The Baltimore Orioles placed relief pitcher Pedro Strop on the 15-day disabled list Saturday with a lower back strain.

• The move was backdated to Friday. To make room on the roster, the club recalled right-hander Steve Johnson from Class AAA Norfolk.

  Johnson made one start for the Orioles this season. He is 1-2 with a 5.49 ERA in four starts at Norfolk. He will serve as a reliever during this stint with the Orioles.

  Strop is 0-2 with a 6.11 ERA in 22 appearances for Baltimore. He last pitched Thursday.

The New York Yankees placed outfielder Curtis Granderson on the 15-day day disabled with a fractured left pinkie.

• Granderson was injured Friday night in the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays when he was hit with a pitch by Cesar Ramos.

  The Yankees recalled outfielder Brendan Boesch from Class AAA Scranton Wilkes-Barre to take Granderson's roster spot.

  It is not known how long Granderson will be out. He will visit hand specialist Dr. Melvin Rosenwasser on Monday to find out if he needs surgery and how much time he will miss.

  Teammate Alex Rodriguez missed more than a month with the same injury last season.

  Granderson missed the first 38 games of this season with a broken right forearm. He returned May 14.

Atlanta Braves right-hander Brandon Beachy made his first rehab start in coming back from Tommy John surgery on Friday night without incident.

• Beachy allowed two runs over four innings for Class AAA Gwinnett. Beachy previously threw simulated games and participated in extended spring training.

  Beachy sustained the injury last June.

  He is expected to spend much of his allotted 30 days in the minors getting his arm strength back before starting for the Braves, which means he should be back sometime in late June.

Milwaukee Brewers closer Jim Henderson strained his right hamstring in the ninth inning of Friday night's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

• Henderson sustained the injury while pushing off the mound to make a pitch with two outs. He tried to stay in the game but was pulled after making a warmup pitch.

  Francisco Rodriguez relieved him and finished off the save in two pitches. Milwaukee won 2-1.

  If Henderson has to go on the disabled list, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said he would go with a closer-by-committee.

  Rodriguez, former closer John Axford and Mike Gonzalez could be in line for ninth-inning duties while Henderson is out. The Brewers should have a timetable on Henderson's injury status on Saturday.

  Henderson is 9-for-9 in save opportunities this season with a 0.82 ERA.

LOS ANGELES -- The St. Louis Cardinals continue to soar.

• The Los Angeles Dodgers continue to founder.

  So what's new?

  And if there is any remaining mystery why the Cardinals sit on top of the National League and the Dodgers are an expensive, fast-sinking ship, it was clear on Friday night as St. Louis used superior pitching and a dominating offense to pummel Los Angeles 7-0 to open a three-game series at Chavez Ravine.

  These are two teams headed in opposite directions, and unless the Dodgers get their act straight, they might soon be looking for a new manager -- in addition to wondering where the top of the National League ran and hid.

  "It's not the way you envision coming home and getting the homestand going," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said.

  The Cardinals won for the fourth time in their last five games (3-1 on road trip) and improved their major league-best record to 31-16. St. Louis has posted a 17-8 road record this season and has won 11 of its last 13 road games. The Cardinals blanked an opponent for the eighth time this year.

  St. Louis chipped away at Dodgers starter Chris Capuano, eventually chasing him in the sixth inning after scoring six runs on six hits -- including two home runs.

  "I felt real good between starts, warm up session was great," Capuano said. "But for whatever reason, I was rushing out there and speeding things up. I'm not real happy mentally with how I handled the game."

  It didn't help that he was facing the best team in the National League.

  "I knew they were a pretty tough matchup for Cap, not the easiest team for him," Mattingly said. "I thought he kept us close, honestly."

  As bad as Capuano was, St. Louis starter Lance Lynn was good.

  Lynn had his string of five straight quality starts snapped in his last outing against Milwaukee, but he got right back on track against the Dodgers, giving up two hits in six scoreless innings while striking out nine to improve to 7-1 this year.

  Relying on mostly fastballs the first three innings and then breaking pitching after that, Lynn cruised through the Dodgers' lineup, the only thing slowing him down a hamstring that tightened up on him throughout the game.

  "Just one of those things where it flared up and we thought it was a good time to shut it down," Lynn said,

  It was bothering him all night, and with the Cardinals extending innings offensively, Lynn had more and more difficulty getting stretched out.

  "As the game went on, it started getting tighter and tighter and tougher to loosen up," Lynn said.

  David Freese got the scoring started in the second with a double to deep left that brought home Jon Jay. St. Louis added two in the third when Allen Craig doubled in Matt Carpenter and Carlos Beltran to make it 3-0.

  Craig's home run in the fifth made the score 4-0, and by the time Freese blasted a two-run homer to left, the rout was on and the Cardinals led 6-0.

  Freese, playing for the first time since suffering a cut on his right thumb on Sunday, went 2 for 3 with a walk, double, a homer and three RBI. Freese has hit safely and has eight RBI in his last four games.

  Craig went 2 for 4 with a double, a homer and three RBI as he hit safely for the sixth time in his last seven games. Craig is batting .363 (29 for 80) with three homers and 17 RBI in 21 games in May and has driven in at least one run in each of his last three games.

  "It's always fun to come home to California," Craig said. "I got to go home and see the family on the off day, so that's cool."

  Capuano's night was over after the Freese home run. The Cardinals were flexing their muscles and the Dodgers continued to search for answers.

  None of which seem to be imminently forthcoming.

  It was that kind of night for the surging Cardinals.

  And it has been that kind of season for the underachieving Dodgers, who spent most of this week fending off questions about Mattingly's job security, only to back him with yet another dismal effort.

  NOTES: Cardinals pitcher Jaime Garcia underwent surgery on left shoulder on Friday, performed by team physician George Paletta, and the Cardinals are optimistic that Garcia will recover for the beginning of the 2014 season. Garcia pitched nine games for the Cardinals this year and went 5-2 with a 3.58 ERA. ... Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter completed a successful bullpen session on Thursday in St. Louis and reported no issues by Friday. The plan now is for Carpenter to throw live batting practice early next week. ... After getting benched Wednesday against Milwaukee -- followed by Mattingly expressing concern about some players respecting the game more -- Dodgers OF Andre Ethier was hoping to talk to his manager to clear the air about his commitment. "If that's the way he feels, if that's an area I need help in or need adjusting and they feel that way, I'm open-eared to it and to address it and make it better," Ethier said. ... Meanwhile, Mattingly received the dreaded vote of confidence from team president Stan Kasten, who insisted Mattingly's job is safe after talk swirled earlier this week that it was in danger. "I like the team we've put together. I like the staff that we have. I do expect us to succeed," Kasten said. "I do expect this to turn around and because of that I expect Donnie to be here for a long time."

SAN FRANCISCO -- The San Francisco Giants don't get shut out at home very often. But when it does happen, Tyler Chatwood tends to be involved.

• The 6-foot right-hander came up big at AT&T Park once again Friday night, shutting out the Giants for six innings in the Colorado Rockies' 5-0 victory in the opener of a three-game series between teams that began the day tied for first place in the National League West.

  Michael Cuddyer, in his first game since returning from the disabled list, homered, doubled and drove in three runs as the Rockies began a five-game road trip by beating the defending World Series champions for a fourth consecutive time during the course of eight days.

  With the win, the Rockies remained tied with the Arizona Diamondbacks atop the NL West, with the Giants falling into third place, one game back. The loss was just San Francisco's third in 13 games against division opponents this season.

  Chatwood (3-0), making just his second start since being recalled from Triple-A, allowed four singles and one walk in his six-inning stint, never allowing a Giants base runner past second base.

  It was his first start at AT&T since the last time the Giants were shut out at home -- 3-0 last Aug. 10.

  "I just heard that," Chatwood said of the shutout oddity. "That's pretty neat to do that against that lineup."

  The California native was far more effective at AT&T Park than he was in beating the Giants 10-2 last Saturday at Coors Field. He pitched in and out of trouble for 5 2/3 innings that night, allowing almost as many base runners (seven hits, four walks) as outs recorded (12).

  The Giants, who entered the game as the league leaders in team batting average at .272, were nowhere near as successful in the rematch. Chatwood struck out four before leaving a game with a shutout for the second time in four starts this season.

  He was supported not only with two first-inning runs but by a flawless defense led by slick-fielding third baseman Nolan Arenado.

  "You talk about not giving a team more than 27 outs," Rockies manager Walk Weiss said. "We gave them about 25 tonight the way we played defense."

  Josh Outman, Matt Belisle and Wilton Lopez pitched one inning apiece to complete the shutout, which was the Rockies' second straight against the Giants. Colorado posted the third of three consecutive home wins over San Francisco last Sunday in a 5-0 shutout.

  "He had good stuff tonight. Tonight, we just couldn't get anything going," said the Giants' Buster Posey, who had one of the team's five total hits and also his first stolen base of the season. "Sometimes, you just have to tip your cap to the guy."

  Cuddyer, who had spent the previous 15 days on the DL as he dealt with a bulging disk in his neck, gave Chatwood all the runs he would need with a two-out, two-run double down the right-field line in the first inning.

  His home run, a solo shot, came in the sixth and capped the Rockies' scoring off Giants starter Tim Lincecum (3-4). The blast 10 rows deep into the left-field bleachers was Cuddyer's eighth of the season and opened a 4-0 lead.

  Cuddyer also scored Colorado's third run on a DJ LeMahieu single in the fourth.

  "The neck's good. It felt great especially to get the win; that's what feels the best," Cuddyer said. "Because I've had this (neck ailment) before, I knew what it feels like. I know what it feels like to come back, so I was comfortable as soon as I stepped into the (batter's) box."

  In losing to the Rockies for the second time in a week, Lincecum gave up four runs and seven hits. He walked two and struck out eight, one shy of his season best.

  Carlos Gonzalez, who almost didn't play after accidentally being hit just below the left eye with a thrown pen by an autograph seeker before the game, smacked reliever Sandy Rosario's second pitch into the right-field pavilion for an eighth-inning home run, his 12th homer of the season, to complete Colorado's scoring. It was the Rockies' 26th home run in May, which leads the league.

  The Giants, who have made a living with rallies this season, couldn't do it against Chatwood and his mates.

  "It's not ideal," Posey said of seemingly falling behind in every game. "You just go through stretches like that in baseball."

