“I want to do it”, Cueto said through an interpreter. “I didn’t hit it well”.
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Giants 3, Mets 0 • In San Francisco, Matt Cain allowed two hits in six innings for his first win in almost a year, and the Giants ended a seven-game losing streak. Recalled from the minors on June 11 after an injury sidelined starting shortstop Zack Cozart, Suarez is batting.
Washington Nationals’ Ian Desmond (20) slides safely into third base for a triple as Cincinnati Reds third baseman Todd Frazier (21) can’t make the tag in tine, during the fifth inning of a baseball game at Nationals Park, Tuesday, July 7, 2015, in Washington. Because the Reds now employ a four-man rotation, “it could be a short stay”, manager Bryan Price said. “That was a big one there”. He was consistently at 95 miles per hour with his fastball Tuesday.
“For me, there’s some inconsistency there on the mound, ” the right-hander said.
After scoring on Jay Bruce’s RBI triple off the wall, Votto deposited a pitch from Scherzer into the Nationals’ bullpen in the third inning to make it 3-0. Votto dingered, doubled, singled, drove in three runs on the evening, and the Cincinnati Reds 1B looked as locked in as he’s been in almost a month.
After Blake Treinen pitched a scoreless seventh, Casey Janssen came on for the eighth in a tie game and promptly got the first out.
Sale (7-4) had struck out at least 10 batters in eight straight starts, matching the major league mark set by Pedro Martinez in 1999. In fact, it was first time he didn’t go at least six innings.
There were no walks in a game that took only 1 hour, 54 minutes. Hoover continued to be the Reds stabilizer in the eighth inning to get the ball to Aroldis Chapman in the ninth. In the opener, Paulo Orlando hit his first career grand slam in the ninth inning off All-Star closer Brad Boxberger. He went to second when the ball got by second baseman Dan Uggla. After a walk by right fielder Bryce Harper loaded the bases, DeSclafani bounced a curveball into the dirt and off Pena’s chest in front of home plate. Milwaukee avoided further damage when Juan Uribe was caught in a rundown after attempting to score on a grounder to third later in the inning. It was his first homer since June 14.
Dozier lined a 2-1 pitch from Tommy Hunter (2-2) into the seats in left for his 17th homer.
Cueto is among the candidates vying to earn a spot on the All-Star roster via a final vote from the fans, and this performance certainly didn’t hurt his bid.
Torii Hunter and Aaron Hicks also homered for Minnesota.
Washington (46-38) has a three and a half game lead in the National League East.
Washington has totaled seven hits in this series while going 0 for 13 with runners in scoring position. Brandon Phillips opened the game by smacking a single to left off Scherzer’s 3-2 slider, his strikeout pitch.
Preston Tucker had a career-high four hits for Houston, including a solo homer in the fourth.
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St. Louis reliever Seth Maness has been ejected from the second game of the Cardinals’ day-night doubleheader against the Chicago Cubs. He lined a double off the base of the right field scoreboard that gave the Reds a 1-0 lead. The rookie earned the victory against the Nationals on May 29, when he allowed two runs over six frames in a 5-2 win.
