National League roundup

[April 16, 2009]  ATLANTA, Ga. (AP) -- Florida's starting pitchers carried most of the load for the first seven games of the season, so it was time for its relievers to return the favor.

Four Florida relievers allowed only two hits and no runs in 4 1-3 innings, Dan Uggla drove in three runs for the second straight game and the Marlins continued their fast start, beating the Atlanta Braves 10-4 on Wednesday night.

At 7-1, Florida has its best start since opening 1997 with eight wins in the first nine games.

Neither starting pitcher lasted past the fifth inning.

"We got into their bullpen and they got into ours and we were lucky, we had a better one today," said Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez. "When you go into bullpens early, you just never know what you're going to get, and our guys pitched well today."

Florida's starters had a 2.47 ERA before Andrew Miller lasted only 4 2-3 innings, giving up four runs. Braves starter Derek Lowe pitched five innings and also allowed four runs.

Hayden Penn (1-0), the first of Florida's four relievers, retired all four batters he faced for his first win since Sept. 1, 2005, for Baltimore.

Dan Meyer, Kiko Calero and Renyel Pinto followed Penn.

Penn took over for Miller with Atlanta runners on first and third in the fifth and ended the inning on Yunel Escobar's fly ball to center.

"It feels good to know that they won't hesitate to put me in a spot like that," Penn said.

The Marlins snapped a 4-4 tie in the seventh on Peter Moylan's bases-loaded walk to pinch-hitter Russ Gload. Moylan (0-1) gave up a leadoff single to Jorge Cantu, who scored the go-ahead run on Gload's walk.

Six Atlanta relievers gave up five hits, three walks and six runs in four innings.

Uggla had two hits, including a two-run double in Florida's three-run fifth.

The Marlins padded the lead with five runs in the ninth off Blaine Boyer and Jorge Campillo. Cody Ross, pinch-hitter Wes Helms and Hanley Ramirez had run-scoring singles and John Baker added a two-run hit.

Boyer gave up four runs on two hits, a walk and a hit batter in the ninth and has a 40.50 ERA.

Atlanta's Omar Infante drove in two runs while starting at third base for Chipper Jones, who was held out after aggravating his bruised left thumb in his last at-bat on Tuesday night. He said he doesn't expect to play on Thursday.

Cardinals 12, Diamondbacks 7

At Phoenix, Ryan Ludwick homered and drove in three runs for the Cardinals.

Ludwick is batting .407 and has hit in all seven games he's played this season. He singled home a run in the third inning and added a two-run homer in the sixth.

Chris Duncan added a single, double and triple and two RBIs for St. Louis, which has won six of seven.

St. Louis benefited from eight walks and three Arizona errors. The Cardinals batted around twice, scoring five runs in the third and four more in the sixth.

St. Louis starter Joel Pineiro (2-0) got the win despite giving up five runs in five innings and allowing nine hits, including six doubles.

Jon Garland (1-1) allowed seven runs on seven hits and five walks in 3 2-3 innings.

Rockies 5, Cubs 2

At Chicago, Jason Marquis hit a two-run single against his former team and allowed one run and five hits in seven innings for Colorado.

Marquis (2-0), who spent the previous two years with the Cubs, was booed during introductions before Monday's home opener and again several times Wednesday.

Manuel Corpas pitched a hitless eighth and Huston Street got in trouble in the ninth, allowing a leadoff home run to Derrek Lee followed by a walk to pinch-hitter Mike Fontenot and a single to Reed Johnson.

Harden (0-1) allowed four runs on five hits and four walks in three innings.

Mets 7, Padres 2

At New York, Oliver Perez rebounded from a rough season debut and the Mets earned their first victory at Citi Field.

Carlos Delgado homered and Perez pitched six smooth innings to help New York end San Diego's five-game winning streak. The Padres spoiled Monday night's opener at the $800 million ballpark with a 6-5 victory.

After giving up eight runs and five walks in 4 1-3 innings against Cincinnati last week, Perez (1-1) held the Padres to one run and three hits. He walked only two and struck out four.

Starter Kevin Correia (0-1) gave up two runs in five innings.

Astros 4, Pirates 1

At Pittsburgh, Mike Hampton pitched six shutout innings and the Astros snapped a five-game losing streak.

Hampton (1-1) allowed four singles, walked one and struck out eight. He improved to 11-3 in his career against Pittsburgh and has won seven consecutive starts against the Pirates dating to 2000.

Carlos Lee drove in three runs, Miguel Tejada had three hits and scored two runs, and Lance Berkman added two hits to help revive the Astros' struggling offense.

Adam LaRoche had a homer and Nate McLouth had two hits and reached base three times for the Pirates.

The Astros snapped an 18-inning scoreless streak with two runs in the first against Pittsburgh starter Ross Ohlendorf (0-2).

Brewers 9, Reds 3

At Milwaukee, Mike Cameron hit a pair of home runs to spoil the pitching debut of Micah Owings (0-1) and the Brewers avoided a series sweep.

Milwaukee broke a 3-all tie with five runs in the sixth inning, getting an RBI double by Bill Hall, a two-run double by Jason Kendall and two-run homer by Rickie Weeks to take an 8-3 lead.

The Brewers came in having lost four straight and six of their first eight.

Braden Looper (1-0) gave up three runs and six hits in six innings to earn his first win with the Brewers.

Dodgers 5, Giants 4

At Los Angeles, James Loney drew his second bases-loaded walk with one out in the ninth inning to lift the Dodgers.

Singles by Orlando Hudson and Manny Ramirez gave the Dodgers runners at the corners with none out against reliever Bob Howry (0-1). Andre Ethier was intentionally walked, and Brian Wilson got Russell Martin to ground into a force at the plate with the infield in. But he lost Loney on a 3-2 pitch.

Jonathan Broxton (1-0) pitched a perfect ninth.

Aaron Rowand hit a three-run homer in the eighth against rookie Ronald Belisario, giving the Giants a 4-2 lead after they were held to one hit over the first seven by 21-year-old left-hander Clayton Kershaw, who struck out 13.

[Associated Press; By CHARLES ODUM]

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