  NOTES: Legendary singer Tony Bennett attended the game on a chilly, moonlit night in San Francisco. ... The Rockies hadn't won at AT&T Park since Chatwood's shutout last August, a span of 10 games that included a three-game sweep in April. ... The Rockies have not allowed a home run in six consecutive games, which ties a franchise record. ... To make room for Cuddyer on the active roster, the Rockies sent second baseman Josh Rutledge to Triple-A. His demotion to Colorado Springs means half of Colorado's Opening Day starting infield is no longer with the team. The Rockies traded Opening Day third baseman Chris Nelson to the New York Yankees earlier this month. ... Giants manager Bruce Bochy disclosed before the game he plans to announce a replacement for injured Ryan Vogelsong in the starting rotation after Sunday's series finale. The substitute figures to get his first start on Tuesday in Oakland against the A's. ... Giants reliever Santiago Casilla appears headed for surgery to remove a cyst on his right knee. A decision on whether to go the surgery route is expected sometime this weekend. ... Saturday's second game of the series is a rematch of the starting pitchers from last Sunday's 5-0 Rockies win in Denver. Colorado's Juan Nicasio pitched six shutout innings that day to outduel the Giants' Barry Zito.

SEATTLE -- Put in position to look over their shoulders for the first time this season, the Texas Rangers haven't blinked at the so-called competition.

• The Rangers continued to keep the rest of the American League West at arm's length Friday night, beating the Seattle Mariners 9-5 while red-hot Oakland and Los Angeles desperately try to stay within reach.

  Texas (31-17) used 13 hits, including home runs from Jeff Baker and Lance Berkman, and survived a rocky start from Justin Grimm to improve on the best record in the AL. All nine starting position players, as well as first-off-the-bench pinch-hitter David Murphy, had hits as the Rangers' bats awoke after a three-game slumber to take a 9-3 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning.

  The Mariners (20-28) had 14 hits of their own but ended up extending their losing streak to seven games, the franchise's longest in more than a year. Four Mariners had multiple hits, led by third baseman Kyle Seager's two doubles and a single.

  Seattle starter Joe Saunders, who had allowed just four total runs in 28 2/3 innings of his first four starts at Safeco Field this season, gave up six earned runs and eight hits in five innings. It marked the first time in 14 career starts at Safeco -- mostly as a visiting pitcher -- that Saunders took the loss.

  "This one's on me," said Saunders, who has a 9-1 career record and 2.23 ERA at Safeco. "It's my fault."

  Friday marked the fourth time in 10 starts this season that Saunders (3-5) has allowed six or more earned runs. The veteran southpaw has a 6.46 ERA this season, making him the third starter in Seattle's five-man rotation to have an ERA above 6.00.

  "This game can be frustrating, to say the least, at times," Saunders said. "You've just got to keep your head up. We're a way better team than we've shown."

  Grimm (4-3) made it into seventh inning despite an outing that saw him give up 10 hits, including eight in the first three innings. The Mariners scored one run in each of those innings but couldn't get much offense going again until the bottom of the ninth.

  Pitching for the third time against Seattle this season, Grimm ended up allowing three earned runs in 6 1/3 innings.

  "The first three innings, he just kept getting the ball up," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "In the fourth, fifth, sixth innings, he got the ball down and got the outs we needed."

  Texas ended up using five relievers, including closer Joe Nathan. He faced just one batter, striking out Michael Morse to strand two runners on base while picking up his 15th save of the season.

  The Rangers used two home runs to jump out to a 5-2 lead through the top of the third. Baker hit a two-run shot off Saunders in the second and Berkman added a three-run homer in the third.

  Saunders allowed more runs in the first three innings (five) than he had in 28 2/3 innings of his previous four starts at Safeco Field this season (four).

  Seattle gave Saunders an early lead when Kendrys Morales took advantage of an infield shift for a two-out, RBI single and a 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the first.

  After Baker's home run, the Mariners added a run in the second to tie the score 2-2. Berkman answered that with a three-run homer into the upper deck of left field in the top of the third, giving Texas a 5-2 lead.

  Seattle added a run in the third, stringing together three consecutive hits to cut the lead to 5-3. Raul Ibanez's RBI double scored Morales while leaving runners on second and third before Rangers center fielder Craig Gentry tracked down a well-hit ball from Justin Smoak to end the threat.

  Texas got to Saunders again in the fourth, with three consecutive singles to lead off the inning. Elvis Andrus' sacrifice fly scored A.J. Pierzynski from third to give Texas a 6-3 lead.

  The two teams combined for 16 hits and nine runs in the first five innings.

  Mariners catcher Jesus Sucre, who was called up from Triple-A Tacoma earlier in the day, had a memorable and rather controversial first big-league at-bat in the second inning.

  Sucre grounded into a 3-6-3 double play, even though Rangers first baseman Mitch Moreland never touched the ball on the final force play.

  Andrus tagged second base for the first out, then threw to Moreland at first. The throw arrived just before Sucre got to the bag, but Grimm caught the ball just in front of Moreland's mitt. Grimm was nowhere near touching first base, but umpire Jeff Nelson called Sucre out because he believed the throw ended up in Moreland's glove rather than Grimm's.

  Mariners manager Eric Wedge burst out of the dugout to argue the call, but the double play stood.

  Washington also believed Sucre should have been safe.

  "I didn't have to see the replay," he said. "We caught a break there."

  The Mariners still got a run out of the rally when shortstop Brendan Ryan followed Sucre's at-bat with an RBI double to tie the score 2-2.

  NOTES: The Mariners made three roster moves before Friday's game, selecting Sucre from Triple-A Tacoma, recalling IF Carlos Triunfel from Tacoma and designating IF Robert Andino for assignment. Andino, 29, had been named the team's starting shortstop earlier this month because of the struggles of Ryan but was hitting just .184 for the season. ... Friday marked the first time the Rangers have faced a left-handed starter since May 11, a string of 11 consecutive games against right-handed starting pitchers. ... Veteran IF Mark Teahen, whom the Rangers signed to a minor-league contract on Thursday, reported to Triple-A Round Rock on Friday and was playing third base and hitting sixth in the order.

PHOENIX -- The only team in the major leagues not to be shut out this season, the Arizona Diamondbacks needed a five-run seventh inning to extend their streak on Friday.

• The Diamondbacks had five hits, including four doubles, off four San Diego pitchers in the seventh for the 5-2 victory at Chase Field.

  Miguel Montero started the rally with a double off starter Eric Stults and Paul Goldschmidt finished it with a two-run double off Anthony Bass.

  "'Miggy' did a good job of getting that double, and things started getting rolling from there," said Diamondbacks outfielder A.J. Pollock, who had three singles and drove in a run in the seventh. "That was the big key. Sometimes, little things like that kind of spark the team. that was huge."

  "I felt good. Hopefully, I'll start a roll," said Montero, who was 4 for 46 before that hit and is batting .191 this season.

  Martin Prado doubled in Montero to tie the score at 1 and pinch-hitter Wil Nieves doubled in Prado for a 2-1 lead. Pollock singled in the third run before Goldschmidt's double ended the rally.

  "The two back-breakers were the pitch to Nieves," San Diego manager Bud Black said. "It was a fastball that he just didn't get quite high enough. I think he was going for the strikeout on the high fastball and didn't quite get it there. The Goldschmidt big two-out double. That hurt as well."

  Diamondbacks right-hander Brandon McCarthy (2-3) was the beneficiary of the big inning and won his second straight start, giving up one run and five hits in seven innings.

  McCarthy has given up one run in his last 24 innings, dropping his ERA to a season-low 4.36. He shut out Miami on three hits in his previous start last Saturday and worked eight scoreless innings in a no-decision against Philadelphia on May 12. His 18 straight scoreless innings are a personal high.

  "I wasn't really synched up. It was kind of one of those weird nights where you are kind of battling, hoping that guys hit it at people, which they did," McCarthy said.

  "It's nice when you are not feeling great when you can still get through the lineup a few times. Kinda give the team a chance to win. The fact that we were able to catch up late and get it done makes it a good team performance."

  San Diego left fielder Carlos Quentin had three hits, including two doubles, and scored a run. Quentin, who missed the previous two games with left knee soreness, doubled into the left field corner in the second and scored on Yonder Alonso's single.

  Padres shortstop Everth Cabrera had two hits and led off the eighth with his third home run of the season for the final run of the game. The Padres are 22-25.

  Heath Bell pitched the ninth for his seventh save as Arizona (27-21) broke a two-game losing streak.

  Stults gave up singles to Pollock in the third and sixth, the only Arizona hits until the seventh.

  "I felt like I got way with some pitches through the sixth inning," Stults said. "Actually, it felt like in the seventh inning I made the pitches I wanted to -- just didn't have the results."

  NOTES: San Diego recalled LHP Tommy Layne from Triple-A Tucson and optioned RHP Burch Smith to Tucson on Friday. Smith gave up four runs in one-plus innings of a 5-3 loss against St. Louis on Wednesday. LHP Clayton Richard is expected to fill that spot the next turn through the rotation. Richard threw a bullpen session at Chase Field on Friday afternoon and is on track to be activated from the disabled list for a start early next week, manager Bud Black said. Richard has been on the disabled list since May 5. with an intestinal virus ... The D-backs plan to send the films of the latest MRI on OF Adam Eaton (left ulnar collateral ligament) to elbow specialist Dr. James Andrews for a second look, FOXSportsArizona.com reported. Eaton, expected to be the D-backs' starting center fielder before suffering his injury late in spring training, was shut down after feeling elbow soreness on a rehab assignment at Class A Visalia on Monday. ... San Diego had won 13 of the last 21 games in the series and eight of the last 10 at Chase Field, entering the weekend series.

SEATTLE -- Put in position to look over their shoulders for the first time this season, the Texas Rangers haven't blinked at the so-called competition.

• The Rangers continued to keep the rest of the American League West at arm's length Friday night, beating the Seattle Mariners 9-5 while red-hot Oakland and Los Angeles desperately try to stay within reach.

  Texas (31-17) used 13 hits, including home runs from Jeff Baker and Lance Berkman, and survived a rocky start from Justin Grimm to improve on the best record in the AL. All nine starting position players, as well as first-off-the-bench pinch-hitter David Murphy, had hits as the Rangers' bats awoke after a three-game slumber to take a 9-3 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning.

  The Mariners (20-28) had 14 hits of their own but ended up extending their losing streak to seven games, the franchise's longest in more than a year. Four Mariners had multiple hits, led by third baseman Kyle Seager's two doubles and a single.

