The only number that mattered to 40-somethings Jamie Moyer and Greg Maddux six innings into their matchup was zero.
The pitchers with 45 years experience between them traded zeros until Maddux gave up a home run to Pat Burrell with one out in the seventh, making Moyer a winner Friday night as the Philadelphia Phillies broke a four-game skid with a 1-0 victory over the San Diego Padres.
“It was pretty cool, man,” Burrell said. “These guys have been doing this for a long time. There are probably some guys on both teams that weren’t even born yet. To see them pitching well at this point, it’s pretty fun to be part of.”
The 42-year-old Maddux and 45-year-old Moyer matched up for the oldest pair of starting pitchers by combined ages (88 years, 30 days) since June 21, 2007, when Moyer and David Wells (88 years, 308 days) faced each other at Petco Park, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Moyer (11-7) gave up three hits, struck out two and walked two. The left-hander allowed just one runner to reach third base. Maddux (6-9) allowed a run on five hits and struck out four.
“That was a pitching clinic,” Padres manager Bud Black said. “They really know their game. They’re tremendous students of the game and you saw that exhibited.”
In other NL games, it was: N.Y. Mets 2, Pittsburgh 1; Chicago Cubs 6, Florida 5; St. Louis 5, Cincinnati 3; San Francisco 5, Atlanta 1; Colorado 4, Washington 3; Arizona 12, Houston 2 and L.A. Dodgers 5, Milwaukee 3.
Burrell has been successful against the 353-game winner Maddux. He is hitting .340 (15-for-44) against him with three homers and nine RBIs, and his timely hit helped the Phillies stay one game back of the Mets in the East.
“I threw the pitch where I wanted to but obviously I should have thrown something else,” Maddux said.
Moyer was in only one jam, in the seventh, when he walked Scott Hairston with two outs and gave up a single to Brian Giles that moved Hairston to third. Moyer then retired Kevin Kouzmanoff on a grounder, his 12th ground ball out.
Maddux faced trouble just once, too. Ryan Howard led off the second with a double and went to third on a one-out single by Geoff Jenkins. But Eric Bruntlett popped up and Carlos Ruiz flew out to right.
Moyer and Maddux started their careers together when they were both drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 1984. They were teammates for parts of three seasons from 1986 through 1988. Although they are not close friends, the pair share a mutual admiration.
“The Cubs wanted to make him a coach when he was 28, but he still wanted to pitch,” Maddux said. “I wonder if they still want him to coach?”
Ryan Madson gave up a hit in one-third of an inning and J.C. Romero got two outs in the eighth, and Brad Lidge finished the four-hitter by striking out two in a perfect ninth for his 29th save in 29 chances.
Cubs 6, Marlins 5
At Miami, Daryle Ward hit a pinch-hit three-run homer in the ninth inning and the Cubs rallied to beat Florida for their ninth straight road victory.
Ward drove an 0-1 pitch from Florida closer Kevin Gregg (6-5) over the wall in right field for his third home run of the season and 11th career pinch-hit homer.
Reliever Chad Gaudin (4-1) pitched two scoreless innings for the win and Kerry Wood pitched a scoreless ninth for his 25th save in 30 opportunities.
Cardinals 5, Reds 3
At Cincinnati, Rick Ankiel’s two-run homer off Bronson Arroyo (10-10) lifted St. Louis to its third straight win. The Cardinals have stayed in wild-card contention by winning five of their past seven.
Brad Thompson (5-2) took the injured Chris Carpenter’s spot and kept the Cardinals’ run going. The right-hander went five innings and gave up three runs, including an unearned run set up by catcher Jason LaRue’s bad throw and missed tag.
Rockies 4, Nationals 3
At Washington, Troy Tulowitzki and Brad Hawpe homered for Colorado as the Rockies won for just the third time in nine games. The Nationals have lost eight in a row.
Hawpe’s two-run shot to center field capped a three-run rally against Nationals starter Tim Redding (8-8) with two down in the fifth.
Diamondbacks 12, Astros 2
At Houston, Brandon Webb struck out six in eight sharp innings and Chris Snyder drove in four runs for Arizona, which snapped Houston’s eight-game winning streak.
Webb (18-4) allowed four hits and retired 16 Astros on groundouts to win his seventh straight decision and fifth straight start against Houston.
Giants 5, Braves 1
At Atlanta, Randy Winn had his 100th career homer among his four hits and drove in two runs for San Francisco.
Matt Cain (8-9) allowed a run in seven innings to continue his recent string of strong starts. He gave up six hits and a walk, and struck out five. Brian Wilson pitched the ninth for his 33rd save.
Atlanta has lost four straight at Turner Field in its five-game skid. The Braves are 5-15 at home in July and August.
Mets 2, Pirates 1
At Pittsburgh, Mike Pelfrey (11-8) pitched seven shutout innings and New York won its fourth straight.
Jack Wilson homered off reliever Duaner Sanchez and Adam LaRoche had three hits for Pittsburgh, which has lost three of four and dropped a season-low 12 games below .500.
Aaron Heilman, who walked a batter in the ninth, picked up his third save.
Dodgers 5, Brewers 3
At Los Angeles, Jeff Kent singled home the go-ahead run in the fifth inning and Los Angeles won its fifth straight.
Chad Billingsley (12-9) went seven innings, allowing only one hit after giving up a two-run homer by Gabe Kapler in the first inning and an RBI single by Jason Kendall in the second.
Casey Blake hit a two-run home run for Los Angeles and Russell Martin added a solo shot in the eighth. Manny Ramirez provided Los Angeles’ first run with an RBI single in the opening inning.
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