Associated Press
CHICAGO ó Pedro Martinez’s return to the big leagues was a winner.
No surprise there. It’s what he’s done his entire career. And this time, he also had a promise to keep.
Pitching in a major league game for the first time since last September, Martinez mixed it up, changed speeds and lasted five innings to get the victory for his new team, the Philadelphia Phillies, in a 12-5 rout of the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night.
“It was really fun to actually get back to the game. Last year was a horrible year. It was a very tough year,” Martinez said of his final injury-slowed season with the New York Mets. “I actually feel good and it shows.”
Before his father died in July 2008, Martinez made a promise to him. He kept it Wednesday night.
“I promised my dad I would come back and play baseball like he asked me, his last word. Making it back feels like I just took something off my shoulders,” he said.
The Phillies gave their 37-year-old newcomer plenty of support. Shane Victorino, Jimmy Rollins and Raul Ibanez homered as the World Series champs sent Chicago to its fourth straight loss.
Giants 4, Dodgers 2 (10)SAN FRANCISCO ó Juan Uribe hit a game-ending two-run homer with one out in the 10th inning and the Giants avoided a three-game sweep.
The benches cleared in the fifth and both Giants manager Bruce Bochy and bench coach ó then the acting manager ó Ron Wotus were ejected in separate arguments.
Pablo Sandoval claimed he was hit near his left elbow on an inside pitch from James McDonald, gesturing and pointing at the pitcher. Dodgers catcher Russell Martin then had words with Sandoval, and Edgar Renteria raced out of San Francisco’s dugout as both benches emptied.
Tim Lincecum pitched into the ninth and had only allowed two hits before Rafael Furcal beat out an infield single. Andre Ethier hit a tying RBI single two batters later.
Mets 6, Diamondbacks 4
PHOENIX ó Cory Sullivan tripled twice and Gary Sheffield had two singles in his return to the lineup, helping the Mets avoid a three-game sweep.
Luis Castillo’s pinch-hit single with two outs off Jon Rauch brought in the go-ahead run, then Sullivan tripled to the right-center gap to make it 5-3.
Braves 6, Nationals 2
ATLANTA ó Adam LaRoche gave the Braves the lead with a seventh-inning homer, his second of the game, and Atlanta continued its second-half surge.
LaRoche snapped a 2-2 tie with his seventh-inning homer off Jorge Sosa (1-1). He had a second-inning homer off Craig Stammen and drove in a third run with a bases-loaded walk in Atlanta’s three-run eighth.
Garret Anderson and Martin Prado also hit homers for the Braves, who have won five straight. Their 17-9 record since the All-Star break is the best in the National League.
Derek Lowe (12-7) gave up only two runs on seven hits and four walks in seven innings. He has won his last five decisions.
Padres 6, Brewers 5
MILWAUKEE ó Adrian Gonzalez hit a go-ahead double in a four-run seventh inning for San Diego.
Prince Fielder Fielder’s two-run double in the seventh were his 99th and 100th RBIs.
Cardinals 5, Reds 2
ST. LOUIS ó Chris Carpenter won his seventh straight decision and beat Cincinnati for the third consecutive time, and Albert Pujols homered for the second game in a row for St. Louis.
The first four hitters in the Cardinals’ lineup had at least two hits, with Matt Holliday going 3 for 4 and contributing an RBI double to a three-run first.
Pujols hit his major league-leading 38th homer in the third.
Rockies 8, Pirates 0
DENVER ó Ubaldo Jimenez pitched three-hit ball for eight innings and Carlos Gonzalez homered for Colorado.
Astros 14, Marlins 6
MIAMI ó Hunter Pence hit two three-run homers for a career-high six RBIs to power Houston.
Pence’s home runs highlighted a five-run first inning and a seven-run fourth that chased Ricky Nolasco (8-8). Lance Berkman hit two RBI doubles in his first game in three weeks.