Nats whip Braves to avoid sweep

ATLANTA - Nyjer Morgan had two hits and scored two runs Thursday in his return from the disabled list and Willie Harris padded the lead with a two-run homer in the ninth as the Washington Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves, 6-2.

John Lannan (5-5) gave up two runs and seven hits in 51/3 innings to win his third straight start.

Derek Lowe (11-11) pitched seven innings for Atlanta, yielding four runs and six hits.

The Nationals avoided a three-game sweep and stopped Atlanta's four-game winning streak.

Braves first baseman Eric Hinske was 0 for 4 with three strikeouts. Atlanta should have a new starter at that position on Friday, when Derrek Lee, acquired from the Cubs for three minor-leaguers, joins the club.

Michael Morse, making only his fourth start of the season at first base, helped Washington get off to a fast start with a solo drive in the second inning for his ninth homer.

Catcher Brian McCann was positioned for an inside pitch, but Lowe left it out over the plate and Morse's drive landed about 10 rows deep in the left-field seats. The shot ended a streak of 841/3 consecutive innings without a homer allowed by an Atlanta pitcher.

The Braves scored two runs off Lannan in the sixth. Omar Infante and Jason Heyward reached on singles and scored on Matt Diaz's double to the right-field corner.

Washington 011 002 002 – 6 7 0

Atlanta 000 002 000 – 2 7 0

Washington AB   R   H   BI   Avg.      Atlanta AB   R   H   BI   Avg.   

Morgan cf 5   2   2   0   .263      Infante 2b 3   1   2   0   .342

Desmond ss 2   0   1   1   .268      Heyward rf 3   1   1   0   .256

Bernadina lf 4   1   1   1   .267      Prado 3b 4   0   1   0   .320

Zimmerman 3b 3   0   1   1   .304      M.Diaz lf 4   0   1   2   .236

Morse 1b 4   1   1   1   .285      McCann c 3   0   0   0   .270

A.Kennedy 2b 3   1   0   0   .258      Ale.Gonzalez ss 4   0   2   0   .259

W.Ramos c 4   0   0   0   .000      Me.Cabrera cf 4   0   0   0   .266

W.Harris rf 4   1   1   2   .180      Hinske 1b 4   0   0   0   .250

Lannan p 2   0   0   0   .059      D.Lowe p 2   0   0   0   .098

Jo.Peralta p 0   0   0   0   .000      b-Conrad ph 1   0   0   0   .250

a-Mench ph 1   0   0   0   .111      M.Dunn p 0   0   0   0   .000

Clippard p 0   0   0   0   .500      Moylan p 0   0   0   0   ---

S.Burnett p 0   0   0   0   ---      Farnsworth p 0   0   0   0   ---

c-A.Dunn ph 1   0   0   0   .266      Totals 32   2   7   2      

Storen p 0   0   0   0   .500

Totals 33   6   7   6      

a-grounded out for Jo.Peralta in the 7th. b-struck out for D.Lowe in the 7th. c-struck out for S.Burnett in the 9th. LOB: Washington 4, Atlanta 6. 2B: Bernadina (14), M.Diaz (14), Ale.Gonzalez (6). HR: Morse (9), off D.Lowe; W.Harris (6), off Farnsworth. RBIs: Desmond (50), Bernadina (33), Zimmerman (70), Morse (23), W.Harris 2 (22), M.Diaz 2 (25). SB: Morgan (30), Heyward (9). S: Desmond. RLSP: Washington 1 (Morse); Atlanta 2 (D.Lowe, McCann). RA: M.Diaz. DP: Washington 2 (Desmond, Morse), (Morse, Desmond).

Washington walks (3): Desmond, Zimmerman, A.Kennedy.

Atlanta walks (3): Infante, Heyward, McCann.

Washington strikeouts (10): Morgan, Desmond, Bernadina, Zimmerman, Morse, W.Ramos 2, W.Harris, Lannan, A.Dunn.

Atlanta strikeouts (9): Prado, McCann 2, Me.Cabrera 2, Hinske 3, Conrad.

