TORONTO – Vicente Padilla pitched seven strong innings, Ian Kinsler had three hits and the Texas Rangers beat Toronto 4-1 on Thursday night, handing the Blue Jays their fifth straight home defeat.

Rangers outfielder David Murphy went 3-for-4 with three doubles. He scored twice and drove in a run and Texas won its second straight following a five-game losing streak.

Padilla (2-1) allowed one run and seven hits with three walks and two strikeouts.

The last time Toronto dropped five straight at home was April 20-24, 2005.

One night after 16 pitchers were needed for a 14-inning, 4:53 game, this one was gentler on the bullpens. Halladay went the distance for Toronto, while Jamey Wright worked the eighth for Texas before handing it over to C.J. Wilson, who worked the ninth for his fifth save, second in as many games.

Phillies 10, Astros 2

PHILADELPHIA – Brett Myers pitched seven impressive innings, Chris Coste tied a career high with four hits and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Houston Astros 10-2 Thursday.

Ryan Howard and Pat Burrell had back-to-back homers for the Phillies, who tied a season-high with 16 hits. Chase Utley added a two-run shot.

Carlos Lee and 33-year-old Miguel Tejada hit solo homers for the Astros. Tejada told reporters before the game that he’s actually two years older than he’s listed in the club’s media guide and other baseball records.

Myers (2-1) allowed one run and five hits in his second straight solid outing. His eight strikeouts were a season-high for the Phillies.

Reds 9, Cubs 2

CHICAGO – Dusty Baker got a win at Wrigley Field while managing the Cincinnati Reds, thanks to Joey Votto and Ken Griffey Jr.

Votto doubled with the bases loaded, homered, drove in five runs and made a nice defensive play and Griffey hit his 596th career homer Thursday as Cincinnati beat the Chicago Cubs 9-2 to end a five-game losing streak.

With the wind blowing in at Wrigley for the first time in the three-game series, Votto delivered the key hits and Baker beat the team he managed from 2003-2006. The Cubs won the first two games, 9-5 and 12-3.

Braves 8, Marlins 0

MIAMI – With John Smoltz on the mound and Chipper Jones at the plate, their team looked like the Atlanta Braves of old.

The Braves began Thursday night’s game off to their worst start since 1990, but Smoltz and Jones provided a lift to help beat the Florida Marlins 8-0.

Smoltz pitched five shutout innings and struck out 10, increasing his career total to 2,996. Jones went 4-for-4 with two homers and three RBIs.

There were other heroes: Atlanta hit five homers, including three in a row off Ricky Nolasco. Four relievers combined to pitch four hitless innings and complete a three-hitter with 16 strikeouts.

But Smoltz and Jones remain the best thing about this year’s dismal start for the injury-plagued Braves, who snapped a three-game losing streak and won for only the third time in 10 road games.

Indians 11, Tigers 1

CLEVELAND – Fausto Carmona allowed a run in 6 2-3 innings, Ryan Garko and Travis Hafner hit two-run homers and the Cleveland Indians beat the Detroit Tigers 11-1 on Thursday night.

Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander remained winless in four starts, falling to 0-3. He allowed five runs and seven hits in five innings. Verlander walked four and struck out one.

Orioles 6, White Sox 5

BALTIMORE – Adam Jones singled in the game-winning run in the 10th inning, capping a late comeback that gave the Baltimore Orioles a 6-5 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night.

Baltimore trailed 5-2 in the eighth before rallying to split the two-game series.

Kevin Millar led off the 10th with a walk from Boone Logan (1-1) and advanced on a walk to Luke Scott. After Aubrey Huff hit a fly to left, Jones hit a liner inside the left-field line that scored Millar without a throw.