Padres punish Martinez
Brian Giles and Khalil Greene homered for the resurgent Padres, who handed Pedro Martinez his worst start of the season and beat the New York Mets, 8-3, last night in San Diego.
With Chan Ho Park striking out a season-high eight in his home debut, the NL West-leading Padres won their fifth straight game and sixth in seven games. Their hot streak follows a span in which they lost 12 of 13.
Martinez (12-4) was roughed up for six extra-base hits in just five innings, his shortest start of the year. He allowed five runs on nine hits, tying season highs, and struck out four.
Martinez retired the side after allowing Dave Roberts's leadoff triple in the first, then started getting hit hard. Greene, who finished with three hits, homered into the second deck in left field with two outs in the second. San Diego added three runs in the third, on consecutive RBI doubles by Joe Randa and Ryan Klesko and an RBI single by Robert Fick.
Giles made it 5-0 when he homered to right-center with one out in the fifth.
Park (1-0) allowed two runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings and walked one.
Reds 8, Cubs 3 -- Jason LaRue hit a go-ahead homer in the eighth, then singled home another run in a four-run ninth as Cincinnati dealt host Chicago its seventh straight loss.
Mark Prior struck out a season-high 11 for the Cubs in his seven innings, but gave up solo home runs to Ken Griffey and Edwin Encarnacion. Nomar Garciaparra hit his first homer of the season for the Cubs.
Nationals 6, Astros 5 -- Brandon Watson homered in his major league debut as visiting Washington ended a 13-game losing streak in one-run games and closed within a game of Houston for the wild-card lead.
Braves 7, Giants 1 -- Adam LaRoche and Kelly Johnson drove in two runs apiece to back a strong outing by Horacio Ramirez (10-7) and spark host Atlanta.
Phillies 8, Dodgers 4 -- Pat Burrell's three-run homer and Ryan Howard's solo shot highlighted visiting Philadelphia's five-run eighth.
Marlins 5, Diamondbacks 0 -- At Miami, A.J. Burnett (10-6) threw a three-hit shutout to win his career-high fifth straight start for Florida.
Cardinals 5, Brewers 2 -- Anthony Reyes threw 6 1/3 innings of two-hit ball in his major league debut and Mark Grudzielanek drove in two runs for visiting St. Louis, including the tying single in the sixth.
Pirates 12, Rockies 4 -- At Denver, Jason Bay had a homer and four RBIs as Pittsburgh pounded out 19 hits.