  Seattle starter Joe Saunders, who had allowed just four total runs in 28 2/3 innings of his first four starts at Safeco Field this season, gave up six earned runs and eight hits in five innings. It marked the first time in 14 career starts at Safeco -- mostly as a visiting pitcher -- that Saunders took the loss.

  He now has a 9-1 career record and 2.23 ERA at Safeco.

  Friday marked the fourth time in 10 starts this season that Saunders (3-5) has allowed six or more earned runs. The veteran southpaw has a 6.46 ERA this season, making him the third starter in Seattle's five-man rotation to have an ERA above 6.00.

  Grimm (4-3) made it into seventh inning despite an outing that saw him give up 10 hits, including eight in the first three innings. The Mariners scored one run in each of those innings but couldn't get much offense going again until the bottom of the ninth.

  Texas ended up using five relievers, including closer Joe Nathan. He faced just one batter, striking out Michael Morse to strand two runners on base while picking up his 15th save of the season.

  The Rangers used two home runs to jump out to a 5-2 lead through the top of the third. Baker hit a two-run shot off Saunders in the second, then Berkman added a three-run homer in the third.

  Saunders allowed more runs in the first three innings (five) than he had in 28 2/3 innings of his previous four starts at Safeco Field this season (four).

  Seattle gave Saunders an early lead when Kendrys Morales took advantage of an infield shift for a two-out, RBI single and a 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the first.

  After Baker's home run, the Mariners added a run in the second to tie the score 2-2. Berkman answered that with a three-run homer into the upper deck of left field in the top of the third, giving Texas a 5-2 lead.

  Seattle added a run in the third, stringing together three consecutive hits to cut the lead to 5-3. Raul Ibanez's RBI double scored Morales while leaving runners on second and third before Rangers center fielder Craig Gentry tracked down a well-hit ball from Justin Smoak to end the threat.

  Texas got to Saunders again in the fourth, with three consecutive singles to lead off the inning. Elvis Andrus' sacrifice fly scored A.J. Pierzynski from third to give Texas a 6-3 lead.

  The two teams combined for 16 hits and nine runs in the first five innings.

  Mariners catcher Jesus Sucre, who was called up from Triple-A Tacoma earlier in the day, had a memorable and rather controversial first big-league at-bat in the second inning.

  Sucre grounded into a 3-6-3 double play, even though Rangers first baseman Mitch Moreland never touched the ball on the final force play.

  Andrus tagged second base for the first out, then threw to Moreland at first. The throw arrived just before Sucre got to the bag, but Grimm caught the ball just in front of Moreland's mitt. Grimm was nowhere near touching first base, but umpire Jeff Nelson called Sucre out because he believed the throw ended up in Moreland's glove rather than Grimm's.

  Mariners manager Eric Wedge burst out of the dugout to argue the call, but the double play stood. Fortunately for Seattle, the Mariners still got a run out of the rally when shortstop Brendan Ryan followed Sucre's at-bat with an RBI double to tie the score 2-2.

  NOTES: The Mariners made three roster moves before Friday's game, selecting Sucre from Triple-A Tacoma, recalling IF Carlos Triunfel from Tacoma and designating IF Robert Andino for assignment. Andino, 29, had been named the team's starting shortstop earlier this month because of the struggles of Ryan but was hitting just .184 for the season. ... Friday marked the first time the Rangers have faced a left-handed starter since May 11, a string of 11 consecutive games against right-handed starting pitchers. ... Veteran IF Mark Teahen, whom the Rangers signed to a minor-league contract on Thursday, reported to Triple-A Round Rock on Friday and was playing third base and hitting sixth in the order.

Los Angeles -- The St. Louis Cardinals continue to soar.

• The Los Angeles Dodgers continue to founder.

  So what's new?

  And if there is any remaining mystery why the Cardinals sit on top of the National League and the Dodgers are an expensive, fast-sinking ship, it was all cleared up Friday as the Cardinals used superior pitching and a dominating offense to pummel the Dodgers 7-0 to open a three-game series at Chavez Ravine.

  These are two teams headed in opposite directions, and unless the Dodgers get their act straight they might soon be looking for a new manager -- in addition to wondering where the top of the National League ran and hid.

  The Cardinals chipped away at Dodgers starter Chris Capuano, eventually chasing him in the sixth inning after scoring six runs on six hits -- including a pair of home runs.

  As bad as Capuano was, St. Louis starter Lance Lynn was good.

  Lynn had his string of five straight quality starts snapped in his last outing against Milwaukee, but he got right back on track against the Dodgers giving up just two hits over six scoreless innings while striking out nine to improve to 7-1 on the year.

  David Freese got the scoring started in the second with a double to deep left to plate Jon Jay. St. Louis added two more in the third when Allen Craig doubled in Matt Carpenter and Carlos Beltran to make it 3-0.

  Craig's solo home run in the fifth made the score 4-0, and by the time Freese blasted a two-run home run to left, the rout was on and the Cardinals led, 6-0.

  Capuano's night was over, the Cardinals were flexing their muscles and the Dodgers continued to search for answers.

  None of which seem to be imminently forthcoming.

  It was that kind of night for the surging Cardinals.

  And it's been that kind of season for the underachieving Dodgers, who spent most of this week fending off questions about manager Don Mattingly's job security, only to back him with yet another dismal effort.

  NOTES: Cardinals' pitcher Jaime Garcia underwent surgery on left shoulder on Friday, performed by team physician George Paletta, and the Cardinals are optimistic Garcia will be recovered in time for the beginning of the 2014 season. Garcia pitched nine games for the Cardinals this year and went 5-2 with a 3.58 ERA. ... Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter completed a successful bullpen session Thursday in St. Louis and reported no issues by Friday. The plan now is for Carpenter to throw live batting practice early next week. ... After getting benched Wednesday against Milwaukee -- followed by Mattingly expressing concern about some players respecting the game more -- Dodgers outfielder Andre Ethier expressed hope of talking to his manager to clear the air about his commitment. "If that's the way he feels, if that's an area I need help in or need adjusting and they feel that way I'm open eared to it and to address it and make it better," Ethier said. ... Meanwhile, Mattingly received the dreaded vote of confidence from team president Stan Kasten, who insisted Mattingly's job is safe after talk swirled earlier this week it was in danger. "I like the team we've put together I like the staff that we have I do expect us to succeed," Kasten said. "I do expect this to turnaround and because of that I expect Donnie to be here for a long time."

HOUSTON -- With roughly four dozen friends and family members on hand plus a track record for excellent performances at Minute Maid Park, no one should have been surprised at what Oakland right fielder Chris Young did in the ninth inning on Friday night in his hometown.

• With Young belting a three-run homer off Astros closer Jose Veras, the Athletics fashioned an improbable rally and swiped a 6-5 win from Houston, their seventh win in seven tries against the Astros this season.

  Young drilled a 1-1 curveball out to left field, striking the biggest blow of the comeback after John Jaso and Coco Crisp worked walks against Veras (0-3), who had allowed four hits over his last 14 appearances.

  And while Veras was working on a string of seven consecutive hitless appearances, his recent proficiency proved no match for Young, who extended hitting streak at Minute Maid Park to 15 games dating to Aug. 8, 2011, and improved his career average in Houston to .418 (33 for 79).

  "It's nice to have the whole family in the stands," said Young, a graduate from nearby Bellaire High School who opened the game batting just .168.

  "It's one of the places where you feel a lot of love, a lot of support. Houston's always treated me well. I like coming home so it's partly that and partly the yard plays pretty good for my swing. The type of hitter I am and the dimensions on the field kind of play into it here and places like Fenway (Park in Boston). I've had some success, so it's been nice."

  Veras said, "The game was not lost like that (the Young home run), but it was the leadoff guy (Jaso). I just had to attack him, but I didn't."

  The Athletics (26-23) improved to 12-1 all time against the Astros (14-34). Grant Balfour picked up his 10th save for Oakland, inducing a fielder's choice grounder from Jose Altuve with the tying run in scoring position.

  Astros left-hander Erik Bedard, who recorded just one out in an 11-2 loss to the Athletics on April 15, faced early peril against Oakland again.

  The first four Oakland batters he faced reached base, with left fielder Yoenis Cespedes delivering an RBI single to score Crisp. Young later scored on a groundout, but Bedard recovered in time to leave the bases loaded, his modest 2-0 deficit foreshadowing the elusiveness to come.

  Bedard struggled establishing any control and labored throughout his five-inning stint, throwing 99 pitches with just 54 of those strikes.

  "It was damage control every inning it seemed like," Bedard said. "I was throwing a lot of pitches, but I just tried to keep the team in the game."

  His defense rendered aid. Center fielder Brandon Barnes erased Josh Donaldson at third base for an inning-ending double play in the third before left fielder Robbie Grossman gunned down Eric Sogard as Sogard attempted to stretch a single into a double with one out in the fourth.

  Athletics left-hander Tommy Milone appeared in control before an unexpected, nine-pitch sequence in the fifth turned the game on its ear.

  Having recorded two strikeouts to open that inning, Milone surrendered a solo home run to Matt Dominguez, consecutive singles to Ronny Cedeno, Grossman and Altuve, and a three-run homer to J.D. Martinez that scored Grossman and Altuve and pushed the Astros in front 5-2.

  Cedeno scored when Altuve snapped his 0-for-18 drought. Milone reclaimed his groove and completed seven innings, setting the stage for Pat Neshek (1-0) and Balfour to benefit from the late-inning heroics.

  "If there's one guy that I know that's going to go back out there and not let it affect him, it's him," Athletics manager Bob Melvin said of Milone. "Other than just a nine-pitch swing, he was still throwing the ball pretty well, and went out there and continued to."

  NOTES: Oakland OF Josh Reddick took two dozen swings during batting practice on Friday and inched closer to a return from the 15-day disabled list. He suffered a right wrist strain during the Athletics' first trip to Houston in April. Reddick will complete a full batting practice session before going on a rehab assignment, perhaps as early as next week. ... Astros 1B prospect Jonathan Singleton will join Class A Quad Cities on Monday, returning from a 50-game suspension for a second positive drug test. MLB.com this preseason rated Singleton as the 25th-best prospect in the minors.

NEW YORK -- The New York Mets and Atlanta Braves will be even in more ways than one when Friday night's game resumes at 6:10 p.m. Saturday.

