Braves vs. Dodgers

Trailing by two runs in the bottom of the 9th, the Braves came back to beat the Dodgers 4-2. Andre Ethier got things started in the 1st with a double, driving in Ryan Theriot to give Los Angeles a 1-0 lead. After allowing the 1st inning run, Tommy Hanson found himself in a pitchers duel with Chad Billingsley. The score remained 1-0 until the bottom of the 6th when Atlanta tied it up on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Jason Heyward to score Omar Infante. The Dodgers would take the lead once again as a throwing error by Brooks Conrad in the 8th allowed two runs to score. Down 3-1 in the 9th, L.A. pitching walked in a run cutting their lead to 3-2. With the bases loaded, Melky Cabrera then hit a single to drive home the winning runs.

Tommy Hanson went 7 innings, giving up one run on five hits while striking out three. Peter Moylan, who pitched the 9th, got the win for Atlanta. Chad Billingsley went 7 innings, allowing one run on five hits while striking out eight for Los Angeles. Hong-Chih Kuo gave up three runs in his 1.1 innings of relief for the Dodgers to take the loss.

Marlins vs. Pirates

The Marlins fell to the Pirates in their series opener 7-1. A sacrifice fly by Garrett Jones and a single by Pedro Alvarez gave Pittsburgh an early 2-0 lead in the 1st. Florida got their only run of the game in the 4th on a ground out by Dan Uggla to score Logan Morrison.  The Pirates would go on to score four runs in the 6th on a double by Jones, followed by an Alvarez single. Andrew McCutchen homered in the 7th for Pittsburgh to make it 7-1.

Chris Volstad took the loss, going 5 innings and allowing five runs on five hits while only striking out two.  James McDonald got the win, going 7 innings and giving up one run on three hits while striking out six.

Mets vs. Astros

The Mets started their road trip off with a win as they beat the Astros 3-1. Carlos Beltran homered for the Mets in the 4th to give them a 1-0 lead. Houston tied it up in the 6th on a double by Chris Johnson. The game remained tied until the 9th, when David Wright scored on a wild pitch and then Jeff Francoeur tripled to score Beltran.

Jon Niese got a no decision after pitching 7 innings. He gave up one run on seven hits while striking out five. Pedro Feliciano got the win after pitching a third of an inning in relief. Wandy Rodriguez took a no decision as well after pitching 7 innings and allowing one run on four hits while striking out six. Matt Lindstrom took the loss for Houston after giving up the two runs in the 9th. Hisanori Takahashi closed out the game in place of Francisco Rodriguez to record his first save.

Mets vs. Rockies

The Mets beat the Rockies 1-0 Tuesday night. This game featured a great pitchers duel between starters Mike Pelfrey and Ubaldo Jimenez. The only run of the game came in the bottom of the 7th. After walking Chris Carter to start the inning, Jimenez then gave up a double to Josh Thole to put men on second and third. A few batters later, Jose Reyes hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Jeff Francoeur, who pinch-ran for Carter.

Pelfrey went 7 strong innings to get the win, giving up no runs and only four hits while striking out four.  Jimenez also went 7 great innings, but took the loss. Jimenez allowed one run on four hits while striking out eight. Francisco Rodriguez recorded his 25th save of the season for the Mets.

Marlins vs. Nationals

The Marlins took the series opener 8-2 Tuesday. Florida jumped to an early 2-0 lead in the 1st on an Dan Uggla home run. Uggla drove in two more runs in the 3rd on a double to left field to score Hanley Ramirez and Gaby Sanchez. Washington got on the board in the bottom of the 3rd after a field error by Wes Helms allowed Ivan Rodriguez to score. Florida added three more runs in the 5th with doubles by Sanchez and Helms. Logan Morrison singled in the 6th to score Ramirez, making it 8-1 Florida. Washington had the bases loaded in the bottom of the 7th, but could only get one run home to make it 8-2.

