Associated Press
The NL roundup…
MILWAUKEE ó Corey Hart hit his first three home runs this season and drove in seven to tie both club records, lifting the surging Milwaukee Brewers past the Washington Nationals 11-3 on Monday night.
Hitless in his previous 11 at-bats, Hart smacked two-run shots in the first and fifth innings off Tom Gorzelanny (2-4) to reach 100 homers for his career. He finished with a three-run homer off Doug Slaten with two outs in the eighth.
Prince Fielder also homered for Milwaukee, which has won seven straight at home and 11 of the last 14 overall.
That was plenty of support for Yovani Gallardo (6-2), who retired 12 straight at one point and allowed only one run ó on Michael Morseís homer in the second ó in seven innings.
Hart hit 21 home runs in the first half of last season, made the All-Star team for a second time and signed a $26.5 million, three-year extension later in the summer. But this spring was quickly derailed when he hurt himself in drills and his recovery took longer than expected.
Astros 4, Dodgers 3
HOUSTON ó Hunter Penceís two-out RBI single in the ninth inning lifted the Houston Astros to a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday night.
The Astros trailed 3-1 entering the ninth inning before Michael Bourn tied it with his two-out, full-count double down the right-field line that scored two against Kenley Jansen (1-1), the hard-throwing rookie who is the latest pitcher the Dodgers have given a shot to close games.
Bill Hall started the rally with a one-out single and Angel Sanchez walked with two outs. They advanced on a double steal to put the tying runs in scoring position for Bourn.
Jansen hit Clint Barmes with a pitch before Penceís looping line drive to left field sent Bourn home. Catcher Dioner Navarro blocked the plate but Bourn slid in behind him to tag home.
Hall, who was 0 for 11 entering the game, went 4 for 4 with a pair of doubles.
Jeff Fulchino (1-2) pitched 1 2-3 scoreless innings for Houston.
Phillies 10, Reds 3
PHILADELPHIA ó Maybe all the Philadelphia Phillies needed was to see Chase Utley back in the lineup to perk up their slumping bats.
Jimmy Rollins, Placido Polanco and Raul Ibanez homered to back Cole Hamels, and the Phillies handed the Cincinnati Reds their sixth straight loss, 10-3 on Monday night.
Utley returned after missing the first 46 games with a right knee injury. The five-time All-Star second baseman was 0 for 5, the only starter without a hit.
His teammates did all the damage.
ěI donít know if it was his presence or not, but somebody did something right so weíll give him credit,î manager Charlie Manuel said.
A struggling offense that had nine runs combined in the previous six games scored nine by the third inning.
That was more than enough for Hamels (6-2). He allowed three runs and five hits in six innings. The lefty is 8-0 with an 1.23 ERA against the Reds, including a five-hit shutout to complete a sweep in last yearís divisional playoff series.
ěHim being around gets guys excited and gives us a new energy level,î Hamels said of Utley. ěItís great to see him.î
Reds starter Bronson Arroyo (3-5) allowed nine runs and 10 hits in 2 2-3 innings. His ERA rose from 4.11 to 5.28. It was Arroyoís worst start since allowing eight runs in three innings against San Diego on April 23, 2010.
Jay Bruce hit a three-run homer for the Reds, who havenít lost this many in a row since dropping eight straight from July 28 to August 4, 2009.
ěWe just have to get back on track,î Reds manager Dusty Baker said. ěThatís two days in a row we went to the bullpen early and we canít keep doing that.î
All eyes were on Utley long before the first pitch. Television cameras centered on Utley during batting practice and pregame warmups. He even had a rare interview with reporters on the field.
A sellout crowd of 45,841 ó the largest in the regular season in the eight-year history of Citizens Bank Park ó gave Utley a rousing standing ovation when he came up in the first. Fans stayed on their feet even after the first pitch. He flied out to center.
ěI put in a lot of hard work to get to this point,î Utley said. ěIím just happy to be out there.î
Polanco followed Utleyís first at-bat with a two-run drive to left for a 2-0 lead. Polanco remained in the No. 3 hole in the lineup while Utley batted second instead of his usual spot.
The Phillies chased Arroyo with seven runs in the third, six coming with two outs. Ibanez had an RBI single. After Domonic Brown lined to left for the second out, John Mayberry Jr. delivered a two-run single. Hamels followed with an RBI single. Rollins then hit a three-run shot out to right to make it 9-0.
ěItís definitely nice to score together as a group,î Ibanez said. ěHopefully it helps us build momentum. Itís great to see (Utley) out there, to have him back in the lineup. Heís a huge part of our team. We definitely missed him.î
Bruce connected in the fourth, hitting his team-high 12th homer off the right-field foul pole.
Cincinnatiís Todd Frazier struck out in his first career at-bat pinch-hitting in the seventh, but it was a memorable major league debut. On his first swing on the first pitch he saw, the bat flew out of Frazierís hands and landed in the first row of the stands all the way down the left-field line. It didnít hit anyone.
Notes: The Reds sent former All-Star right-hander Edinson Volquez to Triple-A before the game. Volquez won 17 games as a rookie in 2008 and started Game 1 of the NLDS vs. Philadelphia last year. …. Phillies RHP Joe Blanton will see renowned orthopedist Dr. James Andrews for a second opinion on his injured elbow. … The sellout was the 162nd straight at Citizens Bank Park, including postseason play. … The seven runs in the third were a season-high in an inning for the Phillies. … Arroyo fell to 1-6 against the Phillies. … Bruce is 11 for 18 with three homers in his last five games.
The Associated Press
05/23/11 22:50