Dodgers sweep Nats

CHRIS CAPUANO struck out nine while combining with two relievers on a four-hitter, James Loney drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single and the Los Angeles Dodgers completed a three-game sweep of the visiting Washington Nationals with a 2-0 victory on Sunday.

Capuano (3-0) allowed three hits and two walks in 6 2/3 innings, helping send the Nationals to their fourth straight loss after they entered the series with an NL-best 14-5 record.

At 16-6, the Dodgers matched their best start since 1981 and moved 10 games over .500 for the first time since July 11, 2010.

"We've got a great mix of guys, and we're going to need that through the long season to win games," Loney said. "A big hit, a big defensive play, and big baserunning play - all that stuff is going to matter. And it's going to take all of us to do that."

At Atlanta, Tim Hudson survived five tough innings to win in his return from offseason back surgery and the Braves held on in the ninth to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-3.

Hudson (1-0) pitched in the majors for the first time since his operation last November to repair a herniated disk. The righthander threw 96 pitches while giving up two runs on six hits and two walks. He allowed at least one baserunner in every inning.

Martin Prado's seventh-inning homer put the Braves ahead, 4-2.

* At Denver, Ike Davis singled in the go-ahead run in the 11th inning and the New York Mets overcame two tying homers allowed by their bullpen to beat the Colorado Rockies, 6-5.

David Wright started the 11th with a single off Matt Belisle (1-2) and Lucas Duda followed with a single. After Scott Hairston hit into a fielder's choice, Davis lined a single to left to score Wright and rescue the Mets.

* At St. Louis, Zack Greinke (3-1) worked six strong innings and Jonathan Lucroy's two-run double capped a three-run sixth as the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Cardinals, 3-2, to avoid a three-game sweep.

* At Miami, Wade Miley (3-0) held the Marlins hitless until the sixth inning, and Jason Kubel drove in three runs to lead the Arizona Diamondbacks to an 8-4 victory.

* At Cincinnati, Jay Bruce's fourth home run in four games lifted the Reds to a 6-5 comeback win over the Houston Astros.

Bruce hit reliever Fernando Rodriguez's (0-3) first pitch of the eighth inning 381 feet into the rightfield seats for his seventh homer of the season.

* At San Francisco, Pablo Sandoval homered to back Madison Bumgarner's fourth straight victory, and the Giants beat the Padres, 4-1, to deny San Diego its first series win of the year.

Joaquin Arias added a two-run triple in the sixth inning to turn a one-run lead into 4-1 and help Bumgarner improve to 4-1.