PITTSBURGH (AP) — Rod Barajas hit a two-run homer off Washington closer Henry Rodriguez with two outs in the ninth to lift the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 5-4 victory on Tuesday night.
The veteran catcher, mired in a season-long slump, drilled a shot down the left field line that sailed a few rows into the seats for his first home run and RBIs of the year.
The Nationals went ahead 4-3 after Adam LaRoche’s two-run blast in the top of the ninth off Pittsburgh closer Joel Hanrahan.
Alex Presley singled with one out in the bottom of the ninth off Rodriguez (1-2) and moved to third on a pair of wild pitches before Barajas broke through.
Tony Watson (2-0) earned the victory after replacing Hanrahan.
METS 7, PHILLIES 4
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Lucas Duda had a tiebreaking, two-out RBI single in the seventh and the New York Mets took advantage of Philadelphia’s defensive blunder.
Duda and David Wright had two hits and two RBIs each to help the Mets win their fourth straight.
Hunter Pence homered for the Phillies, who have lost four of five.
The Mets took the lead in the seventh with four two-out runs on four hits, including Duda’s single to right off left-hander Antonio Bastardo (1-2) that drove in Wright with the go-ahead run.
Manny Acosta (1-2) didn’t allow a run or hit in two-thirds of an inning in the sixth in relief of starter Miguel Batista.
ASTROS 3, MARLINS 2
HOUSTON (AP) — Pinch-hitter Brian Bogusevic hit an eighth-inning RBI double and Houston ended Miami’s season-long seven-game winning streak.
The game was tied at 2-2 when Travis Buck singled with two outs before Bogusevic’s hit off Ryan Webb (1-1) to the corner of left field, which a leaping Logan Morrison just missed, sent Buck home.
The Astros had tied the game when two errors on one play by Omar Infante allowed two runs to score in the sixth inning.
Infante had a solo homer in the fourth and Buck added one in the fifth to give Miami the 2-0 lead, but they managed just two hits the rest of the way.
Wilton Lopez (3-0) allowed one hit in the eighth for the win and Brett Myers pitched a scoreless ninth for his eighth save.
Jon Rauch got the last three outs in his first save opportunity of the season.