Anibal Sanchez got the win, going 6.2 innings and giving up two runs on five hits while striking out seven. Stephen Strasburg took the loss, going 4.1 innings and allowing six runs on six hits while striking out four.

Phillies vs. Dodgers

The Phillies fell to the Dodgers 15-9. Andre Ethier drove in Los Angeles’ first two runs of the game with a single in the 1st and a double in the 3rd. Ethier would score later in the 3rd on a single by Jay Gibbons. The Dodgers scored four more runs in the 4th to make it 7-0 Dodgers. Placido Polanco scored the Phillies first run in the bottom of the 4th. In the bottom of the 5th, Wilson Valdez scored on a ground out by Polanco. Ross Gload followed with a two-run shot t0 right field to cut the lead to 7-4. As soon as the Phillies made it a close game, they gave it all right back, giving up four more runs to L.A. in the top of the 6th. Domonic Brown homered in the 6th for the Phillies to make it 11-5. Los Angeles responded in the 7th with two more runs on a single by Matt Kemp. Philadelphia put up two runs in the 7th on a homer by Gload to make it 13-7.  In the top of the 9th, Casey Blake made it 15-7 Dodgers with a two run home run to left field. The Phillies fought back in the bottom of the inning, but were only able to add two runs on a double by Brown.

Vicente Padilla got the win, going 5 innings and giving up four runs on six hits while striking out two. Kyle Kendrick took the loss, lasting only 3.1 innings and giving up six runs on eight hits while striking out one.

Braves vs. Astros

The Braves beat the Astros by a score of 4-2. After entering the game for an injured Chipper Jones, Brooks Conrad scored the games first run in the 7th on a single by Troy Glaus. The Braves defense was sloppy in the bottom of the 8th, however, with errors by Alex Gonzalez and Omar Infante allowing Houston to take a 2-0 lead. Solo shots by Conrad and Glaus in the to of the 9th gave Atlanta the lead.

Braves starter Jair Jurrjens went 7.1 innings and got the no decision. He gave up two runs on six hits while striking out three. Jonny Venters got the win for Atlanta after facing just one batter. Houston starter J.A. Happ also got a no decision, going 6.1 innings and allowing one run on two hits while striking out six. Matt Lindstrom took the loss for the Astros. Billy Wagner  came in to pitch a 1-2-3 9th to get his 28th save of the season for Atlanta.

Marlins vs. Phillies

The Phillies beat the Marlins in a score of 6-1. In the 2nd inning Ben Francisco and Carlos Ruiz both went deep for the Phillies with a pair of solo shots.  In the bottom of the inning Dan Uggla also went deep with a solo shot.  In the 4th Roy Halladay singled scoring Ben Francisco and Carlos Ruiz.  In the 5th the Phillies added another run when Carlos Ruiz singled home Raul Ibanez.  In the 7th the Phillies added another  a final run when Wilson Valdez singled home Placido Polanco.

Roy Halladay got the win and pitched 7 innings giving up 5 hits, 1 run, and 9 strikeouts.  The loss went to Sean West who pitched 5 innings giving up 9 hits, 5 runs, and 4 strikeouts.

Mets vs. Braves

The Mets beat the Braves in a score of 3-2. The Braves struck first in the 2nd when Melkey Cabrera grounded out into a fielders choice scoring Alex Gonzalez.  In the bottom of the inning Jose Reyes doubled scoring Luis Castillo.  The Braves took the lead in the 5th when Melkey Cabrera single home Rick Ankiel.  The Mets tied it up in the 7th when Chris Carter singled home Jeff Francoeur.  The Mets took the lead in the 9th when Jeff Francoer hit a solo home run.

Derek Lowe pitched 6 innings giving up 6 hits, 1 run, and 3 strikeouts.  RA Dickey pitched 6 innings giving up 5 hits, 2 runs, and 2 strikeouts.  Manny Acosta got the win after pitching 1.2 innings giving up no hits with 1 strikeout.  Billy Wagner got the loss after pitching 1 inning giving up 1 hit, 1 run, and 1 strikeout.  Francisco Rodríguez got the save after pitching a perfect 9th.

