WASHINGTON: Ichiro Suzuki hit a go-ahead three-run home run with one out in the bottom of the third inning and the New York Yankees extended their home winning streak over the Toronto Blue Jays to 17 games with a 6-4 victory.
Suzuki ended a drought of 294 homerless at-bats when he drove a 1-1 curveball from Toronto left-hander Mark Buehrle (10-7) into the right field seats and designated hitter Carlos Beltran also homered for the Yankees, helping New York recover from an early 3-0 hole.
Jose Bautista hit two home runs for the Blue Jays, a three-run shot with one out in the first and a solo shot with two outs in the third.
Right-hander Tanner Roark pitched seven strong innings and center fielder Denard Span had four hits and an RBI, lifting the Washington Nationals to a 4-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
Roark (10-6) allowed one earned run and three hits, walked one and struck out six to become the Nationals’ first 10-game winner.
Span continued his hot hitting, going 4-for-5 for Washington (56-44) which maintained first place in the National League East.
Left-hander David Price pitched eight strong innings and third baseman Evan Longoria hit a three-run double in the decisive seventh inning, leading the Tampa Bay Rays to a 6-4 win over the Boston Red Sox.
Dueling against Red Sox ace Jon Lester in front of a crowded section of scouts preparing for the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, Price (11-7, 3.08 ERA) struck out 10 and allowed only three runs as he picked up his sixth win in his last six starts.
But it was Longoria who delivered in the biggest moment, clearing the bases and breaking a 3-3 tie in the seventh with a double down the left-field line.
The Philadelphia Phillies raced out to an early lead and added plenty of insurance to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 9-5.
The Phillies battered Diamondbacks starter Wade Miley (6-7) for six runs in five innings and then pushed across three more to trump a pinch-hit grand slam by Arizona outfielder Alfredo Marte in the sixth.
Rookie pitcher Jesse Hahn allowed only three hits over six strong innings to pace the San Diego Padres to a 5-2 win over the Atlanta Braves.
Hahn allowed one run, struck out four and walked three in improving to 6-2.
The Padres stretched their winning streak to three games by scoring in four of the first five innings, paced by first baseman Tommy Medica’s four hits.
Luis Valbuena hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the seventh inning, Ryan Sweeney had four RBIs and the Chicago Cubs held on for a 7-6 victory over the St Louis Cardinals.The Cubs overcame deficits of 3-0 and 6-5, blowing a two-run lead of their own in the process.
REUTERS
