Roundup: Cubs’ Barney Denies Cardinals’ Carpenter a Win in Return

DeJesus hit an 0-2 pitch off Joe Kelly (5-6) to right field to score pinch-runner Brett Jackson.

Alberto Cabrera (1-1) struck out two in a perfect 11th to earn his first career victory.

The Cardinals’ loss allowed the Milwaukee Brewers, who won at Washington on Friday, to move one and a half games behind St. Louis in the race for the National League’s second wild-card spot.

Carpenter, who had surgery July 19 to relieve a nerve ailment that caused numbness up and down the right side of his body, pitched five effective innings and was in line for the win until Barney hit a 1-2 pitch from reliever Fernando Salas into the left-field bleachers.

The Cardinals’ regular closer, Jason Motte, had pitched three days in a row and four out of the last five.

Carpenter threw 77 pitches, allowing two runs and five hits. He struck out two and walked one. He had not pitched since winning Game 7 of the World Series against the Texas Rangers.

BREWERS 4, NATIONALS 2 Ryan Braun and Aramis Ramirez had consecutive run-scoring hits in the ninth inning off Nationals closer Tyler Clippard, and visiting Milwaukee extended its season-high winning streak to six games.

PHILLIES 6, BRAVES 2 Kevin Frandsen hit one of Philadelphia’s four homers to back Kyle Kendrick, and host Philadelphia inched closer in the playoff race.

Ryan Howard, Carlos Ruiz and Chase Utley also homered for the resurgent Phillies, who pulled to three games behind St. Louis.

DODGERS 3, REDS 1 Matt Kemp’s two-out single with the bases loaded in the 10th inning denied host Cincinnati its first chance to clinch the N.L. Central.

The Dodgers moved two games behind St. Louis.

ASTROS 7, PIRATES 1 Jed Lowrie hit a three-run homer for Houston at home, further dampening the Pirates’ already dim postseason hopes. Pittsburgh has lost 16 of 20 games in its late-season swoon to fall to 74-76.

DIAMONDBACKS 15, ROCKIES 5 The rookie Wade Miley tossed six innings for his 16th win, and Chris Johnson homered among his three hits and drove in three runs for Arizona on the road.

Colorado needs to win five of its remaining 12 games to avoid losing 100 games for the first time in the franchise’s 20-year history.

ORIOLES 4, RED SOX 2 Matt Wieters drove in three runs, Miguel Gonzalez pitched six and a third innings and visiting Baltimore remained one game behind the Yankees in the American League East. Baltimore broke a tie with Oakland for the top wild card.

RAYS 12, BLUE JAYS 1 James Shields pitched seven shutout innings, and host Tampa Bay scored runs in bunches to remain in playoff contention.

Shields limited the Blue Jays to six singles and struck out nine to reach 200 strikeouts for the second straight year.

He fanned J. P. Arencibia leading off the second inning, giving the Rays the A.L. single-season record for strikeouts.

ROYALS 6, INDIANS 3 Luis Mendoza pitched six effective innings as host Kansas City beat struggling Cleveland.

The Indians have lost 40 of 52 games since July 26, when they were 50-49 and trailed the A.L. Central-leading White Sox by three and a half games.

TWINS-TIGERS POSTPONED The Detroit Tigers’ game against the Minnesota Twins was postponed because of rain. The game will be made up Sunday night as part of a doubleheader.

Article source: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/22/sports/baseball/mlb-roundup.html?partner=rss&emc=rss