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Final Score: Philadelphia 6, Pittsburgh 5

Chris Coste went 3-for-5 with three runs batted in, and the Philadelphia Phillies avoided a collapse and held on for a 6-5 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first of a three-game series at PNC Park. Jayson Werth was 2-for-4 with a solo home run, two RBI and two runs scored for the Phillies, winners in five of their last six. Rookie Brad Harman, making his first major league start, doubled, knocked in a run and scored a run -- all career firsts -- while Pat Burrell and Chase Utley each crossed the plate. Tom Gordon (2-2) earned the win with a scoreless inning of relief, while Brad Lidge hurled a perfect ninth innings for his sixth save. Starter Adam Eaton lasted just 3 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on five hits. Xavier Nady went 2-for-4 with three RBI for the Pirates, while Jason Bay clubbed a solo homer. Ryan Doumit doubled twice and scored twice, and Doug Mientkiewicz also drove in a run in the loss for Pittsburgh, which have lost their last two games. Zach Duke (0-2) took the loss after being tagged for six runs on nine hits over six frames.

Final Score: Atlanta 6, New York 3

Kelly Johnson belted the go-ahead two-run homer in the sixth inning and drove in four runs, and Atlanta limited the Mets to a pair of hits in a 6-3 win to begin a three-game series. Jair Jurrjens (3-2) allowed two hits and three runs -- all on bases-loaded walks -- over six innings to get the win. The bullpen combination of Will Ohman, Blaine Boyer, Royce Ring and Manny Acosta combined for the final three hitless innings. Gregor Blanco had three hits and scored once for the Braves, who have won seven of their last nine games. David Wright, Carlos Beltran and Ryan Church all knocked in runs for the Mets, but each didn't have a hit. In fact, New York's only hits of the night came on singles by Marlon Anderson and Raul Casanova to start the bottom of the third inning. Mike Pelfrey (2-1) was charged with nine hits and five runs in 5 1/3 innings for the Mets, losers in five of their last six games.

Final Score: Washington 5, Chicago 3

Wil Nieves' home run in the bottom of the ninth inning, the first homer of his career, lifted the Washington Nationals to a 5-3 win over the Chicago Cubs at Nationals Park.mNick Johnson also hit a two-run homer for Washington, which has won two in a row. Lastings Milledge finished 2-for-2 with two walks and a run batted in, as the Nationals won the opener of a three-game series. Nieves' first homer in 163 career at-bats made a winner out of Jon Rauch (2-0), who threw a perfect top of the ninth. Starter Odalis Perez surrendered two runs on five hits in six innings, while walking four and fanning seven.Ryan Theriot, Aramis Ramirez and Kosuke Fukudome each had two hits for the Cubs, who have lost two straight. Bob Howry (0-2) got tagged with the loss after giving up Nieves' homer. Ryan Dempster was solid in a seven-inning start, giving up three runs -- two earned -- on four hits.

Final Score: Florida 3, Milwaukee 0 (10 innings)

Hanley Ramirez scored the game-winning run on an infield hit, as the Florida Marlins needed 10 innings to defeat the Milwaukee Brewers, 3-0 in a pitcher's duel at Miller Park. With the bases loaded in the 10th, Wes Helms hit a dribbler to the left side of the infield. Shortstop J.J. Hardy made a nice back-handed stab but couldn't throw out the fleet-footed Ramirez in a close play at the plate. The Marlins then added two insurance runs to seal the win. Kevin Gregg (3-0) picked up the win after tossing scoreless ninth and tenth innings, while Jeremy Hermida and Mike Rabelo each notched three hits for the Marlins. Scott Olsen was again effective on the hill, allowing no runs on four hits and five walks through 7 1/3 innings. Counterpart Yovani Gallardo also threw a gem, scattering six hits and two walks, while fanning five in seven scoreless innings for Milwaukee, which has dropped two straight. Guillermo Mota (1-1) was credited with the loss after a tough 10th inning, and Jason Kendall was the only Brewer to tally two hits.

