Astros buzz past Padres

The Associated Press

SAN DIEGO — Geoff Blum hit a three-run homer and drove in four runs and Houston beat San Diego 7-2 on Thursday in a game delayed 52 minutes in the top of the ninth inning when a swarm of bees took over part of left field at Petco Park.

A beekeeper was called to the downtown ballpark and sprayed a chair and a ballgirl’s jacket that had attracted the bees. Padres president Tom Garfinkel said a few thousand bees attached themselves to a queen bee.

The game was halted at 3:09 p.m. with the Astros leading 6-1. Five minutes later, both teams were cleared from the field. The beekeeper arrived at 3:56 p.m., quickly did his job to applause from the fans who remained, and the game resumed 5 minutes later.

The Astros won three of four in the series and outscored the Padres 20-7.

San Diego has lost eight of nine games against Houston dating to last season.

Houston’s Wandy Rodriguez (7-6) allowed one run and seven hits in seven innings.
Mets 9, Pirates 8, 10 innings

PITTSBURGH —  Ryan Church singled in the go-ahead run in the 10th inning for New York, which overcame a five-run deficit and then wasted a ninth-inning lead.

Adam LaRoche hit a tying two-run homer in the ninth against Francisco Rodriguez (2-2) before the Mets rebounded to win the makeup of a June 3 rainout.

Fernando Tatis hit a two-run homer among his three hits and scored four times as the Mets took an 8-6 lead. Rodriguez, 21 of 23 previously in save chances, gave up his first tying homer in the ninth since last July 25. He stayed in to pitch a perfect 10th.

Pirates closer Matt Capps (1-4), who had converted 12 consecutive save opportunities since May 15, got the first two batters in the 10th until hitting Tatis with a pitch. Tatis stole second, and Church lined a single into center for the Mets’ 15th hit.

The Pirates opened a 5-0 lead against Tim Redding, but Paul Maholm couldn’t hold the lead, and pinch-hitter Jeremy Reed gave the Mets the lead for the first time with a sacrifice fly that made it 6-5 and finished off a four-run fifth inning.
Reds 3, Diamondbacks 2, 10 innings

CINCINNATI — Joey Votto singled with the bases loaded and two outs in the 10th inning for Cincinnati.

The Reds loaded the bases with no outs against Clay Zavada (1-2), stringing together a walk and two singles. After two outs, Votto singled past shortstop for his fourth hit of the game.

Francisco Cordero (1-2) escaped a bases-loaded threat in the top of the 10th with the help of a double play.

Arizona (31-48) lost for the 10th time in 12 games, falling a season-high 17 games under .500.

Diamondbacks starter Doug Davis gave up one run through seven innings. Davis is 0-2 with three no-decisions in his last five starts. He had given up five earned runs in his last four games.

Cincinnati’s Aaron Harang, who hasn’t won since May 25, going 0-4 with three no-decisions, gave up two runs in seven innings.