Nationals vs. Diamondbacks

The Diamondbacks beat the Nationals in a score of 6-1. The Nationals took an early lead when Ryan Zimmerman hit a solo shot in the 1st.  In the 3rd the Diamondbacks tied it up when Stephen Drew hit a solo shot.  In the 4th the Diamondbacks took the lead when Mark Reynolds homered to score Adam LaRoche and Miguel Montero.  In the 6th the Diamondbacks added another run when Miguel Montero hit a sac fly to score Justin Upton.  In the 7th Kelly Johnson singled scoring Rusty Ryal to add another run.

Joe Saunders got the win after pitching a complete game with 5 hits, 1 run, and 5 strikeouts.  Scott Olsen got the loss and pitched 5.2 innings giving up 7 hits, 5 runs and 3 strikeouts.

Mets vs. Cardinals

The Mets beat the Cardinals 4-0 Thursday afternoon. Ike Davis hit his 15th home run of the season in the bottom of the 3rd, a three-run shot to center field. Angel Pagan scored in the bottom of the 5th on a single by Carlos Beltran. The Cardinals were held to just four hits all day.

R.A. Dickey got the win, going 8.1 innings and gave up no runs on four hits. Blake Hawksworth took the loss, throwing 6 innings and allowing four runs on seven hits.Francisco Rodriguez recorded his 22nd save of the season.

Braves vs. Nationals

The Nationals beat the Braves 5-3 Thursday in Washington. Mike Morse grounded out, scoring Adam Dunn in the 2nd, and Ian Desmond hit his 7th homer of the season, to give the Nationals a 2-0 lead. Atlanta tied it up in the 4th on a two-run shot off the bat of Matt Diaz. Washington responded in the bottom of the inning with a two RBI single by Wil Nieves. In the 6th, Atlanta cut the Nationals lead to 4-3 on an RBI single by Omar Infante. In the 8th, Dunn hit a solo shot to center field, making it 5-3 Washington.

Scott Olsen got the win, going 6 innings and giving up three runs on five hits. Derek Lowe took the loss, lasting 5 innings and allowing four runs on five hits. Matt Capps recorded his 26th save of the season for Washington.

Marlins vs. Giants

Florida won their game over the Giants 5-0. Double by Mike Stanton in the 2nd and 4th innings gave Florida a 2-0 lead. Cody Ross scored on a sacrifice fly by Ronny Paulino in the 4th. Ross doubled in the 8th to drive in the Marlins 4th run. Paulino drove in his second run of the game in the 8th on another sac fly. The Giants were kept to just one hit in the game. Pablo Sandoval singled in the 5th to give San Francisco their only hit.

Anibal Sanchez got the win, pitching a complete game and holding the Giants to just three baserunners. Madison Bumgarner took the loss, going 6 innings and allowing three runs on six hits.

Phillies vs. Diamondbacks

The Phillies won their 8th straight, beating the Diamondbacks in walk-off fashion 3-2. A double by Carlos Ruiz in the 5th and a solo shot by Raul Ibanez in the 6th gave Philadelphia a 2-0 lead. Miguel Montero cut the lead to 2-1 in the 7th with his third home run of the year for Arizona. Montero drove in the tying run in the top of the 9th on a ground out to score Justin Upton. The game remained tied until the bottom of the 11th when Wilson Valdez singled home the game-winning run.

Kyle Kendrick went 6.1 innings and allowed one run on four hits in his no decision. Joe Saunders also had a no decision, throwing 7 innings and giving up two runs on nine hits. Jose Contreras got the win for Philadelphia. Esmerling Vasquez took the loss for Arizona.