• "If that first game goes 15 innings, we're going to be in trouble, I don't think there's any question," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "And so will [the Braves]."

  Torrential rain forced Friday night's game to be suspended after eight innings with the two teams tied at 5-5. The game -- which began at 7:26, 16 minutes later than scheduled, due to daylong rain -- was in a delay for 75 minutes before the decision to suspend it came just before midnight.

  The regularly scheduled game between the two teams is still scheduled for 7:10 p.m.

  For much of the delay late Friday night, the two teams thought the game might eventually resume. But the forecast indicated the rain wouldn't let up for several hours.

  So now the Mets and Braves will play two, sort of, and hope that the first game is resolved pretty quickly.

  "I just hope we get them out and someone walks up there and whacks one out," Collins said. "Have a bite to eat, get ready for the second game."

  The Braves and Mets traded dramatic two-run rallies as the skies began opening up in the eighth inning.

  Evan Gattis delivered his latest clutch hit in the top of the inning when he laced a tie-breaking pinch-hit two-run single to give the Braves a 5-3 lead.

  Gattis, who had homered in three of his last six at-bats entering Friday including a grand slam against the Twins on Wednesday, is hitting .714 (5-for-7) in the pinch this year with three homers and eight RBI.

  But the Mets, who earlier came back from a 2-0 deficit to take a 3-2 lead, tied the game in the bottom of the inning thanks at least in part to the worsening conditions.

  Daniel Murphy's two-out RBI single -- his third hit of the night -- pulled the Mets within 5-4. Ruben Tejada, who was on first, went to third when B.J. Upton misplayed the ball in center field.

  Tejada scored when Anthony Varvano's 1-0 pitch skipped past catcher Brian McCann, who had barely corralled Varvano's wet first offering to Rick Ankiel.

  Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said he wasn't upset with the umpires' decision to continue playing the game even as the rain intensified.

  "I thought it would benefit us as we had the lead," Gonzalez said. "One guy's trying to throw a wet ball and the other guy is trying to hit it with all the rain in their face. You just don't know."

  Both starters pitched well but were saddled with no-decisions.

  The Mets entered Friday 0-8 in Jeremy Hefner's starts, and he allowed just two runs -- on a mammoth two-run first-inning homer to Freddie Freeman -- on three hits and two walks while striking out seven in six innings. Hefner didn't allow a runner past first after Freeman's homer.

  Hefner exited with a 3-2 lead but lost his chance at the win when Dan Uggla led off the seventh by greeting LaTroy Hawkins with a homer to left. Uggla's homer got Kris Medlen -- who allowed three runs on seven hits and one walk over six innings while striking out a season-high nine -- off the hook.

  Freeman was 2-for-4 with two runs scored while McCann had a pair of singles for the Braves.

  Murphy was 3-for-4 with two runs scored for the Mets. John Buck hit a game-tying homer in the fourth while Lucas Duda and Marlon Byrd each had an RBI single.

  NOTES: The temperature at first pitch was 50 degrees but it felt much colder. ... The slumping B.J. Upton and Ike Davis continued their downward spirals on Friday. Upton went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and the costly eighth inning error. Davis also went 0-for-4, striking out four times on just 16 pitches. It was his third four-strikeout game of the season, which ties the franchise record for a season. ... This weekend marks the Braves' first series in New York since Chipper Jones retired. Prior to Friday, the last time the Braves played the Mets in New York without Jones on the roster was Aug. 12, 1993, when their leadoff hitter was Deion Sanders. ... Braves right-handed reliever Jordan Walden, who went on the disabled list last week with right shoulder inflammation, threw off a mound at Citi Field prior to the game and reported no problems. ... Mets right-handed reliever Jeurys Familia, who has been on the disabled list since May 12 with right biceps tendinitis, is expected to begin a rehab assignment with Class A St. Lucie on Saturday. ... Collins said right-handed reliever Frank Francisco, who hasn't pitched this season due to right elbow issues, remains without a timetable for returning to action.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Tyler Chatwood shut out the San Francisco Giants for six innings on Friday night and Michael Cuddyer returned from the disabled list with a bang, providing a home run, double and three RBIs in the Colorado Rockies' 5-0 victory in the opener of a three-game series between teams that began the day tied for first place in the National League West.

• In beating the Giants for a fourth consecutive time over the course of eight days, the Rockies remained tied with the Arizona Diamondbacks atop the NL West, with the defending champs falling one game back.

  Chatwood (3-0), making just his second start since being recalled from Triple-A, allowed only four singles and one walk in his six-inning stint, never allowing a Giants base runner past second base.

  The 6-foot right-hander was far more effective at AT&T Park than he was in beating the Giants 10-2 at Coors Field last Saturday. He pitched in and out of trouble for 5 2/3 innings that night, allowing almost as many base runners (seven hits, four walks) as outs recorded (12).

  The Giants, who entered the game as the league leaders in team batting average at .272, were nowhere near as successful in the rematch. Chatwood struck out four before leaving a game with a shutout for the second time in four starts this season.

  Josh Outman, Matt Belisle and Wilton Lopez pitched one inning apiece to complete the shutout, which was the Rockies' second straight against the Giants. Colorado recorded the third of three consecutive home wins over San Francisco last Sunday in a 5-0 shutout.

  Cuddyer, who had spent the previous 15 days on the DL as he dealt with a bulging disk in his neck, gave Chatwood all the runs he would need with a two-out, two-run double down the right-field line in the first inning.

  His home run, a solo shot, came in the sixth inning and capped the Rockies' scoring off Giants starter Tim Lincecum (3-4). The blast 10 rows deep into the left-field bleachers was Cuddyer's eighth of the season and opened a 4-0 lead.

  Cuddyer also scored Colorado's third run on a DJ LeMahieu single in the fourth.

  In losing to the Rockies for the second time in a week, Lincecum gave up four runs and seven hits. He walked two and struck out eight, one shy of his season best.

  Carlos Gonzalez hit reliever Sandy Rosario's second pitch into the right-field pavilion for an eighth-inning homer, his 12th, to complete Colorado's scoring. It was the Rockies' 26th home run in the month of May, which leads the league.

  The Rockies used a couple of breaks to take a 3-0 lead through 3 1/2 innings.

  Cuddyer's two-out double produced Colorado's two runs in the first, but only after a hard grounder by Carlos Gonzalez nearly resulted in an inning-ending double play. However, when second baseman Marco Scutaro, who dived to his right to field the hard shot, flipped the ball straight from his glove in an attempt to expedite the process, it pulled shortstop Brandon Crawford slightly off the base, allowing Nolan Arenado to slide in safely.

  After Troy Tulowitzki flied to center field for the second out, Cuddyer's first swing off the disabled list produced solid contact and rolled to the right-field fence, scoring Arenado and Gonzalez.

  Cuddyer scored the club's fourth-inning run, but only after striking out on a Lincecum curve ball in the dirt. The ball eluded Giants catcher Buster Posey all the way to the backstop, allowing Cuddyer to reach base safely.

  Again, the Giants right-hander was able to get two outs, but DJ LeMahieu, who became the team's starting second baseman earlier in the day when Josh Rutledge was demoted to Triple-A, looped one just over Scutaro's head, sending home Cuddyer from second.

  NOTES: Legendary singer Tony Bennett attended the game on a chilly, full moonlit night in San Francisco. ... Rutledge's demotion to Colorado Springs means half of Colorado's Opening Day starting infield is no longer with the team. The Rockies traded their Opening Day third baseman, Chris Nelson, to the New York Yankees earlier this month. ... Giants manager Bruce Bochy disclosed before the game he plans to announce a replacement for injured Ryan Vogelsong in the starting rotation after Sunday's series finale against the Rockies. The substitute figures to get his first start Tuesday in Oakland against the A's. ... Giants reliever Santiago Casilla appears headed for surgery to remove a cyst on his right knee. A decision on whether to go the surgery route is expected sometime this weekend. ... Saturday's second game of the series is a rematch of the starting pitchers from last Sunday's 5-0 Rockies win in Denver. Colorado's Juan Nicasio pitched six shutout innings that day to outduel the Giants' Barry Zito.

CHICAGO -- A lot went right for the Chicago White Sox on Friday night.

• They got a quality start from John Danks in his first outing in more than a year. They also got a bases-loaded single from Jeff Keppinger in a 4-3, 11-inning win on Friday night over the Miami Marlins.

  Keppinger drove in Tyler Greene, who was pinch-running after a Paul Konerko single, with the winning run for Chicago against Ryan Webb (1-2).

  "That's the best feeling in baseball," Keppinger said. "You want to be that guy that can come through at the end of the game and put your team on top."

  The White Sox were also feeling good about Danks.

  Danks was making his first start since May 19, 2012, against the Chicago Cubs after undergoing shoulder surgery in August. He retired nine of the first 10 Miami batters, allowing his first base runner with one out in the third when he hit Nick Green with a pitch.

  Danks left with no outs in the seventh after giving up a leadoff double to Marcell Ozuna, allowing four hits and three earned runs in six-plus innings.

  "Yeah, it was a good first one. I did as much as I had hoped to do," Danks said. "Obviously as the game went on, I wanted to go further, but like I said, I totally understand the move, totally agree with the move and I'm glad we got the win."

  Nate Jones (1-4) pitched two-thirds of a scoreless inning for the White Sox, whose bullpen pitched five shutout innings after the departure of Danks, who threw 76 pitches.

  Everything was going well for Danks until the fourth. Placido Polanco singled and Derek Dietrich homered to give the Marlins a 2-0 lead. Danks had retired nine of the first 10 batters he faced, with only Nick Green reaching base after getting hit with one out in the third.

  The White Sox tied the score at 2 with two runs in the fifth, capped by Hector Gimenez's single to bring in Conor Gillaspie. Chicago took the lead in the sixth on a Konerko single that brought in Alexis Rios, all off Miami starter Tom Koehler.

  Koehler worked six innings and allowed three runs and six hits while striking out three, but he is still looking for his first win in the major leagues. The strong start was Koehler's third in a row and came after a May 18 outing against Arizona when he took the loss despite allowing one run in six innings.

  Koehler suffered a scare in the bottom of the third when Keppinger lined a pitch off the back of his right shoulder. Keppinger was out at first after the ball caromed to Dietrich at second. Koehler stayed in the game after throwing a series of pitches to make sure he could continue.

