Cruz again sparks Rangers over Cards

ST. LOUIS — Nelson Cruz got the decisive hit for the second straight game with a two-run homer in the third inning and Martin Perez prevailed in a match-up of rookie starters as the Texas Rangers beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 on Saturday night.

Shelby Miller (8-5) allowed two homers for the second time in three starts and didn’t make it out of the sixth against the team the Cardinals beat in the 2011 World Series, which is making its first regularseason visit to Busch Stadium.

Cruz snapped a 2-2 third-inning tie with a two-run homer, his 19th of the season.

The Cardinals have scored first in both games and took the lead on Allen Craig’s single in the first that drove in Carlos Beltran.

Adrian Beltre doubled to open the second for Texas and A.J. Pierzynski lined the next pitch into the right-field seats for his seventh homer. The Cardinals tied it in the bottom half when David Freese tripled off the top of the wall in right-center and scored on Shane Robinson’s sacrifice fly.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Brewers 2, Braves 0 at Milwaukee: Francisco Rodriguez earned his 300th save by finishing off the Brewers’ second straight 2-0 win over Atlanta.

Diamondbacks 4, Reds 3 at Phoenix: Jason Kubel hit a two-run single in the ninth to rally Arizona past Cincinnati.

Giants 2, Marlins 1 (11 innings) at San Francisco: Hector Sanchez singled home the winning run with one out in the 11th as the Giants snapped a ninegame home losing streak to Miami.

Dodgers 6, Padres 1 at San Diego: Zack Greinke had a season-high eight strikeouts in eight innings as Los Angeles beat the Padres. San Diego’s Edinson Volquez did not allow a hit until Adrian Gonzalez led off the sixth with his ninth home run.

Phillies 8, Mets 7 at Philadelphia: Pinch-hitter Kevin Frandsen homered leading off the ninth, completing the Phillies’ comeback from a 7-1 deficit after six.

Rockies 7, Nationals 1 at Washington: Jhoulys Chacin pitched seven shutout innings and had an RBI single as Colorado snapped a season-high five-game losing skid.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Blue Jays 4, Orioles 2 at Toronto: Jose Bautista hit a tiebreaking home run in the eighth as the Blue Jays beat Baltimore to win their 10th straight game.

Tigers 10, Red Sox 3 at Detroit: Max Scherzer won his 11th straight decision to start the season and Victor Martinez hit a first-inning grand slam to lead the Tigers over Boston.

Indians 8, Twins 7 at Cleveland: Michael Bourn had three hits and three RBIs as the Indians beat Minnesota for their fourth straight win.

Yankees 7, Rays 5 at New York: Vernon Wells broke out of a big slump with a pinch-hit, three-run double, and the Yankees rallied to beat Tampa Bay. Wells came in on a 9-for87 slide.

White Sox 3, Royals 2 at Kansas City: Alejandro De Aza drove in Jordan Danks with a sacrifice fly in the ninth, sending Chicago over the Royals.

INTERLEAGUE

Astros 4, Cubs 3 at Chicago: Ronny Cedeno’s squeeze bunt scored Justin Maxwell with the tiebreaking run in the ninth to lead Houston over the Cubs.

A DEVELOPMENT

Cardinals send Lyons down: The St. Louis Cardinals have optioned struggling left-hander Tyler Lyons, who lasted just 1 ¦ innings Friday, to the Triple-A Redbirds. Righthander Michael Blazek was called up from Memphis.

The 25-year-old Lyons won his first two career starts but was 0-3 in his last four and is 2-3 with a 5.51 ERA.