MILWAUKEE — Ryan Braun drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, and the Milwaukee Brewers extended their winning streak to three games with a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday in Craig Counsell’s managerial debut.
The Brewers (7-18) had been stymied all day by Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw, who struck out the first four batters and eight in all while scattering three hits over his first seven innings.
Center fielder Joc Pederson belted his seventh home run of the season, on right-hander Kyle Lohse’s third pitch of the game, and Los Angeles (16-8) staked Kershaw to a 3-0 lead with two more runs in the fourth.
Back-to-back triples by Gomez and pinch hitter Gerardo Parra put the Brewers on the board in the sixth.
Hector Gomez hit his first career home run in the eighth to make it 3-2.
Carlos Gomez doubled in the tying run in the eighth against reliever Chris Hatcher, and Braun beat out an infield single to drive in the go-ahead run.
Nationals 6, Marlins 4
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Yunel Escobar had a career-high five hits, including a two-run single in the eighth inning, to help Washington win.
The Nationals scored four runs in the eighth and took the lead as Escobar sliced his tiebreaking hit to right field against Marlins reliever Bryan Morris (3-1).
Washington shortstop Ian Desmond, who snapped an 0-for-29 skid Saturday, hit a two-run homer in the seventh against Morris to tie the game at 4-4.
Washington (13-14) won for the sixth time in seven games while the Marlins (12-14) lost for the second day in a row after four straight wins.
Phillies 5, Braves 2
ATLANTA – Philadelphia’s Jeff Francoeur, who came back home to Atlanta mired in an 0-for-19 skid, broke out of his slump by going 4-for-5 with a double, triple and two RBIs in the Phillies’ win.
Right-hander Aaron Harang, also a former Atlanta Brave, got the win, allowing five hits and a run in six innings.
Rays 5, Red Sox 1
BOSTON — Tampa Bay got a strong start from right-hander Jake Odorizzi, who picked up his first win in his last four starts.
He ran his record to 3-2 with seven strong innings. He allowed a run on seven hits (no walks, six strikeouts) and tied a club record with his sixth straight game without surrendering a home run.
Recently recalled DH Joey Butler hit a two-run homer and the Rays had 11 hits.
Red Sox left fielder Hanley Ramirez had to leave the game when he suffered a sprained left shoulder when he ran into a wall in the first inning.
Blue Jays 3, Yankees 1
TORONTO – Pinch-hitter Russell Martin drove in the tie-breaking run with an infield single in a three-run eighth inning for Toronto.
Blue Jays right-handed knuckleballer R.A. Dickey (1-3) held the Yankees to three hits and two walks over eight innings to earn his first win of the season in six starts and snap New York’s three-game winning streak.