Washington IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO   NP   ERA   

Lannan (W 5-5) 51/3   7   2   2   1   5   105   5.13

Jo.Peralta (H 4) 2/3   0   0   0   0   0   1   2.70

Clippard (H 20) 12/3   0   0   0   2   3   30   3.09

S.Burnett (H 17) 1/3   0   0   0   0   0   5   2.76

Storen 1   0   0   0   0   1   15   2.54

Atlanta IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO   NP   ERA   

D.Lowe (L 11-11) 7   6   4   4   0   6   98   4.32

M.Dunn 2/3   0   0   0   1   2   15   0.00

Moylan 1/3   0   0   0   1   1   7   2.98

Farnsworth 1   1   2   2   1   1   21   11.12

IR-S: Jo.Peralta 2-0, S.Burnett 2-0, Moylan 1-0. IBB: off Moylan (Zimmerman). WP: D.Lowe, M.Dunn. Umpires: Home, Gerry Davis; First, Brian Knight; Second, Sam Holbrook; Third, Scott Barry.

T: 3:00. A: 15,593 (49,743).

Padres 5, Cubs 3

CHICAGO - Will Venable hit a two-run single in the seventh inning as San Diego rallied to beat Chicago and give them their first four-game sweep of Chicago in their 42-year history.

The four-run seventh - capped by Venable's dash home when the Cubs weren't paying attention to him - made a winner of Mat Latos and helped the NL West-leading Padres to their 10th victory in 11 games.

The Cubs lost their seventh straight at home, their longest skid at Wrigley Field since 2006.

San Diego 010 000 400 – 5 8 0

Chicago 000 002 001 – 3 7 0

San Diego AB   R   H   BI   Avg.      Chicago AB   R   H   BI   Avg.   

Hairston Jr. 2b 4   0   0   1   .252      Fukudome rf 3   1   1   0   .258

M.Tejada ss 4   1   0   0   .297      S.Castro ss 4   0   0   0   .312

Ad.Gonzalez 1b 5   1   1   0   .297      Byrd cf 4   1   1   1   .306

Ludwick rf 4   1   1   1   .276      Ar.Ramirez 3b 4   0   2   1   .230

Headley 3b 4   0   2   0   .278      Nady 1b 4   0   0   0   .231

Torrealba c 4   1   1   0   .300      A.Soriano lf 4   1   1   0   .263

Venable lf 3   1   1   2   .231      DeWitt 2b 4   0   2   1   .275

Denorfia cf 3   0   2   0   .289      K.Hill c 4   0   0   0   .203

Latos p 3   0   0   0   .140      Zambrano p 1   0   0   0   .226

Thatcher p 0   0   0   0   ---      a-Fuld ph 1   0   0   0   .000

Gregerson p 0   0   0   0   ---      Marshall p 0   0   0   0   .000

H.Bell p 0   0   0   0   ---      Berg p 0   0   0   0   ---

Totals 34   5   8   4         b-Colvin ph 1   0   0   0   .249

Mateo p 0   0   0   0   .000

Cashner p 0   0   0   0   .000

Totals 34   3   7   3      

a-flied out for Zambrano in the 6th. b-struck out for Berg in the 7th. LOB: San Diego 10, Chicago 5. 2B: Byrd (31), Ar.Ramirez (14). RBIs: Hairston Jr. (49), Ludwick (53), Venable 2 (41), Byrd (54), Ar.Ramirez (57), DeWitt (38). S: Latos. RLSP: San Diego 4 (Headley, M.Tejada 2, Venable); Chicago 2 (Nady, K.Hill). RA: Ad.Gonzalez.

San Diego walks (7): Hairston, M.Tejada, Ludwick, Headley, Torrealba, Venable, Denorfia.

Chicago walks (1): Fukudome.

San Diego strikeouts (5): M.Tejada, Ad.Gonzalez, Ludwick, Torrealba, Venable.

Chicago strikeouts (12): Fukudome, S.Castro, Byrd, Ar.Ramirez, Nady 2, A.Soriano, DeWitt 2, K.Hill 2, Colvin.

