MLB Wrap: Nationals snap four-game skid

Share

For the second straight game, the Phillies came apart in the latter innings of a loss to the Pirates (see game recap).

The Phillies are finding out quickly that hitting doesn't come easy (see story).

Here is quick recap of Thursday's action around MLB:

Nationals snap losing skid
WASHINGTON -- Gio Gonzalez allowed just one hit in eight innings, and Denard Span and Danny Espinosa drove in three runs each to lead the Washington Nationals to a 8-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday night.

Gonzalez, who allowed 12 runs in his previous nine innings, retired the first 11 Reds batters before Joey Votto homered with two outs in the fourth. He struck out seven and walked two.

By the time Votto homered, Gonzalez (2-1) had a 6-0 lead.

Washington had lost nine of 12 and their previous six home games. Cincinnati has lost six of its seven road games.

The Nationals scored two runs in the bottom of the second against Bronson Arroyo (2-2). With one out, Ian Desmond singled. He scored on Espinosa's double. Kurt Suzuki singled. Gonzalez moved Suzuki to second with a bunt, and Espinosa scored on an infield single by Span.

Washington took a 6-0 lead in the third. Bryce Harper led off with his eighth home run of the year, the most any National has hit in April. Harper also doubled. He has 11 multi-hit games in the 22 Washington has played (see full recap).

-The Associated Press

Dodgers edge Mets with ninth-inning heroics
NEW YORK -- From his very first pitch, Hyun-Jin Ryu heard the fans cheering for him.

A lot of them, anyway.

Boosted by plenty of road rooters, the South Korean rookie turned in his best performance yet and the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Mets 3-2 Thursday on Andre Ethier's tiebreaking single in the ninth inning.

"I was aware there are a lot of Korean Americans here in New York," Ryu said through a translator. "It was definitely encouragement."

A large Korean neighborhood is just one subway stop away from Citi Field, and Ryu had a lot of vocal support while holding the Mets to three hits in seven innings. He said the warm welcome was "a big strength for my pitching."

Also encouraging to the Dodgers was the key hit by the slumping Ethier off left-handed reliever Scott Rice (see full recap).

-The Associated Press

Royals top Tigers in extras
DETROIT -- Alex Gordon had already struck out three times when he came to the plate with the bases loaded in the 10th inning.

"I was just trying to make contact," the Kansas City outfielder said.

He ended up hitting his first career grand slam, helping the Royals to an encouraging win at the end of a difficult road trip.

Gordon's drive highlighted a five-run 10th for Kansas City, which rallied against the Detroit bullpen for an 8-3 victory Thursday after Tigers ace Justin Verlander left with a blister on his thumb.

George Kottaras put the Royals ahead 4-3 with a bases-loaded walk off Phil Coke (0-3). Darin Downs came on for Detroit after that, but Gordon broke the game open one out later with a homer that easily cleared the 420-foot marker on the wall in center (see full recap).

- The Associated Press

Contact Us