If Adam Dunn was feeling a little nervous before his first game in front of the Diamondbacks’ home fans who expect his arrival to tip the NL West race in Arizona’s favor, it didn’t show.
Dunn hit his first homer for Arizona in a 7-6 win over the San Diego Padres on Tuesday night.
“It’s a good feeling to have,” Dunn said. “Probably opening day and the opening day of deer season are about the only times I get butterflies.”
The Los Angeles Dodgers tried to balance things out in the tight division race by reacquiring Greg Maddux from the San Diego Padres.
“It’s nice to be back,” Maddux said. “Last to first. It’s pretty cool. One off day and I make up 16 games, so I’m excited.”
The 42-year-old right-hander first joined the Dodgers on July 31, 2006, and went 6-3 with a 3.30 ERA in 12 starts to help them win an NL wild-card berth. On Tuesday, the Dodgers fell a game behind the Diamondbacks after an 8-3 loss to the Rockies, while San Diego dropped 17 games off the pace.
In other NL games, it was: Philadelphia 5, Washington 4; New York 7, Atlanta 3; Chicago 5, Cincinnati 0; Houston 5, Milwaukee 2; Pittsburgh 4, St. Louis 1; and Florida 6, San Francisco 0.
Dunn, acquired by Arizona from the Cincinnati Reds on Aug. 11, made it 6-2 with a towering two-run homer in the fourth on a pitch Padres starter Josh Banks said he “tried to bounce.”
Dunn tied Philadelphia’s Ryan Howard for the NL lead with 33 home runs and moved within two homers of Carlos Quentin of the Chicago White Sox for the major league lead.
“I knew it was going to come and my homers come in bunches,” Dunn said of his first homer since July 30.
Conor Jackson had two hits and two RBIs for the Diamondbacks, who have won four of five and six of eight.
Arizona starter Doug Davis (5-7) scattered seven hits over six innings for his first win since July 29, and his second win in his last nine starts. Tony Pena recorded the final two outs for his second save – and first since May 16 – in five chances.
San Diego made things interesting in the ninth against Diamondbacks closer Brandon Lyon, who has struggled in non-save situations over the past month.
Trailing 7-3 entering the inning, Edgar Gonzalez doubled, Brian Giles drew a one-out walk and Kevin Kouzmanoff singled to right to load the bases. Adrian Gonzalez followed with a sinking line drive to center, scoring his brother and Giles to pull the Padres to 7-5.
Chase Headley then singled to right to make it 7-6.
“I don’t think he’s a guy who needs the emotional lift or adrenaline rush of a save situation,” Arizona manager Bob Melvin said of Lyon, who allowed three runs to raise his ERA to 4.60. “He’s just being a little bit fine with the fastball.”
Rockies 8, Dodgers 3
At Los Angeles, Rookie Ian Stewart homered off Hiroki Kuroda (7-9) and drove in a career-high five runs for Colorado, which won its fourth straight.
Brad Hawpe and Matt Holliday homered for the Rockies.
Ubaldo Jimenez (9-11) earned the victory despite working a shaky five innings. He allowed eight hits and three runs with one walk and seven strikeouts.
Mets 7, Braves 3
Carlos Delgado hit a go-ahead double in the eighth inning off the left-center fence to end host New York’s 3-for-42 slide with the bases loaded.
Damion Easley delivered a two-run single with the bases loaded and Ramon Castro added an RBI double to cap a five-run eighth against Atlanta’s bullpen.
Aaron Heilman (3-7) pitched a scoreless inning. Jeff Bennett (2-5) was the loser.
Before the game, New York learned an MRI showed injured closer Billy Wagner has increased swelling in his left elbow.
Phillies 5, Nationals 4
Jayson Werth hit a tiebreaking solo homer off Steven Shell (0-1), sending visiting Washington to its 11th straight loss. It is the longest skid for the franchise since the Montreal Expos dropped 11 in a row from June 23-July 4, 1991.
Ryan Madson (3-1) pitched a perfect eighth and Brad Lidge finished for his 31st save in as many chances.
Astros 5, Brewers 2
At Milwaukee, Geoff Blum hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the sixth inning for Houston.
Blum was hitless in nine at-bats before he hit a 1-2 pitch from Ben Sheets (11-7) for his career-high 12th home run, giving the Astros their 10th win in 13 games.
Brian Moehler (9-4) extended his winning streak to five games by allowing one earned run and nine hits in 5 1-3 innings.
Cubs 5, Reds 0
Rich Harden allowed two hits in seven innings, struck out 10 and bunted in the go-ahead run for his first career RBI to lead host Chicago.
The NL Central-leading Cubs (77-48) improved to a season-high 29 games over .500. Chicago has won seven of eight and 17 of its last 21.
Harden (3-1) outpitched Johnny Cueto (8-12), who gave up four hits over seven innings.
Pirates 4, Cardinals 1
At St. Louis, Ian Snell (5-10) threw seven scoreless innings to outpitch Braden Looper and lead Pittsburgh.
Ryan Doumit had three of the Pirates’ five hits, including an RBI double in the first that drove in the lone run before a three-run ninth.
Looper (11-10) allowed one run and three hits in seven innings.
Marlins 6, Giants 0
Ricky Nolasco (12-7) pitched a two-hitter for his first career shutout and drove in two runs with his first double for visiting Florida.
Jorge Cantu homered and doubled for the Marlins, while Jeremy Hermida, Mike Jacobs and John Baker, who had three hits and reached base in all five plate appearances, also drove in runs.
It was Nolasco’s first career complete game and the Marlins’ first since Anibal Sanchez on Sept. 16, 2006, a major league-record 301 games ago.
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