San Diego IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO   NP   ERA   

Latos (W 13-5) 7   5   2   2   1   10   91   2.33

Thatcher (H 10) 1/3   0   0   0   0   1   6   1.37

Gregerson (H 31) 2/3   0   0   0   0   0   5   2.72

H.Bell (S 37-40) 1   2   1   1   0   1   17   1.84

Chicago IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO   NP   ERA   

Zambrano 6   4   1   1   6   1   112   4.97

Marshall (L 6-4)(BS 2-3) 1/3   4   4   4   1   0   20   2.86

Berg 2/3   0   0   0   0   0   5   4.64

Mateo 1   0   0   0   0   2   13   10.13

Cashner 1   0   0   0   0   2   17   5.97

IR-S: Berg 2-1. Umpires: Home, D.J. Reyburn; First, Gary Cederstrom; Second, Ed Hickox; Third, Fieldin Culbreth.

T: 2:48. A: 30,687 (41,210).

Marlins 4, Pirates 2

PITTSBURGH - Alex Sanabia pitched 72/3 innings of four-hit ball and Gaby Sanchez hit a three-run homer as Florida beat Pittsburgh.

Sanabia (2-1) allowed one run, struck out five and walked none in his fifth career start. He was recalled from triple-A New Orleans on Wednesday night.

Andrew McCutchen homered for the third time in four games for Pittsburgh (40-81), which clinched its 18th consecutive non-winning season.

Florida 000 004 000 – 4 8 0

Pittsburgh 000 000 011 – 2 6 0

Florida AB   R   H   BI   Avg.      Pittsburgh AB   R   H   BI   Avg.   

Bonifacio ss 4   1   0   0   .226      A.McCutchen cf 4   1   1   1   .278

Morrison lf 3   1   1   0   .289      Tabata lf 4   0   1   0   .300

G.Sanchez 1b 4   1   1   3   .284      N.Walker 2b 4   0   1   0   .297

Uggla 2b 4   0   1   0   .293      G.Jones 1b 4   0   0   0   .253

Stanton rf 4   0   1   0   .266      Alvarez 3b 4   0   0   0   .245

C.Ross cf 4   1   1   0   .261      Doumit rf 3   0   0   0   .249

Helms 3b 4   0   1   1   .225      Snyder c 3   1   1   0   .226

R.Paulino c 4   0   2   0   .259      A.Diaz ss 3   0   2   1   .280

Sanabia p 1   0   0   0   .000      Maholm p 0   0   0   0   .106

Hensley p 0   0   0   0   .000      Gallagher p 0   0   0   0   .000

c-Tracy ph 1   0   0   0   .232      a-LaRoche ph 1   0   0   0   .223

L.Nunez p 0   0   0   0   ---      Ledezma p 0   0   0   0   ---

Totals 33   4   8   4         D.McCutchen p 0   0   0   0   .091

b-Del.Young ph 1   0   0   0   .244

Hanrahan p 0   0   0   0   ---

Totals 31   2   6   2      

a-flied out for Gallagher in the 6th. b-struck out for D.McCutchen in the 8th. c-struck out for Hensley in the 9th. LOB: Florida 7, Pittsburgh 3. 2B: C.Ross (23), Snyder (9), A.Diaz (1). HR: G.Sanchez (13), off Maholm; A.McCutchen (12), off L.Nunez. RBIs: G.Sanchez 3 (58), Helms (23), A.McCutchen (36), A.Diaz (1). S: Sanabia, Maholm. RLSP: Florida 4 (G.Sanchez, Bonifacio 2, Stanton); Pittsburgh 2 (A.McCutchen, Delw.Young). GIDP: Stanton. DP: Florida 1 (G.Sanchez); Pittsburgh 1 (Alvarez, N.Walker, G.Jones).

Florida walks (3): Bonifacio, Morrison 2.

Florida strikeouts (5): Bonifacio, G.Sanchez, Stanton, C.Ross, Tracy.

Pittsburgh strikeouts (8): G.Jones 3, Alvarez, Doumit 2, Snyder, Delw.Young.

