Milwaukee, WI (My Sportsbook) - Yovani Gallardo single-handedly carried the Brewers to their fifth consecutive sweep of the Pirates, throwing eight scoreless innings and providing the only run of the game with his fourth career home run in a 1-0 decision. Milwaukee has now won 15 straight against its NL Central rival and 18 in a row against Pittsburgh at home. Gallardo (3-1), coming off his first complete game, struck out a career-high 11 while allowing just two hits and a walk for the Brewers, who have won seven of eight overall. Carlos Villanueva nailed down the shutout with a perfect ninth for his second save of the season. Ian Snell (1-3) scattered five hits and four walks and surrendered only one run in seven innings to take the tough loss for the Pirates, who had won five of six coming into the three-game set.
Final Score: Florida 4, New York 3
Flushing, NY (My Sportsbook) - Cody Ross' two-run single in the eighth lifted the Florida Marlins to a 4-3 win over the New York Mets in the conclusion of a three-game series at Citi Field. Jorge Cantu had a solo home run, two walks and scored twice while Wes Helms added an RBI for the Marlins, who have won two straight after a seven-game losing streak. Josh Johnson started on the mound and gave up three runs on nine hits in six innings of work. Renyel Pinto (1-0) got the win for throwing a scoreless seventh inning. Fernando Tatis went 3-for-4 with a solo home run and two runs scored while Ramon Castro went 2-for-4 with an RBI for the Mets, who have dropped three of their last four. Johan Santana started on the mound and gave up two runs on five hits with three walks and seven strikeouts in seven innings of work. J.J. Putz (1-2) suffered the loss as he gave up two runs on one hit with two walks.
Final Score: Colorado 7, San Diego 5
Denver, CO (My Sportsbook) - Chris Iannetta went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and three RBI, as the Colorado Rockies edged the San Diego Padres, 7-5, in the rubber match of a three-game set at Coors Field. Todd Helton hit a solo homer and knocked in three for the Rockies, who have won three of their last four. Aaron Cook (1-1) earned the win after tossing a solid seven innings. The right-hander gave up three runs on five hits, struck out three and walked two. Huston Street picked up his second save of the season after striking out the side in the ninth inning. Adrian Gonzalez had a big game for the Padres with two homers and three RBI, while Henry Blanco hit a two-run shot in defeat. San Diego has dropped four of five. Kevin Correia (0-2) was tagged with the loss after surrendering three runs on six hits in five frames. He fanned four and walk four.
Final Score: Arizona 10, Chicago 0
Phoenix, AZ (My Sportsbook) - Chad Tracy's three-hit, three-RBI effort backed a superb start from Doug Davis, as the Diamondbacks rolled to a 10-0 victory to take the rubber match of their three-game set with the Cubs. Davis (2-3), who was 0-3 at home this season, allowed just two hits and three walks while fanning seven for Arizona, which completed a 5-4 homestand. Justin Upton chipped in two hits and three RBI, while Conor Jackson walked twice with the bases loaded in the win. Ryan Dempster (1-1) lasted six-plus innings, surrendering five runs on six hits and three walks for Chicago, which mustered just two hits to finish its road trip with a 2-4 record.
Final Score: Washington 4, Philadelphia 1
Philadelphia, PA (My Sportsbook) - Anderson Hernandez had three hits and two runs batted in, as the Washington Nationals avoided a three-game sweep by logging a 4-1 win against Philadelphia, snapping the Phillies' season-high five-game win streak. Scott Olsen (1-3) lasted 5 2/3 innings, yielding just six hits and one run to pick up his first win this season. The hard-luck lefty, who walked two and struck out six, had dropped his first three decisions of 2009 for the first time in his career despite allowing just two earned runs in each of his last two outings. Ryan Zimmerman achieved a career-high with a hit in 18 straight games, ending with a double, walk, run scored and RBI for the Nats, who had lost five of their last six. Elijah Dukes collected a pair of hits with an RBI and a run scored. Brett Myers (1-2) went six innings and gave up three runs on eight hits and three walks with as many strikeouts in the loss. Shane Victorino accounted for the Phils' lone run with a homer in the game's opening frame, pushing his hit streak to 10 games.
Final Score: Cincinnati 3, Houston 0
Cincinnati, OH (My Sportsbook) - Edinson Volquez was brilliant, pitching eight shutout innings, as the Cincinnati Reds defeated the Houston Astros, 3-0, in the finale of a three-game series at Great American Ball Park. Volquez (3-2) allowed one hit -- a double to Miguel Tejada in the first inning -- walked one and struck out six. Francisco Cordero earned his seventh save of the season with a perfect ninth inning, as Cincinnati snapped an 11-game home losing streak to Houston dating back to May 10, 2007. Laynce Nix went 2-for-3 with a triple and an RBI, while Adam Rosales knocked in a pair for the Reds, who had dropped the first two games in the series. The Reds claimed only their second win in the last six games overall. Jason Michaels walked and J.R. Towles was hit by a Volquez pitch, but they were the only other Houston baserunners aside from Tejada. The Astros had their three-game winning streak snapped. Felipe Paulino (0-2) was the hard-luck loser. The young right-hander allowed two runs -- one earned -- over 5 2/3 innings, struck out three and walked a pair.
Final Score: St. Louis 5, Atlanta 3
Atlanta, GA (My Sportsbook) - Albert Pujols went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, as the St. Louis Cardinals got by the Atlanta Braves, 5-3, in the rubber match of a three-game set at Turner Field. Skip Schumaker, Chris Duncan and Rick Ankiel each added an RBI single for the Cardinals, who have won seven of their last nine games. Adam Wainwright (3-0) picked up the victory after working six innings. The veteran righty gave up three runs -- two earned -- on seven hits, while striking out two and walking five. He improved to 4-0 in seven games (4 starts) lifetime versus the Braves and hasn't lost a game since June 2 of last year. Ryan Franklin earned his seventh save of the season after retiring the final four batters. Omar Infante finished with three hits and an RBI for Atlanta, which has dropped three of its last four. Casey Kotchman and Jeff Francoeur each had a pair of hits and a run scored in defeat. Javier Vazquez (2-2) suffered the loss despite going eight innings. He was touched for five runs on nine hits with a walk, but finished with eight strikeouts.
Final Score: San Francisco 9, Los Angeles 4
San Francisco, CA (My Sportsbook) - Bengie Molina went 3-for-5 and fell a double short of a cycle, driving in four runs to help the San Francisco Giants crush the Los Angeles Dodgers, 9-4, to take the rubber match at AT&T Park. Edgar Renteria ended 4-for-5 with two runs scored and as many driven in for the Giants, who have alternated wins and losses for the last five games. Emmanuel Burriss and Nate Schierholtz both collected two hits and an RBI in the win. San Francisco third baseman Pablo Sandoval left the game prior to the fourth inning with tightness in his left groin. Tim Lincecum (2-1) got the win after going seven-plus innings and giving up three runs on six hits with eight strikeouts and three walks. Brian Wilson got his fifth save. Orlando Hudson went 2-for-5 and drove in a run for the Dodgers, who have lost three of four games overall. Brad Ausmus and Juan Pierre also drove in runs in the setback. Eric Stults (2-1) was saddled with the loss after he gave up five runs on seven hits in 2 2/3 innings of work.
