Mets 4, Rockies 0: NEW YORK -- Johan Santana pitched a four-hit shutout to make a closer unnecessary, and the New York Mets beat the Colorado Rockies 4-0 Thursday after Francisco Rodriguez was arrested on a charge of assaulting his girlfriend's father at Citi Field.
Just before the game began, the Mets suspended Rodriguez for two days without pay. He was charged with third-degree assault after Wednesday night's game, police said. His girlfriend's father went to a hospital with a scraped face and bump on his head following the confrontation at a ballpark family lounge.
Santana has his own legal troubles. A Florida woman who accused him of rape sued the Mets ace in Lee County, Fla., after authorities declined to prosecute the case.
Against the Rockies, Santana (10-6) won for the second time in four starts and boosted the Mets back to .500 at 57-57. He struck out the side in the first, and finished with 10 strikeouts.
Carlos Beltran had his first three-hit game for the Mets since his season started on July 15, raising his average to from .185 to .214.
Jason Hammel (8-7) gave up four runs and eight hits in seven innings, losing for the fourth time in five decisions.
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Brewers 8, Diamondbacks 4: MILWAUKEE -- Casey McGehee set a franchise record with his ninth straight hit, going 4 for 4 and leading the Milwaukee Brewers over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
McGehee had a solo homer, a two-run double, an RBI single and another single. His seventh-inning single off reliever D.J. Carrasco broke the team mark set by Ryan Braun in 2008.
McGehee started his 9-for-9 performance Tuesday night with a double in his last at-bat. He tied his career high with four hits Wednesday night, including a home run.
The major league record for consecutive hits is 12, set by Pinky Higgins in 1938 and matched by Walt Dropo in 1952.
McGehee scored three times and helped the Brewers avoid a four-game sweep.
Randy Wolf (9-9) won consecutive games for the first time this season. John Axford held on for his 17th save in 19 chances.
Rodrigo Lopez (5-11) took the loss.
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Giants 8, Cubs 7: SAN FRANCISCO -- Pinch-hitter Andrew Torres hit a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the ninth inning to send the San Francisco Giants over the Chicago Cubs.
The second-place Giants host NL West-leading San Diego in a weekend series.
Pat Burrell hit a grand slam and solo home run and Pablo Sandoval also homered to snap a drought of 178 at-bats without a longball.
Aaron Rowand led off the ninth with an infield single against Andrew Cashner (1-5) and went to second on a sacrifice by Freddy Sanchez. After Aubrey Huff was intentionally walked, Cashner walked Buster Posey unintentionally to load the bases.
Torres, held out of the starting lineup before of tightness in his legs, then hit a drive to center that landed on the warning track and bounced over the fence.
Brian Wilson (3-1) pitched a hitless ninth for the win.
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Padres 3, Pirates 0: SAN DIEGO -- Ryan Ludwick hit a two-run homer while Jon Garland and three relievers combined on a four-hitter to lead the Padres to a victory that completed a three-game sweep of the lowly Pirates.
The Padres protected their 2 1/2-game lead over the Giants in the NL West going into a weekend showdown at San Francisco. Giants lefty Jonathan Sanchez, who last weekend guaranteed a sweep over the Padres, will start Friday night's series opener against Padres lefty Clayton Richard. San Diego is 7-1 against the Giants this year.
The Padres earned their first-ever season sweep of the Pirates (39-75), who have the worst record in the NL. The Padres (67-46) have the league's best record.
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Phillies 10, Dodgers 9: PHILADELPHIA -- Carlos Ruiz's game-winning two-run hit in the ninth inning capped a frantic rally to help the Phillies beat the Dodgers.
Ruiz's shot bounced off the left-center field fence off Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton, scoring Jayson Werth and Ben Francisco. The Phillies entered the eighth inning trailing 9-2.
They scored four runs in the eighth off three relievers, then four off Broxton (4-4), who began the inning by hitting Placido Polanco and walking Mike Sweeney and Werth.
Francisco, the next hitter, hit what looked like a double-play grounder to Casey Blake, but it went through the third baseman's legs for a crucial error. Ruiz then smacked a 88-mph slider to deep left to cap the comeback.
