PHILADELPHIA – It was the kind of game Phillies fans had seen thousands of times before.

Now, make it 10,000 times.

Bad starting pitching, brutal relief and hardly any hitting. Oh, and lots of booing.

Loss No. 10,000 came Sunday night when Albert Pujols hit two of the St. Louis Cardinals’ six homers in a 10-2 rout of Philadelphia.

After combining for 23 runs and 37 hits in the first two games of the series, the Phillies were held in check by Adam Wainwright (8-7). He allowed six hits over seven scoreless innings against the highest-scoring team in the National League.

Philadelphia, with a 46-45 record this year, fell five games behind the NL East-leading New York Mets.

Pujols hit a two-run shot in the fifth that was followed by Chris Duncan’s 17th of the year for a 6-0 lead. Pujols, Juan Encarnacion and Adam Kennedy each homered in the seventh to make it 9-0. Ryan Ludwick hit a solo shot in the eighth for a 10-0 lead.

Philadelphia broke up the shutout in the ninth when Michael Bourn hit his first major league homer and Chase Utley added an RBI double.

Adam Eaton (8-6) allowed 10 hits and six runs in four-plus innings.

Cubs 7, Astros 6

CHICAGO – Derrek Lee broke a streak of 126 at-bats without a home run with a three-run shot in the second inning to help the Chicago Cubs complete a three-game sweep of the Houston Astros with a 7-6 win on Sunday.

The Cubs have won 15 of their past 19 games and swept the Astros in a three-game series at Wrigley Field for the first time since May 1984.

Ryan Theriot and Angel Pagan also homered for the Cubs.

Reliever Michael Wuertz (2-2) earned the victory. He got one out in the seventh with bases loaded and pitched a perfect eighth inning. Bob Howry earned his fifth save.

Mike Lamb homered for the Astros, who have lost six straight on the road.

Astros starter Wandy Rodriguez (6-8) couldn’t hold an early 5-0 lead. He allowed six runs on seven hits in the second inning.

Mets 5, Reds 2

NEW YORK – Jose Reyes homered, Oliver Perez won in his return from the disabled list and New York got another big hit from Lastings Milledge in a victory.

Reyes connected for the second time in the series, helping the Mets take three of four from Cincinnati. The NL East leaders, who have won eight of 10 at home, remained 1 games ahead of second-place Atlanta.

Adam Dunn knocked out a scoreboard panel with a long home run for Cincinnati, which has lost 14 of 20 on the road.

Perez (8-6) allowed two runs and six hits in six innings.

Reds starter Kyle Lohse (5-11) threw 100 pitches but failed to get out of the fifth. He gave up five runs and six hits in 4 2-3 innings with three walks and three strikeouts.

Braves 5, Pirates 1

ATLANTA – Buddy Carlyle pitched eight impressive innings to win his third straight decision and surging Atlanta got four hits from Edgar Renteria, completing a three-game sweep of Pittsburgh.

Atlanta has won four straight, seven of eight and 12 of 16.

Carlyle (4-2) gave up one run and four hits. He struck out four and did not walk a batter. The right-hander improved to 3-0 over his past four starts.

Paul Maholm (5-12) allowed three runs – two earned – and eight hits in six innings. He walked one and struck out two.

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Brewers 4, Rockies 3

MILWAUKEE – Pinch-hitter Kevin Mench’s tiebreaking RBI triple in the seventh lifted Milwaukee.

Mench scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-2 for the Brewers (51-40).

Colorado, which had won six of eight, dropped below .500 to 45-46.

Jeremy Affeldt (4-2) had retired 16 of his previous 17 batters before Geoff Jenkins’ double. Matt Wise (3-1) pitched one scoreless inning in relief of Jeff Suppan and got the win.

Derrick Turnbow gave up a solo homer to Brad Hawpe in the eighth, but Francisco Cordero pitched a scoreless ninth for his 28th save in 31 chances.

Marlins 5, Nationals 3

MIAMI – Miguel Cabrera hit two solo home runs and Josh Willingham added another to help Florida defeat the Washington.

Willingham homered for the third straight game. Cabrera, who withdrew from Monday night’s All-Star Home Run Derby with a shoulder injury, has hit three homers in his past two games.

Scott Olsen (7-7) gave up two runs and six hits in five innings. He walked five and struck out two and improved his home record to 5-2. Kevin Gregg was the fourth Marlins reliever and earned his 20th save in 21 chances.

Jason Simontacchi (6-7) allowed five runs and nine hits in 4 1-3 innings.

Padres 4, Diamondbacks 0

PHOENIX – Justin Germano drove in a run and gave up none to help San Diego avoid a three-game sweep.

Milton Bradley drove in two runs and Brian Giles had three hits for San Diego.

Germano (6-3) gave up four hits in 6 1-3 innings, walking three and striking out four. Germano, who is hitting .333 (5-for-15), also singled home a run in the sixth, when the Padres chased All-Star Brandon Webb. Webb (8-7) allowed three earned runs and a season-high 11 hits in 5 2-3 innings. He walked two and struck out 10.

Heath Bell, Scott Linebrink and Doug Brocail completed San Diego’s 13th shutout, most in the majors.

Dodgers 5, Giants 3

SAN FRANCISCO – Los Angeles scored twice on squeeze bunts, held Barry Bonds without a hit all series and won its 11th straight game in San Francisco.

Bonds’ hitless stretch reached a season-worst 20 at-bats with an 0-for-5 showing – his longest period without a hit since 2001.

Los Angeles’ streak is the club’s longest in any city since 13 straight wins at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park from 1976-77.

Brett Tomko (2-7) pitched five innings for the win in his first start since May 21 against Milwaukee. Takashi Saito bounced back from consecutive blown saves for his 24th save in 27 chances.

Noah Lowry (9-7) had his winning streak snapped at three starts and saw the end of his seven-game unbeaten run at home.


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