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Sale's complete game lifts White Sox, Nats rout Mets

Chris Sale tossed his third complete game in nine starts in the Chicago White Sox's 2-1 win over the Houston Astros in MLB on Thursday.

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Chicago White Sox ace Chris Sale turned in one of the gems of the season on Thursday, tossing his third complete game in nine starts in a 2-1 win against the Houston Astros in MLB.

Sale improved to 9-0 courtesy of the win, giving up just four hits and struck out nine batters, with the pitcher's ERA now standing at just 1.58 this season.

The 27-year-old's devastating display also snapped a four-game losing streak for the White Sox.

Matt Harvey was put to the sword as the New York Mets were crushed 9-1 by the Washington Nationals, who sealed the three-game series.

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Harvey endured the worst game of his career after allowing nine runs, six of those earned in just over two innings at Citi Field.

Troy Tulowitzki was the hero as the Toronto Blue Jays ended a five-game losing streak with a 3-2 win against the Minnesota Twins.

After Edwin Encarnacion hit a game-tying two-run homer, Tulowitzki produced the go-ahead RBI single with two out in the 11th inning.

Matt Carpenter's three-run homer at the bottom of the eighth inning guided the St Louis Cardinals past the Colorado Rockies 13-7, the Baltimore Orioles lost 7-2 to the Seattle Mariners, the Milwaukee Brewers trumped the Chicago Cubs 5-3 and the San Francisco Giants defeated the San Diego Padres 3-1.

The Pittsburgh Pirates accounted for the Atlanta Braves 8-2, the Cleveland Indians were 7-2 winners against the Cincinnati Reds, the New York Yankees downed the Oakland Athletics 4-1, while the Los Angeles Angels beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-4.

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CARPENTER LEADS CARDINALS

Carpenter went three for five with two runs scored, a home run and six RBIs in the win against the Rockies. The third baseman now has seven multi-hit games this month after just four in April.

SPRINGER ROBS ABREU

Astros right fielder George Springer put his body on the line and it was worth it, producing an amazing over-the-wall catch to deny the White Sox's Jose Abreu, who went deep with a fly ball in the first inning.

STRASBURG ON FORM, SALE STARS AGAIN

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Nationals ace Stephen Strasburg turned in his 25th career 10-strikeout game, which is the third-most in MLB since his 2010 call-up. He only trails Clayton Kershaw (44) and Madison Bumgarner (27). The Nationals have won Strasburg's last 13 starts, the longest streak of team wins in starts by a pitcher in Nationals-Expos history.

Not only was this Sale's third complete game this season, it was his third without issuing a walk (no other pitcher has more than one).

The Cardinals became the first National League (NL) team to score 10 or more runs nine times in their first 41 games of a season since the 2001 Rockies.

RED SOX BID TO STAY HOT, CUBS SENT OUT ARRIETA

Indians pitcher Corey Kluber (2-5, 4.30 ERA) is still one of the most potent strikeout pitchers in MLB, but he has failed to reproduce the success he had in 2014 as they take on the Red Sox on Friday. Boston will try to stay hot offensively with Clay Buchholz (2-3, 6.11) on the mound.

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When Jake Arrieta is on the mound, people pay attention. This time, he and the Cubs face a pesky Giants line-up that has helped the team win its last eight games. If anyone can slow San Francisco down, it is the reigning NL Cy Young winner.

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