NL Capsules

CINCINNATI (AP)—Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman(notes) reached 102 mph during one perfect inning, Tuesday and Cincinnati beat Milwaukee 8-4 on Tuesday night, wrapping up the best August by any team in the majors.
The NL Central leaders moved a season-high seven games ahead of St. Louis. The Reds haven’t led by so many games since 1995, the last time they reached the playoffs.
Chapman joined the Reds’ bullpen and matched the hype his first time out, throwing four pitches clocked at 100 mph or better. The nfl throwback jerseys
Reds called up the hard-throwing lefty, hoping he can add some sizzle to their September—and beyond.
The Reds pulled away from St. Louis by going 19-8 in August, the best mark in the majors.
Joey Votto(notes) drove in three runs with two doubles off Yovani Gallardo(notes) (11-7). Sam LeCure(notes) (2-4) pitched two innings in relief of Aaron Harang(notes), who struggled in his return from back spasms.
Gallardo has given up 20 runs in 15 innings. He allowed eight in five-plus innings on Tuesday.
Braves 9, Mets 2
ATLANTA (AP)—Atlanta’s David Ross(notes) hit his first career grand slam to cap a seven-run inning made possible by Luis Castillo’s(notes) error.
The Mets scored two runs in the fifth off rookie Mike Minor(notes) (3-0), but the 2-1 lead didn’t last long. In the bottom half, the Braves knocked out Jonathon Niese(notes) (8-7), taking advantage of Castillo’s blunder.
The second baseman let a likely double-play grounder slip between his legs, and the Braves made New York pay big time. Jason Heyward(notes) followed with a two-run double, Alex Gonzalez(notes) had an RBI single and Ross—Atlanta’s backup catcher getting one of his occasional starts—hit his second homer of the season.
Ross also had a triple.
Atlanta has bounced back from last week’s four-game losing streak—its longest skid since April—with four straight wins.
Astros 3, Cardinals 0
HOUSTON (AP)—Wandy Rodriguez(notes) pitched seven innings and three relievers completed the three-hit shutout for Houston.
Hunter Pence(notes) drove in two runs in Houston’s three-run fourth inning.
The Cardinals were shut out for the second straight game after J.A. Happ(notes) threw a two-hitter in a 3-0 win on Monday. They have dropped four straight, seven of their last eight and are seven games behind Cincinnati in the NL Central.
Tim Byrdak(notes) replaced Rodriguez (11-12) for the eighth inning, but was cheap authentic nfl jerseys
chased when he walked the first batter he faced. Wilton Lopez(notes) finished the eighth.
Brandon Lyon(notes) gave up a double to Matt Holliday(notes) in the ninth and walked Skip Schumaker(notes) with two outs, but pinch-hitter Randy Winn(notes) struck out to end the game and Lyon got his 10th save.
Cardinals starter Chris Carpenter(notes) (14-5) yielded six hits and three runs with two walks in seven innings.
Phillies 8, Dodgers 4
LOS ANGELES (AP)—Brian Schneider(notes) and Ryan Howard(notes) each hit a three-run homer to power Philadelphia past Los Angeles, keeping the Phillies three games behind first-place Atlanta in the NL East.
The Phillies’ lead over San Francisco in the wild-card race remained 1 1/2 games, while the Dodgers fell 6 1/2 back with their third loss in four games.
Kyle Kendrick(notes) (9-7) allowed four runs and seven hits in five-plus innings for the win.
After being held to two runs or less in eight of their previous 12 games, including a shutout loss Monday night in which they managed just one hit, the Phillies got going early against Carlos Monasterios(notes) (3-5) and then kept up the pressure on the Dodgers’ shaky bullpen.
Monasterios allowed five runs and five hits in two-plus innings, his shortest outing of the season. The right-hander fell to 0-5 in his last seven starts.
Giants 5, Rockies 2
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)—Andres Torres(notes) led off the eighth inning with a go-ahead home run, helping San Francisco beat Colorado to close within four games of first place in the NL West.
Buster Posey(notes) added a two-run double in the eighth as the Giants won for the second time in six games. Freddy Sanchez(notes) had two hits and scored twice.
Melvin Mora(notes) hit a tying homer and Clint Barmes(notes) drove in a run for the Rockies, who had their three-game winning streak snapped.
Jeremy Affeldt(notes) (4-3) blew a late lead for the second straight game but earned his second consecutive win after pitching the eighth. Brian Wilson(notes) worked the ninth for his 37th save.
Matt Belisle(notes) (6-5) gave up a run in discount nfl jerseys
his third consecutive appearance after not allowing any in his previous 14 outings.
Diamondbacks 7, Padres 4
PHOENIX (AP)—Miguel Montero(notes) drove in the go-ahead runs with a ground-rule double, Gerardo Parra(notes) made two critical defensive plays and hit a two-run single, and Arizona handed NL West-leading San Diego its sixth straight loss.
The Diamondbacks scored five runs in the fifth and chased Kevin Correia(notes) (10-10) en route to their fifth victory in six games. Mark Reynolds(notes) hit his third home run in two nights, a two-run shot in the second that tied it at 2.
Ian Kennedy(notes) (9-9) allowed three runs in seven innings for the win and Juan Gutierrez(notes) got three outs for his fifth save.
Padres manager Bud Black was ejected for arguing a call at first base in the sixth.
Marlins 1, Nationals 0, 10 innings
MIAMI (AP)—Florida’s Chad Tracy(notes) singled home Hanley Ramirez(notes) with the winning run in the 10th inning.
Ramirez singled with one out off reliever Drew Storen(notes), then stole second. After Gaby Sanchez(notes) drew a walk, Tracy singled to left.
Roger Bernadina’s(notes) throw was on target, but Ramirez slid under the tag attempt by catcher Ivan Rodriguez(notes), who argued the call vehemently.
It was the ninth walk-off win for the Marlins this season.
Clay Hensley(notes) (3-4) picked up the victory for Florida. Storen (3-3) took the loss in a game that featured stellar pitching performances by starters Anibal Sanchez(notes) and Jordan Zimmermann(notes).
Zimmermann allowed one hit in six innings—a double by Sanchez to lead off the second. He retired the next 15 batters before leaving after throwing 86 pitches. Zimmermann struck out a career-high nine.
Sanchez allowed three singles in seven innings while striking out seven.
Pirates 14, Cubs 7
CHICAGO (AP)—Neil Walker(notes) and Garrett Jones(notes) hit long two-run homers for Pittsburgh in a rare road victory.
Walker went 4 for 5 with four RBIs and three runs scored for the Pirates, who won for only the fifth time in 43 road games and ended a 14-game losing streak away from PNC Park.
Koyie Hill(notes) hit a two-run homer for the Cubs, who have lost 13 of 16 at home.
Pittsburgh is 10-4 against Chicago this season and has won 12 of nfl jerseys
16 at Wrigley Field dating to a doubleheader sweep on Sept. 30 last year.
Pirates starter Jeff Karstens(notes) (3-10) allowed two runs and four hits in six innings after missing his previous turn with a fatigued arm.
Jose Tabata(notes) was 3 for 5 with three runs and two RBIs for the Pirates.
Cubs starter Ryan Dempster(notes) (12-9) allowed a season-high seven earned runs and seven hits in three innings, his shortest start this year.