Votto’s single lifts Reds past Angels
CINCINNATI — Brandon Phillips hit a three-run homer in his new role as Cincinnati’s cleanup hitter, and Joey Votto drove in the winning run with a ninthinning single Wednesday night, rallying the Reds to a 5-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.
They’ve split the first two games of the first interleague series to open a season.
Votto’s first hit of the season, off left-hander Scott Downs (0-1), deflected off the glove of first baseman Albert Pujols and rolled into the outfield, allowing Shin-Soo Choo to score from second.
Phillips moved into the cleanup spot because of Ryan Ludwick’s injury and hit the Reds’ first homer of the season. He connected for a three-run shot against C.J. Wilson in the fourth inning, when Cincinnati sent nine batters to the plate for four runs.
Ludwick had surgery Wednesday to repair torn cartilage in his right shoulder, injured on a slide on opening day. He’s expected to miss at least three months.
Phillips moved from second in the batting order into Ludwick’s cleanup spot. Reserve outfielder Chris Heisey becomes the everyday left fielder while Ludwick recuperates.
Pujols is 0 for 7 with two strikeouts. Josh Hamilton, signed by the angels for $125 million in the offseason, is 0 for 8 with three strikeouts.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Braves 9, Phillies 2 at Atlanta: Freddie Freeman had three RBIs and Justin Upton homered to back Paul Maholm’s solid start, helping the Braves top Philadelphia.
Jason Heyward and rookie Evan Gattis also connected for the Braves, who have hit six homers in winning the first two games of the series.
Maholm (1- 0) gave up six hits in 5 ¦ scoreless innings. The former Germantown High standout struck out six.
Rockies 7, Brewers 3 at Milwaukee: Juan Nicasio pitched six effective innings for his first victory in almost a year and Wilin Rosario, Michael Cuddyer and Dexter Fowler homered to lift Colorado over the Brewers.
Pirates 3, Cubs 0 at Pittsburgh: Wandy Rodriguez allowed just two hits over 6 ¦ innings and the Pirates edged Chicago for their first win of the year. Andrew McCutchen smacked an RBI double for the Pirates. Starling Marte and Gaby Sanchez also drove in a run each.
Nationals 3, Marlins 0 at Washington: Left-hander Gio Gonzalez homered and pitched six scoreless innings as the Nationals beat Miami. Gonzalez (10) allowed only two hits.
Mets 8, Padres 4 at New York: Matt Harvey allowed one hit and struck out 10 in seven scoreless innings for his first win at Citi Field, and Lucas Duda hit the first of the Mets’ three homers in a whipping wind against San Diego. John Buck and Ike Davis also connected against Clayton Richard.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Indians 2, Blue Jays 2 (11) at Toronto: Mark Reynolds hit a tiebreaking home run in the 11th inning as Cleveland beat the Blue Jays. Reynolds drilled a leadoff shot into the second deck off Sergio Santos (0-1), the fifth Blue Jays reliever.
Cleveland’s Michael Brantley went 4 for 5 with an RBI.
Rangers 4, Astros 0 at Houston: A day after Yu Darvish came within one out of a perfect game, Alexi Ogando and four Texas relievers shut out the Astros again, combining for a five-hitter. Lance Berkman doubled in a run for the Rangers a day after they blanked Houston 7-0 behind Darvish’s gem.
Twins 3, Tigers 2 at Minneapolis: Eduardo Escobar’s two-run double with one out in the ninth lifted Minnesota over Detroit.
Rays 8, Orioles 7 at St. Petersburg, Fla.: Matt Joyce led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a towering home run against Tommy Hunter, giving Tampa Bay a win over Baltimore.
White Sox 5, Royals 2 at Chicago: Adam Dunn homered and the White Sox went deep four times to back a solid start by Jake Peavy against Kansas City. Peavy (1- 0) allowed one earned run and four hits in six innings.
Red Sox 7, Yankees 4 at New York: Clay Buchholz shut down the Yankees’ hitters and speedy Jackie Bradley Jr. got his first major league hit in Boston’s win. Boston burst ahead 6-0 and is 2-0 under new manager John Farrell. New York has been outscored 15- 6 and outhit 26-15.