Wright's 9th-inning homer lifts Mets over Padres

David Wright hit a two-out, two-run homer in the ninth inning after the Mets bullpen blew another late lead for Johan Santana, lifting New York to a 5-3 victory over the San Diego Padres on Thursday.

Santana, just 9-7 in his first season with the Mets, left with a 3-1 lead in the eighth. It was the sixth time in 24 starts this season that the bullpen cost him a potential win, and in five of those the collapse came in the ninth inning. He has eight no-decisions, and in seven of those allowed two runs or fewer.

Wright's drive off Heath Bell (6-5) was his 21st of the season and came after he committed base running blunders in each of the first two games of the series and a costly error in New York's 4-2 loss Wednesday night.

Marlins 3, Phillies 0

At Philadelphia, Chris Volstad tossed six sharp innings and combined with four relievers on a four-hitter, helping Florida take two of three from the National League East leader Philadelphia.

Volstad (3-2) didn't allow a hit until pitcher Cole Hamels lined a single to center with two outs in the fifth. The 21-year-old right-hander gave up three hits and walked four.

Joe Nelson worked the seventh, Arthur Rhodes and Matt Lindstrom combined for three outs in the eighth, and Kevin Gregg finished for his 25th save in 31 chances.

Hamels (9-8) again was a hard-luck loser. The left-hander allowed three runs _ two earned _ and seven hits in 6 1-3 innings, striking out seven. He hasn't won since July 3.

Dodgers 4, Cardinals 1

At St. Louis, Clayton Kershaw worked seven dominant innings and Manny Ramirez homered for the fourth time in six games with Los Angeles, which averted a three-game sweep to St. Louis.

Ryan Ludwick's consecutive home run streak ended at five games, which tied a Cardinals record, after he went 1-for-3 with a single, two strikeouts and a walk.

The 20-year-old Kershaw (2-3), the seventh overall pick of the 2006 draft, allowed only three singles while matching his season best with seven strikeouts and working around four walks. The seven-inning stint was the deepest he's gone by a full inning in 12 career starts.

Nationals 6, Rockies 3, 1st game

Nationals 6, Rockies 3, 2nd game

At Denver, Lastings Milledge homered twice in the opener and finished the day with five hits and five RBIs to help Washington sweep a doubleheader from Colorado by identical scores.

The Nationals got strong starts from Odalis Perez (5-8) and Jason Bergmann (2-8), who took a shutout into the eighth inning of Game 1 for his first win in nearly three months.

Joel Hanrahan saved both games, giving him three saves this season.

The Nationals were 18-37 on the road before taking three of four at Coors Field. Matt Holliday, Yorvit Torrealba and Garrett Atkins homered for Colorado.

Just off the disabled list, Jeff Francis (3-8) lost his first start since June 28. In the nightcap, the Nationals roughed up Ubaldo Jimenez (8-10), who was 6-1 in his previous seven starts and entered with a 14-inning scoreless streak.

Astros 7, Reds 4

At Cincinnati, Hunter Pence hit a three-run homer and Roy Oswalt improved to 21-1 against Cincinnati as Houston sent the Reds to their third straight loss.

Carlos Lee went 3-for-3 and drove in two runs, and Miguel Tejada and Lance Berkman also had three hits each to help Oswalt (9-8) win his sixth straight start against Cincinnati. He pitched six shutout innings before giving up a run in the seventh _ his last inning.

Josh Fogg (2-4) allowed eight hits and six runs in four innings, the big blow coming on Pence's three-run shot during a four-run third.

Braves 6, Diamondbacks 4

At Phoenix, Mark Kotsay homered and Charlie Morton threw seven shutout innings to help Atlanta beat Arizona for its fourth win in 13 games.

Morton (3-5) allowed five hits over seven innings for his first victory since July 12. Morton walked one and struck out four. Mike Gonzalez went 1 1-3 innings for his fifth save.

Mark Reynolds homered and Arizona starter Yusmeiro Petit (1-3) allowed two runs on four hits and struck out six for the Diamondbacks, who have lost two straight and saw their lead in the NL West slip to 1 1/2 games.

