HOUSTON—Wandy Rodriguez struck out seven, and the Houston Astros again stifled the Chicago Cubs’ offense in 4-1 victory on Saturday night.

Rodriguez allowed nine hits, including a solo homer by Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano, but Chicago stranded seven runners and dropped its third straight game. The Cubs lost 2-1 to the Astros Friday night.

Carlos Lee and Miguel Tejada had RBIs for the Astros, who’ve won four in a row and five of their last six.

Zambrano (10-4) allowed four runs and walked six, a season high. He hit his 14th career homer in the seventh inning, a Cubs record for a pitcher.

Rodriguez, 2-for-25 at the plate coming into the game, led off the Houston third with a bloop single to right. He went to second on Kaz Matsui’s groundout and scored on Lee’s single to left. Lee has 16 RBIs in July.



Marlins 9, Phillies 5

MIAMI—Rookie catcher John Baker drove in four runs and hit one of three homers for Florida Marlins, who tightened the race in the NL East by beating Philadelphia.

Dan Uggla added a two-run homer, his 24th, and Jeremy Hermida hit his 11th. The Marlins lead the majors with 138 home runs.

Pat Burrell hit two solo homers for Philadelphia, giving him 25 this year.

Florida’s homers came off Kyle Kendrick (8-4), who allowed 10 hits and seven runs in 4 1-3 innings. Scott Olsen (6-4) allowed four runs, three earned, in five innings.



Brewers 8, Giants 5

SAN FRANCISCO—Rickie Weeks hit a two-run double to cap a four-run sixth inning, Prince Fielder homered and the Brewers remained unbeaten against the Giants.

Ryan Braun missed hitting for the cycle by a home run for Milwaukee, which had had nine extra-base hits while winning its third straight.

Milwaukee trailed 4-2 in the sixth before scoring four times to break the game open. One run scored on a wild pitch and another came home on an error by Giants catcher Bengie Molina — both on the same play. Weeks then doubled to left-center to drive in two more and give the Brewers a 6-4 lead.

Fielder added his 20th home run of the year off San Francisco reliever Osiris Matos (0-2) in the seventh, a towering shot that easily cleared the stands in right field and landed in the waters of McCovey Cove. It marked the 15th consecutive game in which the Brewers have homered, tying the third-longest streak in franchise history. The club record is 19, set in 1996.



Nationals 8, Braves 2

ATLANTA—John Lannan won his rookie matchup against Jair Jurrjens, Willie Harris continued his strong series against his former Atlanta teammates and Washington rolled past Atlanta.

Harris, a part-time starter for Atlanta last season, had three hits, two RBIs, a stolen base and scored three runs. He made a diving catch of a line drive by Gregor Blanco in center field to end the game and has five hits in the first two games of the series.



Cardinals 6, Padres 5

ST. LOUIS—Albert Pujols had three hits and four RBIs, helping St. Louis rally from five runs down to beat sagging San Diego.

Todd Wellemeyer (8-4) allowed one hit in his last 4 1-3 innings after surrendering five runs on four hits in the first two frames and Ryan Franklin worked the last two innings for his 14th save in 18 chances. The Cardinals have won four in a row, also erasing a 3-run deficit in Friday’s 11-7 victory. They are 5-1 against the Padres.