A four-run eighth inning proved in vain for the Colorado Rockies as they lost 6-5 to the New York Mets in the National League.
A review of Sunday's action in the Major Baseball League
A four-run eighth inning proved in vain for the Colorado Rockies as they lost 6-5 to the New York Mets in the National League.
Johan Santana threw six scoreless innings and the Mets provided him with four early runs, but Todd Helton's grand slam erased the lead on one pinch-hit swing.
New York battled back in extras, though, with Ike Davis' RBI single nailing the door shut in the 11th.
Chicago Cubs' Matt Garza impressed with 10 Ks in seven scoreless frames and Joe Mather supported him with a homer in the 5-1 defeat of the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Arizona Diamondbacks chased the Miami Marlins' Josh Johnson in a five-run sixth which helped set up an 8-4 win, while Jay Bruce homered in his fourth straight game to help the Cincinnati Reds see off the Houston Astros 6-5.
Tim Hudson produced five solid innings with six strikeouts in his first start following back surgery, as the Atlanta Braves defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3.
Lapses
The Milwaukee Brewers' three-run sixth made a winner of Zack Greinke, and John Axford converted his 48th straight regular-season save when Tyler Greene got caught in a game-ending rundown, one of two mental lapses on the bases for the St Louis Cardinals in a 3-2 defeat.
James Loney's two-run single broke a scoreless deadlock in the sixth inning and stood up as the difference in a pitchers' duel between LA's Chris Capuano and Washington's Gio Gonzalez as the Dodgers swept the Nationals with a 2-0 scoreline.
The San Francisco Giants saw off the San Diego Padres 4-1 in the night's other National League clash.
In the American League, Derek Lowe excelled for the Cleveland Indians in their 4-0 defeat of the Los Angeles Angels.
The off-season acquisition used a devastating sinker to limit the Angels to three hits over nearly eight innings, while denying Ervin Santana his first victory of the season, despite another solid outing.
CC Sabathia allowed just two runs over eight innings, Curtis Granderson homered and Alex Rodriguez passed Willie Mays on the all-time RBI list as the New York Yankees took the rubber game from the Detroit Tigers 6-2.
The Minnesota Twins snapped a six-game skid with a 7-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals, while Boston's six-game winning streak ended with a 4-1 defeat to the Chicago White Sox, who avoid a four-game sweep as a result.
The Toronto Blue Jays downed the Seattle Mariners 7-2, the Baltimore Orioles beat the Oakland Athletics 5-2, while the Tampa Bay Rays saw off the Texas Rangers by the same margin.
