Cubs, Cards Lose Doubleheaders, ML Roundup

Pirates Down Cards to Claim Doubleheader Sweep

(Pittsburgh, PA) -- Alex Presley's RBI single in the bottom of the 11th sent the Pirates to a 2-1 win over the Cardinals in the opener of a doubleheader from PNC Park. Pedro Alvarez doubled in a run in the first for Pittsburgh while starter A.J. Burnett struck out nine in seven innings of one-run ball. Vin Mazzaro moved to 6-2 after picking up the win in relief. Lance Lynn pitched six innings of one-run ball with seven strikeouts for St. Louis in the start. Kevin Siegrist was saddled with the loss. Matt Holliday was 2-for-5 and drove in the lone run for the Cards.

Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run homer to lead the Pirates in a 6-0 win over the Cardinals, completing a doubleheader sweep at PNC Park. Pirates manager Clint Hurdle says it's too early to worry about where they are in the standings.

Gaby Sanchez went 2-for-3 and knocked in a run while Jordy Mercer also had two hits with an RBI for Pittsburgh, which now leads St. Louis by 1 1/2 games in the NL Central. Brandon Cumpton pitched seven innings of three-hit ball to earn his first-career victory. Tyler Lyons surrendered three earned runs in six frames of duty for the Redbirds, who managed just three hits of their own. St. Louis has now lost six straight overall.

The Cardinals were swept in a doubleheader by the Pirates Tuesday, but that's not the only loss they suffered. The "St. Louis Post Dispatch" reports that catcher Yadier Molina will be placed on the 15-day disabled list with a right knee injury. Molina didn't play in the first game of the twinbill but started the second before being removed in the third inning. It's the same knee that kept him out of a few games prior to the All-Star break.

Brewers Sweep Doubleheader With Cubs

(Chicago, IL) -- Jeff Bianchi hit a go-ahead two-run single with two outs in the top of the ninth inning as the Brewers clipped the Cubs 3-2 to sweep the doubleheader at Wrigley Field.  Juan Francisco homered in the fifth for Milwaukee, which aims for the four-game series sweep on Wednesday. Burke Badenhop was credited with the win despite blowing the lead in the seventh. Jim Henderson closed it out for his second save of the day and 14th overall. David DeJesus hit a two-run double in the seventh for the Cubs, who have lost three in-a-row after sweeping the Giants in San Francisco over the weekend. Kevin Gregg fell to 2-3 with his fourth blown save. In the opener, Jean Segura doubled home the go-ahead run to cap a four-run seventh inning as the Brewers rallied for a 6-5 victory.

Indians Rally Past White Sox

(Cleveland, OH) -- Pinch-hitter Ryan Raburn hit a go-ahead two-run single in the bottom of the eighth inning as the Indians rallied past the White Sox 7-4 in the second of four games at Progressive Field. Yan Gomes added a two-run double later in the eighth and plated three runs total for the Tribe, which won its sixth straight game. Bryan Shaw picked up the win out of the bullpen. Adam Dunn went 2-for-3 with two RBI in Chicago's fifth consecutive loss. Donnie Veal suffered the loss in relief of Andre Rienzo, who became the first Brazilian born player ever to pitch in Major League Baseball.

The White Sox are shipping right-handed veteran Jake Peavy to the Boston Red Sox in a three-team, seven-player deal. The Red Sox will trade infielder Jose Iglesias to the Detroit Tigers while outfielder Avisail Garcia heads from Detroit to Chicago. The 32-year-old Peavy was widely viewed as one of the top trade chips prior to today's deadline. Boston also sends minor leaguers J.B. Wendelken, Frank Montas and Cleuluis Rondon to Chicago in the deal while acquiring pitcher Brayan Villarreal from the Tigers.

Phillies Take Out Giants

(Philadelphia, PA) -- Carlos Ruiz and Michael Young each hit a two-run homer to power the Phillies in a 7-3 win over the Giants from Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.  John Mayberry Jr. was 2-for-3 with two RBI for the Phils, who stopped an eight-game slide. John Lannan allowed three runs over seven innings to move to 3-4. Barry Zito was tagged for four runs over 3 1/3 innings of work for San Francisco as he fell to 4-8. Brett Pill was 3-for-4 and Pablo Sandoval knocked in two but San Francisco lost its fifth straight game.

Mets, Wheeler Double Up Marlins

(Miami, FL) -- Zack Wheeler took a no-hitter into the seventh inning as the Mets defeated the Marlins in 10 innings, 4-2 at Marlins Park. John Buck hit a two-run single in the 10th to drive in the go-ahead runs. Juan Lagares hit a two-run triple in the fourth to account for the other Mets' runs. Wheeler allowed two runs on three hits over seven innings but did not figure in the decision. Scott Atchison got the win with one scoreless inning and Bobby Parnell his 22nd save. Donovan Solano and Jake Marisnick drove in the two Miami runs. Closer Steve Cishek took the loss for the Marlins to fall to 3-6.  

