CINCINNATI – Jon Lieber became only the second pitcher in Chicago Cubs history to give up four homers in an inning, and Joey Votto connected three times in all as the Cincinnati Reds powered their way to a 9-0 victory on Wednesday.

Votto started a four-homer second inning off Lieber (2-2), who was making his first start of the season. Adam Dunn and Paul Bako also had solo shots, and Jerry Hairston Jr.’s two-run homer completed the history-matching rally.

Brandon Phillips and Votto had back-to-back solo homers off Sean Marshall in the fifth. An inning later, Votto completed the biggest game of his two-year career with a two-run drive off Sean Gallagher, giving him seven overall for the season.

Given a chance to hit a fourth homer, Votto grounded out in the eighth against Michael Wuertz.

The seven homers were Cincinnati’s most since it hit an NL-record nine at Philadelphia on Sept. 4, 1999. Votto became the 23rd Reds player to hit three in a game, the first since Aaron Boone on May 8, 2003.

Mets 12, Dodgers 1

LOS ANGELES – John Maine became the first New York starter this season to pitch more than seven innings, taking a shutout into the ninth.

Maine (4-2) hit a two-run single and was two outs from his third shutout and complete game in the majors when Matt Kemp hit an RBI single, extending his hitting streak to 12 games. A day before his 27th birthday, Maine allowed four hits in 8 1-3 innings and won his third straight start.

Brad Penny (5-3) allowed 10 runs in 4 2-3 innings, the most off him in 236 career big league starts. He gave up 10 hits for the third time in eight starts this season.

Braves 5, Padres 2

ATLANTA – Pinch-hitter Greg Norton broke a seventh-inning tie with a bases-loaded single and Atlanta won its fifth straight.

With the game tied 2-2, Padres starter Randy Wolf (2-2) was lifted after loading the bases in the seventh on Brian McCann’s double, Matt Diaz’s single and Mark Kotsay’s walk.

Kelly Johnson’s fly ball to center drove in Diaz, and Yunel Escobar added a run-scoring single to left for a 5-2 lead. Wolf gave up eight hits and five runs with four walks and one strikeout.

Pirates 3, Giants 1

PITTSBURGH – Xavier Nady hit a two-run homer to spoil Barry Zito’s mostly effective return to the Giants rotation and Pittsburgh’s Phil Dumatrait pitched 5 2-3 scoreless innings for his first career win.

Zito (0-7), roughed up in each of his first six starts, was far better after spending 10 days working out his problems in the bullpen.

The left-hander worked five innings, allowing three hits, two runs, two walks and five strikeouts was easily his best of the season.

Marlins 6, Brewers 2

MIAMI – Florida rookie Burke Badenhop pitched 5 2-3 innings for his first major league victory and Milwaukee lost its fifth game in a row.

Jorge Cantu and Dan Uggla hit back-to-back homers for Florida. Hanley Ramirez singled twice, walked twice and scored twice.

Indians 3, Yankees 0

NEW YORK – Cliff Lee threw seven sharp innings Wednesday night to beat Chien-Ming Wang in a matchup of unbeaten starters, leading the Cleveland Indians past the New York Yankees.

Lee (6-0) became the first Indians pitcher to win his first six starts since Greg Swindell in 1988 and lowered his major league-best ERA to a microscopic 0.84. The left-hander has allowed just four earned runs in 44 2-3 innings after a rough 2007 that included a stint in the minors. He hasn’t walked a batter in 28 straight innings.

Wang (6-1) allowed three runs and five hits in seven innings for the Yankees, who dropped to 3-5 on their nine-game homestand.

Royals 9, Angels 4

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – David DeJesus and Alex Gordon both homered and Kansas City, the lowest-scoring team in the AL, banged out 14 hits.

Zack Greinke (4-1) went seven innings for the victory as the Royals snapped the Angels’ four-game winning streak and won at home for just the fourth time in 13 games.

Blue Jays 6, Rays 2

TORONTO – Shaun Marcum came one out away from a shutout and Scott Rolen hit a two-run homer.

Marcum (4-2) struck out nine, allowing two runs in 8 2-3 innings. He won back-to-back starts for the first time this season and lowered his ERA to 2.59.

Athletics 6, Orioles 5

OAKLAND, Calif. – Mark Ellis broke out of his offensive funk in a big way, hitting the first game-ending home run of his career with two outs in the 10th inning.

Ellis connected on a 1-0 pitch from loser Lance Cormier (0-1), a solo shot that hit the left-field foul pole. Ellis ended his 0-for-17 funk with a two-out single with two outs in the sixth.

Dallas Braden (1-0) pitched 2 1-3 innings and the A’s sent Baltimore to its season-worst fifth straight defeat. Oakland moved to a season-best eight games over .500 at 22-14.