  "It actually hit me in a pretty decent spot, so as far as affecting the way I threw, it had no bearing on anything, which was nice," Koehler said. "It will be a little sore tomorrow, but it shouldn't be anything to worry about."

  Miami tied the score in the seventh on a Miguel Olivo sacrifice fly against White Sox reliever Matt Lindstrom but squandered its chance for a big inning when Jeff Mathis grounded into a double play with the bases loaded.

  Mathis' double play was one of three for Miami, a continuing source of concern for manager Mike Redmond.

  "It's definitely been tough, it's definitely been frustrating," Redmond said. "I know that obviously, the guys are not trying for that, but at the same time too, it's happened a lot. It's very frustrating."

  Chicago's Alex Rios had a chance to win the game with the bases loaded and one out in the 10th but grounded into a double play. Replays showed Rios' foot touched first before the throw got to Green at first, but umpire Angel Hernandez called Rios out, sending the game to the 11th.

  "Stuff happens," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "You just have to roll with it."

  Other than that call, most of the stuff that happened to the White Sox was good.

  "Everybody likes John a lot," Konerko said. "To be out that long when you have a career-threatening type surgery, it's nice to see a guy get back out there and have some success."

  NOTES: RHP Jake Peavy (5-2, 3.31) will start for the White Sox on Saturday night against Marlins RHP Ricky Nolasco (3-5, 3.96). Peavy has struck out at least six in his last 10 starts. This will be his ninth career start against the Marlins, with a 4-4 record and 3.16 ERA. Peavy had won four straight starts before losing his previous outing to the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Nolasco had his best outing in his last start, allowing one run in eight innings against Arizona. ... 2B Gordon Beckham is having discomfort with his left hand and will not play again until Wednesday. Beckham has been on the disabled list since April 12 with a broken hamate bone in his left hand. ... Marlins pitcher Alex Sanabia said he didn't know it was illegal to spit on a baseball. On Monday against the Philadelphia Phillies, Sanabia was recorded spitting on a ball during the second inning. He said it wasn't to get more movement but to get a better grip. ... White Sox pitcher Chris Sale did his "normal" shoulder program on Friday and is scheduled to start Tuesday against the Cubs. Sale was scratched from his start on Wednesday against Boston. ... Marlins RHP Kevin Slowey said he expects to make his start Tuesday against Tampa Bay. Slowey, who threw off flat ground on Friday, left his start on Wednesday against Philadelphia with a strained left lat.

PHOENIX -- A.J. Pollock had three singles and an RBI and Brandon McCarthy won his second consecutive start as Arizona scored five runs in the seventh inning for a 5-2 victory over San Diego on Friday night.

• The Diamondbacks (27-21) had doubles by Miguel Montero, Martin Prado, Wil Nieves and Paul Goldschmidt in the seventh inning after being shut out on two singles by left-hander Eric Stults (4-4) through six.

  McCarthy (2-3) gave up one run and five hits in seven innings and was the beneficiary of the big seventh inning, leaving for a pinch-hitter when the score was tied at 1. McCarthy has given up one run in his last 24 innings, dropping his ERA to a season-low 4.36.

  San Diego left fielder Carlos Quentin had three hits, including two doubles, and scored a run.

  Padres shortstop Everth Cabrera had two hits and led off the eighth with his third home run of the season for the final run of the game. The Padres are 22-25.

  Heath Bell pitched the ninth for his seventh save.

  Montero, who had six hits in his last 46 at-bats, hit a ground-rule double into the Padres' bullpen to open the seventh and scored on Martin Prado's double inside the bat at first, tying the score at 1. Prado had been 4 for 42 with runners in scoring position.

  Nieves batted for McCarthy and doubled off the fence in left-center field to make it 2-1 after a groundout and a walk, knocking out Stults. Pollock singled to left field on the only pitch by reliever Dale Thayer to make it 3-1.

  After reliever Joe Thatcher threw out Nieves at the plate on Didi Gregorius' bunt, reliever Anthony Bass gave up a two-run double to Goldschmidt to make it 5-1.

  Pollock had the only two hits off Stults in the first six innings, singling in the third and sixth. He has eight hits in his last 14 at-bats.

  Quentin, back in the lineup after missing two straight games with left knee soreness, doubled into the left-field corner to lead off the second and scored on Yonder Alonso's single to left center. Quentin began his career with the Diamondbacks after being a first-round draft pick in 2003.

  McCarthy had a career-high 18-inning scoreless streak snapped in the second. He threw a three-hit shutout at Miami last Saturday after pitching eight scoreless innings in a no-decision against Philadelphia in a no-decision May 12.

  NOTES: San Diego recalled LHP Tommy Layne from Triple-A Tucson and optioned RHP Burch Smith to Tucson on Friday. Smith gave up four runs in one-plus innings of a 5-3 loss against St. Louis on Wednesday. LHP Clayton Richard is expected to fill that spot the next turn through the rotation. Richard threw a bullpen session at Chase Field on Friday afternoon and is on track to be activated from the disabled list for a start early next week, manager Bud Black said. Richard has been on the disabled list since May 5. with an intestinal virus ... The D-backs plan to send the films of the latest MRI on OF Adam Eaton (left ulnar collateral ligament) to elbow specialist Dr. James Andrews for a second look, FOXSportsArizona.com reported. Eaton, expected to be the D-backs' starting center fielder before suffering his injury late in spring training, was shut down after feeling elbow soreness on a rehab assignment at Class A Visalia on Monday. ... San Diego had won 13 of the last 21 games in the series and eight of the last 10 at Chase Field, entering the weekend series.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- After going winless in April, Jason Vargas is undefeated in May.

• Vargas won for the fourth time in May and Mike Trout had two hits and scored two runs as the Los Angeles Angels topped the Kansas City Royals 5-2 on Friday night.

  Vargas allowed two runs on five hits over 7 1/3 innings to earn the victory. He finished April 0-3 with a 4.85 earned run average, but is 4-0 in five May starts, lowering his ERA to 3.43.

  "I don't feel any different than before," Vargas said. "It's just that the situations and outcomes have been different. I've been a little more efficient with pitch counts and controlling the count."

  The Angels' rotation has a 1.98 ERA in a six-game winning streak, allowing nine earned runs in 41 innings.

  "We're giving our team a chance." Vargas said. "It's not always going to go our way. All we can do is keep taking the ball every fifth day and keep trying to grind it out."

  Trout started a three-run seventh with a walk. He stole second and after Albert Pujols walked scored on Mark Trumbo's single.

  Alberto Callaspo contributed a RBI-double down the left-field line and Howie Kendrick had a sacrifice fly in the inning.

  Luke Hochevar, the second of four Kansas City pitchers, was charged with a blown save and the loss.

  The Angels loaded the bases in the first inning, but came away empty. Erick Aybar led off the game with a double and took third on Trout's ground out.

  Luis Mendoza, who had not walked a batter in his previous 13 innings, walked Pujols and Josh Hamilton to load the bases, but a magnificent play by shortstop Alcides Escobar bailed him out. Escobar went into the hole to retrieve Kendrick's grounder and made a leaping acrobatic one-hop throw to first to end the inning.

  "That play was unbelievable," Mendoza said. "That gave me more energy to go through those innings."

  The Angels got on the board in the third when Trout, who began the inning with an infield single, scored on a Mendoza wild pitch.

  Miguel Tejada, who was starting only his eighth game, homered in the bottom of the inning to tie the score. Tejada hit a 1-1 offering from Vargas out to left, his second home run of the week.

  "He (Vargas) just doesn't give in," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "He locates and battles. He gets the job done out there, another solid performance from him."

  The Angels had runners on the corners with one out in the fourth, but Aybar grounded into a double play. Kendrick lined out to deep center to end the fifth with two runners on base.

  The Royals grabbed a 2-1 lead in the fifth when Chris Getz's two-out single scored Lorenzo Cain. Getz's single came after Tejada was walked intentionally.

  Mendoza was pulled after 86 pitches and five innings, giving up a run on seven hits and four walks.

  "He was really kind of limited to one pitch," Yost said. "He had a really good two-seamer. He struggled with command of his breaking ball, but he threw it in good spots, down, didn't hang a bunch of them. He got his pitch count up. He had tremendous movement on his two-seamer that got him through the game."

  Although Mendoza had just allowed one run, Yost thought it was time to go to the bullpen.

  "He was at the 85-pitch mark," Yost said. "We had taken the lead at that point. I felt like he was limited to one pitch and with that lineup coming back around again, I thought we'd go to Hoch."

  Notes: RHP Billy Buckner, who has not pitched in the majors since 2010 with Arizona and debuted in 2007 with the Royals, will start Saturday for the Angels. He has a 6-11 record with a 6.25 ERA in 36 games, 25 of them starts, in the majors. ... Angels OF Peter Bourjos, who is on the disabled list with a left hamstring strain, is jogging and taking early batting practice. ... Royals LHP Danny Duffy, who had Tommy John surgery last June, is scheduled to pitch four innings Sunday for Double-A Northwest Arkansas to begin a minor-league rehab assignment.

BOSTON - His poor 2011 season, the boos of the home crowd and Tommy John surgery behind him, John Lackey appears to be settling in as the No. 3 man in the Boston Red Sox starting rotation.

• "I feel like my arm strength is getting better, the endurance is getting better. Things are going on the right track," Lackey said after his second straight strong performance Friday night, when he went seven rain-soaked innings in Boston's 8-1 win over the Cleveland Indians.

  "It's been a lot of fun, for sure," he said. "It's fun to get back in there with the guys, a great group of guys to compete with. Have success, and be healthy and just not fighting a whole lot of other things, being able to execute pitches feeling pretty good."

  Lackey, 3-4 in his comeback season from the surgery that cost him 2012, gave up two hits and an unearned run in the third inning, but didn't allow another hit in his second straight win. He walked three and struck out eight while out-pitching Cleveland ace and former Red Sox pitcher Justin Masterson (7-3).

  In his 13 innings over his last two starts, Lackey hasn't allowed an earned run and has yielded just three hits.

  "The one thing that he's maintained is his stuff overall," said Red Sox manager John Farrell. "And considering the surgery he's come off of, I think it's a testament to the work that he puts in in between starts.

  "As far as execution, it's been a high number of first-pitch strikes. He's been ahead in the count, not just the last two starts but I think the majority of this year, and because of that he's been able to go to some secondary pitches to finish hitters off."