Final Score: Houston 3, St. Louis 2

Carlos Lee's solo homer provided the go- ahead run, as the Houston Astros took advantage of a Jason Isringhausen meltdown in the ninth to beat St. Louis, 3-2, at Busch Stadium. Shawn Chacon went seven innings and allowed two runs -- one unearned -- on five hits in the start for Houston, which has won six in a row. Wesley Wright (3-0) pitched a scoreless eighth for the win, while Jose Valverde picked up his fourth save of the season. Darin Erstad went 2-for-4 with a double, while Miguel Tejada tripled and drove in a run in this opener of a three-game series that was delayed two hours by rain. Isringhausen (1-2) gave up three runs in the ninth inning to absorb the loss after Braden Looper's solid outing. The Cardinals starter gave up just two hits and a walk while striking out two in seven innings. Adam Kennedy had a hit and an RBI, while Yadier Molina singled and walked twice for St. Louis, which has lost three of four.

Final Score: Arizona 5, San Diego 1

Mark Reynolds hit a three-run homer and Randy Johnson threw six solid innings, as the Arizona Diamondbacks topped the San Diego Padres, 5-1, in the opener of a three-game set. Johnson (1-1) surrendered just one run on three hits, while walking two and fanning seven to earn his first win since June 10, 2007. Orlando Hudson went 2-for-5 with a run batted in and Chris Young doubled for Arizona, which has won two in a row, four of five, and eight of 10. Randy Wolf (2-1) lost for the first time this season after giving up five runs on seven hits in just four innings of work -- though he walked none and struck out three. Callix Crabbe drove in the lone run for the Padres, who have lost five straight.

Final Score: San Francisco 3, Cincinnati 1

Jonathan Sanchez was brilliant in eight- plus innings of work, out-dueling Aaron Harang in San Francisco's 3-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in the first of three-game set at AT&T Park. Sanchez (2-1) struck out 10 while allowing just one run -- a ninth inning homer -- on four hits and a lone walk, as San Francisco won its third straight game. Brian Wilson recorded his eighth save of the season with a scoreless ninth. Bengie Molina had two hits and two RBI, while Eugenio Velez tallied two hits and two runs scored for the victors. Brandon Phillips hit a home run for the Reds, who have dropped three consecutive games. Harang (1-3) was again the hard-luck loser, allowing three runs -- two earned -- on eight hits, while striking out eight in 7 1/3 solid innings for Cincinnati, which dropped the opener of a nine-game road trip.

Final Score: Los Angeles 8, Colorado 7 (13 innings)

Russell Martin's sacrifice fly in the 13th inning drove in the winning run, as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Colorado Rockies, 8-7, in the first of three straight games at Chavez Ravine. In the 13th, Matt Kemp reached on a fielding error by shortstop Clint Barmes and advanced to third on a single by Gary Bennett. After Chan Ho Park grounded out, Taylor Buchholz issued an intentional walk to James Loney to load the bases. Martin then hit a ball deep enough to right field that allowed Kemp to cross the plate. Hiroki Kuroda surrendered five runs on nine hits over six innings in a no- decision. Takashi Saito allowed the tying run in the ninth, while Park (1-0) tossed three scoreless innings to earn the victory. Martin finished 4-for-4 and drove in two runs for the Dodgers, who have won two of their last three contests. Jeff Kent was 2-for-5 with two runs scored, while Juan Pierre added two RBI as the Dodgers also snapped a seven-game losing streak to Colorado. Ubaldo Jimenez was roughed up for six runs on seven hits and three walks in 2 1/3 innings for Colorado. Buchholz (1-2) yielded one unearned run in 2 2/3 innings of work. Garrett Atkins went 3-for-6 with two RBI and Scott Podsednik doubled twice for Colorado, which has dropped five of its last six games. Troy Tulowitzki and Matt Holliday each had two hits and scored twice, while Todd Helton notched a pair hits and walked three times. The game was played in 4 hours, 38 minutes, eight nights after the Rockets beat San Diego in 22 innings in a game that lasted 6 hours, 16 minutes.