National League
Willis improves record to major league best, 7-0 MIAMI (AP) – Dontrelle Willis improved to a major league-best 7-0 by allowing one run and six hits in eight innings, and Damion Easley’s two-run homer sent Florida to a 2-1 victory over Houston on Wednesday night.
Willis, who struck out five and walked two, retired 18 of 19 Astros during one stretch before allowing a double by Ensberg on an 0-2 pitch in the eighth. The next batter, Lance Berkman, walked. But Willis escaped by striking out Mike Lamb – a left-handed batter – on three pitches to close the inning.
Todd Jones worked a scoreless ninth for his third save.
Padres 7, Reds 2
CINCINNATI – Tim Stauffer got a win in his major league debut and San Diego manager Bruce Bochy got his 800th.
Ryan Klesko hit a three-run homer for the Padres, who won for the eighth time in 10 games. Only Bobby Cox, Joe Torre and Tony La Russa have more wins with their current clubs than Bochy.
Brewers 5, Phillies 2
MILWAUKEE – Junior Spivey’s three-run double off Ryan Madson in the eighth inning made the Brewers 9-3 on their homestand, the first time they won nine times during a homestand since going 9-1 from Sept. 18-27, 1992.
Spivey sent a two-out, full-count fastball just over the glove of left fielder Pat Burrell to break a 2-2 tie and make a loser of Cory Lidle (2-3), who struck out a career-high 11 and retired 16 straight at one point.
Cubs 4, Mets 3
CHICAGO – Derrek Lee homered leading off the 10th to give the Cubs the win on a raw day at Wrigley Field.
Mark Prior allowed just two hits in seven strong innings for Chicago, but the Mets tied it at 3 on pinch-hitter Eric Valent’s two-out single in the ninth off new closer Ryan Dempster (2-3). He blew his first save chance of the season, then got the victory.
Rockies 6, Braves 5
DENVER – Todd Greene hit a game-winning, bases-loaded single in the bottom of the ninth after Atlanta had scored three runs in the top half of the inning.
Colorado got an impressive start from Byung-Hyun Kim and led 4-2 heading into the ninth, only to see Chin-hui Tsao (1-0) blow the save. The rookie closer was successful in his first four save opportunities.
D’backs 3, Nationals 2
PHOENIX – Chad Tracy hit a tiebreaking single in the eighth inning for Arizona.
Javier Vazquez pitched seven solid innings for the Diamondbacks, who earned their second consecutive win over the Washington franchise which had won 10 straight against Arizona over the last two years.
With the score tied at 2, Troy Glaus and Shawn Green singled off Jon Rauch (1-3) with one out in the eighth. Tracy followed with a sharp liner to right, scoring Glaus and giving Arizona a 3-2 lead.
Lance Cormier (2-0) pitched a scoreless eighth for the win, and Brandon Lyon earned his major league-leading 13th save.