Florida IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO   NP   ERA   

Sanabia (W 2-1) 72/3   4   1   1   0   5   85   3.77

Hensley (H 19) 1/3   0   0   0   0   1   4   2.78

L.Nunez (S 28-35) 1   2   1   1   0   2   20   3.16

Pittsburgh IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO   NP   ERA   

Maholm (L 7-12) 52/3   8   4   4   2   2   90   4.92

Gallagher 1/3   0   0   0   0   1   7   5.35

Ledezma 1   0   0   0   1   1   21   8.68

D.McCutchen 1   0   0   0   0   0   9   6.65

Hanrahan 1   0   0   0   0   1   12   3.96

IR-S: Hensley 1-0, Gallagher 3-0. HBP: by Maholm (Sanabia). WP: Ledezma. Umpires: Home, Ron Kulpa; First, Lance Barksdale; Second, Ed Rapuano; Third, Tom Hallion.

T: 2:30. A: 15,783 (38,362).

Astros 3, Mets 2

HOUSTON - Carlos Lee hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning as Houston rallied to beat New York.

Angel Sanchez and Hunter Pence singled with no outs before Lee drove Pat Misch's next pitch to the Crawford Boxes in left field. Misch (0-2) was rolling before the trouble in the seventh, retiring 16 straight hitters after Pence's two-out double in the first.

Bud Norris (6-7) pitched seven solid innings for Houston, yielding two runs and two hits. Wilton Lopez worked the eighth before Brandon Lyon tossed a perfect ninth for his fifth save, completing the three-hitter.

New York 000 200 000 – 2 3 0

Houston 000 000 30x – 3 6 1

New York AB   R   H   BI   Avg.      Houston AB   R   H   BI   Avg.   

Jos.Reyes ss 4   0   1   0   .285      Bourn cf 3   0   0   0   .248

L.Castillo 2b 4   0   0   0   .236      An.Sanchez ss 4   1   1   0   .290

Pagan cf-lf 3   1   0   0   .294      Pence rf 4   1   2   0   .285

D.Wright 3b 3   1   0   0   .290      Ca.Lee 1b 3   1   1   3   .248

I.Davis 1b 3   0   0   0   .240      Michaels lf 3   0   0   0   .254

Francoeur rf 4   0   0   1   .231      C.Johnson 3b 3   0   0   0   .340

Carter lf 3   0   1   1   .267      Blum 2b 3   0   0   0   .263

Beltran cf 0   0   0   0   .226      Quintero c 3   0   1   0   .220

Barajas c 3   0   0   0   .225      Norris p 2   0   0   0   .188

Misch p 2   0   1   0   .333      W.Lopez p 0   0   0   0   ---

Acosta p 0   0   0   0   ---      b-Bourgeois ph 1   0   1   0   .237

a-Thole ph 1   0   0   0   .281      Lyon p 0   0   0   0   ---

P.Feliciano p 0   0   0   0   ---      Totals 29   3   6   3      

Igarashi p 0   0   0   0   ---

Totals 30   2   3   2      

a-grounded out for Acosta in the 8th. b-singled for W.Lopez in the 8th. E: Ang.Sanchez (4). LOB: New York 4, Houston 3. 2B: Pence (25). HR: Ca.Lee (16), off Misch. RBIs: Francoeur (49), Carter (15), Ca.Lee 3 (65). SB: Pagan (30). CS: I.Davis (1). S: Bourn. RLSP: New York 2 (Carter, Pagan); Houston 3 (Ca.Lee, Pence 2). RA: I.Davis, Francoeur.

New York walks (2): Pagan, I.Davis.

New York strikeouts (5): L.Castillo, Pagan, D.Wright, Barajas, Misch.

Houston strikeouts (4): Ang.Sanchez, Pence, C.Johnson 2.

New York IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO   NP   ERA   

Misch (L 0-2) 6   4   3   3   0   1   69   3.00

Acosta 1   0   0   0   0   1   12   3.18

P.Feliciano 1/3   2   0   0   0   0   17   3.02

Igarashi 2/3   0   0   0   0   2   9   7.65

Houston IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO   NP   ERA   

Norris (W 6-7) 7   2   2   2   2   4   123   5.23

W.Lopez (H 11) 1   1   0   0   0   0   12   2.89

Lyon (S 5-6) 1   0   0   0   0   1   13   3.57

Misch pitched to 3 batters in the 7th. IR-S: Igarashi 2-0. HBP: by Norris (D.Wright). PB: Quintero. Umpires: Home, Angel Hernandez; First, Dan Bellino; Second, Rob Drake; Third, Joe West.

T: 2:30. A: 26,271 (40,976).