Braves vs. Marlins

The Braves beat the Marlins Saturday afternoon by a score of 4-1, and are now 15 games above .500. Florida got on the board in the 2nd inning after an error by Martin Prado allowed Cody Ross to score, making it 1-0 Florida. Atlanta tied it up in the 4th when Omar Infante singled home Chipper Jones. The Braves went on to score three more runs in the inning on a Yunel Escobar double and a Gregor Blanco single.

Tommy Hanson got the win, going 6.2 innings and giving up one run on five hits. Anibal Sanchez took the loss for the Marlins. He threw 6 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits. Billy Wagner recorded his 17th save of the season for Atlanta.

Mets vs. Nationals

The Nationals beat the Mets in dramatic fashion 6-5 on Saturday. The Mets got to rookie phenom Stephen Strasburg early, getting a 1-0 lead in the 1st on a double by Jason Bay. Josh Thole made it 2-0 in the 3rd with an RBI single. A single by Josh Willingham in the 6th put the Nationals on the board and cut the Mets lead to 2-1.  The next batter for Washington, Ivan Rodriguez, tied it up with a single to center field. The game remained tied until the 8th, when the Mets scored three runs on a David Wright single, a double by Thole, and a sacrifice fly by Ruben Tejada.  The Nationals responded in the bottom of the inning, scoring a run on a single by Adam Kennedy. Going into the bottom of the 9th with a 5-3 lead, the Mets turned to their closer, Francisco Rodriguez, to get the save. Rodriguez ended up giving up a two-run double to Adam Dunn followed by a walk-off single to Ivan Rodriguez.

This game was supposed to be all about Strasburg, but Mets starter R.A. Dickey was the impressive one in this outing. Dickey went 7 innings, giving up two runs on six hits. Strasburg only lasted 5 innings, and allowed two runs on four hits. Nationals closer Matt Capps, who came into pitch the 9th, got the win. Rodriguez took the loss for the Mets.

Phillies vs. Pirates

The Phillies beat the Pirates 12-4 Saturday night. Philadelphia jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the 1st inning thanks to a triple by Shane Victorino and a Ryan Howard single. Pittsburgh cut the Phillies lead in half in the 2nd with a home run to left field off the bat of Pedro Alvarez.  The Phillies followed up with a five-run 5th.  Howard and Cody Ransom each had RBI singles, Ben Francisco drove in a run after grounding into a force out, and Dane Sardinha followed with an RBI double.  The Phillies went on to score one run in the 4th, two in the 5th, and one run in the 6th and 7th. Ryan Church hit his 3rd home run of the year in the 5th for Pittsburgh. The Pirates went on to score two more runs on a double by Ronny Cedeno in the 8th and a Delwyn Young single in the 9th.

Kyle Kendrick pitched his first complete-game, and got the win for the Phillies. Kendrick went 4 innings, giving up four runs on ten hits. Pittburgh’s starter Paul Maholm only lasted 3 innings and took the loss, allowing eight runs on ten hits.

Phillies vs. Reds

The Phillies fell to the Reds 4-3 in their series finale Wednesday afternoon. Philadelphia took a 3-0 lead in the 4th inning thanks to a three-run home run by Dane Sardinha.  The Phillies bats were quiet for the remainder of the game, only recording three hits after the the 4th. The Reds began to chip away scoring a run on a Joey Votto homer in the 6th and again on a RBI single by Orlando Cabrera in the 7th. The final blow came in the bottom of the 8th. Leading 3-2, Roy Halladay gave up a two-run shot to right field.

Halladay pitched a  complete game, but took the loss, his 7th of the season. He pitched 8 innings, giving up four runs on 13 hits. Reds starter, Aaron Harang, got a no decision, throwing 6.1 innings and allowing three runs on eight hits. Reliever Arthur Rhodes got the win for Cincinnati. Francisco Cordero recorded his 21st save of the season.

Check out Phillies Phandom for more.