  Lackey, asked about the negatives (like 2011) being behind him, said, "Mostly, you guys won't let me forget about it. I had one bad year and needed surgery afterwards. It's not like I've never been good before."

  As far as his arm strength, he finished Nick Swisher off with a 93 mph fastball for the last out of the sixth inning.

  "He had velocity," said Terry Francona, Lackey's former manager in Boston and now the Indians manager. "He ended up throwing that cutter very effectively, kind of ran it in on our lefties. As he got more successful with it, he started bringing it off the plate a little bit, opening up the rest of the plate."

  Mike Carp snapped an 0-for-21 spell with a three-run homer in the second inning and Boston, 9-12 over the last 21 games, broke things open with four runs in the seventh.

  Carp, who will get more playing time with Shane Victorino placed on the disabled list Friday, hit his third homer in the second inning, his fourth hit in eight at-bats against Masterson. The Sox got another run in the sixth on an RBI fielder's choice grounder by Mike Napoli, and Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia both delivered two-run singles in the seventh.

  Boston remained a game behind the Yankees in the AL East.

  The loss, the third in the last four games, dropped the previously surging Indians out of first place in the AL Central, a half-game behind the Tigers.

  Masterson, who had won his three previous starts and had allowed no runs in 16 innings in his last two, worked six-plus innings in this one and saw a 20-inning scoreless streak snapped by Carp's shot. Masterson left after a leadoff double by Jarrod Saltalamacchia in the seventh.

  "This was probably the first one I didn't really feel the greatest," said Masterson. "I was hanging a lot of sliders ... I just got into some bad counts."

  Francona, in his second game back at Fenway Park as an opposing manager, received ovations while making two pitching changes, both times bringing in former Red Sox pitchers. (Both Rich Hill and Matt Albers were ineffective in the seventh.)

  The Red Sox are 4-1 against Francona's Indians this season, scoring 27 runs in the four wins.

  It rained throughout the game, easing up at times. Heavy rain began falling about two hours before the scheduled game time, which was delayed 44 minutes. The game starting in a steady, blowing rain.

  The Indians, down 3-0 after the Carp homer, got a run back in the third, thanks to a double steal and catcher Saltalamacchia's throwing error. Lackey escaped further trouble.

  NOTES: The Indians got Swisher back from the paternity list after the birth of his first child. He went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts, while fellow ex-Yankee Jason Giambi was also 0-for-4 and is in an 0-for-26 tailspin to drop to .150. Both get booed at Fenway for being Yankees. ... The Indians optioned 2B Cord Phelps. ... The Red Sox had a bit of a roster shakeup with three health-related moves. Third baseman Will Middlebrooks (back) and Victorino (hamstring) were both disabled, Victorino retroactive to May 21, and INF Jose Iglesias and RHP Alfredo Aceves were recalled from Pawtucket. Also, C David Ross was activated from the concussion DL and C Ryan Lavarnway was returned to Triple-A. ... In four starts with the PawSox after his demotion, Aceves was 2-1 with a 3.13 ERA and he pitched a scoreless ninth inning on Friday... Middlebrooks was in an 0-for-11 slump that dropped his batting average to .201. ... Iglesias, a shortstop prospect, made his second career start at 3B on Friday, both appearances coming in the last three days. He was 1-for-3 and is hitting .435 in the majors this season ... Indians LHP Scott Kazmir (2-2) continues his comeback attempt when he faces Boston LHP Jon Lester (6-1) in Game 3 of the series on Saturday.

NEW YORK -- The New York Mets and Atlanta Braves traded dramatic two-run rallies in the eighth inning Friday before torrential rains forced the game to be suspended just before midnight, following a 75-minute delay, with the two teams tied at 5-5.

• The game will resume at 6:10 Saturday night, an hour before the regularly scheduled game between the Mets and Braves.

  The game started 16 minutes late due to daylong rain but the first several innings were played without incident before the skies opened up in the eighth.

  Evan Gattis delivered his latest clutch hit in the top of the eighth inning when he laced a tie-breaking pinch-hit two-run single to give the Braves a 5-3 lead. Gattis, who had homered in three of his last six at-bats entering Friday including a grand slam against the Twins on Wednesday, is hitting .714 (5-for-7) in the pinch this year with three homers and eight RBI.

  But the Mets, who earlier came back from a 2-0 deficit to take a 3-2 lead, tied the game in the bottom of the inning thanks at least in part to the worsening conditions.

  Daniel Murphy's two-out RBI single -- his third hit of the night -- pulled the Mets within 5-4. Ruben Tejada, who was on first, went to third when B.J. Upton misplayed the ball in center field.

  Tejada scored when Anthony Varvano's 1-0 pitch skipped past catcher Brian McCann, who had barely corralled Varvano's wet first offering to Rick Ankiel.

  Both starters pitched well but were saddled with no-decisions.

  The Mets entered Friday 0-8 in Jeremy Hefner's starts, and he allowed just two runs -- on a mammoth two-run first-inning homer to Freddie Freeman -- on three hits and two walks while striking out seven in six innings. Hefner didn't allow a runner past first after Freeman's homer.

  Hefner exited with a 3-2 lead but lost his chance at the win when Dan Uggla led off the seventh by greeting LaTroy Hawkins with a homer to left. Uggla's homer got Kris Medlen -- who allowed three runs on seven hits and one walk over six innings while striking out a season-high nine -- off the hook.

  Freeman was 2-for-4 with two runs scored while McCann had a pair of singles for the Braves.

  Murphy was 3-for-4 with two runs scored for the Mets. John Buck hit a game-tying homer in the fourth while Lucas Duda and Marlon Byrd each had an RBI single.

  NOTES: The temperature at first pitch was 50 degrees but it felt much colder. ... The slumping B.J. Upton and Ike Davis continued their downward spiral on Friday. Upton went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and the costly eighth inning error. Davis also went 0-for-4, striking out four times on just 16 pitches. It was his third four-strikeout game of the season, which ties the franchise record for a season. ... This weekend marks the Braves' first series in New York since Chipper Jones retired. Prior to Friday, the last time the Braves played the Mets in New York without Jones on the roster was Aug. 12, 1993, when their leadoff hitter was Deion Sanders. ... Braves right-handed reliever Jordan Walden, who went on the disabled list last week with right shoulder inflammation, threw off a mound at Citi Field prior to the game and reported no problems. ... Mets right-handed reliever Jeurys Familia, who has been on the disabled list since May 12 with right biceps tendinitis, is expected to begin a rehab assignment with Class A St. Lucie on Saturday. ... Mets manager Terry Collins said right-handed reliever Frank Francisco, who hasn't pitched this season due to right elbow issues, remains without a timetable for returning to action.

TORONTO -- After losing the first game of a four-game series to the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday, the Baltimore Orioles wanted to get off to a fast start on Friday.

• They accomplished that goal, scoring six runs on seven hits against left-hander Sean Nolin, who lasted only 1 1/3 innings in his major-league debut and was returned to Class AA New Hampshire after the game.

  The Orioles carried that early lead to a 10-6 victory over the Blue Jays.

  "It was huge with the loss yesterday to come back and start off pretty hot," said third baseman Manny Machado, who was one of three Orioles to have three hits in the game, along with Chris Davis and Nick Markakis.

  The Blue Jays outhit the Orioles 17-16, with 10 of Toronto's hits coming against right-hander Chris Tillman (4-1), who nonetheless held the Blue Jays to three runs in five innings while striking out a season-best seven.

  Markakis and J.J. Hardy each drove in three runs for the Orioles (16-22), who hit four home runs. Nolin gave up Hardy's three-run blast in the first. Ramon Ortiz allowed a solo shot by Chris Davis and a two-run drive by Danny Valencia in the third, and Brad Lincoln gave up a solo shot by Adam Jones in the sixth.

  Tillman gave up home runs by Melky Cabrera and Brett Lawrie before a crowd of 25,104 at Rogers Centre.

  Adam Lind also homered for the Blue Jays against Tommy Hunter in the seventh.

  Jose Bautista and Lind each had three hits for the Blue Jays.

  "When we got a ball over the plate it seemed like we didn't miss it," Markakis said. "That's the main objective of hitting: when you get your pitch don't miss it, especially at this level. There are a lot of guys on both teams who are capable of hitting the ball out of the ballpark."

  It led to a difficult night for Nolin.

  "It was a tough go for him, no question," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said of Nolin. "(Catcher) J.P. Arencibia told me everything was kind of flat, flat in the zone. And they didn't miss anything. It was pinball out there tonight."

  "Definitely not the way I envisioned it," Nolin said. "I think I just had too much energy going. I kind of felt like I already threw a few innings, kind of wasted some gas without doing anything. I felt all right in the bullpen, but definitely once I got out there it wasn't my best. I didn't have too much life. I had chills going through the body. Something I've always wanted to do. It was exciting to be out there, that's for sure."

  It was the fifth road game in a row in which Machado had at least three hits. He is the first player under 21 to do that since Ty Cobb, Sept. 30-Oct 3, 1907.

  "It's Ty Cobb, what can you say," Machado said. "To be mentioned with Ty Cobb it's an honor."

  Machado also played superb defense, especially on a double play in the fifth inning when he got the force at third himself before throwing to first.

  "I thought defensively Manny probably saved us some runs, he got a big double play," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "He's settled in there really nice, he' a difference maker for us. He makes a lot of plays that a lot of third baseman don't sniff."

  Left-hander Brian Matusz took over in the sixth for the Orioles and gave up a two-out walk to Emilio Bonifacio, an RBI double to Munenori Kawasaki and an RBI single to Cabrera as Toronto cut the lead to 10-5.

  Lind led off the seventh with his fourth homer of the season to reduce Baltimore's lead to four runs.

  But the Blue Jays could not overcome the early deficit.

  Nolin was welcomed to the majors by three straight hits -- singles by Markakis and Machado and Hardy's ninth homer of the season.

  The Blue Jays trimmed the lead to 3-1 in their half of the first when Cabrera hit his second homer of the season and the first of his career leading off a game.

  Nolin did not survive the second as Markakis hit a three-run double to give the Orioles a 6-1 lead. Nolin was replaced by Ortiz, who turned 40 on Thursday.

  The Blue Jays answered with two runs in their half of the second. Lawrie led off with his fifth homer of the season. Colby Rasmus doubled and scored on a single by Emilio Bonifacio.

