Maddux beats Cards for 327th career win
CHICAGO (AP) – Greg Maddux allowed one run in six-plus innings to earn his 327th career victory, leading the Chicago Cubs over the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 Saturday. Maddux (9-11) yielded five hits, struck out six and didn’t walk a batter to win consecutive starts after a personal six-game losing streak.
Maddux was sharp on the muggy, 95-degree day, retiring 10 straight between the third and sixth inning. With the possibility that Maddux could be departing Chicago before Monday’s non-waiver trade deadline, the sellout crowd of 41,302 gave the right-hander a standing ovation when he left the field in the seventh after giving up a leadoff double to Scott Rolen. The usually stoic Maddux tipped his hat to the crowd.
NL Central-leading St. Louis dropped to 3-9 against the Cubs this season. The Cardinals have lost the first three games of the four-game series and seven straight overall at Wrigley Field dating to last season.
Mets 11, Braves 3
ATLANTA – Carlos Beltran homered twice and Orlando Hernandez allowed only three hits in eight innings for the Mets.
Hernandez (7-8) didn’t give up an earned run – the Braves took advantage of two New York errors – and he also picked up the first two RBIs of his career during a seven-run sixth that broke open a 3-all game.
Beltran capped the big inning with a three-run homer off Chad Paronto, who had just replaced starter Tim Hudson. The Mets center fielder also hit a two-run shot in the first and now has 30 homers for the year.
Dodgers 7, Nationals 5
LOS ANGELES – Russell Martin homered and drove in four runs to help the Dodgers get the win.
Rafael Furcal also homered for Los Angeles, and Derek Lowe (8-7) won for the first time since July 3 after going 0-3 in his previous four starts. The right-hander allowed four runs and seven hits in five innings and had a season-high eight strikeouts.
Washington closed to 7-5 in the sixth when Joe Beimel walked Felipe Lopez with the bases loaded. Jonathan Broxton pitched a scoreless ninth for his first career save, one year to the day of his major league debut.
Rookie Mike O’Connor (3-7) was charged with a career-high seven runs over four-plus innings, along with six hits and five walks in his first career appearance against the Dodgers.
Astros 4, Diamondbacks 1
HOUSTON – Roy Oswalt matched a season high with eight strikeouts and dominated Arizona again to lead the Astros to the victory.
Oswalt (8-7) allowed six hits in eight innings, improving to 5-0 in five career starts against the Diamondbacks. He won for just the third time since June 14.
Chris Snyder homered for Arizona in the fifth, the first run the Diamondbacks had scored on Oswalt in 21 innings – and two years. Oswalt then retired 10 straight before Eric Byrnes singled with one out in the eighth.
Brad Lidge pitched a perfect ninth to earn his 23rd save in 27 opportunities.
Craig Biggio homered and Willy Taveras had a two-run triple to help the Astros win for just the sixth time in 15 games since the All-Star break.
Phillies 12, Marlins 3
PHILADELPHIA – Ryan Howard hit his NL-leading 34th homer and Chase Utley extended his hitting streak to 29 games for the Phillies.
Utley singled, homered and drove in three runs, and Pat Burrell and Aaron Rowand also connected, helping the Phillies send Dontrelle Willis to his earliest exit in 21/2 years.
Brewers 6, Reds 3
MILWAUKEE – Mike Rivera hit a tiebreaking RBI single, Prince Fielder added a solo homer and the Brewers rallied to get the win.
Derrick Turnbow worked the ninth for his 24th save in 32 chances and first since June 29th at Chicago. Turnbow had blown his previous four save opportunities for Milwaukee, which snapped a three-game losing streak and won for just the fifth time in 17 games.
Cincinnati led 3-0 after two innings but Bill Hall hit a two-run homer in the fourth to tie it. It was Hall’s 24th homer of the season.
Geremi Gonzalez (3-2) pitched a perfect sixth inning to get the win.
Justin Germano (0-1) allowed four earned runs and eight hits in 5 2-3 innings for the Reds.