Wright's 9th-inning homer lifts Mets over Padres

David Wright hit a two-out, two-run homer in the ninth inning after the Mets bullpen blew another late lead for Johan Santana, lifting New York to a 5-3 victory over the San Diego Padres on Thursday.

Santana, just 9-7 in his first season with the Mets, left with a 3-1 lead in the eighth. It was the sixth time in 24 starts this season that the bullpen cost him a potential win, and in five of those the collapse came in the ninth inning. He has eight no-decisions, and in seven of those allowed two runs or fewer.

Wright's drive off Heath Bell (6-5) was his 21st of the season and came after he committed base running blunders in each of the first two games of the series and a costly error in New York's 4-2 loss Wednesday night.

Marlins 3, Phillies 0

At Philadelphia, Chris Volstad tossed six sharp innings and combined with four relievers on a four-hitter, helping Florida take two of three from the National League East leader Philadelphia.

Volstad (3-2) didn't allow a hit until pitcher Cole Hamels lined a single to center with two outs in the fifth. The 21-year-old right-hander gave up three hits and walked four.

Joe Nelson worked the seventh, Arthur Rhodes and Matt Lindstrom combined for three outs in the eighth, and Kevin Gregg finished for his 25th save in 31 chances.

Hamels (9-8) again was a hard-luck loser. The left-hander allowed three runs _ two earned _ and seven hits in 6 1-3 innings, striking out seven. He hasn't won since July 3.

Dodgers 4, Cardinals 1

At St. Louis, Clayton Kershaw worked seven dominant innings and Manny Ramirez homered for the fourth time in six games with Los Angeles, which averted a three-game sweep to St. Louis.

Ryan Ludwick's consecutive home run streak ended at five games, which tied a Cardinals record, after he went 1-for-3 with a single, two strikeouts and a walk.

The 20-year-old Kershaw (2-3), the seventh overall pick of the 2006 draft, allowed only three singles while matching his season best with seven strikeouts and working around four walks. The seven-inning stint was the deepest he's gone by a full inning in 12 career starts.

Nationals 6, Rockies 3, 1st game

Nationals 6, Rockies 3, 2nd game

At Denver, Lastings Milledge homered twice in the opener and finished the day with five hits and five RBIs to help Washington sweep a doubleheader from Colorado by identical scores.

The Nationals got strong starts from Odalis Perez (5-8) and Jason Bergmann (2-8), who took a shutout into the eighth inning of Game 1 for his first win in nearly three months.

Joel Hanrahan saved both games, giving him three saves this season.

The Nationals were 18-37 on the road before taking three of four at Coors Field. Matt Holliday, Yorvit Torrealba and Garrett Atkins homered for Colorado.

Just off the disabled list, Jeff Francis (3-8) lost his first start since June 28. In the nightcap, the Nationals roughed up Ubaldo Jimenez (8-10), who was 6-1 in his previous seven starts and entered with a 14-inning scoreless streak.

Astros 7, Reds 4

At Cincinnati, Hunter Pence hit a three-run homer and Roy Oswalt improved to 21-1 against Cincinnati as Houston sent the Reds to their third straight loss.

Carlos Lee went 3-for-3 and drove in two runs, and Miguel Tejada and Lance Berkman also had three hits each to help Oswalt (9-8) win his sixth straight start against Cincinnati. He pitched six shutout innings before giving up a run in the seventh _ his last inning.

Josh Fogg (2-4) allowed eight hits and six runs in four innings, the big blow coming on Pence's three-run shot during a four-run third.

Braves 6, Diamondbacks 4

At Phoenix, Mark Kotsay homered and Charlie Morton threw seven shutout innings to help Atlanta beat Arizona for its fourth win in 13 games.

Morton (3-5) allowed five hits over seven innings for his first victory since July 12. Morton walked one and struck out four. Mike Gonzalez went 1 1-3 innings for his fifth save.

Mark Reynolds homered and Arizona starter Yusmeiro Petit (1-3) allowed two runs on four hits and struck out six for the Diamondbacks, who have lost two straight and saw their lead in the NL West slip to 1 1/2 games.