CC Sabathia pitched as he has ever since the Brewers traded for him from Cleveland. Aaron Heilman pitched as the Mets need him to, if they’re going to survive while Billy Wagner is on the disabled list.
At Milwaukee, Sabathia threw a five-hitter and Milwaukee shut out the Washington Nationals 5-0 on Friday night.
At New York, Heilman unveiled a new motion and struck out three in two innings to close out Oliver Perez’s dominant performance and give New York a 3-0 victory over its division-rival Florida Marlins.
“Hopefully he could be our guy,” Mets manager Jerry Manuel said of Heilman as the go-to guy in a bullpen that came in with just one save by a pitcher other than Wagner.
It was the ninth straight win for Sabathia, who has not lost in 12 starts since June 5. In seven starts with the Brewers since being acquired from the Cleveland Indians on July 7, he is 6-0 with a 1.57 ERA.
“I knew he was good,” Brewers manager Ned Yost said. “I don’t sit there in my office and dream he’s going to go 7-0 or 6-0, whatever. He’s just been almost unhittable, or unscorable, since he’s been here.”
In other NL games on Friday, it was: Chicago 3, St. Louis 2, 11 innings; Pittsburgh 2, Philadelphia 0, 12 innings; Houston 9, Cincinnati 5, 10 innings; Colorado 6, San Diego 3; Atlanta 11, Arizona 6; and Los Angeles 6, San Francisco 2.
Perez pitched seven innings of two-hit ball and David Wright followed his game-winning homer on Thursday – bailing out the bullpen, which blew Johan Santana’s lead – with a two-run shot in the first off Ricky Nolasco, helping the Mets win consecutive games for the first time since taking three in a row July 23-25. Carlos Delgado also connected as New York moved a half-game ahead of Florida for second in the NL East and a game back of the Phillies, who lost 2-0 to Pittsburgh in 12 innings.
“(Perez) was as good as I’ve ever seen him,” Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “Velocity. Life on the fastball. He was good.”
Moved up a day in the rotation because John Maine is on the disabled list, Perez (8-7) improved to 3-0 against the Mets’ low-budget rival this season.
Perez struck out eight and walked three, and the Mets improved to 6-2 in his starts since beating the Yankees on June 29. He has a 1.71 ERA in those starts. Perez is also 7-0 in 13 starts against teams that are above .500 this season.
“I’m thinking every game is important for us,” Perez said of his success against winning teams. “When I pitch I try to think the other team is the best in baseball.”
Heilman entered in the eighth to boos, but he quickly turned the crowd around by pitching a perfect inning with a new rotation that he has been working on with pitching coach Dan Warthen since the series in Houston.
Heilman is squaring his foot up against the rubber now which gives him better downward spin on his pitches.
“I can feel the difference, see a little more life on the ball,” Heilman said.
He struck out two of three batters in the ninth for his first save in three chances – and first since Aug. 25, 2007, against the Dodgers.
When asked if he wants to be the closer until Wagner returns, Heilman said: “If that’s what it’s going to be, I’ll take the ball.”
Sabathia didn’t need a closer, hurling his fourth shutout this season and ninth in his career. He has two shutouts and four complete games with Milwaukee, and in 57 innings for the Brewers has given up 40 hits and 12 walks.
The crowds at Miller Park have taken notice. Sabathia received a standing ovation as he went to the mound in the ninth, with the Foo Fighters song “My Hero” playing in the background.
Sabathia threw 77 of his 103 pitches for strikes.
“I have just been trying to pound the zone,” he said. “That’s usually what I try to do, go out and throw strikes. They were swinging early, and that helped me out.”
Cubs 3, Cardinals 2, 11 innings
At Chicago, Jim Edmonds hit a pair of solo homers against his former team, connecting in the second and seventh innings off Braden Looper to help the Cubs win.
Chicago improved to an NL-best 44-16 at home, matching its Wrigley victory total from last year.
Pirates 2, Phillies 0, 12 innings
At Philadelphia, Steve Pearce broke up a scoreless game with a run-scoring double in the 12th inning, and six Pittsburgh pitchers held down the potent Phillies.
Rockies 6, Padres 3
At Denver, Glendon Rusch (5-3) pitched six solid innings against his former team and Ian Stewart homered to lead Colorado over San Diego.
Garrett Atkins was 3-for-4 and drove in three runs and the Rockies rebounded after getting swept in a doubleheader by Washington on Thursday.
Braves 11, Diamondbacks 6
At Phoenix, Chipper Jones returned from the disabled list with a pair of hits, including a home run estimated at 434 feet, powering Atlanta past Arizona, which lost its third straight.
Jones, out since July 24 due to a strained left hamstring, raised his major league-leading batting average to .371.
Dodgers 6, Giants 2
At San Francisco, Brad Penny (6-9) looked like an ace in his return from the disabled list, Jeff Kent drove in three runs and Los Angeles beat San Francisco.
Casey Blake and Danny Ardoin each hit a home run for the Dodgers, who won for the fourth time in six games.
Astros 9, Reds 5, 10 innings
At Cincinnati, Carlos Lee hit a two-run double, and Hunter Pence followed with a two-run homer in the 10th inning, lifting Houston over Cincinnati.
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