Associated Press
The National League roundup …
NEW YORK ó Eric Hinske had just finished his midgame routine, stretching and swinging off a tee and preparing to possibly pinch-hit much later.
That’s when he walked into the Atlanta dugout and saw a most scary scene in the fifth inning ó Braves rookie Jordan Schafer fouled a ball off his face and went down in the dirt.
After Schafer wobbled off the field and headed to a hospital for X-rays, Hinske was sent up to finish the at-bat. He struck out, but later hit a tiebreaking home run in the ninth off Francisco Rodriguez that sent the Braves over the New York Mets 6-3 Friday night.
“I was thinking I was going to try to ambush him,” Hinske said. “I took a chance on a first-pitch fastball and got ready early.”
Schafer was struck squarely around his upper lip and nose. A trainer helped him to the dugout with a towel pressed tight to his face. Schafer was set to have a CT scan and there was no report on the severity of his injury.
Booed as always, old Mets nemesis Chipper Jones began the Braves’ comeback from a 3-1 deficit with a leadoff home run in the eighth. Later in the inning, a two-out error by shortstop Jose Reyes let the tying run score.
“They’ve always provided me incentive to try to make left turns at first base instead of right,” Jones said of the New York crowds.
Brewers 6, Marlins 5
MIAMI ó Pinch-hitter Ryan Braun belted a two-run homer in the ninth inning, leading the Milwaukee Brewers to a 6-5 victory over the Florida Marlins .
Braun was held out of the starting lineup due to an ailing left shoulder, but was needed in the ninth with the Brewers down a run.
Pirates 2, Phillies 1, 12 innings
PITTSBURGH ó Jose Tabata hit a game-ending single with two outs in the 12th inning, giving the Pirates the win.
Tabata drove in Xavier Paul with a grounder off Danys Baez (1-3) that went into right field. Paul reached on a two-out single and swiped second base.
Tabata also had a tying sacrifice fly in the sixth inning for Pittsburgh, which has won three of four.
Reds 2, Dodgers 1
CINCINNATI ó Scott Rolen hit a two-run single with two out in the fifth inning, lifting Bronson Arroyo and the Reds to the win.
Arroyo (4-5) allowed one run and five hits in six innings, enough for his first victory in seven starts.
Cardinals 6, Cubs 1
ST. LOUIS ó Lance Berkman hit a three-run homer, Albert Pujols had a two-run shot and Jaime Garcia bounced back from the worst outing of his career to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a 6-1 win over the Chicago Cubs on Friday night.
Garcia (6-1) allowed a run and four hits over eight innings, improving to 4-0 with a sparkling 0.46 ERA in five home starts this season.