Braves Maul Rockies

(Atlanta, GA) -- The Braves used a six-run fourth inning behind a Brian McCann three-run homer to power past the Rockies 11-3 at Turner Field. Freddie Freeman left the yard twice, while knocking in four and scoring three times. Alex Wood earned his first-career win dealing seven innings of three-run ball and struck out seven.  Atlanta has won five in-a-row and the first two of the four-game set. Nolan Arenado connected for a two-run shot in the loss.  Juan Nicasio allowed eight runs and 10 hits in four innings to fall to 6-5. Colorado has lost three out of four.

Padres Double Up Reds

(San Diego, CA) -- Nick Hundley laced a two-run double in the eighth inning and the Padres went on to a 4-2 victory over the Reds at Petco Park. Will Venable was 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored for San Diego, which has won four straight. Dale Thayer notched the win in relief while Huston Street recorded his 20th save. Friars left fielder Carlos Quentin left the game in the sixth inning with a right knee injury.  Jay Bruce was 2-for-4 with an RBI while Devin Mesoraco also knocked in a run for Cincinnati. Manny Parra was charged with the loss for the Redlegs, who have lost five in-a-row.

Davis Homers To Power O's Past Astros

(Baltimore, MD) -- Chris Davis popped a two-run homer in the sixth to lead the Orioles in a 4-3 comeback win over the Astros at Camden Yards. It was Davis' major league-leading 38th homer of the season and his first since the All-Star break. J.J. Hardy also had a two-run single for Baltimore, which managed just three hits in the win.  Wei-Yin Chen struck out nine while allowing three runs in 7 1/3 innings to improve to 6-3 while Jim Johnson earned his 36th save. The O's had lost five out of six prior to the win. Jose Altuve went 2-for-4 with a two-run single while Jonathan Villar stole home for Houston. Lucas Harrell allowed four runs over 5 1/3 innings to fall to 5-11 as the Astros lost their fifth in six games.

Red Sox Romp Mariners

(Boston, MA) -- The Red Sox jumped on the Mariners early scoring two in the first and three in the second, and held on for an 8-2 win at Fenway Park in the series opener.  Dustin Pedroia was 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and two runs scored, while Shane Victorino added three runs and three hits. Jarrod Saltalamacchia punctuated Boston's third win in four nights with a two-run shot in the eighth. Brandon Workman earned his first victory of the year, allowing one run and striking out nine over six innings.  Kendrys Morales and Henry Blanco each knocked in a run for Seattle, which has lost four-of-six. Joe Saunders fell to 9-10.

Rangers Outslug Angels In Extras

(Arlington, TX) -- Leonys Martin smacked a walk-off three-run homer in the bottom of the 10th inning, as the Rangers outslugged the Angels 14-11 in Arlington. Adrian Beltre's RBI-single in the ninth tied the game at 11. Geovany Soto added a three-run homer for the Rangers, who have won two in-a-row since a four-game skid. Joe Nathan picked up the win in relief. Mark Trumbo hit a two-run homer and Josh Hamilton knocked in four runs for the Halos, who have dropped five straight and eight of their last 10.  Mike Trout was 4-for-4 with three runs scored and has reached base in his last 10 at bats. Daniel Strange suffered his first career loss.

Royals Club Twins

(Minneapolis, MN) -- Mike Moustakas left the yard twice and knocked in four runs to lift the Royals past the Twins, 7-2, in the opener of a three-game set at Target Field. Ervin Santana grabbed his seventh win of the season, holding the Twins to two runs over seven innings and striking out eight. Kansas City moved above .500 at 52-51 for the first time since May 18. The Royals have won seven in-a-row. Joe Mauer and Ryan Doumit each had an RBI for Minnesota. Mike Pelfrey fell to 4-9, giving up four runs and eight hits in four innings. The Twins have lost four-of-six.

Tigers Hammer Nationals

(Detroit, MI) -- Alex Avila cracked a grand slam in the sixth inning to power the Tigers in a 5-1 win over the Nationals at Comerica Park. Andy Dirks went 2-for-4 with an RBI double for Detroit, which has won four straight and eight out of nine. Miguel Cabrera left the game in the fifth inning after aggravating the hip injury that caused him to miss four games last week. Anibal Sanchez allowed a run over seven innings to improve to 9-7 with the victory. Ryan Zimmerman's RBI single in the first accounted for Washington's lone run.  Stephen Strasburg fell to 5-9 after allowing five runs in seven innings with seven strikeouts. The Nats saw a three-game winning streak come to an end.

