Nationals outfielder Marlon Byrd knocked over one umpire during an argument with another Saturday night in Washington, an ugly moment in the Nationals' 7-3 victory over the Florida Marlins.
In a rare big-margin victory for the Nationals, Vinny Castilla hit a three-run double, Nick Johnson drove in two runs, and even slumping Cristian Guzman contributed two hits and an RBI.
But the night's most talked-about moment surely will be Byrd's outburst. It came after he was called out on strikes to end the sixth, when first-base umpire Bill Miller ruled that Byrd went around on a checked swing with the count full.
Byrd, thinking he had drawn a walk, was about halfway to first when he realized Miller had called him out. Byrd began arguing with the umpire, and first-base coach Don Buford stepped between them.
As the Nationals took the field for the top of the seventh, Byrd continued arguing on his way to left, and Miller ejected him.
Byrd then headed toward Miller, and second-base umpire Joe Brinkman tried to get in the player's way. They collided, sending Brinkman tumbling to his back on the infield dirt. He was attended to by a Washington trainer.
CARDINALS 11, ASTROS 9: At Houston, Reggie Sanders hit a grand slam and pitcher Jason Marquis added a two-run homer during an eight-run third inning. Sanders went 4-for-4 with five RBIs, Marquis was 3-for-3 with two hits in the third and Albert Pujols homered in the eighth to help preserve the victory for the Cardinals, who have won 11 of 15.
METS 5, GIANTS 1: At New York, Tom Glavine pitched effectively into the eighth inning and New York defeated San Francisco, sending the Giants to their eighth straight loss. Mike Cameron homered off Noah Lowry (2-6) and Mike Piazza hit a two-run single for the Mets, who have won three in a row and six of eight.
PHILLIES 10-5, DIAMONDBACKS 6-3: At Philadelphia, Placido Polanco homered twice in the nightcap and Philadelphia beat Arizona for its fifth straight victory and a doubleheader sweep. In the opener, Bobby Abreu homered twice and drove in four runs, Jim Thome also connected and Vicente Padilla (2-5) pitched the Phillies to a win that pushed them above .500 for the first time since April 18.
BRAVES 1, PIRATES 0: At Pittsburgh, Julio Franco's two-out double in the ninth inning scored the game's only run, and rookie Kyle Davies shut down the Pirates into the eighth, leading Atlanta over Pittsburgh. Dominated for eight innings by Mark Redman, the Braves advanced only one runner to second — and that on a strikeout — until the 46-year-old Franco's double off reliever Mike Gonzalez.
ROCKIES 7, REDS 5: At Denver, J.D. Closser hit a two-run double in a six-run sixth inning, and Colorado won its season-high third straight with a victory over Cincinnati. Clint Barmes added two hits to help Jamey Wright (3-5) win for the first time since May 9. Wright was 0-3 in his previous four starts.