May 2, 2016; New York City, NY, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Bartolo Colon (40) pitches during the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field. Photo Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
NEW YORK — Bartolo Colon threw eight shutout innings Monday night to earn his 220th career victory — second all-time among pitchers born in the Dominican Republic — and the New York Mets hit three homers during a four-run first inning before cruising to a 4-1 win over the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field.
Colon allowed seven hits and walked none while striking out seven in breaking a second-place tie with Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez. The all-time leader in wins by Dominican-born pitchers is Hall of Famer Juan Marichal, who earned 243 victories.
Colon, who turns 43 on May 24, notched the milestone victory in a fashion that has become his standard at an age when most of his peers are long since retired. He spotted a high-80s fastball in wriggling out of trouble in the first three innings, during which he allowed six hits but allowed only one runner as far as third base, before setting down 12 straight between the third and seventh.
Rangers 2, Blue Jays 1
TORONTO — Nomar Mazara and Brett Nicholas hit solo home runs as Texas defeated Toronto.
Mazara, whose home run in the eighth inning broke a 1-1 tie, also threw out a runner at the plate from right field in the bottom of the eighth to preserve the lead.
It was the first meeting of the Rangers and the Blue Jays since Toronto won the fifth and deciding game of the American League Division Series last October.
Neither starter factored in the decision.
Cubs 7, Pirates 2
PITTSBURGH — Jason Hammel raised his record to 4-0 and Anthony Rizzo hit a pair of doubles as Chicago beat Pittsburgh.
Hammel’s ERA rose to 1.24 after entering the game with a National League-leading 0.75 mark as he gave up two runs and five hits in five-plus innings with three strikeouts and one walk. His streak of five straight starts of allowing one run or fewer ended.
Rizzo hit an RBI double and scored in the third inning as the Cubs went ahead 2-1. He then doubled again during a four-run fifth that pushed the lead to 6-1.
The Cubs improved to 18-6, tops in the major leagues, and avoided losing consecutive games for the first time this season while winning for the fifth time in six games.