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Yankees 4, Royals 3: KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- CC Sabathia picked up his 15th victory, Austin Kearns homered and the New York Yankees held off the Kansas City Royals 4-3 on Thursday night.
Sabathia (15-5) is tied with Tampa Bay left-hander David Price for the most victories in the American League. Sabathia, who is 11-2 in his past 14 starts, gave up three runs and 10 hits, while walking two and striking out three in 8 2-3 innings.
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Blue Jays 6, Red Sox 5: TORONTO -- Fred Lewis hit a sacrifice fly that capped a four-run rally in the ninth inning and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Boston Red Sox 6-5 Thursday.
The Blue Jays trailed 5-2 before Jose Bautista chased Red Sox starter John Lackey by leading off the ninth with his major league-leading 36th homer. Jonathan Papelbon (4-5) came on and blew his sixth save try of the season, and his first in 25 career chances against the Blue Jays.
Vernon Wells greeted Papelbon with a double and scored on Adam Lind's single.Pinch-runner Dewayne Wise stole second and moved to third when Aaron Hill singled off Papelbon's left foot.
Papelbon stayed in the game and struck out Travis Snider, but Edwin Encarnacion hit a tying double. Pinch-hitter Lyle Overbay was walked intentionally to load the bases for Lewis, who hit a fly ball to shallow center off Daniel Bard.
Kevin Gregg (1-4) pitched one inning for the win.
Toronto beat Boston for only the third time in 12 games this year. David Ortiz and Jed Lowrie hit solo homers for the Red Sox.
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Indians 4, Orioles 1: CLEVELAND -- Rookie Jeanmar Gomez remained unbeaten and the Indians defeated Baltimore, handing Buck Showalter his first road loss as manager.
Gomez (3-0) gave up one run and six hits over six innings, leaving after Adam Jones led off the seventh with a bunt single. The 22-year-old native of Venezuela struck out three without a walk in his fourth career start to beat veteran Kevin Millwood (2-12).
Baltimore, seeking a season-high fifth win in a row, dropped to 8-2 with Showalter. The Orioles failed to get their first three-game sweep in Cleveland since April 10-12, 1987, and Showalter fell a game short of matching the team record for best start by a manager. Davey Johnson began 9-1 in 1996.
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Braves 3B Jones likely out for year: ATLANTA -- Chipper Jones may have played his last game in the major leagues after tearing up his left knee while fielding a ground ball.
The Atlanta Braves said Thursday that the 38-year-old third baseman tore his anterior cruciate ligament and will need surgery. The estimated recovery time is six months, short enough to be ready for the next opening day if Jones decides to return in 2011.
He had already said he would consider retirement after a season that's now ended sooner than expected.
Jones was hurt in Tuesday night's game at Houston. He fielded a routine grounder by Hunter Pence, jumped in the air while making the throw to first, then collapsed to the ground for several minutes.
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Suspended Mets' Rodriguez freed without bail: NEW YORK -- Suspended Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez was released without bail Thursday and ordered to stay away from his girlfriend's father, whom he is accused of attacking outside a family lounge at Citi Field.
Rodriguez was arrested and charged with third-degree assault after New York's 6-2 loss to Colorado on Wednesday night. The team put him on the restricted list without pay for two days, costing him more than $125,000.
The 28-year-old reliever is accused of grabbing 53-year-old Carlos Pena, hauling him into a nearby tunnel, hitting him in the face and banging his head against the wall. Pena went to a hospital with a scrape and swelling above his right eyebrow.
Rodriguez did not enter a plea. Held overnight at Citi Field, he wore jeans, a white dress shirt and sneakers in a Queens courthouse. He did not speak, but nodded as the judge spoke to him.
"Ownership and the organization are very disappointed in Francisco's inappropriate behavior and we take this matter very seriously," Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon said.
Said star center fielder Carlos Beltran: "No one should act like that. He feels sorry about what happened, but it's too late. We all have family issues. But those family issues should be addressed at the house, not near the ballpark, nor at the place where you work."
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