By The Associated Press

BALTIMORE – Gustavo Chacin took a three-hitter into the seventh inning, and Shea Hillenbrand scored a run and drove in one to help the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Baltimore Orioles 6-2 Monday.

Chacin (12-8) gave up one run, four hits and a walk in 6 1-3 innings to earn his first win in seven starts since July 31. The rookie left-hander was 0-3 in that span, including a loss at home against Baltimore on Wednesday in which Orioles starter Bruce Chen pitched eight scoreless innings.

This time, Chacin got the best of Chen (11-9), who allowed two runs and five hits in six innings.

Chacin was lifted in the seventh with runners on second and third and one out. Vinnie Chulk gave up a run-scoring grounder to B.J. Surhoff before retiring Chris Gomez on a fly ball to preserve Toronto’s 2-1 lead.

The Blue Jays added two runs in the eighth. After Orlando Hudson hit a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded, Alex Rios scored from second on a throwing error by right fielder David Newhan, who made a sensational diving catch on a liner by Reed Johnson before attempting to double-up the runner at first. But first baseman Jay Gibbons wasn’t there, and the ball rolled into the Baltimore dugout.

Indians 2, Tigers 0

DETROIT – Scott Elarton won for the first time in more than a month, allowing four hits in 6 1-3 innings as the Cleveland Indians beat the Detroit Tigers 2-0 Monday and pulled within 11/2 games of the AL wild-card lead.

Jose Hernandez homered to help send Detroit to its fifth straight loss. The Tigers haven’t scored in 19 innings.

Elarton (8-7) walked two and struck out six, combining with two relievers on an eight-hitter. He had been 0-2 in five starts since Aug. 2.

Mariners 2, Athletics 0

OAKLAND, Calif. – Teen phenom Felix Hernandez dazzled again, and Adrian Beltre and Greg Dobbs each had an RBI to provide the necessary run support in the Seattle Mariners’ 2-0 win over the struggling Oakland Athletics on Monday.

Yuniesky Betancourt had a triple for Seattle, which handed the A’s their fifth loss in six games. The 19-year-old Hernandez (3-2) pitched seven shutout innings to beat A’s rookie Joe Blanton, efficiently getting groundout after groundout and giving up just one fly ball that reached the outfield.

Rangers 7, Twins 0

MINNEAPOLIS – David Dellucci hit a three-run double to back a strong start by Kameron Loe, and the Texas Rangers beat the Minnesota Twins 7-0 Monday.

Loe (8-4) allowed five hits in eight innings, the longest of his three starts this season. C.J. Wilson pitched a one-hit ninth as Texas won for the 11th time in 15 games.

On Aug. 26, Loe pitched five innings in a 6-0 win against the Twins at Texas. He is unbeaten in three starts this season.

Astros 4, Phillies 3

PHILADELPHIA – Andy Pettitte pitched 5 2-3 scoreless innings, Lance Berkman hit a three-run homer and the Houston Astros moved into first place in the NL wild-card standings with a 4-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday night.

The Astros moved a half-game ahead of Philadelphia and one game ahead of Florida with their 10th consecutive win over the Phillies. Washington is 11/2 games behind Houston, while the New York Mets trail by three games. Pettitte (14-9) allowed three hits, struck out five and walked none. Dan Wheeler escaped a jam with the bases loaded in the seventh, and Brad Lidge pitched the ninth for his 33rd save, although he gave up one run and had the tying run at third and the winning run at second before getting the final out.

Brewers 6, Reds 1

CINCINNATI – J.J. Hardy singled with the bases loaded in the eighth inning to drive in the go-ahead run and Geoff Jenkins tied his career-high with five hits to back the efficient pitching of Tomo Ohka as the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Cincinnati Reds 6-1 on Monday night.

With the score tied at 1 and one out, the Brewers loaded the bases against Matt Belisle (3-7) on singles by Jenkins and Wes Helms and a walk to Damian Miller. With the Cincinnati infield at double play depth, Hardy bounced a single through the hole into left field to drive in Jenkins. Kent Mercker replaced Belisle and gave up an almost identical run-scoring single to pinch-hitter Jeff Cirillo. Brady Clark hit into a double play to end the inning.

Cardinals 6, Cubs 4

ST. LOUIS – Albert Pujols hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the eighth inning, leading the St. Louis Cardinals over the Chicago Cubs 6-4 Monday.

Jeff Suppan didn’t allow any earned runs in six innings, and five relievers finished as St. Louis stopped the Cubs’ three-game winning streak.

With the score 2-all in the eighth, Chicago loaded the bases on a hitter batter and two walks before Ray King (4-2) retired Todd Walker on an inning-ending flyout.

Braves 4, Mets 2

ATLANTA – Chipper Jones hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the eighth inning and drove in three runs, leading the Atlanta Braves over the New York Mets 4-2 Monday.

Andruw Jones also hit his major league-leading 45th homer for the Braves, who improved to 49-20 against the Mets at Turner Field, including 5-1 this year. Atlanta estimated his home run went 452 feet, the sixth-longest at Turner Field and the longest by a Brave.

Chipper Jones hit an RBI double that tied the score in the first and homered in the eighth against Steve Trachsel (1-1). Jones has 34 homers against the Mets, second among active players to Barry Bonds’ 35, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. He also has a .337 career average in 531 at-bats against New York with 102 RBIs.

Giants 3, Dodgers 1

LOS ANGELES – Julio Ramirez scored the go-ahead run on a throwing error by third baseman Mike Edwards in the eighth inning, helping the San Francisco Giants defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1 on Monday night for their sixth straight victory.

The second-place Giants trail idle San Diego by five games in the NL West. The third-place Dodgers fell 71/2 games behind the Padres, losing their fourth in a row.

LaTroy Hawkins (2-5) earned the victory despite facing one batter and giving up the game-tying sacrifice fly to pinch-hitter Ricky Ledee. Hawkins came on with the bases loaded and one out. Ledee’s fly ball to center scored Jose Cruz Jr., but Jason Werth was thrown out trying to advance to third.