Washington: The New York Mets set aside some bad injury news and won 7-1 at Washington on Monday, cutting the gap between the National League East’s two top teams to half a game.
New York slugger Lucas Duda was ruled out for four to six weeks with a stress fracture in his back, but his teammates showed against the Nationals that they have the power to replace him.
In the NL Central, St. Louis’ edged the leading Chicago Cubs with a ninth-inning homer, while San Francisco also left it to the final frame to beat San Diego, settling a scoreless pitchers’ duel.
The day’s key American League clash saw Chicago and Cleveland split a double-header, keeping the White Sox 2-1/2 games clear of the Indians.
New York manager Terry Collins said it will take a committee approach to replace Duda, and the Mets lineup immediately set about showing how that will work as David Wright hit a three-run homer during a five-run third inning, and Yoenis Cespedes and Neil Walker padded the lead with back-to-back homers in the fifth.
Pitching on the eve of his 43rd birthday, New York starter Bartolo Colon allowed one run in seven efficient innings.
St. Louis’ Randal Grichuck hit a tiebreaking solo homer in the ninth to lift the Cardinals past the Cubs 4-3.
Matt Adams tied the score with a two-run homer off in the seventh, ending a streak of 13 innings by Chicago starter John Lackey against his former team in which he’d given up just one run.
Grichuk drove a 2-2 pitch off Adam Warren for the win.
San Francisco’s Brandon Belt sprinted in from first base when Hunter Pence’s mistimed hit fell between two San Diego players in shallow right field with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, giving the Giants a 1-0 win.
Belt led off the ninth with a single against Brad Hand (1-1). After two strikeouts, Pence lofted a shallow fly which fell between right fielder Matt Kemp and second baseman Alexi Amarista as they chased in vain.
Cleveland’s Rajai Davis hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning to lead the Indians to a 5-1 win at Chicago in night game to split the double-header, after the White Sox won the opener 7-6.
Davis’ shot to left field off Erik Johnson on a 3-0 fastball snapped a 1-1 tie.