CHICAGO – Carlos Zambrano went wild in a ball-tossing, bat-swinging tirade after being ejected, and was gone when Reed Johnson hit a tiebreaking home run in the eighth inning that sent the Chicago Cubs over the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-2 Wednesday.

The Cubs ace was tossed by umpire Mark Carlson in the seventh after Nyjer Morgan scored the tying run on a wild pitch, beating catcher Geovany Soto’s throw to Zambrano at the plate.

Zambrano jumped up, argued the call and appeared to nudge Carlson. The excitable right-hander then pointed in Carlson’s face and gave him the ejection sign.

Zambrano wasn’t finished, either. He threw a ball into left field, slammed his glove against a fence and grabbed a bat to whack a drink dispenser on his way to the clubhouse.

Reds 6, Astros 1

CINCINNATI – Jay Bruce homered twice and Bronson Arroyo pitched a five-hitter Wednesday night, leading Cincinnati to a three-game sweep.

Bruce was in a 1-for-18 slump when he hit a solo shot off Felipe Paulino (1-4) in the fourth. His two-run homer off the right-hander made it 5-1 in the sixth and put the Reds in position for their first sweep of the Astros in Cincinnati since May 2004.

Bruce completed his breakout game with a run-scoring triple in the eighth off Chris Sampson. Cincinnati has won four in a row for the first time this season.

Marlins 6, Phillies 2

PHILADELPHIA – Burke Badenhop pitched five sharp innings for Florida, and Dan Uggla and Cody Ross homered.

Making his first start of the season, Badenhop (3-2) allowed one run and five hits. Matt Lindstrom retired Jimmy Rollins on a liner to center with the bases loaded to end it.

Brett Myers (4-3) gave up five runs and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings for Philadelphia before leaving with right hip inflammation.

Mets 7, Nationals 4

NEW YORK – Daniel Murphy’s tiebreaking homer, a call overturned by umpires in a replay review, led the Mets and an uncharacteristically wild Johan Santana to the victory.

Murphy had a career-best five RBIs and Gary Sheffield hit an early two-run double off rookie Jordan Zimmermann (2-2), helping the injury-ravaged Mets finish a three-game sweep.

Cardinals 3, Brewers 2

MILWAUKEE – Nick Stavinoha had two RBIs and scored the go-ahead run, leading the Cardinals to the win.

St. Louis has won seven of its last nine.

and hasn’t allowed more than three runs in any game in the stretch.

Cardinals starter Todd Wellemeyer (5-4) and the bullpen showcased the best team ERA in the majors (3.58) by silencing the struggling Brewers, who struck out 27 times in the three-game series and have lost five of six to drop out of first for the first time in two weeks.

Ryan Franklin got the final four outs, working around a leadoff walk and a two-out single by Craig Counsell in the ninth for his 12th save.

Manny Parra (3-6) gave up three runs and seven hits in 6 2-3 innings for Milwaukee.

Dodgers 8, Rockies 6

DENVER – Juan Pierre and Mark Loretta hit RBI singles with two outs during a seventh-inning rally, and Los Angeles completed a three-game sweep.

The Dodgers trailed 3-2 before scoring five times in the seventh, capped by James Loney’s three-run double.

Colorado scored three runs in the ninth and had the bases loaded with two outs, but Jonathan Broxton retired pinch-hitter Brad Hawpe on a grounder to end it.

Clayton Kershaw (3-3) allowed three runs and four hits in six innings for Los Angeles.

Colorado’s Ubaldo Jimenez (3-6) pitched 6 2-3 innings, yielding five runs, four earned, and nine hits.

The Rockies lost their fifth in a row at home and dropped a season-low 10 games below .500 overall.

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