Tampa Bay reliever Joel Peralta served up a tiebreaking two-run double to Danny Espinosa in the sixth inning Thursday night, sending the Nationals over the Rays, 5-2, in Washington.
Earlier in the day, Peralta learned that he had been suspended by Major League Baseball for eight games after being caught with pine tar on his glove in Tuesday’s game against the Nationals. Peralta is appealing and can keep playing until a final decision is reached.
He entered a 2-2 game in the sixth. Peralta (0-3) got the first two outs before Jesus Flores doubled, pinch hitter Adam LaRoche was walked intentionally, and Espinosa doubled.
Gio Gonzalez (9-3) pitched six innings on a night when the gametime temperature was 97 degrees.
Tampa Bay loaded the bases in the seventh on walks issued by Craig Stammen and Michael Gonzalez. Ryan Mattheus struck out pinch hitter Will Rhymes to end the inning.
Tigers 2, Cardinals 1 - Quintin Berry hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the 10th inning to give host Detroit the win over St. Louis.
Ramon Santiago and Jhonny Peralta hit one-out singles off Victor Marte (0-1), who then grazed Austin Jackson’s jersey with a pitch. Berry followed with a hit up the middle through a drawn-in infield.
“I’ve never had a walkoff before,’’ Berry said. “I showed it out there, jumping around, acting crazy. You don’t know what to do with yourself.’’
Joaquin Benoit (1-1) got the win. The Detroit bullpen shut out St. Louis after Jacob Turner allowed a run and four hits in five innings.
Kyle Lohse allowed a run and four hits in seven innings for the Cardinals, the run coming on Prince Fielder 425-foot homer. The 21-year-old Turner was recalled from Triple A Toledo to make his season debut.
Athletics 4, Dodgers 1 - Yoenis Cespedes hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning for his first game-ending shot as Oakland finished its sweep of Los Angeles.
Cespedes connected with no outs off Josh Lindblom (2-1), sending a drive inside the left-field foul pole. Oakland has won eight of nine after holding the NL’s best team to eight total hits in the three-game series.
Rockies 4, Phillies 1 - Chris Nelson hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the seventh inning and Wilin Rosario added a two-run shot in the ninth to help visiting Colorado snap a four-game losing streak.
Marco Scutaro had a pair of hits for the Rockies, who had lost 12 of 13 games entering Thursday.
Pirates 9, Twins 1 - James McDonald (6-3) threw his first career complete game and Garrett Jones hit one of Pittsburgh’s three home runs as the host Pirates won for the fourth time in five games.