Braunā??s 32nd home run lifts Brewers over Phils

MILWAUKEE — Ryan Braun hit his NL-leading 32nd home run, Yovani Gallardo won his fourth straight start, and the Milwaukee Brewers extended their home winning streak to nine with a 6-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night.

Braun, Gallardo and Nyjer Morgan each drove in two runs for the Brewers.

After Braun struck out with the bases loaded in Milwaukee's four-run fourth — the second out he made in the inning — Braun connected for a two-run homer to center with two outs in the sixth to make it 6-1. He has hit three homers in two games.

Gallardo (12-8) gave up one earned run and four hits, and struck out nine in seven innings.

Vance Worley (6-8) allowed four earned runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings.

WASHINGTON — Michael Morse hit a grand slam, Bryce Harper also homered and the Washington Nationals became the latest team to tag a struggling Johan Santana in their victory over the New York Mets.

Ross Detwiler tossed six solid innings and the Nationals sent Santana to his fifth loss in the last five starts.

Handed a 2-0 lead, the two-time Cy Young Award winner was perfect through three innings. But the NL East leaders strung together four consecutive hits in the fourth, capped by Morse's 12th homer.

Harper, coming off a 3-for-32 road trip, turned on a fastball in the fifth for a two-run shot.

The Nationals, who have the best record in baseball, returned home following an 8-2 trip and have won 10 of 12 overall. Washington began the day four games ahead of second-place Atlanta.

CINCINNATI — Todd Frazier hit a two-run home run, Ryan Ludwick and Jay Bruce added solo shots, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Chicago Cubs in the opener of a four-game weekend series.

Bronson Arroyo survived a shaky start to improve to 5-1 in his last six starts. Arroyo (9-7) gave up nine hits and three runs with three walks, three strikeouts and a wild pitch in 6 1/3 innings.

ST. LOUIS — James McDonald halted a string of ineffective starts with six innings of two-hit ball, helping the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the St. Louis Cardinals in a matchup of NL Central playoff contenders.

Andrew McCutchen singled and scored on a passed ball in a two-run fourth for the Pirates, who also scored on a wild pitch that inning. Pittsburgh totaled 41 runs during its first six games in St. Louis this season.