Marlins vs. Mets

Following a rain delay, the Mets salvaged the final game of their series with the Marlins, winning 6-5. A double by David Wright and a single by Ike Davis gave the Mets a 3-0 lead in the 1st. The Marlins bounced back quickly scoring two runs in the bottom of the 1st on singles by Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla. New York extended their lead to 4-2 in the 2nd on an RBI single by Jesus Feliciano. Florida tied up the ballgame in the 5th with a double by Jorge Cantu and a single by Uggla.  The Mets scored a run in the 6th and 7th innings, giving them a 6-4 lead. The Marlins cut the lead to 6-5  in the 8th on an RBI double by Gaby Sanchez.

Chris Volstad pitched 5 innings, but got a no decision. He gave up four runs on six hits. Mike Pelfrey lasted 4.2 innings to get a no decision as well. He allowed four runs on 12 hits. Elmer Dessens got the win for the Mets, while Alejandro Sanabia took the loss. Francisco Rodriguez recorded his 18th save of the season for the Mets.

For more, check out Fish Guts and Real Dirty Mets Blog.

Braves vs. Nationals

The Braves won the series against the Nationals, winning the final game by a score of 4-1. The Braves jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on a RBI double by Brian McCann in the 1st. Atlanta scored two more runs in the 4th on a single by Jair Jurrjens and a sacrifice fly by Martin Prado. Washington got on the board in the 6th when Ivan Rodriguez grounded into a double play allowing Ryan Zimmerman to score. Atlanta scored again in the 7th after Washington pitching walked in a run.

Jurrjens got the win, pitching 5 innings and giving up one run on six hits. J.D. Martin took the loss, going 5 innings and allowing three runs on six hits. Billy Wagner recorded his 16th save of the season for the Braves.

For more info, go to Braves  Baseball and Centerfield Gate.

Mets vs. Twins

The Mets started off their series with the Twins with a win, as they beat Minnesota 5-2. The Twins got things going with a lead-off home run by Denard Span in the 1st. Span knocked in the Twins second run in the 5th on a ground out to second base. The Mets scored three runs in the 3rd inning on doubles by David Wright and Jason Bay, and a single by Ike Davis. The Mets scored another run in the 5th on a sacrifice fly by Jose Reyes and again the 6th on a Wright home run.

Mike Pelfrey got the win, his 10th of the year. Pelfrey went 6 innings and allowed two runs on six hits. Minnesota’s Kevin Slowey took the loss. He lasted 6 innings, giving up five runs on six hits. Francisco Rodriguez recorded his 17th save.

Go to Real Dirty Mets Blog for more.

Braves vs. Tigers

The Braves ended their three-game losing streak and reached a few milestones as they beat the Tigers 3-1. Detroit scored their one and only run of the night in the 1st inning on an RBI single by Brennan Boesch. Atlanta tied it up in the 2nd on a single by Melky Cabrera. Brian McCann hit a home run in the 4th inning, his 9th of the year and the 100th of his career, to make it 2-1 Braves. The Braves scored again in the 8th with a home run by Brooks Conrad.

Kris Medlen got the win, pitching 6.2 innings and giving up one run on six hits. Andrew Oliver, making his Major League debut, took the loss. He went six innings and gave up two runs on five hits. Billy Wagner came in to the 9th to get the save, his 400th career save.

For more info go to Braves Baseball.

Marlins vs. Padres

The Marlins fell to the Padres 3-0. Florida’s bats were quiet for much of the night. The Marlins left nine men on base and only had one hit with runners in scoring position. The Padres didn’t do much at the plate either until the 7th when they scored one run on a single by Oscar Salazar and two more on a home run by Will Venable.

Chris Volstad took the loss, throwing 6 innings and giving up three runs on seven hits. Clayton Richard got the win, going 6 innings and allowing no runs on five hits. Heath Bell recorded his 20th save of the season for San Diego.

Check out Fish Guts for more info.

