8, Giants 3
ST. LOUIS — Matt Carpenter homered and Randal Grichuk drove in four runs for St. Louis, which stopped a four-game skid. San Francisco had won seven of eight.
Adam Wainwright (4-3) allowed one run and five hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Matt Cain (3-2), who gave up seven runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Nationals 3, Braves 2
ATLANTA — A strong start by Stephen Strasburg provided much-needed relief for Washington’s drained bullpen. Then Koda Glover made a convincing pitch to be the Nationals’ closer.
Strasburg struck out a season-high 11 and kept up his recent domination of the Atlanta Braves, leading Washington to a win that stopped the Nationals’ four-game losing streak.
Strasburg (5-1) allowed five hits in 7 2/3 innings, his longest start of the season.
Strasburg beat Atlanta for the second time this season and improved to 7-1 in his last nine starts against the Braves.
He is 10-8 overall against Atlanta.
Glover got four outs for his third save.
Cubs 13, Brewers 6
CHICAGO — Kris Bryant homered twice and reached base in all five plate appearances, Anthony Rizzo and Ben Zobrist also went
deep, and Willson Contreras went 3 for 3 with three RBIs.
Jake Arrieta (5-3) allowed one unearned run over six innings.
Dodgers 6, Marlins 3
LOS ANGELES — Brandon McCarthy (4-1) retired his first 14 batters before Derek Dietrich’s double and allowed one run and three hits in six innings.
Adrian Gonzalez had three RBIs and his first three-hit game of the season for the Dodgers. Yasmani Grandal had three hits, including a pair of doubles.
Rockies 6, Reds 4
CINCINNATI — Rookie pitcher Kyle Freeland hit one of Colorado’s four solo homers off Bronson Arroyo (3-4) and Colorado improved the NL’s best record to 28-17.