Pham hits 1st MLB homer, drives in 3 for Cardinals
ST. LOUIS — Rookie outfielder Tommy Pham has done almost everything right in his f irst three starts with the St. Louis Cardinals.
His one regret: He’s far behind in answering congratulatory text messages from friends and family after impressive back-toback games.
“Just don’t have the time right now,” Pham said. “Eventually, I will get back to everyone.”
Pham homered, doubled and drove in three runs, leading Lance Lynn and the Cardinals over the San Diego Padres 3-1 on Sunday.
The Cardinals improved to a major league-best 31-11 at home with their second successive win.
Pham was called up from the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds on Friday. He hit his first homer, a two-run drive off Ian Kennedy (4-8) in the third Sunday. Pham doubled home Lynn in the fifth.
On Saturday, Pha m scored both runs in a 2-1 victory.
“He’s sparking us; that’s exactly what we were hoping for,” St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. “He’s delivered. He’s in a great spot.”
Pham’s homer was a 370-foot drive that gave the Cards the lead for good, 2-1.
Lynn (6-4) gave up three hits and one unearned run in seven innings. He also doubled and singled for his first career multihit game, and he scored twice.
Earlier Sunday. Cardinals left-hander Jaime Garcia was put on the 15day disabled list with a groin strain. Left-hander Tim Cooney was called up from Class A Peoria. Matheny said the Cardinals will call up Redbirds lefthander Tyler Lyons today.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Mets 8, Dodgers 0 at Los Angeles: Steven Matz scattered two hits over six scoreless innings, Wilmer Flores went 4 for 5, and the Mets beat Los Angeles. Matz (2-0) struck out eight and walked two.
Cubs 2, Marlins 0 at Chi- cago: Kyle Hendricks (4-4) pitched 7⅓ strong innings, Chris Coghlan added an RBI single and Chicago beat Miami. Hendricks (44) allowed five hits, walked one and struck out six.
Nationals 3, Giants 1 at Washington: Wilson Ramos snapped a tie with a sixth-inning homer, and Jordan Zimmermann (7-5) pitched seven solid innings for the Nationals. Ramos added an RBI single in the eighth and Bryce Harper had a double and a single.
Brewers 6, Reds 1 at Cincinnati: Rookie Taylor Jungmann allowed four hits in eight innings as Milwaukee extended its winning streak to eight games. Gerardo Parra and Adam Lind hit seventh-inning home runs for the Brewers.
Phillies 4, Braves 0 (10) at Atlanta: Ryan Howard hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the 10th as Philadelphia ended a six-game losing streak.
Rockies 6, Diamondbacks 4 at Phoenix: Troy Tulowitzki had a three-run homer to extend his hitting streak to 18 games as Colorado averted a four-game sweep.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Royals 3, Twins 2 at Kansas City, Mo.: Eric Hosmer drove in Lorenzo Cain with nobody out in the ninth, lifting the Royals. Greg Holland (2-0) pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
Angels 12, Rangers 6 at Arlington, Texas: Albert Pujols hit his AL-leading 25th homer, Kole Calhoun homered and drove in four runs and Los Angeles finished a three-game sweep.
Blue Jays 10, Tigers 5 at Detroit: Justin Verlander remained winless in four starts since his return from the disabled list, allowing seven runs. Toronto’s Jose Bautista and Justin Smoak homered in a six-run fifth against Verlander (0-4).
Rays 8, Yankees 1 at New York: James Loney and Logan Forsythe each had a two-run single for Tampa Bay. Alex Rodriguez hit his 670th homer for the Yankees.
Red Sox 5, Astros 4 at Boston: Hanley Ramirez hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the seventh for the Red Sox. Rookie Carlos Correa and Evan Gattis hit consecutive homers for AL West-leading Houston.
Orioles 9, White Sox 1 at Chicago: Jonathan Schoop homered in his first at-bat since coming off the disabled list and Miguel Gonzalez (7-5) threw six solid innings for Baltimore.
Mariners 2, Athletics 1 at Oakland, Calif.: Rookie Mike Montgomery (4-2) gave up one run and six hits in 5⅔ innings for Seattle. Seth Smith drove in both Seattle runs.
INTERLEAGUE
Pirates 5, Indians 3 at Pittsburgh: Gerrit Cole (12-3) overcame a rocky start and Andrew McCutchen’s two-run double capped a five-run Pirates fifth. Cole (12-3) got his last 16 batters out after the Indians took a 3-0 lead in the third.