Brandon Webb became the majors’ first 11-game winner, getting just enough run support in Arizona’s victory at Pittsburgh. Tim Lincecum turned in another strong outing for San Francisco, leading the Giants to an easy win at Washington.
The New York Mets sent their ace to the mound in San Diego but not even Johan Santana could make up for their sputtering offense.
Webb (11-2) held the Pirates to one run and three hits over seven innings and drove in a run in the Diamondbacks’ 3-1 victory Friday night. The right-hander didn’t like how he was throwing early in the game but quickly got through it.
“My arm felt fine, but the legs were kind of dead-feeling and the ball just wasn’t coming out of my hand real good,” Webb said. “My curveballs didn’t have too much bite. But it progressed after that, I started getting on top of the ball and getting more sink and it ended up being a good start.”
Lincecum pitched seven sharp innings to win his fourth straight decision and drove in a run with a bases-loaded walk, leading San Francisco to a 10-1 victory. Santana (7-4) allowed one earned run in six innings but New York absorbed its second straight 2-1 loss at San Diego.
In other NL games, it was: Philadelphia 4, Atlanta 3 in 10 innings; Los Angeles Dodgers 3, Chicago Cubs 0; Cincinnati 11, Florida 3; Houston 6, St. Louis 1; and Colorado 6, Milwaukee 4.
Webb, 29-12 over the past two seasons, struck out three and walked none while throwing 63 of his 95 pitches for strikes. Brandon Lyon pitched the ninth inning for his 13th save in 15 opportunities after Tony Pena worked the eighth.
Ian Snell (2-6) allowed two runs – one earned – and five hits in five innings for the Pirates.
Lincecum (8-1) gave up one run and five hits, struck out five and walked none. He didn’t allow a hit until Lastings Milledge singled with two outs in the fourth and lowered his ERA to 2.15.
“Lincecum was way too good,” Nationals manager Manny Acta said. “I don’t think even the ’27 Yankees want to fall behind 8-0 with Lincecum on the mound.”
The Giants backed Lincecum with seven runs in the third, capped by Jose Castillo’s three-run homer off Jason Bergmann (1-3).
At Petco Park, Randy Wolf (4-4) pitched seven strong innings and Kevin Kouzmanoff drove in the go-ahead run as the Padres posted their third straight victory by the same score. San Diego beat the Cubs 2-1 on Wednesday.
It was the first time in San Diego’s 40-year history that it won three straight games 2-1, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
“These three games are what we look for in close games,” manager Bud Black said. “Our starting pitching does a good job, our bullpen does a good job, and we prevail.”
Trevor Hoffman pitched a perfect ninth for his 13th save in 16 chances.
Phillies 4, Braves 3, 10 innings
Philadelphia center fielder Shane Victorino drove in the go-ahead run with a triple in the 10th, then threw out Gregor Blanco at the plate as the tying run in the bottom of the inning.
The visiting Phillies took advantage of second baseman Kelly Johnson’s ninth-inning error to tie it at 2.
Manny Acosta (3-4) lost for the second time in three days, giving up two hits and two runs while recording only one out.
Victorino’s second triple of the game made it 3-2 and Chase Utley added a run-scoring double off Royce Ring.
With one out in the bottom half, Josh Anderson singled off Brad Lidge and moved to third on Blanco’s infield hit. Blanco stole second, but Lidge struck out Greg Norton. Yunel Escobar then drove in Anderson with a single to center, but Victorino threw out Blanco on a close play at the plate to end the game.
Tom Gordon (5-2) earned the win and Lidge got his 16th save.
Dodgers 3, Cubs 0
At Los Angeles, Hiroki Kuroda allowed four hits and struck out a career-high 11 in his first complete game, leading the Dodgers.
Kuroda (3-5) did not walk a batter in his 13th big league start, induced two double plays and allowed only one baserunner as far as third – the result of his throwing error.
The Cubs, who lead the majors with 346 runs and a 39-23 record, were shut out for the third time this season.
Danny Ardoin got one of his two RBIs with a suicide squeeze and Jeff Kent had an RBI double for Los Angeles.
Sean Gallagher (3-2) gave up two runs and three hits over five innings.
Reds 11, Marlins 3
At Miami, Jay Bruce continued his sizzling start in the majors with three hits and three more RBIs, and Johnny Cueto pitched six innings to win his third straight start for Cincinnati.
Ken Griffey Jr. remained stuck on 599 career home runs, going 2-for-3. He hasn’t gone deep in his past 13 at-bats dating to last Saturday, when he moved one away from becoming the sixth member of baseball’s 600-homer club.
Bruce went 3-for-4, and is hitting .463 with 10 RBIs in 11 games since being called up late last month.
Jorge Cantu hit his ninth and 10th homers and added a double for Florida, which has lost eight of its past 10. Andrew Miller (4-5) allowed four runs and six hits and lasted just 3 1-3 innings.
Astros 6, Cardinals 1
Hunter Pence had an RBI double and Houston scored three runs on two St. Louis errors.
Brian Moehler (3-2) had his best outing in six starts this season, allowing two hits and striking out five in seven innings. He set down the visiting Cardinals in order four times and retired the last eight batters he faced.
Geoff Blum homered in the eighth, his fourth of the season, as Houston won for the 13th time in 17 home games.
Braden Looper (7-5), facing the Astros for the fourth time this season, matched a career high with seven strikeouts and gave up two earned runs and eight hits in six innings.
Rockies 6, Brewers 4
At Denver, Garrett Atkins hit a tying two-run triple and Brad Hawpe gave Colorado the lead with a two-run homer in a five-run eighth inning.
Hawpe, who was activated off the 15-day disabled list before the game, homered on the first pitch from reliever Brian Shouse. It was his fourth of the season.
Milwaukee had won six straight.
Manuel Corpas (1-3) earned the win after getting out of a jam in the eighth and Brian Fuentes pitched a perfect ninth for his ninth save.
Russell Branyan and J.J. Hardy hit back-to-back homers in the fifth for Milwaukee. Guillermo Mota (2-4) got the loss.
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