  Davis led off the third with his American League-leading 16th homer of the season. And after Matt Wieters walked, Valencia hit his first homer of the season and the Orioles led 9-3.

  Lawrie and Gibbons were ejected at the end of the third. Lawrie threw his helmet to the ground and tossed a batting glove after a called third strike. Gibbons argued with plate umpire Dan Bellino and received his third ejection of the season. Mark DeRosa took over at third.

  NOTES: The Blue Jays put LHP Darren Oliver (left shoulder strain) on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to May 19, which opened a spot on the 25-man roster for Nolin. ... LHP J.A. Happ (skull fracture, sprained right knee) was moved to the 60-day DL to open a spot on the 40-man roster for Nolin. ... Jones (groin), who was used as a DH for three games, was back in the field for the Orioles. Since the start of the 2012 season, Jones has hit seven homers at Rogers Centre, the most of any visiting player in that span. ... Blue Jays RHP R.A. Dickey (4-5, 4.50 ERA) starts against Orioles RHP Freddy Garcia (0-2, 4.84 ERA) on Saturday.

MILWAUKEE -- Thanks to Marco Estrada, the Milwaukee Brewers' effective but overworked bullpen was able to breathe a sigh of relief.

• After Brewers starters threw a combined 11 innings during a three-game series against Los Angeles earlier this week, Estrada worked seven innings in Milwaukee's 2-1 victory on Friday night over the Pirates at Miller Park.

  "That was an outstanding way to start off a long stretch," said Brewers manager Ron Roenicke, whose team opened a stretch of 20 games in as many days.

  The last time a Milwaukee starter threw more than six innings was May 13 when Estrada also went seven against the Pirates in PNC Park. Estrada and Kyle Lohse are the only two Brewers pitchers to work at least seven innings three times this season.

  "It's always nice," Estrada said. "I didn't realize my pitch count was at 100, I wanted to go back out there. I wish I could have thrown a complete game and give the bullpen another day of rest."

  Estrada was perfect out of the gate, retiring the first 14 Pirates batters in order and striking out six of eight before Neil Walker broke up a no-hit bid with a two-out pop-fly single to left.

  Estrada snared Brandon Inge's comebacker to end the inning and put away five of his next six before Gaby Sanchez singled in the seventh. Sanchez was wiped out at second on a running grab by Jean Segura, but with Russell Martin at first, Walker drove him home with a double that bounced off the wall in center.

  Another Inge groundout ended the inning and Estrada's day was done. He allowed one run, four hits and no walks, throwing 73 of his 100 pitches for strikes.

  "I've been struggling a lot with my curveball, but today I threw a lot of them for strikes," Estrada said. "I had really good fastball command and had a lot of swings and misses on the changeup. I knew once the curveball was there, it could be a good night."

  Estrada's offense provided a 2-0 lead in the second. Aramis Ramirez led off with a walk and moved to third on Carlos Gomez's double. Both scored on a one-out double by Alex Gonzalez.

  "Alex put a good swing on that hook," Pirates starter A.J. Burnett said. "I didn't lose the game on one pitch. It was a heck of a game by both of us."

  Aside from the second, Burnett was just as dominant as his Milwaukee counterpart, retiring 10 consecutive batters after the Gonzalez double before Estrada's two-out single in the fifth.

  Burnett (3-5) also worked through seven innings, allowing both Milwaukee runs, three hits and two walks while striking out six. Bryan Morris kept the Brewers off the board in the eighth.

  "Someday, we'll score for A.J.," said Walker, who finished the day with two of the Pirates' five hits. "We've just got to be better."

  Jim Henderson worked around a leadoff single to Andrew McCutchen but suffered a leg injury trying to field Martin's grounder and had to leave the game with what Roenicke said was a strained hamstring.

  Henderson, who had converted all nine of his previous save opportunities, will be re-evaluated Saturday.

  Francisco Rodriguez got the final out to pick up his first save since July 18, 2012.

  NOTES: Brewers RHP Hiram Burgos was placed on the disabled list with a right shoulder impingement before the game. LHP Tom Gorzelanny was activated from the disabled list, filling Burgos' spot on the roster. ... The Pirates had won four in a row and 11 of their last 13 heading into Friday's action. ... Brewers starters were 11-19 before Friday with an NL-worst 5.28 ERA. ... Burnett struck out six Milwaukee batters Friday and leads the National League with 85 this season. ... The Brewers are 47-8 against the Pirates at Miller Park since 2007. ... McCutchen singled in the ninth inning and is hitting .369 (31 for 84) since going 4 for 5 in Milwaukee on April 30.

HOUSTON -- The Oakland Athletics fashioned an improbable rally against Houston closer Jose Veras and swiped a 6-5 win on Friday night at Minute Maid Park, their seventh win in seven tries against Houston.

• Athletics right fielder and Houston native Chris Young belted a three-run home run to left field with one out in the top of the ninth inning off Veras, who had not allowed a hit over his last seven appearances. Veras (0-3) had earned all eight of his saves in his previous 14 appearances while posting a 1.26 ERA.

  Young extended his hitting streak at Minute Maid Park to 15 games with a first-inning single and finished 3-for-5 to raise his average to .418 in Houston.

  The Athletics (26-23) improved to 12-1 all-time against the Astros (14-34). Grant Balfour earned his 10th save for the Athletics.

  Astros left-hander Erik Bedard, who got just one out in an 11-2 loss to the Athletics on April 15, was in first-inning peril against Oakland again.

  The first four Athletics he faced reached base, with left fielder Yoenis Cespedes delivering an RBI single to score Coco Crisp. Bedard recovered to retire three of the next four batters he faced, his modest 2-0 deficit foreshadowing the elusiveness to come.

  Bedard scuffled with his control and labored throughout his five-inning stint, throwing 99 pitches with just 54 of those strikes.

  But he was aided by two outfield assists. Center fielder Brandon Barnes erased Josh Donaldson at third base for an inning-ending double play in the third before left fielder Robbie Grossman gunned down Eric Sogard as he tried to stretch a single into a double in the fourth.

  Athletics left-hander Tommy Milone appeared in control before a nine-pitch sequence in the fifth turned the game on its ear.

  Having recorded two strikeouts to open the inning, Milone surrendered a home run to Matt Dominguez, consecutive singles to Ronny Cedeno, Grossman and Jose Altuve, and a three-run homer to J.D. Martinez that scored Grossman and Altuve and pushed the Astros in front, 5-2.

  Cedeno scored when Altuve snapped an 0-for-18 drought.

  NOTES: Oakland OF Josh Reddick took two dozen swings during batting practice on Friday and inched closer to a return from the 15-day disabled list. He suffered a right wrist strain during the Athletics' first trip to Houston in April. Reddick will complete a full batting practice session before going on a rehab assignment, perhaps as early as next week. ... Astros 1B prospect Jonathan Singleton will join Class A Quad Cities on Monday, returning from a 50-game suspension for a second positive drug test. MLB.com this preseason rated Singleton as the 25th-best prospect in the minors.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The New York Yankees scratched and clawed their way to a 9-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday, with the only long ball surprisingly belonging to Brett Gardner.

• More important to the Yankees, however, is the health of two of their key players: Curtis Granderson and David Phelps, both of whom left the game with injuries.

  Granderson broke his left pinky when he was hit by a pitch, and Phelps left in the eighth inning after being hit on the wrist by a line drive. It's unclear how long either will be sidelined, but Granderson figures to out awhile.

  The Yankees' barrage included 11 hits, five walks, and two hit batters, in what was a decidedly small-ball attack. The New York win puts the Rays five games back.

  The game started quietly enough, but after a scoreless first inning, the Yankee bats woke up and got to Rays starter Roberto Hernandez in the second. Doubles by Travis Hafner and Lyle Overbay, and singles by David Adams and Jayson Nix plated three runs.

  The Yankees added two in the fourth on Gardner's fourth homer of the year, then scored three runs on three hits, a walk and two hit batters in the fifth off of reliever Cesar Ramos.

  One of those hit batters was Granderson, who missed the first month and a half of the season with a broken right forearm he sustained when he was hit by a pitch in spring training. Granderson initially stayed in Friday's game to run the bases, but was replaced in the bottom of the inning. X-Rays taken at the stadium later revealed a fracture of the fifth metacarpal (pinky) on his left hand. Yankee Manager Joe Girardi was unsure of how long the injury would sideline Granderson.

  "Anytime you get hit in the hand, there's a lot of concern. He's got a broken hand again. He'll see our doctor and we'll get a timeline from him. ... Usually broken bones don't heal in two weeks, unless you're 3 years old, and Curtis is not 3 years old anymore."

  Granderson was dejected after the results of the X-rays were announced. He at first thought he might escape without any real damage.

  "Thought it was going to be OK; very similar to the last time," he said. "Once I got to third it started hurting a little bit and I was thinking to myself, 'I'm going to have to go ahead and make sure I can squeeze a bat before go back out there.'"

  Meanwhile, the Rays bats were silent against New York starter Phelps, who was perfect through four innings and allowed just one hit through five. The Rays finally broke through against Phelps with three runs in the sixth inning on three hits and a sacrifice fly. Tampa Bay added a run in the seventh.

  But in the eighth, Phelps was hit on the right wrist by a Ben Zobrist liner. Phelps immediately left the game. While the news on Granderson wasn't good, Girardi was more encouraged by the postgame status of Phelps.

  "It's a little sore. We'll see how it feels; tomorrow morning I guess is the bigger thing," Phelps said. "I felt like it was all muscle when I was out there. It's just frustrating, but it happens."

  Phelps was pleased by his pitching performance, though.

  "I was getting ahead of guys tonight. I was really hitting my spots early on," he said. "The inning where they scored three runs, I just got a little too much of the plate and paid for it."

  The Yankee offense was led by the bottom four of Adams, Overbay, Nix and catcher Chris Stewart, who each had two hits. Overbay and Nix also added two RBIs apiece. Despite the four earned runs, Phelps was in command for most of the night, using just 98 pitches to get through his 7 2/3 innings. Phelps moves to 3-2 with the win, while Rays starter Roberto Hernandez falls to 2-5.

  Rays manager Joe Maddon was his typically optimistic self following the game.

  "The positive side is that we still have a chance to win the series even after tonight and we have to look at it in those terms," he said. "We have to pitch better as a group and not just on this particular night."

