- Associated Press - Sunday, April 20, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) - Slumping newcomer Curtis Granderson hit a sacrifice fly in the 14th inning and the New York Mets outlasted the Atlanta Braves 4-3 on Sunday to prevent a three-game sweep.

David Wright had four hits and New York took advantage of three early errors by Atlanta, which had won seven of eight. Granderson went 0 for 6 with an error and was booed all afternoon, but turned those jeers to cheers at the end of a long day.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis drew a leadoff walk from Gus Schlosser (0-1) and advanced on Ruben Tejada’s sacrifice bunt. Eric Young Jr. was intentionally walked to bring up Granderson, hitless in his last 16 at-bats and stuck in a 4-for-44 slide.

The runners moved up on a wild pitch, and Granderson lifted the next delivery into medium left field. Nieuwenhuis slid home ahead of Justin Upton’s throw, and the Mets mobbed Granderson near first base.

Jose Valverde (1-0) worked a scoreless inning for the win, hours after he was demoted from his closer role in favor of Kyle Farnsworth.

BREWERS 3, PIRATES 2, 14 INNINGS

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Khris Davis delivered the biggest hit in a game interrupted by a punch-filled brawl, homering in the 14th inning to lift Milwaukee.

Ryan Braun hit a tying home run in the ninth for Milwaukee.

Brewers center fielder Carlos Gomez, Pirates outfielder Travis Snider and Milwaukee bench coach Jerry Narron were ejected after the third-inning fracas.

The problems started when Gomez paused at the plate and flipped his bat after hitting a two-out triple. Gerrit, who was near third base backing up the play, stormed toward Gomez and they exchanged words. Gomez took a couple steps toward Cole before players rushed the field from both dugouts. Milwaukee’s Martin Maldonado threw a punch that knocked off Snider’s hat.

The Brewers won their third in a row and sent Pittsburgh to its third straight loss.

Davis hit his first homer, connecting for a leadoff shot against Jeanmar Gomez (0-1).

Zach Duke (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings and Francisco Rodriguez got his seventh save.

NATIONALS 3 CARDINALS 2

WASHINGTON (AP) - Denard Span hit a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning and Washington, with Bryce Harper back in the lineup, rallied past St. Louis.

The Nationals loaded the bases in the ninth against Seth Maness (0-1) when Danny Espinosa singled with one out for his third hit, Jose Lobaton singled through the right side of the infield and pinch hitter Nate McLouth walked.

In his second game since being activated from the seven-day disabled list following a concussion, Span lofted a fly to left field. Espinosa easily beat the throw from John Jay, who shifted over from right field as St. Louis used a five-man infield.

Harper started in left field and went 1 for 4 with his first stolen base of the season. The two-time All-Star was pulled from the game a day earlier for what manager Matt Williams called a “lack of hustle.”

Rafael Soriano (1-0) pitched one inning for the win.

REDS 8, CUBS 2

CHICAGO (AP) - Homer Bailey pitched six scoreless innings for his first win of the season and Jay Bruce homered and doubled as Cincinnati won for the 17th time in its last 19 games at Wrigley Field.

Zack Cozart hit a two-run homer for Cincinnati, which took two of three this weekend from the Cubs.

Bailey (1-1) struck out eight while allowing six hits and three walks.

The Reds have won 10 straight when Bailey faces the Cubs. He is 7-0 in his last 10 outings against Chicago and 5-0 in his past six at Wrigley Field.

The Cubs have lost six of their last seven.

Carlos Villanueva (1-4) was tagged for five runs and nine hits in 4 2-3 innings.

DODGERS 4, DIAMONDBACKS 1

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Yasiel Puig hit a three-run homer and threw out a runner at second base, leading Los Angeles over Arizona.

Puig flipped his bat after connecting to cap a four-run sixth inning. His second homer of the season came after a two-out intentional walk to Adrian Gonzalez.

Dodgers starter Josh Beckett pitched five innings of one-hit ball, striking out seven and walking two.

Jamey Wright (1-0) got three outs for his 93rd career victory, spread over 19 big league seasons and 10 different clubs.

The Dodgers won on manager Don Mattingly’s 53rd birthday.

Josh Collmenter (0-2) gave up Puig’s homer.

GIANTS 4, PADRES 3

SAN DIEGO (AP) - Buster Posey hit a two-run home run and Tim Lincecum earned his first victory of the season for San Francisco, which had only three hits in snappng a three-game losing streak.

Padres pitchers retired 23 of the final 24 batters and the Giants didn’t get a hit after the second inning.

The Giants had scored only one run in each of their previous three games.

Lincecum (1-1) was chased by Nick Hundley’s first homer of the season, on the first pitch of the seventh inning that pulled the Padres to 4-3. Lincecum allowed three runs and seven hits, struck out seven and walked three. Sergio Romo pitched the ninth for his fifth save in as many chances.

Padres starter Robbie Erlin (1-2) took the loss.

PHILLIES 10, ROCKIES 9

DENVER (AP) - Jimmy Rollins homered early, then hit a go-ahead single in the eighth inning that sent Philadelphia past Colorado.

Rollins finished with three hits as the Phillies averted a series sweep. Ryan Howard added four hits, including a homer and triple while driving in three runs.

Rockies star outfielder Carlos Gonzalez exited early because of a sore left knee. He appeared to tweak it running out a high chopper to end the sixth inning.

Justin Morneau homered and drove in five runs for the Rockies. The teams combined for 30 hits, 15 for extra bases.

Jake Diekman (2-1) got the win despite allowing two runs in 1 1-3 innings. Jonathan Papelbon earned his fifth save in six chances.

Matt Belisle (0-2) gave up Rollins’ single that broke an 8-all tie.

___

INTERLEAGUE

MARLINS 3, MARINERS 2

MIAMI (AP) - Adeiny Hechavarria hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the eighth inning after an instant replay went in Miami’s favor and the Marlins completed a three-game sweep.

Mike Dunn (1-2) picked up the win in relief and Steve Cishek pitched the ninth for his third save of the season and 32nd in a row.

Tom Wilhelmsen (0-1) took the loss for the Mariners, who dropped their sixth straight.

In the bottom of the eighth, Christian Yelich was ruled safe at home after plate umpire Ed Hickox initially ruled him out on a force play. First baseman Justin Smoak threw home on a grounder by Garrett Jones.

Marlins manager Mike Redmond challenged the call. It was overturned after a delay of 2 minutes, 20 seconds. Replays showed Yelich slid in safely tying the game at 2.

With the bases loaded and one out, Hechavarria followed with a sacrifice fly to right field against Wilhelmsen.

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