Final Score: Florida 2, Chicago 1

Miami, FL - Hanley Ramirez finished 2-for-3 with a home run and a walk, as the Florida Marlins edged the Chicago Cubs, 2-1, in the middle test of a three-game weekend series at Dolphin Stadium. Cody Ross knocked in the other run for the Marlins, who banged out only four hits for the third straight game. With the win, Florida put an end to its three-game slide and remained 3 1/2 games behind New York for the top spot in the NL East after the Mets downed the Pittsburgh Pirates, 7-4, on Saturday. Anibal Sanchez (2-2) allowed just one run on three hits with six strikeouts and a season- high five walks over 5 1/3 innings to pick up the win. Kevin Gregg tossed a scoreless ninth to notch his 27th save. Henry Blanco homered for Chicago, which had won nine consecutive games away from the friendly confines of Wrigley Field. Sean Marshall (2-3) was the hard-luck loser, yielding two runs on four hits and three walks in five innings of work. The towering left-hander, who returned to the starting rotation after a month-plus in the bullpen, matched his career-high with eight punch outs.

Final Score: St. Louis 9, Cincinnati 3

Cincinnati, OH - Albert Pujols hit two of St. Louis' four home runs and finished with three hits, as the Cardinals pounded Cincinnati, 9-3, in the second of three games with the Reds. Joel Pineiro (6-5) had a solid start, as he allowed three runs on seven hits in six innings. He also walked none and struck out six en route to winning his third consecutive start. Skip Schumaker added a three-run homer as part of a two-hit game, while Ryan Ludwick had a two-run shot for the Cardinals, who have won four in a row. Aaron Harang (3-13) was touched for eight runs on seven hits and three walks in just 3 1/3 frames. It was Harang's shortest outing of the season, and he has now lost three consecutive decisions. Brandon Phillips and Andy Phillips each hit a solo homer for the Reds, who have lost three of four.

Final Score: Colorado 13, Washington 6

Washington, DC - Troy Tulowitzki went 3-for-5, scored twice and drove in three runs, as the Colorado Rockies crushed the lowly Washington Nationals, 13-6, in the middle contest of a three-game set. Each Colorado starter except for Matt Holliday recorded an RBI, but the left fielder did score three times. Despite the high-scoring affair, Tulowitzki and Ian Stewart had the only two extra-base hits for the Rockies, who have won three of their last four. Livan Hernandez (11-9) snagged the win in spite of a poor pitching performance that saw the former Washington National yield six runs on 10 hits in six innings of work. Ronnie Belliard went 3-for-4 and had three RBI for the Nats, who have lost nine consecutive games. Lastings Milledge went 3-for-4, scored twice and had an RBI in defeat, while Ryan Zimmerman also tallied an RBI. John Lannan (6-12) was saddled with the loss as he was roughed up for eight runs on seven hits and four walks in four-plus innings. The lefty used 88 pitches in his time on the mound.

Final Score: Atlanta 11, San Francisco 5

Atlanta, GA - Jeff Francoeur woke up from a year-long slump to go 4-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and two RBI to highlight the Atlanta Braves' 11-5 thrashing of the San Francisco Giants in the second test of a four-game set. Greg Norton crushed a two-run homer while Omar Infante had two hits, two runs scored and two RBI to help the Braves snap a five-game skid. Mike Hampton (2-1), who beat San Francisco for his first win in nearly three years earlier in the month, threw six innings while giving up two runs on seven hits and a pair walks in yet another victory. The Giants' Matt Palmer (0-1) made an inauspicious ML debut as he was tagged for six runs on seven hits and four walks in a mere 2 1/3 innings. The 29- year-old right- hander was recalled on Thursday to pitch out of the bullpen but needed to make a spot start as scheduled hurler Jonathan Sanchez was scratched with a left shoulder strain and placed on the 15-day disabled list. Pablo Sandoval recorded his first ML hit during a 3-for-5 effort at the plate, and Ivan Ochoa had two doubles and an RBI for San Fran, which has dropped five of its last six games.

Final Score: Arizona 11, Houston 5

Houston, TX - Miguel Montero hit a pair of home runs, including a grand slam, and added a double as the Arizona Diamondbacks clobbered the Houston Astros, 11-5, in the middle installment of a three-game set at Minute Maid Park. Chris Young added a grand slam, the first time in club history that the team has two slams in one game, while Adam Dunn went 2-for-2 with three walks, an RBI and two runs scored for the Diamondbacks, who have won five of their last six. Yusmeiro Petit (2-3) got the win as he gave up just two runs on four hits with a walk and five strikeouts in seven innings of work for Arizona, which now holds a one-game lead over Los Angeles for first place in the NL West as the Dodgers lost to Milwaukee, 4-3, in 10 innings. Ty Wigginton hit a pair of doubles and a triple, scored twice and drove in a run while Brandon Backe (7-12) gave up all 11 runs on nine hits with five walks in 5 2/3 innings of work for the Astros, who have dropped two straight on the heels of a season-high eight-game winning streak.

Final Score: San Diego 8, Philadelphia 3

San Diego, CA - Chad Reineke did it all in his major league debut, earning a win while getting a hit, an RBI and a run scored to lead the Padres to an 8-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. Reineke (1-0), acquired from the Houston Astros in exchange for Randy Wolf, allowed just three runs on five hits in five innings while striking out five and walking three. Giles drove in four runs and scored once while Jody Gerut went 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored for the Padres, who have won four of seven. Kyle Kendrick (10-7) got hammered for the second consecutive start, lasting only 3 2/3 innings and allowing six runs and six hits. He walked five and struck out two in the loss. Shane Victorino went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored to lead the Phillies, who have lost five of six. Ryan Howard and Greg Dobbs added an RBI apiece for Philadelphia, which fell two games behind the streaking first-place New York Mets in the NL East. The Mets defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates earlier Saturday.

Final Score: Milwaukee 4, Los Angeles 3 (10 innings)

Los Angeles, CA - J.J. Hardy drove in the game-winning run in the 10th as the Milwaukee Brewers downed the Los Angeles Dodgers, 4-3, in the second of a three-game set. Hardy finished 3-for-5 with a two-run home run while Mike Cameron drove in the other run for the Brewers, who have won nine of their last 11 games. Dave Bush started on the mound and gave up two runs on five hits in seven innings of work. Salomon Torres (6-3) got the win despite blowing his fifth save of the season. Andre Ethier hit a two-run home run while Manny Ramirez drove in the other run for the Dodgers, who had a five-game winning streak snapped and now sit one game back of the Diamondbacks for first place in the NL West. Derek Lowe started the game and was charged with just one run and eight hits in seven innings of work. Jonathan Broxton (3-4) got the loss for blowing the game in the 10th inning.