  NOTES: The Tampa Bay bullpen has blown four ninth-inning leads and nine leads in the seventh inning or later. Their record in those games is 2-7. ... On Monday, the Yankees won the first game of the year when trailing after eight innings. ... In their last 33 games, the Rays rank second in the major leagues in runs scored. Before that, they had scored the fewest runs in the American League. ... New York remains one of only two teams (Texas is the other) yet to lose more than two games in a row this season. ... The Rays have committed only 21 errors this season, half their total from a year ago at this point. ... The Yankees have allowed 35 first-inning runs this year, which is the third highest total in baseball. ... The Rays have won their last five home series against the Yankees, including 13 of the last 16 games.

CHICAGO -- Jeff Keppinger's bases-loaded single to left field gave the Chicago White Sox a 4-3, 11-inning win on Friday night over the Miami Marlins.

• Keppinger drove in Tyler Greene, who was pinch-running after a Paul Konerko single, with the winning run for Chicago against Ryan Webb (1-2).

  Nate Jones (1-4) pitched two-thirds of a scoreless inning for the White Sox, whose bullpen pitched five shutout innings.

  White Sox pitcher John Danks was making his first start since May 19, 2012, against the Chicago Cubs after undergoing shoulder surgery in August. He retired nine of the first 10 Miami batters, allowing his first base runner with one out in the third when he hit Nick Green with a pitch.

  Danks left with no outs in the seventh after giving up a leadoff double to Marcell Ozuna, allowing four hits and three earned runs in six-plus innings.

  Miami starter Tom Koehler worked six innings and allowed three runs and six hits while striking out three, but he is still looking for his first win in the major leagues. The strong start was Koehler's third in a row and came after a May 18 outing against Arizona when he took the loss despite allowing one run in six innings.

  Chicago's Alex Rios had a chance to win the game with the bases loaded and one out in the 10th but grounded into a double play. Replays showed Rios' foot touched first before the throw got to first baseman Nick Green, but umpire Angel Hernandez called Rios out, sending the game to the 11th.

  Miami tied the score in the seventh on a Miguel Olivo sacrifice fly against White Sox reliever Matt Lindstrom but squandered its chance for a big inning when Jeff Mathis grounded into a double play with the bases loaded.

  Everything was going well for Danks until the fourth. Placido Polanco singled and Derek Dietrich homered to give the Marlins a 2-0 lead.

  Koehler suffered a scare in the bottom of the third when Keppinger lined a pitch off the back of his right shoulder. Keppinger was out at first after the ball caromed to Dietrich at second. Koehler stayed in the game after throwing a series of pitches to make sure he could continue.

  The White Sox tied the score at 2 with two runs in the fifth, capped by Hector Gimenez's single to bring in Conor Gillaspie.

  NOTES: RHP Jake Peavy (5-2, 3.31) will start for the White Sox on Saturday night against Marlins RHP Ricky Nolasco (3-5, 3.96). Peavy has struck out at least six in his last 10 starts. This will be his ninth career start against the Marlins, with a 4-4 record and 3.16 ERA. Peavy had won four straight starts before losing his previous outing to the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Nolasco had his best outing in his last start, allowing one run in eight innings against Arizona. ... Second baseman Gordon Beckham is having discomfort with his left hand and will not play again until Wednesday. Beckham has been on the disabled list since April 12 with a broken hamate bone in his left hand. ... Marlins pitcher Alex Sanabia said he didn't know it was illegal to spit on a baseball. On Monday against the Philadelphia Phillies, Sanabia was recorded spitting on a ball during the second inning. He said it wasn't to get more movement but to get a better grip. ... White Sox pitcher Chris Sale did his "normal" shoulder program on Friday and is scheduled to start Tuesday against the Cubs. Sale was scratched from his start on Wednesday against Boston. ... Marlins RHP Kevin Slowey said he expects to make his start Tuesday against Tampa Bay. Slowey, who threw off flat ground on Friday, left his start on Wednesday against Philadelphia with a strained left lat.

CINCINNATI – Reds catcher Ryan Hanigan was struggling mightily at the plate when he went on the disabled list in late April with a strained left oblique. Hanigan says he's finally feeling good physically. His bat is getting healthy, too.

• On Friday night, Hanigan hit a three-run home run to highlight a five-run fourth inning for Cincinnati, and Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips also homered, lifting the Reds to a 7-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs in the opener of a three-game series before a sold-out crowd of 40,716 at Great American Ball Park.

  "I still have some healing to do, but for the most part I feel good," Hanigan said. "I've made some adjustments with my swing as well. They went after me tonight, and I got a pitch to handle."

  Cincinnati (30-18) has won 15 of its last 17 games against the Cubs dating to last season. The Reds improved to 17-6 at home this season.

  Phillips broke open a one-run game in the eighth with a two-run homer off Cubs right-hander Hector Rondon. Phillips went 2-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 11 games. His game-clinching homer came after a nine-pitch at-bat.

  "The guys in the dugout were saying 'Win the battle, win the battle'," said Reds manager Dusty Baker. "Those were big runs there."

  Cubs starting pitcher Scott Feldman (4-4) hit a two-run home run, the first of his career, to give the Cubs an early three-run lead. But he gave up a season-high five runs in losing for the first time since April 21.

  "He was one pitch away from having a good outing -- a 3-2 hanging curveball (to Hanigan) with the pitcher coming up," said Cubs manager Dale Sveum. "That was a bad mistake at the wrong time in a situation where he didn't even have to throw a strike."

  Luis Valbuena, who was hitless in his previous three games, went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI for Chicago. But the struggles continued for the Cubs (18-29), who lost for the fifth straight time.

  "Four runs and the pitcher provides two of them," Sveum said. "Not a whole lot (of offense), again. We scratched a couple of other (runs) out, but we didn't have any big crooked numbers."

  Reds starter Bronson Arroyo (5-4) earned the victory despite not having his best stuff. Arroyo threw 54 pitches through three innings, but recovered to pitch six innings, allowing three earned runs on six hits.

  "He wasn't as sharp as he can be," said Hanigan of Arroyo. "But he battled the whole way. We were able to give him a chance to get the win."

  Ryan Sweeney doubled and scored on Valbuena's RBI single off Jonathan Broxton to get the Cubs within a run in the eighth. But Phillips answered with his two-run blast in the bottom of the inning.

  With one out in the ninth, the Cubs had runners on first and second. But Aroldis Chapman struck out Anthony Rizzo and pinch-hitter Alfonso Soriano to earn his 11th save.

  Arroyo's 14 1/3-inning scoreless streak abruptly ended in the second inning when Valbuena doubled and later scored on Darwin Barney's sacrifice fly putting the Cubs ahead, 1-0.

  Moments later, Feldman jumped on a 3-2 pitch from Arroyo and deposited it in the right-field seats, giving Chicago a 3-0 lead. His first career homer came on a 71-mph curveball from Arroyo.

  "Giving up home run to the pitcher can play tricks on you psychologically, but I was able to work through it," Arroyo said. "I didn't feel great the whole game. They stacked the lefties against me. I knew it was going to be a battle."

  Feldman, who was 4-0 with a 1.27 ERA in his past five outings, retired nine straight batters before things unraveled for him in the fourth.

  Votto hit a solo home run with one out. Xavier Paul's RBI single made the score 3-2. Then, with runners on first and third and two outs, Hanigan hit his second home run, a three-run shot to left to put Cincinnati ahead 5-3. Feldman hadn't allowed more than four runs this season.

  "That was a really bonehead pitch," Feldman said. "With the pitcher on deck, I threw the one pitch he can hit for a three-run homer. That one stings a little bit."

  NOTES: Votto's home run extended his hitting streak to 12 games. ... The Reds placed LHP Sean Marshall on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained left shoulder. It's the second time this season Marshall has been on the DL with shoulder issues. LHP Manny Parra was reinstated from the DL to fill Marshall's spot in the bullpen. ... Sweeney made his third start in left field in place of Soriano, who got the night off until his pinch-hitting assignment in the ninth. Soriano was batting just .200 in his career against Arroyo. ... Cubs SS Starlin Castro started Friday's game and showed no ill-effects from a slightly swollen ankle he injured on an awkward slide in the sixth inning of Thursday's game at Pittsburgh.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Jason Vargas won for the fourth time in May and Mike Trout had two hits and scored two runs as the Los Angeles Angels topped the Kansas City Royals 5-2 on Friday night.

• Vargas allowed two runs on five hits over 7 1/3 innings to earn the victory.

  Trout started a three-run seventh with a walk. He stole second and after Albert Pujols walked scored on Mark Trumbo's single.

  Alberto Callaspo contributed a RBI-double down the left-field line and Howie Kendrick had a sacrifice fly in the inning.

  The Angels won their sixth in a row, their longest winning streak since September.

  Luke Hochevar, the second of four Kansas City pitchers, was charged with a blown save and the loss.

  The Angels loaded the bases in the first inning, but came away empty. Erick Aybar led off the game with a double and took third on Trout's ground out.

  Luis Mendoza, who had not walked a batter in his previous 13 innings, walked Pujols and Josh Hamilton to load the bases, but a magnificent play by shortstop Alcides Escobar bailed him out. Escobar went into the hole to retrieve Kendrick's grounder and made a leaping acrobatic one-hop throw to first to end the inning.

  The Angels got on the board in the third when Trout, who began the inning with an infield single, scored on a Mendoza wild pitch.

  Miguel Tejada, who was starting only his eighth game, homered in the bottom of the inning to tie the score. Tejada hit a 1-1 offering from Jason Vargas out to left, his second home run of the week.

  The Angels had runners on the corners with one out in the fourth, but Aybar grounded into a double play. Kendrick lined out to deep center to end the fifth with two runners on base.

  The Royals grabbed a 2-1 lead in the fifth when Chris Getz's two-out single scored Lorenzo Cain. Getz's single came after Tejada was walked intentionally.

  Mendoza was pulled after 86 pitches and five innings, giving up a run on seven hits and four walks.

  Notes: RHP Billy Buckner, who has not pitched in the majors since 2010 with Arizona and debuted in 2007 with the Royals, will start Saturday for the Angels. He has a 6-11 record with a 6.25 ERA in 36 games, 25 of them starts, in the majors. ... Angels OF Peter Bourjos, who is on the disabled list with a left hamstring strain, is jogging and taking early batting practice. ... Royals LHP Danny Duffy, who had Tommy John surgery last June, is scheduled to pitch four innings Sunday for Double-A Northwest Arkansas to begin a minor-league rehab assignment.