Phils' Padilla loses no-hitter late, blanks Diamondbacks

PHILADELPHIA -- Vicente Padilla came within four outs of a no-hitter against his former team and finished with a two-hitter, leading the Philadelphia Phillies over the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-0 Friday night.

The 24-year-old right-hander from Nicaragua retired 14 consecutive batters before pinch-hitter Chris Donnels doubled with two outs in the eighth. Miguel Batista singled leading off the ninth, and Padilla (5-2) finished for his first complete game in eight major league starts -- all this season.

Padilla, one of four players acquired by Philadelphia in the Curt Schilling trade in July 2000, helped the Phillies to their seventh straight victory, their longest winning streak since May 4-10, 1995. Doug Glanville hit an inside-the-park home run and Bobby Abreu also homered off Rick Helling (3-4).

Expos 6, Giants 3

MONTREAL -- Javier Vazquez pitched eight crisp innings and Orlando Cabrera and Vladimir Guerrero each had three hits as Montreal ended San Francisco's season-high seven-game winning streak.

Vazquez (2-2) scattered six hits -- including a leadoff homer and an RBI single by David Bell -- for his second win in three starts.

Montreal won its second straight after a season-high six-game losing streak.

Rockies 9, Mets 5

NEW YORK -- Todd Helton homered twice and Jason Jennings (3-2) held the Mets in check again as Colorado handed New York its sixth straight loss.

Juan Pierre hit a three-run double, Jose Ortiz went 4-for-5 with two RBIs and Todd Hollandsworth had three hits for the Rockies, who improved to 9-4 under new manager Clint Hurdle.

Marlins 4, Dodgers 3

MIAMI -- Luis Castillo's bases-loaded bloop single off Giovanni Carrara (2-1) in the ninth inning drove in the winning run, and first-place Florida won its fifth game in a row.

The Marlins, who have never led the NL East this late in the season, retained a one-game edge over Montreal. The Marlins are five games above .500 for the first time this season and off to their fastest start after 35 games at 20-15.

Los Angeles scored once in the ninth against closer Vladimir Nunez (4-0) to tie it, taking undefeated rookie Kazuhisa Ishii off the hook for the loss.

Braves 7, Padres 3

ATLANTA -- Andruw Jones homered twice and had five RBIs, hitting a three-run drive off Jeremy Fikac (3-2) in the eighth inning for Atlanta.

Jones had the 13th two-homer game of his career. He hit a two-run shot in the fourth, tying it at 2, and helped the Braves overcome a 3-2 deficit in the eighth.

Pirates 5, Astros 1

PITTSBURGH -- Jimmy Anderson (3-4) took a shutout into the seventh inning, and Kevin Young hit his first homer in nearly a month to lead Pittsburgh past slumping Houston.

Houston has lost seven of 10 to fall a season-high six games under .500 at 14-20.

Brewers 6, Cubs 4

CHICAGO -- Tyler Houston tied it with a three-run homer, and Jeffrey Hammonds hit a two-run shot for Milwaukee.

Richie Sexson homered for the second straight day for the Brewers, who have won their first two games in Chicago after losing nine straight on the road.

Roosevelt Brown drove in a pair of runs, and Joe Girardi went 4-for-5 and got his first RBI of the season. But it wasn't enough for the Cubs, who dropped their third straight.

-- From wire reports