Hernandez, Rays Down D'backs

(St. Petersburg, FL) -- Roberto Hernandez went the distance as the Rays defeated the Diamondbacks 5-2 in the opener of a brief two-game series at Tropicana Field.  Hernandez struck out six while giving up just a two-run homer to Eric Chavez in the ninth inning. He improved to 6-11 with the victory. Yunel Escobar homered and drove in two, while Ben Zobrist went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI for the Rays, who are 23-4 over their last 27 games. Ian Kennedy fanned seven, but allowed three runs in five frames as he fell to 3-8 with the loss. Arizona has dropped three in-a-row.  The game was delayed 16 minutes due to a power delay.

Ellis Sends Dodgers Past Yankees

(Los Angeles, CA) -- Mark Ellis singled in Andre Ethier with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning, giving the red-hot Dodgers a 3-2 win over the Yankees at Chavez Ravine. Ellis and Hanley Ramirez each finished 2-for-4 with an RBI in the pitcher's duel between Zack Greinke and New York's Andy Pettitte. Juan Uribe hit a solo homer for Los Angeles, which is in the midst of its best 33-game stretch in club history at 27-6. Kenley Jansen earned the win in relief for the Dodgers, who are also 10-and-1 since the All-Star break. Lyle Overbay hit a two-run homer for New York in defeat.  Shawn Kelley was saddled with the loss in relief for the Bronx Bombers. The Yanks have lost three out of four.

Brian Wilson is bringing his beard to Hollywood. The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed the free-agent reliever. The 31-year-old right-hander had Tommy John surgery in April of 2012. He had spent his entire career with the San Francisco Giants, racking up 171 saves. Wilson will start with a stint at the Dodgers' complex in Arizona, then report to Rancho Cucamonga as part of a rehab assignment. If all goes accordingly, "The Beard" will report to the Dodgers in two weeks.

Buehrle Guides Blue Jays Past Athletics

(Oakland, CA) -- The Blue Jays' starting rotation hasn't lived up to the hype this season, but the same can't be said about veteran left-hander Mark Buehrle. Buehrle has become the solidifying force on an otherwise disappointing staff that was expected to be one of the best in baseball. While other members of the starting five have either underperformed or suffered through various injuries it's Buehrle who has continued to be the consistent workhorse. The production continued on Tuesday night as Buehrle extended his streak of scoreless innings to 20 while Jose Bautista and Emilio Bonifacio each homered in a 5-0 win over the Athletics.

Selig To Preserve MLB Integrity If "A-Rod" Appeals

(New York, NY) -- If New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez appeals his expected Biogenesis suspension, Bud Selig may really lay down the hammer. The "Daily News" reports the commissioner would invoke a "preserving the integrity of the game" clause that would lead to a lifetime ban. Wall Street Journal sports editor Geoff Foster says it's going to be hard for Major League Baseball to win a case against "A-Rod."

Tuesday, July 30 Scoreboard

MLB NL

Milwaukee Brewers 6, Chicago Cubs 5 (G1)

Milwaukee Brewers 3, Chicago Cubs 2 (G2)

Pittsburgh Pirates 2, St. Louis Cardinals 1 (11 inn) (G1)

Pittsburgh Pirates 6, St. Louis Cardinals 0 (G2)

Philadelphia Phillies 7, San Francisco Giants 3

New York Mets 4, Miami Marlins 2 (10 inn)

Atlanta Braves 11, Colorado Rockies 3

San Diego Padres 4, Cincinnati Reds 2

MLB AL

Baltimore Orioles 4, Houston Astros 3

Cleveland Indians 7, Chicago White Sox 4

Boston Red Sox 8, Seattle Mariners 2

Texas Rangers 14, Los Angeles Angels 11 (10 inn)

Kansas City Royals 7, Minnesota Twins 2

Toronto Blue Jays 5, Oakland Athletics 0

MLB Interleague

Detroit Tigers 5, Washington Nationals 1

Tampa Bay Rays 5, Arizona Diamondbacks 2

Los Angeles Dodgers 3, New York Yankees 2

Wednesday, July 31 Schedule (All Times Central)

MLB NL

2:40 p.m. - Cincinnati Reds at San Diego Padres

6:05 p.m. - San Francisco Giants at Philadelphia Phillies

6:05 p.m. - St. Louis Cardinals at Pittsburgh Pirates

6:10 p.m. - New York Mets at Miami Marlins

6:10 p.m. - Colorado Rockies at Atlanta Braves

7:05 p.m. - Milwaukee Brewers at Chicago Cubs

MLB AL

2:35 p.m. - Toronto Blue Jays at Oakland Athletics

6:05 p.m. - Houston Astros at Baltimore Orioles

6:05 p.m. - Chicago White Sox at Cleveland Indians

6:10 p.m. - Seattle Mariners at Boston Red Sox

7:05 p.m. - Los Angeles Angels at Texas Rangers

7:10 p.m. - Kansas City Royals at Minnesota Twins

MLB Interleague

12:08 p.m. - Washington Nationals at Detroit Tigers

6:10 p.m. - Arizona Diamondbacks at Tampa Bay Rays

9:10 p.m. - New York Yankees at Los Angeles Dodgers