By The Associated Press

Padres 10, Diamondbacks 2

PHOENIX – Greg Maddux won for the first time in Phoenix and San Diego took a one-game lead in the NL West.

Maddux extended his streak without a walk to 49 1-3 innings over seven starts, and improved to 2-10 lifetime against the Diamondbacks – and that doesn’t include two losses in the 2001 NLCS while with Atlanta.

Brian Giles hit two of the Padres’ five home runs, and San Diego opened a one-game lead over Arizona, its biggest margin in the NL West since the All-Star break.

Geoff Blum, Adrian Gonzalez and Kevin Kouzmanoff also homered for the Padres, who have beaten the Diamondbacks four times in five games over the last eight days.

Maddux (11-9) gave up two runs and six hits in 6 1-3 innings. He struck out five and walked none.

Arizona starter Micah Owings (6-8) faced 14 Padres and gave up four hits – all home runs.

Dodgers 11, Cubs 3

CHICAGO – Esteban Loaiza outpitched Carlos Zambrano in his Dodgers’ debut, helping Los Angeles stay within four games of the NL West lead.

Loaiza allowed three runs in seven innings and James Loney backed him with three RBIs.

NL Central-leading Chicago maintained a 1-game lead over Milwaukee and a two-game margin over St. Louis.

Loaiza (1-0) was claimed off waivers from Oakland on Wednesday. He gave up nine hits, struck out three and walked one, throwing 96 pitches. He also hit a two-run single.

Zambrano (14-12) lost his fifth straight start, giving up eight runs for the first time since June 22, 2005, at Milwaukee. He lasted 4 1-3 innings, his shortest outing since he went four innings against Cincinnati on April 13.

Braves 5, Phillies 1

ATLANTA – Lance Cormier did not give up a home run for the first time in seven starts and Brian McCann hit a two-run double in a three-run fourth inning that lifted Atlanta to a win over Philadelphia.

The Phillies are 1-3 since sweeping a four-game series from the New York Mets last week, and fell five games back in the NL East.

The Braves snapped a three-game losing streak and avoided falling to .500 for the first time since June 24.

Cormier (2-4) had given up 13 homers in 32 innings before Monday’s start. He earned his second straight win, giving up four hits – including three to Chase Utley – and one run in 5 2-3 innings.

Jamie Moyer (12-11) struck out seven but gave up nine hits and four runs in 5 2-3 innings.

Rockies 7, Giants 4

DENVER – Chris Iannetta’s two-run triple highlighted a seven-run third inning and Colorado opened a crucial six-game homestand with a win over San Francisco.

The Rockies moved within four games of Arizona in the wild-card race. They are five games above .500 for the first time since Aug. 15.

Rockies starter Jeff Francis (15-6) went 5 2/3 innings, giving up three runs and nine hits. His 15 wins are the most by a Colorado pitcher since Shawn Estes had 15 in 2004.

Colorado’s big third inning came mostly at the expense of Giants starter Matt Cain. The Rockies roughed up Cain (7-14) for six runs and five hits in the inning before he was lifted in favor of reliever Pat Misch.

Astros 9, Brewers 7

MILWAUKEE – The Brewers’ bullpen coughed up a three-run lead in the eighth inning.

Astros rookie Hunter Pence hit a key two-run triple during the rally, and the Brewers had a three-game winning streak snapped.

Pence tripled off right-handed reliever Greg Aquino (0-1) to tie the game at 7. Pence then scored on a passed ball by Brewers catcher Johny Estrada.

Dave Borkowski (4-3) got the final two outs in the seventh and took the victory. Chad Qualls retired two batters for his fourth save.

It was a happy homecoming for Astros interim manager Cecil Cooper, who took over for fired manager Phil Garner last week. Cooper was a five-time All-Star in 11 seasons with the Brewers.

Nationals 6, Marlins 3

WASHINGTON – Jason Bergmann struck out nine and Wily Mo Pena homered to lead Washington over Florida.

Austin Kearns went 3-for-4 with an RBI for the Nationals, who moved one game ahead of Florida at the bottom of the NL East. Washington won for the third straight time since losing seven in a row.

Bergmann (3-5) gave up four hits, a walk and a run in seven innings to win for just the second time since May 14. His nine strikeouts were one fewer than his season high.

Florida starter Rick VandenHurk (4-5) pitched 5 1-3 innings, allowing six runs and a season-high eight hits. He walked one and struck out six.

Pirates 11, Cardinals 0

ST. LOUIS – Ian Snell threw seven scoreless innings to win for only the second time in 11 starts and Pittsburgh ended a five-game losing streak by routing Kip Wells and St. Louis.

Jack Wilson matched a career high with four hits, including a two-run home run, and had three RBIs as the Pirates emerged from a skid in which they were outscored 35-13. Ronny Paulino and Freddy Sanchez both went 3-for-4 with two RBIs.

Cardinals pitchers gave up a double-digit run total for the 17th time this season, five of them in games started by Wells (6-16), and dropped back to .500.

Snell (9-11) allowed five hits and a season-high five walks in seven scoreless innings, striking out four and stranding the bases loaded in the fifth.