A quick look at NL games on Tuesday:
Braves 5 Padres 3
At Atlanta, Chipper Jones hit his 10th homer, Jair Jurrjens pitched six strong innings and the Braves beat San Diego to improve the NL's best home record.
Mark Kotsay added two hits, including a homer, and drove in two runs. Kotsay also delivered the defensive play of the game in the fifth inning, making an over-the-shoulder catch at the warning track of Tadahito Iguchi's drive.
The Braves have won four straight, all at home, where they improved to 12-4 overall.
Jurrjens (4-2) matched his career high with eight strikeouts and gave up seven hits with a walk and one run in six innings.
San Diego's Chris Young (2-3) threw 98 pitches in only five innings, giving up nine hits and five runs.
Cubs 3 Reds 0
At Cincinnati, Carlos Zambrano had his way with Cincinnati's slumping lineup, allowing only three hits in eight innings, and Ronny Cedeno singled home a pair of runs for Chicago.
The Cubs won for only fourth time in 12 games, a span marked by inconsistency all-around. Zambrano (5-1) has been one of the constants.
The right-hander has won four straight decisions, two of them against a Reds lineup that is often its own worst enemy. Cincinnati got only one runner to second base in the first five innings — Toronto's Joey Votto, who was picked off by Zambrano.
Aaron Harang (1-5) gave up three runs and seven hits in six innings.
Marlins 3 Brewers 0
At Miami, Scott Olsen allowed two hits in 8 2-3 innings, and Mike Jacobs hit a two-run homer to help the Florida Marlins beat the slumping Milwaukee Brewers.
Ryan Braun doubled in the fourth and Prince Fielder singled with two outs in the ninth for Milwaukee's only hits.
Olsen came within a strike of his first complete game and the Marlins' first since Sept. 16, 2006, but he walked pinch-hitter Joe Dillon to load the bases with two outs in the ninth. Kevin Gregg needed only one pitch to retire Bill Hall on a flyout for his sixth save in seven chances.
Jeff Suppan (1-2) allowed three runs in five-plus innings and remained winless in six starts since April 2. The Brewers lost their fourth game in a row, their longest losing streak this season.
Pirates 12 Giants 6
At Pittsburgh, Nate McLouth, dropped a spot in Pittsburgh's order to get more opportunities to produce runs, homered twice while driving in three runs and Zach Duke won for the first time in nearly a year.
Duke (1-2) was winless in six starts this season and 12 games since June 12 before taking a shutout into the seventh inning. He lost that on Daniel Ortmeier's RBI double, and wound up being charged with three runs on eight hits over 7 1-3 innings — his longest start since he lasted eight innings in a 3-0 win over the Mets on Sept. 17, 2006.
Jonathan Sanchez (2-2) had allowed only six earned runs in 29 2-3 innings while going 2-0 in his previous five starts, but was lifted during a three-run Pirates fifth inning that made it 8-0.
Cardinals 6 Rockies 5
At Denver, Braden Looper pitched into the ninth inning in the longest outing of his career and went 2-for-3 with an RBI, and the St. Louis Cardinals hung on over the slumping Colorado Rockies.
Rick Ankiel hit his sixth homer of the season and Ryan Ludwick finished 4-for-4 with two doubles as the Cardinals won for the eighth time in 10 games. Looper (5-1) was two outs away from his first career complete game, but was pulled after back-to-back singles by Todd Helton and pinch-hitter Ryan Spilborghs.
Ryan Franklin picked up his first save of the season.
Mark Redman (2-3) had another shaky outing, getting yanked early after surrendering five runs and nine hits in 2 2-3 innings.
Astros 6 Nationals 5
At Houston, Carlos Lee had the go-ahead two-run double in the eighth inning and Lance Berkman had a career-high five hits to lead the Astros over Washington.
Miguel Tejada and Berkman both singled in the eighth before Lee's hit to right field. Austin Kearns dived for the ball, but it bounced just in front of him. Berkman's five hits ties a franchise record for a nine-inning game. He has nine hits in the last two games.
The win was the Astros' fourth straight and gave them a winning record for the first time since April 22.
Doug Brocail (2-0) got the win, while Jose Valverde pitched a perfect ninth for his seventh save.
Luis Ayala (1-2) allowed three hits and two runs in the eighth inning for the loss.
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