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National League

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Rolen sparks Cards to another extra-inning win ST. LOUIS (AP) – The St. Louis Cardinals’ rash of extra-inning games has been very good for Braden Looper’s bottom line.

Looper earned his third victory in as many outings in a 2-1, 10-inning victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday.

Scott Rolen’s RBI single with two outs in the 10th was the difference but Looper got his team in position to stretch its winning streak to a season-best six games with two scoreless innings.

Looper, who had a slow start to the season after offseason shoulder surgery, has allowed only two hits in five innings during his mini-winning streak. He struck out two and walked one on Saturday.

“You feel like nobody can hit you,” he said. “Obviously, they can, but that’s what you feel like when you go out there.

“I just try to throw up a zero, and hopefully we score a run.”

Albert Pujols hit his NL-leading 31st home run and Jeff Suppan worked seven strong innings for the Cardinals. St. Louis had three straight extra-inning victories, totaling 36 innings, before Chris Carpenter’s two-hitter in a 5-0 victory on Friday night, so manager Tony La Russa didn’t think his team would get cocky.

“There’s a very fine line,” La Russa said. “That’s why when you have something going we always encourage our club, you don’t sit around patting yourself on the back because you’ll lose that edge.”

J.D. Drew had three hits and an RBI for the Dodgers, who have been held to three runs in the first three games of the four-game series. The Dodgers have lost four of five.

“The runs are few and far between and I can’t wait to get through this little storm,” manager Grady Little said. “Some of the guys just haven’t clicking since the All-Star break but it will happen.”

Cubs 9, Mets 2

CHICAGO – Carlos Zambrano allowed three hits in six innings to win his sixth straight decision and Chicago used a five-run sixth to send Tom Glavine to his first loss since April 24.

Showing no problems from being whacked in the elbow at the All-Star game by a fungo bat, Zambrano (9-3) held New York – the NL’s highest scoring team – hitless for the first five innings.

Glavine (11-3), trying to become the NL’s first 12-game winner, took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the sixth, but couldn’t hold it. He was 9-0 in his previous 14 starts, but the All-Star left-hander is winless in four starts, dating to a road victory over Toronto on June 23.

The Cubs added four more in the seventh off Henry Owens.

Phillies 14, Giants 6

SAN FRANCISCO – Pat Burrell went 4-for-4, hit his 20th home run, and drove in four runs, and Ryan Howard hit his 30th shot of the season to power Philadelphia over San Francisco.

Cory Lidle (6-7) pitched into the sixth inning and won his second straight start following an eight-game winless streak. The Phillies earned their third win in 12 road games and third in four overall.

Burrell had four hits for the seventh time in his career and reached 20 homers for the sixth straight season.

Jimmy Rollins singled in the third and tripled in the seventh to become the youngest Phillies player to reach 1,000 hits (27 years, 230 days) since Greg Luzinksi in 1978. Chase Utley extended his hitting streak to 16 games for Philadelphia, which had a season-high 18 hits.

Lidle beat the Giants for the first time in 12 appearances despite allowing five runs and eight hits in 5 2-3 innings.

Noah Lowry (4-6) lost for the first time in five starts.

Reds 3, Rockies 2

CINCINNATI – Chris Denorfia singled past shortstop Clint Barmes with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth inning, rallying Cincinnati past slumping Colorado.

Trailing 2-1, the Reds came back against closer Brian Fuentes (2-3). He hit consecutive batters to load the bases with two outs and bring up Denorfia, who was celebrating his 26th birthday. Barmes charged Denorfia’s soft grounder and couldn’t make a play, allowing two runs to score.

New Cincinnati reliever Gary Majewski blew a 1-0 lead in the eighth, when Jorge Piedra doubled home a pair of runs with two outs. Left-hander Bill Bray (2-1) pitched a perfect ninth to get the win in his first appearance for Cincinnati, 3-0 since the All-Star break.

The Rockies matched their season high with their sixth straight loss.

It was only the 23rd game without a homer in Great American Ball Park’s four seasons.

Astros 12, Marlins 0

MIAMI – Andy Pettitte struck out 10 in seven sharp innings, Adam Everett had a career-high four hits and Houston routed Florida.

Everett also tied a career high with four RBIs. Lance Berkman hit a two-run homer, and Chris Burke scored three runs for the Astros, who finished with a season-high 18 hits.

Pettitte (8-9) allowed just five hits and two walks to improve to 2-0 in July.

Josh Johnson (8-5) pitched five innings for Florida and allowed four runs and six hits He struck out six in his first loss since June 6.

The Marlins lost for the fourth time in five games while the Astros won for just the second time in six games.

Brad Ausmus went 3-for-5 with two RBIs for Houston.

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