Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO ó Tim Lincecum looked like his old self, pitching a four-hitter and bouncing back from a rough outing with a career-high 15 strikeouts in the San Francisco Giants’ 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night.
The reigning NL Cy Young Award (11-3) winner provided the Giants with a much-needed boost on the heels of a disappointing 3-7 road trip. The hard-throwing right-hander earned his fourth complete game this season and sixth of his career.
Nationals 14, Brewers 6
MILWAUKEE ó Josh Willingham hit two grand slams and tied a franchise record with eight RBIs to lead Washington.
Willingham became the 13th player to hit two grand slams in a game and first since Boston’s Bill Mueller hit one from each side of the plate on July 29, 2003, against Texas. Willingham’s eight RBIs were the most in Nationals history and tied the franchise mark, accomplished last by Tim Wallach for Montreal against San Diego in 1990.
Reds 6, Padres 4
CINCINNATI ó Brandon Phillips hit the first of Cincinnati’s four homers, a three-run shot that helped end the Reds’ longest losing streak of the season at six games.
The teams combined for seven homers, six of them solo shots.
Mets 7, Rockies 3
NEW YORK ó Fernando Tatis hit a pinch-hit grand slam in the eighth inning, and the Mets salvaged an otherwise miserable day by rallying past Colorado.
It was the third straight win for the Mets, who have been struggling most of the season on the field and had to deal with issues off it when they fired vice president Tony Bernazard.
Cardinals 6, Dodgers 1
ST. LOUIS ó Chris Carpenter wrapped up an undefeated month and Brendan Ryan matched a career high with four hits for St. Louis.
Cubs 5, Astros 1
CHICAGO ó Alfonso Soriano redeemed himself for an earlier mental miscue by hitting a game-ending grand slam in the 13th inning to lead the Cubs past Houston.
Phillies 6, Diamondbacks 2
PHOENIX ó Jamie Moyer pitched 6 2/3 shutout innings, Ryan Howard hit a two-run homer and Philadelphia beat Arizona.
American League
BOSTON ó Josh Beckett became the American League’s first 12-game winner and the Boston Red Sox snapped out of a slump with 14 hits in an 8-3 win over the Oakland Athletics on Monday night.
Beckett (12-4) struck out 10 and allowed one walk and eight hits in seven innings before the bullpen extended its streak to 24 scoreless innings since the All-Star game.
Yankees 11, Rays 4
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla ó A.J. Burnett allowed two hits in seven innings and Nick Swisher homered twice to lead New York past Tampa Bay.
The AL East leaders improved to 10-1 since the All-Star break, with Burnett (10-4) getting his fifth straight win.
Nick Swisher homered from both sides of the plate.
Twins 4, White Sox 3
MINNEAPOLIS ó Michael Cuddyer’s two-run homer in the sixth inning pushed Minnesota’s record back to even and sent Chicago to yet another defeat at the Metrodome.
Royals 5, Orioles 3
BALTIMORE ó Billy Butler had a career-high five hits and drove in three runs, and Brayan Pena beat out a run-scoring infield single to snap a seventh-inning tie for Kansas City.
Rangers 5, Tigers 2
ARLINGTON, Texas ó Rookie Tommy Hunter pitched a career-high seven innings, and Nelson Cruz and Michael Young homered.