PITTSBURGH – Aramis Ramirez’s sacrifice fly scored the go-ahead run during a two-run 12th inning in which the Cubs didn’t have a hit off rookie Evan Meek, and Chicago rallied after squandering a seven-run lead to win the Pittsburgh Pirates’ home opener 10-8 Monday.

Former starter Jon Lieber (1-1) gave a depleted bullpen a big lift with three scoreless innings before Carlos Marmol finished up in the 12th for his first save since June 27, helping the Cubs win their third in the row.

John Russell followed his five immediate predecessors as the Pirates’ manager, a group that includes World Series winners Jim Leyland and Chuck Tanner, by losing his home debut. The Pirates have dropped their last four home openers and 13 of 15. Pittsburgh rallied from a 7-0 deficit in the third inning.

Marlins 10, Nationals 7

WASHINGTON – Hanley Ramirez, Dan Uggla and Robert Andino homered, four relievers combined for 5 2-3 innings of one-run ball, and Florida beat the Washington Nationals 8-7 to stay atop the NL East.

The Nationals, meanwhile, dropped their fifth consecutive game after a 3-0 start, guilty of some sloppy fielding that led to six unearned runs at a less-than-half-full $611 million Nationals Park.

Phillies 5, Reds 3

CINCINNATI – Pat Burrell hit two of Philadelphia’s four homers off Bronson Arroyo, a power splurge that swept Philadelphia to a 5-3 victory and a split of their four-game series with the Cincinnati Reds.

Jimmy Rollins and Geoff Jenkins also homered off Arroyo (0-1), who had never before given up more than three in a game. Left-hander Cole Hamels (1-0) overcame a maddening first, when the Reds scored both of their runs with the help of a walk and an error. Hamels gave up five hits and three walks in seven innings.

Brad Lidge, who came off the disabled list Saturday after recovering from knee surgery, gave up a run in the ninth before closing it out for his first save.

Padres 8, Giants 4

SAN FRANCISCO – Greg Maddux earned his 348th career win, Adrian Gonzalez went 4-for-5 with a homer and four runs, and the San Diego Padres spoiled the San Francisco Giants’ first home opener since cutting ties with Barry Bonds by winning 8-4.

So far, the post-Bonds era has provided few highlights for the Giants. While the fans were still getting settled following a pregame ceremony that honored Willie Mays, Orlando Cepeda, Felipe Alou and other members of the 1958 team that was the first in San Francisco, the Padres jumped out to an early lead against Matt Cain (0-1).

Tadahito Iguchi doubled with one out in the first and Gonzalez followed with his second homer of the season, an opposite field shot to left-center.

Rockies 2, Braves 1

DENVER – Matt Holliday hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth, Aaron Cook pitched seven strong innings and the Colorado Rockies snapped a five-game losing streak with a 2-1 win over the Atlanta Braves on Monday night.

Tom Glavine gave up three hits in 6 1-3 shutout innings but got his second straight no-decision despite owning a 0.79 ERA in two starts.

Astros 5, Cardinals 3

HOUSTON – Miguel Tejada’s two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth gave the Houston Astros a 5-3 win over St. Louis, snapping a five game winning streak for the Cardinals.

Tejada’s home run to right field off Kyle McClellan (0-1) scored pinch runner Darin Erstad. The Astros led 3-0 before the Cardinals three-hit ninth inning. Ryan Ludwick’s two-out, two RBI double off closer Jose Valverde (2-0) tied it at 3.

in the top of the ninth. Cesar Izturis scored easily on the hit to right center field. Astros pitcher J.R. Towles was in position to tag Troy Glaus at home, but couldn’t hold onto the ball during a collision and Glaus scored the tying run.

A single by Aaron Miles and a walk by Izturis set up an RBI single by Glaus.

Yadier Molina grounded into a force out to end that inning.

Back-to-back homers by Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee broke a scoreless tie in the seventh inning. Berkman’s home run, which came off Cardinals starter Todd Wellemeyer, bounced off the wall in center field and put Houston ahead 1-0. Lee followed with his third home run of the year, a shot that bounced off the facade in left field.

The Astros got a solid performance from lefty Wandy Rodriguez, who pitched 7 1-3 scoreless innings with three hits, six strikeouts and no walks.

J.R. Towles added a run with a solo homer to left field off Kelvin Jimenez in the eighth inning.

Neither team could get anything going offensively early with the teams managing just two hits apiece through the first six innings.

After Pujols singled with two outs in the first, Rodriguez retired nine straight batters. Glaus doubled after that, but Ryan Ludwick struck out swinging to end the fourth inning. That out was the first of 11 straight outs for Houston and Rodriguez wouldn’t allow another hit until he was chased by a single by Yadier Molina with one out in the eighth.

The Astros had managed only a pair of singles against Wellemeyer, a leadoff one by Michael Bourn and one to start the fifth inning by Tejada, before the pair of seventh inning homers.

Wellemeyer allowed five hits with two runs, seven strikeouts and a walk. Bourn, in his first year playing for his hometown Astros, upped his stolen base total for the season to six with a pair on Monday.

It was Houston’s home opener after opening the season with a seven game road trip. It was the first time since 2000 the Astros didn’t open the season at home.