Los Angeles – Matt Kemp had three RBIs, including a tiebreaking two-run homer, and first-time all-star Russell Martin had a career-high four hits to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Atlanta Braves 8-2 on Monday night.
Derek Lowe and John Smoltz (9-5) were in a duel through five innings, with the score 1-1.
Lowe, who threw 104 pitches, left after the Braves opened the sixth with singles by Chipper and Andruw Jones.
Joe Beimel (2-1) struck out Kelly Johnson after loading the bases with a one-out intentional walk to Jeff Francoeur, then retired pinch-hitter Jarrod Saltalamacchia on a groundout – thanks to a diving stop in the hole by second baseman Jeff Kent.
Kemp put the Dodgers ahead 3-1 with a drive to left field that was caught on the bullpen mound by Chin-hui Tsao, an estimated 436 feet from home plate. It came after James Loney swung at a third strike with two outs and reached first base as the ball got away from Brian McCann.
BREWERS 10, PIRATES 3 at Pittsburgh: Backup catcher Damian Miller homered twice during a four-hit night, including a grand slam in Milwaukee’s seven- run seventh inning, and his seven RBIs matched a club record.
Miller went 4-for-5 while playing for the first time since hitting a three-run, game-ending homer in the 11th inning to beat the Houston Astros on Wednesday. Miller has three homers and 11 RBIs in his past two games after previously having no homers and six RBIs all season.
The Pirates should have known better than to pitch to Miller, given their recent problems pitching to backup catchers. They lost 3-2 to Washington on Sunday, costing them a three-game sweep, when little-used catcher Jesus Flores hit a decisive two-run homer in the sixth inning.
PADRES 3, MARLINS 1 at San Diego: David Wells (4-5) didn’t allow a run for the first time this year while holding Florida to five hits and striking out a season-high six in 6 2/3 innings, and Brian Giles scored twice on fielder’s choices as San Diego improved to 4-2 when it has three hits or fewer.
Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez left in the third because of tightness in his left hamstring.
CUBS 7, NATIONALS 2 at Washington: Alfonso Soriano returned to the stadium that helped earn him a $136 million contract and looked right at home again, getting two hits, a run, an RBI and a stolen base at RFK Stadium, and Ted Lilly (7-4) allowed only three hits over seven innings to put Chicago (41-40) above .500 for the first time since it was 16-15 on May 9.
ASTROS 7, PHILLIES 5 at Houston: Hunter Pence and Carlos Lee homered and Craig Biggio had three hits, including two doubles, as Houston improved to 7-1 in its past eight home games.
CARDINALS 11, DIAMONDBACKS 3 at St. Louis: Albert Pujols hit a tiebreaking, two-run single in the seventh inning and Scott Rolen had four RBIs as St. Louis, 14th among the 16 NL teams in scoring coming in, scored 11 runs for the second consecutive game.
