Philadelphia’s Jamie Moyer fooled the Florida Marlins with his deceptive stuff for the 10th straight time. Ten in a row is where the Mets’ streak ended after they couldn’t figure out the Reds’ Bronson Arroyo.
The 45-year-old Arroyo beat Florida for the 10th time in 10 career starts, pitching six innings Friday night to help the visiting Philadelphia Phillies to a 4-2 victory.
Bronson Arroyo pitched eight solid innings in host Cincinnati’s 5-2 win over New York, ending their season-best 10-game winning streak.
Philadelphia’s win dropped the Mets a game back in the NL East. The Marlins fell 2 1/2 behind.
All of Moyer’s games against the Marlins have come in the past three years. He defeated them for the third time since June 1, and his ERA in five lifetime starts in Miami is 1.34. On Friday he gave up four hits and two runs.
“I don’t know how he does it at 45 years old,” said Florida’s Cody Ross, who went 0-for-3 to end a career-best 17-game hitting streak. “You see his 82 mph fastball, and it looks good to hit. But it’s never down the center of the plate.”
In Cincinnati, Arroyo (8-7) has won his last four starts. He allowed only four hits and two runs, including Carlos Beltran’s RBI double. The eight innings matched Arroyo’s longest performance of the season.
“A lot of times, you get into a groove where you feel like you’re unbeatable, and I feel like that lately,” Arroyo said.
In other NL games, it was: Atlanta 7, Washington 6; Houston 2, Chicago Cubs 1; St. Louis 11, San Diego 7; Colorado 5, Pittsburgh 2; L.A. Dodgers 8, Arizona 7, 11 innings; and Milwaukee 9, San Francisco 1.
Philadelphia’s Ryan Howard hit his 29th home run, most in the majors. Geoff Jenkins added his eighth homer and singled home a run for the Phillies.
The Marlins lead the majors in home runs, but their four hits off Moyer (9-6) were all singles. He took a no-hitter into the sixth inning in Miami last month, and this time he retired the first nine batters as the Phillies built a 4-0 lead.
“He’s such a good pitcher, sometimes he can use a team’s aggressiveness against them,” said Brad Lidge, who completed Philadelphia’s five-hitter with a perfect ninth. “Florida has a very aggressive team – they hit a lot of home runs. Jamie’s style matches up good against them. He’s such a master of what he’s doing, he can see what they’re swinging at and move it a couple of inches.”
Ricky Nolasco (10-5) lost for the first time in his past six decisions. He pitched seven innings and allowed four runs, including both homers.
The Reds scored four times in the fifth off John Maine (8-7) despite getting only two balls out of the infield. Ken Griffey Jr. drew a bases-loaded walk, Brandon Phillips lofted a two-run single into shallow right field, and Edwin Encarnacion got hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
“Just good placement,” Phillips said of his hit. “It’s a beautiful thing.”
Jay Bruce hit a solo homer off Maine, who has failed to last five innings in three of his last four starts.
“I don’t know what it is,” Maine said. “I work hard between starts. I go out there and the little things here and the little things there are hurting you.”
Francisco Cordero, who blew a two-run lead in the ninth inning Thursday night, gave up a walk in the ninth before finishing it off for his 20th save in 25 chances.
Exquisite starting pitching was the foundation of the Mets’ surge. Their staff threw four shutouts in the last six games before the All-Star break, but hasn’t been the same since. The Mets blew two leads in their 10-8 win Thursday night, and Maine gave the Reds plenty of assistance during their decisive rally on Friday.
Braves 7, Nationals 6
At Atlanta, Brian McCann’s three-run double gave Atlanta the lead in the third inning, and the Braves survived a ninth-inning rally.
Tim Hudson (10-7) gave up nine hits and five runs in 6 2-3 innings, but he improved to 8-1 in 12 career starts against Washington.
The Nationals, trailing 7-5, scored a run in the ninth against Mike Gonzalez, but he held on for his fourth save.
Tim Redding (7-4) gave up six runs and six hits in four innings, matching his shortest start of the season.
Astros 2, Cubs 1
At Houston, Hunter Pence drove in the winning run with a double off Bob Howry (3-3) in bottom of the ninth inning for Houston.
Carlos Lee hit a solo homer and Brian Moehler pitched seven effective innings for the Astros, who have won four of their last five games.
Cardinals 11, Padres 7
At St. Louis, Yadier Molina’s two-run single with the bases loaded broke an eighth-inning tie for St. Louis.
Greg Maddux allowed six runs in four innings for San Diego, the shortest outing for the 42-year-old right-hander since last September. He is 0-5 in 13 starts since May 16, tying the longest victory drought of his career, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
The Cardinals got home runs from Ryan Ludwick and Rick Ankiel.
Rockies 5, Pirates 2
At Denver, Matt Holliday, Brad Hawpe homered and Seth Smith hit an inside-the-parker for Colorado.
Glendon Rusch (2-1) lasted 5 2-3 innings and gave up two runs in winning his second straight start since being recalled from Triple-A on July 5.
Brewers 9, Giants 1
At San Francisco, CC Sabathia (3-0) pitched a four-hitter to win his third straight start since joining Milwaukee.
It was Sabathia’s 21st career complete game and second straight.
Prince Fielder hit a three-run homer in the seventh for the Brewers and Mike Cameron added a three-run shot in the ninth.
Matt Cain (5-8) matched his season high with five walks, one intentional.
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