Phillies vs. Blue Jays

The Phillies crushed the Blue Jays winning 9-0. The Blue Jays batters couldn’t hit much off Roy Halladay.  Lyle Overbay did go 2-2 for Toronto. The Phillies scored in the 2nd inning on a single by Ross Gload, and again in the 4th on an RBI ground out by Shane Victorino. The Phillies big inning came in the 6th when they scored six runs on singles by Chase Utley and Ryan Howard, and a double by Gload.  Victorino homered in the 8th to make it 9-0.

Halladay got the win, tossing seven innings and giving up no runs on six hits. Jesse Litsch took the loss, going only 4 innings and allowing six runs on seven hits.

For more, go to Phillies Phandom.

Nationals vs. Orioles

Sloppy defense cost the Nationals a win as they fell to the Orioles 7-6. Adam Dunn got Washington on the board in the 1st and 3rd innings with a  ground out and sacrifice fly. Ivan Rodriguez singled in a run in the 3rd also to make it 3-0 Nationals. Washington would score three more runs in the 4th on a doubles by Nyjer Morgan and Dunn. Baltimore broke through in the 5th to score three runs on a sac fly by Miguel Tejada and singles by Nick Markakis and Adam Jones, cutting the Nationals lead to 6-3. The Orioles tied it up in the 8th on a two run homer by Scott Moore and a Corey Patterson single. Baltimore went on to score the winning run in the bottom of the 9th on a throwing error by Christian Guzman.

J.D. Martin lasted only 4.1 innings and got a no decision. He gave up three runs on six hits. Tyler Clippard took the loss for the Nationals. Jake Arrieta also went 4.1 innings taking a no decision. He allowed six runs on eight hits. Alfredo Simon got the win for Baltimore.

For more go to Centerfield Gate.

Phillies vs. Red Sox

The Phillies hoped for a better outcome as they took on the Red Sox in game two of their series at Fenway.  Instead, Philadelphia’s starter gave up nine runs for the second game in a row, and the Red Sox cruised to a 10-2 victory.

Boston starter Daisuke Matsuzaka was scratched just before game time due to a strained forearm, and the Phillies took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second off of emergency starter Scott Atchinson thanks to a Brian Schneider two-run double.   However, the Red Sox jumped on pitcher Joe Blanton in the bottom of the inning.  JD Drew started off the scoring with a solo home run, and Daniel Nava hit a grand slam in his first major league at bat to give Boston a 5-2 lead. 

The Sox added three runs in the third and one more in the fourth off of Blanton (1-5), who gave up 13 hits in addition to nine runs in his four innings of work.  Boston reliever Manny Delcarmen (2-2) pitched two scoreless innings in relief and earned the victory.

 

Mets vs. Orioles

The Mets won back-to-back games on the road for the first time since last July as they defeated the last place Orioles 3-1 Saturday night in Baltimore.

Jose Reyes led off the game with a home run off of Baltimore starter Brian Matusz.  The Orioles tied the game at 1 in the bottom of the first off of Hisanori Takahashi on a Nick Markakis RBI double.   The game remained 1-1 until the top of the sixth, when the Mets took the lead.  The Orioles failed to turn a double play on a David Wright comebacker, allowing the Mets to score the go-ahead run.  Jeff Francoeur added a solo home run in the eighth inning to cap the scoring. 

Takahashi (5-2) gave up just one run and six hits over seven innings to earn the victory, while Matusz (2-7) took the loss.  Francisco Rodriguez pitched a scoreless ninth for his 13th save.

 

Nationals vs. Indians

Cleveland rookie catcher Carlos Santana hit his first career home run, and the Indians jumped on Washington starter JD Martin for four runs in the second inning as they defeated the Nationals 7-1 in Cleveland.

Playing in his second major league game, the highly touted Santana drove in three runs to lead the Indians offense.  Indians starter Fausto Carmona (5-5) went nine strong innings, allowing just one run on three hits while striking out seven.  Ryan Zimmerman‘s eighth inning home run spoiled Carmona’s shutout bid.  Martin (0-2) pitched into the eighth inning, but allowed seven runs and took the loss.

