Even with Brett Myers getting his first shutout in four years, the Philadelphia Phillies couldn’t pick up a game on the division-leading New York Mets. This time, it was because Mike Pelfrey was just as good.
Pelfrey threw a three-hitter for his first career complete game, and David Wright homered to lead the Mets to a 6-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday night and maintain a 1 1/2-game lead over the second-place Phillies.
“Anytime you can go out there and throw a complete game, it’s awesome,” Pelfrey said. “The fans got into it and started cheering and a standing ovation – anytime that happens it’s great.”
Pelfrey (12-8) also delivered at the plate, hitting an RBI single in a five-run first inning, when the NL East leaders took advantage of two Atlanta errors.
“That’s huge. Anytime you can get that kind of run support early in the game, it kind of takes pressure off you,” Pelfrey said. “You don’t have to be as perfect. You have a little cushion and it allows you to relax.”
Myers (6-10) struck out nine and walked one in Philadelphia’s 4-0 victory over Washington. Making his sixth start since being recalled from the minors on July 20, Myers earned his first shutout since a 4-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 20, 2004, and his first complete game since he tossed a six-hitter in a 6-2 victory against the Chicago Cubs on Sept. 20, 2006.
“I think he’s definitely capable of pitching like he did tonight,” Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. “We always have high expectations for Brett.”
In other NL games, it was it was San Francisco 6, Florida 5; Arizona 8, San Diego 6; Colorado 4, Los Angeles 3; Milwaukee 5, Houston 2; Cincinnati 2, Chicago 1; and St. Louis 11, Pittsburgh 2.
At New York, Daniel Murphy hit a two-run single and Fernando Tatis also drove in a run to help the surging Mets, who have won eight of nine and 11 of 14. Together they roughed up Jair Jurrjens (11-9), who allow six runs – four earned – and six hits in five innings.
“It’s great that we’re in a little bit of a groove now, but we can’t get ahead of ourselves,” Mets catcher Brian Schneider said. “There’s a lot of baseball left.”
Pelfrey walked three and struck out three in his 42nd major league start, improving to 10-2 since May 31. He threw 108 pitches and retired his final 11 batters in a game that lasted just 2 hours, 8 minutes.
Pelfrey made it two times in four games that a Mets starter went the distance on a three-hitter. Johan Santana shut out Pittsburgh on Sunday.
“He was on the edges all night,” Chipper Jones said. “He always had good stuff.”
Myers helped send the visiting Nationals to their 12th straight loss, tying the Kansas City Royals for the longest losing streak in the majors this season. The skid is the franchise’s longest since the Montreal Expos dropped 12 straight from Aug. 13-27, 1976.
The Nationals have been shut out 19 times this season.
“We’re just not capitalizing right now,” manager Manny Acta said. “That’s what we’ve been doing lately.”
Greg Dobbs hit a two-run homer off Collin Balester (2-6) in Philadelphia’s three-run fifth, providing more than enough support for Myers, who kept getting out of jams.
“I got my adrenaline flowing around the eighth inning,” Myers said, “and the defense played great behind me.”
Giants 6, Marlins 5
At San Francisco, Bengie Molina’s sacrifice fly to deep center off Matt Lindstrom (1-2) with one out in the ninth gave the Giants the win.
Marlins pinch-hitter John Baker hit a three-run homer in the top of the inning to tie it at 5 as Brian Wilson (1-2) suffered his first blown save since May 2.
Diamondbacks 8, Padres 6
Adam Dunn hit his NL-leading 34th homer and his second in two games for host Arizona, helping Dan Haren (14-6) win for the seventh time in eight outings. Jon Rauch pitched the ninth, allowing Gerut’s two-out solo homer, for his 18th save.
Jake Peavy (9-9) allowed a season-high six runs – only five of them earned – over five innings for San Diego.
Rockies 4, Dodgers 3
Brad Hawpe had three RBIs, including singles that drove in the tying and go-ahead runs, and the visiting Rockies capitalized on four errors by the Dodgers.
Jonathan Broxton (3-5) hit Matt Holliday with an 0-1 pitch to open the ninth. Holliday stole second, continued to third on a throwing error by backup catcher Danny Ardoin and scored when Hawpe lined a single just over the leap of second baseman Jeff Kent with the infield pulled in.
Taylor Buchholz (6-3) pitched a perfect eighth inning for the win and Brian Fuentes did likewise in the ninth for his 24th save.
Brewers 5, Astros 2
At Milwaukee, Manny Parra (10-6) lasted five innings to earn his first victory in a month, J.J. Hardy hit a two-run homer and Salomon Torres pitched the ninth for his 24th save.
Wandy Rodriguez (7-6) allowed three runs, two earned, in 5 1-3 innings for the Astros.
Reds 2, Cubs 1
At Chicago, Bronson Arroyo (11-10) allowed three hits and a run in seven innings, winning a pitching duel with Ted Lilly and sending the Cubs to only their fifth loss in 22 games.
Lilly (12-7) fell to 0-3 against the Reds this season with all three losses at Wrigley.
Francisco Cordero struck out the side in the ninth for his 24th save.
Cardinals 11, Pirates 2
Rick Ankiel and Jason LaRue hit two-run homers and Todd Wellemeyer (11-4) beat visiting Pittsburgh for the third time this season to win his fourth straight decision.
Ryan Doumit had three hits, including his 13th homer, for Pittsburgh, but Jason Davis (1-3) failed to make it out of the fourth coming off two effective starts.
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