Rangers get much-needed win
NEW YORK —Robinson Chirinos hit an early three-run homer, Adrian Beltre connected again and the Texas Rangers ended a six-game losing streak with a 5-3 victory over the New York Mets on Saturday night.
Alex Rios had three hits, including an RBI double off longtime Texas nemesis Bartolo Colon in a four-run first, and Colby Lewis (6-5) pitched six steady innings to help the Rangers win for only the third time in 17 games.
They snapped a 10-game skid on the road, their longest since a club-record slide of 12 games in 2003, with their first win away from home since June 16 in Oakland.
Travis d’Arnaud homered for the Mets, who have dropped five of six and eight of 10. David Wright had a double in four at-bats as he returned to the lineup after missing seven games with a sore left shoul
ROCKIES 8, DODGERS 7
DENVER—Drew Stubbs hit a two-run homer, Jorge De La Rosa pitched six strong innings before giving way to a shaky bullpen and the Rockies snapped a five-game skid by holding off the Dodgers, 8-7.
The Rockies are 3-16 since June 16 with De La Rosa (9-6) accounting for each win. The lefty allowed two runs and three hits, all in the first inning. He then watched the bullpen almost completely unravel.
The Dodgers turned this into a game with a five-run seventh, but Adam Ottavino put the brakes on the rally.
Dan Haren (8-5) gave up a season-high eight runs in 5 1-3 innings.
NATIONALS 13, CUBS 0
WASHINGTON—Gio Gonzalez pitched eight sparkling innings and Ryan Zimmerman tied a career high with four hits and drove in three runs as the Washington Nationals roughed up the Chicago Cubs without recently traded Jeff Samardzija for a 13-0 victory Saturday.
Jayson Werth and Anthony Rendon added three hits and two RBIs for the Nationals on a day the Cubs were forced to start Carlos Villanueva (4-6) following the trade of Samardzija, the scheduled starter, and Jason Hammel to the Oakland Athletics.
BREWERS 1, REDS 0
CINCINNATI—Matt Garza threw a two-hitter for his fourth career shutout, and the Brewers ended their four-game losing streak by beating the Reds.
Aramis Ramirez singled home a run in the first inning off Homer Bailey (8-5), who gave up seven hits through eight innings. Two Brewers were thrown out at the plate.
Garza (6-5) has been one of the Brewers’ best starters lately, going 4-1 in his last seven games. He retired the first 12 batters in order before Brandon Phillips led off the fifth with a single for Cincinnati’s first hit.
He allowed two walks and fanned nine while going the distance for the first time this season.
Right fielder Ryan Braun struck out swinging in the first inning, and then left the game in the second with spasms in his lower back.
RAYS 7, TIGERS 2
DETROIT—Tampa Bay’s Chris Archer came within two outs of a complete game, holding the Tigers to six hits.
The Rays broke the game open with three runs in the fifth inning and four in the sixth, and the Tigers never mounted much of a rally against Archer (5-5). The 25-year-old right-hander allowed solo homers to Alex Avila in the seventh and J.D. Martinez in the ninth.