The Nationals hope to avoid a sweep when they send phenom Stephen Strasburg to the mound on Sunday.

 

Braves vs. Twins

For the second straight night, two first place teams played a one run game.  After falling in the series opener, the Braves rebounded to defeat the Twins by a score of 3-2 at Target Field in Minnesota.

Braves starter Derek Lowe and Twins starter Nick Blackburn each allowed only two runs, but neither factored in the decision.  After the Twins took a 1-0 lead in the second, the Braves answered with two in the fifth thanks to a Melky Cabrera solo homer and an RBI double from Brooks Conrad.  A Joe Mauer double tied the game in the sixth, and the score remained even at 2 until the top of the ninth.  With runners on the corners, Conrad successfully executed a squeeze bunt, scoring Gregor Blanco with the go-ahead run. 

Atlanta’s Jonny Venters (2-0) struck out Jason Kubel with the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth to earn the victory, while Minnesota’s Matt Guerrier (1-2) took the loss.  Billy Wagner worked around a one out single to nail down his 11th save for the Braves.

 

Marlins vs. Devil Rays

After winning on Friday in Tampa, the Marlins fell 6-5 on Saturday night as the Rays evened the Battle of Florida at one game apiece.

The Rays jumped out to an early 5-1 lead, thanks to home runs by Carl Crawford, Carlos Pena, and Sean Rodrgiuez off of Florida starer Ricky Nolasco (5-5).   However, the Marlins battled back against Tampa starter Matt Garza.  Wes Helms hit a two run homer in the fourth and the Fish scored another in the fifth to cut the lead to 5-4.  After the Rays added a run in the seventh, the Marlins answered back in the eighth with one of their own, but couldn’t bring home the tying run. 

Closer Rafael Soriano pitched a perfect ninth for Tampa to earn save number 16 and preserve the victory for Garza (7-4) and the Rays.

Mets vs. Marlins

The Mets moved past the Marlins in the standings with a 4-3 win Friday. Florida got on the board in the 2^nd with an RBI single from Cameron Maybin. They added two more runs in the top of the 3^rd after an error by Ike Davis. R.A. Dickey helped himself out at the plate with an RBI single in the bottom of the 3^rd. Jeff Francoeur continued his hitting streak going 2-4. Mets went ahead and took the lead in the bottom of the 6^th on an RBI ground out by Ruben Tejada.

Dickey didn’t get off to a very good start on the mound, but fought back to get the win, throwing 6 1/3 innings while giving up three runs on seven hits. Anibal Sanchez took the loss, throwing 5 2/3 innings, giving up four runs on nine hits. Francisco Rodriguez, who got his 11^th save, made things interesting in the 9^th. After getting the first two outs, Rodriguez gave up a hit and a walk, before getting Hanley Ramirez to ground out to end the game.

Check out The Real Dirty Mets Blog and Fish Guts for more on the Mets and Marlins.

Phillies vs. Padres

The Phillies beat the Padres in the series opener by a score of 3-2. The Padres scored in the 2^nd on an RBI single by Tony Gwynn. Shane Victorino hit a two-run homer in the 3^rd inning, his fifth homerun of the year. The Padres tied it up in the 5^th on a sacrifice fly by Adrian Gonzalez. The winning run came in the bottom of the 5^th when Jayson Werth walked with the bases loaded.

Roy Halladay got his 8^th win of the season, going seven innings and giving up 2 runs on 10 hits. Mat Latos got the loss, pitching only five innings and giving up three runs on four hits. Brad Lidge pitched a perfect 9^th for his 2^nd save of the season.

For more on the Phillies, go to Phillies Phandom.

