ST. LOUIS (AP) The top offense in the major leagues surfaced again on Saturday. Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella only asks that his team try to minimize the lows.
Mike Fontenot hit a three-run homer and had a career-best four RBIs, leading Chicago to a 9-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.
Geovany Soto added a two-run double in a four-run sixth for the Cubs, who finished with 12 hits and are averaging six runs per game. They've also scored three or fewer in 13 games, five times during a recent stretch of six losses in eight games.
"We've got a good offense," Fontenot said. "We've had a little lull for a little bit, but I think in the long scheme of things our offense will come through."
It was more than enough for Ted Lilly, who worked seven solid innings, recorded his 1,000th strikeout and added his second career extra-base hit. The only thing Piniella didn't like about Lilly's day was his needless belly-flop side into second on what should have been a stand-up double to start the seventh.
"Oh Lord," Piniella said, shaking his head. "Left his hands nice and low so the shortstop or second baseman could step on them or he could jam them."
Kyle Lohse (3-1) faced 10 batters in the fourth and allowed eight runs overall in six-plus innings, entering the game with a 2.36 ERA and exiting at 3.79. He had won seven consecutive decisions dating to last season.
Lohse matched a career worst for runs allowed and Fontenot's homer was the first he had given up in 42 2-3 innings dating to 2007.
"That one inning was a bad time," Lohse said. "One inning where it just got out of whack."
Albert Pujols hit his sixth homer for St. Louis and has reached base in all 31 games, two shy of his career-best start in 2005. Yadier Molina also went deep in front of a Busch Stadium-record sellout crowd of 46,792.
Lilly (2-4) hit a season best for innings, allowing three runs and six hits. He is 2-1 with a 2.84 ERA in his last three starts, recovering from an 0-3 record and 9.16 ERA his first four outings.
Lilly struck out four, giving him 1,002 for his career, and walked none while throwing a season-high 112 pitches. He believes he's been making do with lower velocity, although he's happy with his arm strength.
"I don't even know what it is on the gun, I just don't think it's to where it'll be at some point, and hopefully it's soon," Lilly said. "I still feel like even if that's not the case I should be able to go out there and win games and change speeds and locate."
Diamondbacks 10, Mets 4
PHOENIX (AP) Brandon Webb became the majors' first seven-game winner, Augie Ojeda drove in a career-high six runs and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the New York Mets 10-4 on Saturday.
Webb (7-0) matched Randy Johnson in 2000 for the fastest start by a Diamondbacks pitcher.
On the day he was selected NL pitcher of the month for April, Webb went six innings, allowing a season-high four runs. He gave up five hits, walked two and struck out three.
Webb was sailing along with a 5-1 lead when Ryan Church singled and Carlos Beltran walked in the sixth. With two out, Carlos Delgado hit a 1-1 delivery deep into the right-field seats to cut Arizona's lead to 5-4.
The Diamondbacks responded with five runs in the eighth against Duaner Sanchez.
Astros 6, Brewers 2
HOUSTON (AP) Pitcher Brandon Backe and Michael Bourn hit back-to-back home runs in a five-run fifth inning and Houston beat Milwaukee.
It was the second night in a row the Astros have hit consecutive home runs, after they hit three straight in the series opener.
Backe (2-3) pitched 5 2-3 solid innings for his first win since April 12. He allowed five hits and two runs with three strikeouts and five walks.
Backe and Bourne not exactly the Astros vaunted "Killer B's" came in with five career home runs combined in 316 at-bats.
Braves 9, Reds 1
ATLANTA (AP) Jo-Jo Reyes gave up one run in 5 1-3 innings, and Atlanta broke open a close game with a six-run seventh inning.
Reyes (1-0), recalled from Triple-A Richmond for the start in place of the injured John Smoltz, gave up four hits and one run in 5 1-3 innings. He walked three and struck out five.
Relievers Jeff Bennett, Will Ohman, Jorge Campillo, Blaine Boyer and Chris Resop finished with 3 2-3 perfect innings.
Reds starter Matt Belisle (1-2) gave up eight hits and two runs in 5 1-3 innings.
Giants 3, Phillies 2, 10 innings
PHILADELPHIA (AP) Bengie Molina singled in the go-ahead run in the 10th inning to lift San Francisco over Philadelphia.
Chase Utley hit his major league-leading 13th homer and Geoff Jenkins had a solo shot for the Phillies, who had won nine of 12.
Fred Lewis had a solo homer for the Giants, who already are 7 1/2 games behind Arizona in the NL West.
Brian Wilson picked up his 10th save in 12 chances. Jack Taschner (1-0) pitched a scoreless ninth.
Randy Winn singled with one out in the 10th off Rudy Seanez (2-2). After Winn stole second, Molina lined a 3-1 pitch to the left-field wall to drive him in.
Nationals 9, Pirates 8
WASHINGTON (AP) Cristian Guzman tied a career high with six RBIs, including a tiebreaking three-run double in the sixth inning, and Washington held off Pittsburgh.
Guzman went 4-for-5 and scored two runs for the Nationals, who have won five of six. He also had six RBIs on June 24, 2001, for Minnesota at Detroit.
Guzman got Washington off to a fast start with a two-run homer off Paul Maholm (2-3) in the first inning. Jose Bautista homered and drove in three runs for the Pirates. He has three homers and seven RBIs in the last two games.
Jesus Colome (1-1) got five outs and Jon Rauch worked the ninth for his seventh save in nine opportunities.
Padres 7, Marlins 2
MIAMI (AP) Jake Peavy won for the first time in more than three weeks and Tadahito Iguchi hit the go-ahead two-run double to help San Diego beat Florida.
Peavy (4-1) allowed two runs, five hits, walked two and struck out eight in 5 2-3 innings. It was the 2007 National League Cy Young Award winner's first win since April 11.
Mike Jacobs homered and Jeremy Hermida had three hits for the Marlins, who have dropped four of five.
Yankees 6, Seattle 1
NEW YORK (AP) Johnny Damon homered and doubled twice to help Mike Mussina win his third straight start in the New York Yankees' 6-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Saturday.
One day after co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner said he was "disappointed with the way the season has gone," the Yankees (16-16) had 13 hits and beat Seattle for the second consecutive day following a three-game sweep by the Detroit Tigers.
Damon scored three times and Mussina (4-3) outpitched Felix Hernandez (2-2) for his 254th win, passing Carl Hubbell on the career wins list while tying Jack Morris and Hall of Famer Red Faber for 39th place.
Twins 4, Tigers 1
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Craig Monroe hit a two-run homer off Justin Verlander and Brian Bass got his first major league win in relief of injured starter Scott Baker, leading the Minnesota Twins to a 4-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday night.
Red Sox 12, Rays 4
BOSTON (AP) Manny Ramirez singled in two runs in the first inning to end his longest RBI drought with Boston and Josh Beckett pitched eight innings.
Ramirez also threw out a runner at the plate. Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz each had three hits and Jason Varitek drove in three runs for Boston, which has won four of five after a five-game losing streak.
Beckett (3-2) allowed four runs and seven hits, struck out five and walked one.
