Marlins rally after Scherzer leaves, top Nats
MIAMI » Max Scherzer hit his first career homer to help build a six-run lead, but he pitched only one inning before departing with a neck spasm, and the Miami Marlins rallied to beat the Washington Nationals 7-6 Tuesday.
Scherzer slept funny and left the game as a precaution, the Nationals said.
The Marlins took the lead with a four-run fifth inning. Marcell Ozuna hit a threerun homer off Matt Albers (52), and Derek Dietrich’s RBI triple put Miami ahead 7-6.
Scherzer pitched a 1-2-3 first inning, and in the top of the second he hit a threerun homer. He went to the mound for the bottom of the inning, but after throwing a wild warmup pitch, he
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walked off pointing to his neck and shaking his head.
Manager Dusty Baker came out of the dugout to meet Scherzer, who said, “I can’t go.” He left with the Nationals leading 6-0, thanks partly to Howie Kendrick’s first homer since being acquired Friday by Washington from the Phillies.
Kendrick went 5 for 5. REDS 9, PIRATES 1 » Billy Hamilton hit a three-run homer and tripled, Eugenio Suarez and rookie Jesse Winker also went deep, and Cincinnati overwhelmed Pittsburgh.
Cincinnati is 7-1 against the Pirates this season and 36-62 versus everyone else. ORIOLES 7, ROYALS 2 » Dylan Bundy allowed three hits over a career-high eight innings, newcomer Tim Beckham had two hits and scored twice and resurgent Baltimore beat Kansas City for its fourth straight victory.
Seth Smith drove in three runs to help the Orioles move within two games of .500 (5254) for the first time since July 3. TIGERS 4, YANKEES 3 » John Hicks hit a three-run homer in his first big league game in more than a month, Justin Upton added a solo drive off CC Sabathia, and Detroit held on to beat New York.
A 27-year-old rookie recalled Monday for his fifth major league stint this season, Hicks drove a slider over the right-center field wall in the second inning, capping a 10-pitch at-bat. DODGERS 3, BRAVES 2 » Kenta Maeda allowed only two hits in seven scoreless innings, Cody Bellinger homered and streaking Los Angeles beat Atlanta for its ninth straight win.
The slumping Braves were shut down by Maeda (10-4) but cut their deficit to one with Johan Camargo’s two-run homer off Josh Ravin in the eighth. Atlanta ended the inning with Brandon Phillips, who had a pinch-hit single, on third base. BREWERS 3, CARDINALS 2 » Jimmy Nelson finally beat St. Louis with six strong innings, and Milwaukee held on for a victory.
Nelson (9-5) entered 0-8 with a 7.01 ERA in 11 appearances (10 starts) against the Cardinals. This time, the right-hander overcame his division rival by allowing just two runs on six hits.