Page 19 - atoday sept 30

SPORTS A19
Wednesday 30 September

NL Capsules

Cards beat Bucs to move

closer to NL Central title
er’s duel that was a make- a 1-2 count with one out in
The Associated Press
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Matt up of a May 30 rainout. the eighth. That came on
Carpenter raced home Both teams combined for Scherzer’s 105th pitch, and
fans at the stadium rose
to break a scoreless tie in eight hits.
to salute the right-hander
the ninth inning when two GIANTS 3, DODGERS 2
Pittsburgh Pirates outfield- SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — with a standing ovation. To St. Louis Cardinals’ Mark Reynolds (12) celebrates with team-
ers mishandled Jon Jay’s Zack Greinke and the NL that point, the Reds only mates Jon Jay, left rear, and Jason Heyward (22) after hitting
single, and Mark Reynolds West-leading Los Angeles had three baserunners, on a pinch hit two-run home run off Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher
walks in the first, third and Mark Melancon in the ninth inning of a baseball game in Pitts-
followed with a two-run Dodgers were denied a seventh innings.q burgh, Monday, Sept. 28, 2015.
homer to lift the banged- playoff-clinching party for
Associated Press

up St. Louis Cardinals to a at least another day, los-

3-0 win on Monday. ing to the Giants on pinch-

The Cardinals reduced hitter Alejandro De Aza’s

their magic number to 12th-inning sacrifice fly.

clinch a third straight NL Andre Ethier hit a tying

Central title to two after groundout in the top of the

getting to Pittsburgh closer ninth, then the rivals need-

Mark Melancon (3-2). St. ed three more innings to

Louis can wrap up the divi- decide this one. With the

sion with a victory at Pitts- Dodgers employing a five-

burgh on Tuesday. man infield, De Aza hit a fly

In the bottom of the sev- to left against Adam Liber-

enth, Cardinals outfield- atore for a victory that pre-

er Stephen Piscotty was vented San Francisco from

carted off the field follow- being eliminated from the

ing a violent collision with pennant race.

teammate Peter Bourjos. Yimi Garcia (3-5) took the

The team said Piscotty was loss.

taken to the hospital with a Los Angeles lost its fourth

head contusion, and tests straight game after a

were negative. He will be weekend sweep at Colo-

held overnight for observa- rado and is five games

tion. ahead of the Giants with

Jonathan Broxton (4-5) six to play.

earned the win, and Trevor Greinke, who had his last

Rosenthal got three outs turn skipped as he nursed

for his 48th save. a tender right calf, had

CUBS 1, ROYALS 0 his five-start winning streak

CHICAGO (AP) — Pinch- broken dating to an Aug.

hitter Chris Denorfia led 22 defeat at Houston.

off the 11th inning with a NATIONALS 5, REDS 1

home run, lifting the Cubs WASHINGTON (AP) — On

to the victory. another eventful afternoon

Denorfia drove the first at Nationals Park, Wash-

pitch from Miguel Almon- ington right-hander Max

te (0-2) into the left-field Scherzer came within five

bleacher for the Cubs’ outs of his second no-hitter

MLB-leading 13th walk-off of the season hours after

victory of the season. It was closer Jonathan Papelbon

Denorfia’s third homer of was suspended for fighting

the season. with Bryce Harper a day

Fernando Rodney (2-0) earlier.

pitched a scoreless top of Scherzer (13-12) did not al-

the 11th to get the win. low a hit until Tucker Barn-

The homer ended a pitch- hart singled to left field on