Nationals vs. Reds

The Nationals ended a three game losing streak, beating the Reds 4-2. The Reds scored first in the 2^nd on an RBI single by Ramon Hernandez. The Nationals responded in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single by Christian Guzman, and again in the 3^rd with an RBI single by Roger Bernadina. The Reds tied it up in the 5^th when Orlando Cabrera scored on a single by Brandon Phillips. The Nationals scored two more in the 7^th on an RBI single by Ian Desmond and Willie Harris sac fly.

Livan Hernandez started for the Nationals, going six innings and giving up two runs on eight hits. Tyler Clippard, who came on to pitch in the 7^th, got the win. Aaron Harang went only four innings for the Reds, allowing two runs on eight hits. Enerio Del Rosario, who gave up two runs in the 7^th, took the loss. Matt Capps recorded his 18^th save of the season.

For more info, check out Centerfield Gate.

Braves vs. Dodgers

The Dodgers snapped the Braves nine game winning streak with a 5-4 win. The Dodgers got off to a fast start scoring two runs in the 1^st and 2^nd innings. The Braves got on the board in the 3^rd with an RBI single by Yunel Escobar and another run thanks to an error by Dodgers 3^rd baseman Jamey Carroll. The Braves tied it up in the 7th on a double by Escobar. The Dodgers went on to score the go ahead run in the 7th with an RBI single by James Loney.

Kenshin Kawakami took the loss for the Braves, going 6 1/3 innings and allowing five runs on nine hits. Clayton Kershaw started for the Dodgers, going 6 2/3 and giving up four runs on five hits. Hong-Chih Kuo got the win. Jonathan Broxton recorded his 14th save of the season for the Dodgers.

For more on the Braves, check out Braves Baseball.

Nationals vs. Giants

The Nationals had a 4-2 lead going into the 7^th inning, but a number of costly plays kept them from getting the win, as they fell to the Giants 5-4. Adam Dunn hit his 10^th homerun of the year, and Josh Willingham and Alberto Gonzalez each went 2-3 for the Nationals. Aubrey Huff went 3-4 and Juan Uribe went 2-4 for the Giants.

Craig Stammen went 6.1 innings for the Nationals, giving up three runs on five hits. Sean Burnett came in to pitch in the 7^th for the  Nationals and wound up with the loss. Barry Zito pitched 6.1 innings and allowed four runs on seven hits. Santiago Casilla finished off the 7^th and earned the win. Brian Wilson got his 12^th save of the season for the Giants.

For more, check out Centerfield Gate.

Braves vs. Marlins

It was an ugly night for the Braves defensively, who committed four errors. But what they lacked in defense they made up in offense in their 8-3 win over the Marlins. Braves and Marlins both scored in the 1^st inning. The Braves then tacked on two in the 4^th, followed by one in the 6^th and 7th, and finally three in the 8^th. Ricky Nolasco helped himself out with an RBI single in the 4^th for the Marlins. Hanley Ramirez and Ronny Paulino each went 2-4 for Florida.

Tim Hudson and Nolasco each went only four innings thanks to a 77-minute rain delay. Peter Moylan took the mound for the Braves following the rain delay and got the win. Nolasco took the loss after giving up three runs.

For more, check out Braves Baseball Blog and Fish Guts.

Mets vs. Phillies

The Mets have  gone 27 straight innings without giving up a run, and won their fifth in a row, sweeping the Phillies with a score of 3-0. Mike Pelfrey pitched 7 strong innings, giving up no runs on three hits to earn the win. Cole Hamels went 6.1 innings, giving up 3 runs on 9 hits, taking the loss. Francisco Rodriguez got his 9^th save of the season.

The Mets got on the board early with an RBI double by Jason Bay in the first inning. Their next two runs came in the bottom of the 7^th on a RBI double by Jose Reyes. Phillies bats were quiet once again. Shane Victorino was 3-4, with the only other Phillies hit belonging to Raul Ibanez.

For more info, go to Real Dirty Mets Blog and Phillies Phandom.