Aramis Ramirez of the Milwaukee Brewers hits an RBI double in the bottom of the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during the inter-league game at Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Tuesday.
Mike Fiers struck out six and the Milwaukee Brewers got two doubles each from first baseman Jonathan Lucroy and third baseman Aramis Ramirez in a 6-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday.
Fiers went seven innings and held the Blue Jays to a run on two hits and a walk, while retiring his final 18 batters in order.
The Brewers won their fifth straight to stay 2 ½ games clear at the top of the National League Central.
Fresh off another stellar outing, Fiers first wanted to talk about a rough patch early in the game and offer credit to his defense. “My defense came through. There were a lot of great plays. I think early on I was a little erratic around the strike zone and then I pulled it together later on,’’ said Fiers.
Fiers (3-1) was plenty spectacular himself, holding the Blue Jays to two hits and one run over seven innings. He retired the final 18 batters he faced in a 106-pitch outing.
After throwing 44 pitches through two innings, Fiers took control of the game.
“I wanted to be aggressive in the strike zone and make them swing the bat,’’ he said.
Fiers, who struck out six and walked one, left the field to a standing ovation, waving briefly to the sellout crowd.
Elsewhere, Jon Jay was hit by a first-pitch fastball with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth to bring in the winning run for St Louis.
The Cardinals (68-57) fell behind 4-1 in the top of the sixth inning but rallied to win dramatically.
The Reds (61-65) lost for the fourth straight game and for the ninth time in 11 contests.
Stephen Strasburg allowed just one run in eight innings and Ian Desmond had three hits and four RBIs as the Washington Nationals beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-1 for their eighth straight win.
Nationals erupted for six runs in the third, including a bases loaded double by second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera that made it 6-1.
Washington (71-53) remained six games ahead of the Atlanta Braves.
Pitcher Chris Tillman, who has not taken a loss since July 12, went eight innings and allowed just one run to lead first-place Baltimore to a 5-1 win.
Center fielder Adam Jones went 2-for-4 with an RBI and third baseman Chris Davis went 1-for-3 with a double and two RBIs to lead the way offensively for the Orioles (72-52).
The Detroit Tigers scored three runs in the 11th inning to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 8-6 and keep pace in the American League Wild Card chase.
Ian Kinsler scored on a bases-loaded walk, and the Tigers added another on a wild pitch and a sacrifice-fly. Detroit (67-56) remained tied with Seattle for the second American League wild card. Tampa Bay dropped to 61-64 in losing its third straight.
Chris Iannetta hit a tie-breaking double off Boston closer Koji Uehara in the ninth inning to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 4-3 win over the Boston Red Sox.
Los Angeles (74-50) scored three runs in the third but did not record another hit until their rally in the ninth.
Mike Trout had an RBI triple for the Angels, who have won six of their last seven games to take sole possession of first place in the American League West.
Hisashi Iwakuma pitched eight shutout innings to win his third consecutive start as the Seattle Mariners beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-2.
Third baseman Kyle Seager hit a solo homer and catcher Mike Zunino added a two-run single for the Mariners (68-57), who won for the 11th time in 14 games.
Iwakuma (12-6) allowed four hits and struck out 11 while extending his scoreless innings streak to 17 2/3.
Aaron Harang pitched into the ninth inning for his first win in five weeks, and Justin Upton hit a three-run home run and drove in five runs as the streaking Atlanta Braves routed the sliding Pittsburgh Pirates 11-3.
Harang (10-7) helped the Braves (66-60) win their fifth straight game and send the Pirates (64-62) to their seventh consecutive loss.
Harang allowed three runs as he won for the first time since July 10.
Omar Infante banged out three doubles and had four RBIs to lead the first-place Kansas City Royals past Colorado with a 7-4 verdict.
Pitcher James Shield (12-6) allowed just two runs over six innings for the Royals, who have won 21 of their last 26.
The last-place Rockies are 49-76.
Chris Carter hit a three-run home run with one out in the top of the ninth inning, lifting the Houston Astros to a 7-4 victory over the New York Yankees.
It was Carter’s 30th home run and the American League Player of the week’s 17th since July 1, the most in the majors.
The Yankees fell to 63-60 with the loss.