Homers carry Reds to sweep of Indians
CINCINNATI — Brandon Phillips hit one of Cincinnati’s three homers and drove in four more runs on Thursday, leading the ailing Reds to a 125 victory and their first threegame sweep of the Indians since 2008.
Joey Votto and Ryan Ludwick also homered for the Reds, who had a season- high 17 hits.
No surprise that Phillips played a starring role for the NL Central leaders. He went 8 for 13 with two homers and seven RBIs against the team that gave up on him in 2006, raising his career average against Cleveland to .356.
Mike Leake went 4 1- 3 innings before having to leave the game, still feeling the effects of a nasty stomach virus that swept through the clubhouse at the start of the series. Jose Arredondo ( 4- 1) pitched out of a threat in the fifth.
Astros 6, Giants 3
SAN FRANCISCO — J. D. Martinez hit his first career grand slam and the Houston Astros avoided a three- game sweep.
Matt Downs also homered and Justin Maxwell drove in a run for the Astros, who had dropped 13 of their previous 17, including a 10- 0 loss Tuesday night in which Giants ace Matt Cain tossed a perfect game. Jose Altuve had two hits and walked as the second baseman continues to rank among the major league leaders in average and hits.
Tigers 5, Cubs 3
CHICAGO — Justin Verlander pitched eight solid innings for his first win in a month and the Detroit Tigers beat the Chicago Cubs.
Verlander also helped himself with a pair of sacrifices as Detroit capped an encouraging 4- 2 interleague road trip to Cincinnati and Chicago. Austin Jackson hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh and a two- run homer in the ninth.
The Cubs scored two runs in the second on Darwin Barney’s double and Luis Valbuena’s groundout, but that was it against the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner.
Athletics 8, Rockies 2
DENVER — Jarrod Parker allowed three hits over seven scoreless innings and Brandon Moss drove in three runs, helping the Oakland Athletics beat the slumping Colorado Rockies for their first series sweep on the road since the end of the 2010 season.
Parker ( 3- 3) was bumped up a spot in the rotation due to Brandon McCarthy’s sore shoulder. The righty allowed just three singles before being lifted for a reliever after throwing an efficient 89 pitches. Parker struck out six and walked just one.