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PHILADELPHIA — Cole Hamels pitched a two-hitter, Ryan Howard drove in the only run with a fourth-inning double and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the San Francisco Giants 1-0 Tuesday night.
Hamels (8-8) allowed a leadoff double to Ryan Garko in the second inning and a single to pinch-hitter Rich Aurilia to start the ninth. He struck out nine and walked one in his fourth career shutout and second this season. The left-hander extended his scoreless innings streak to 19, tying a career best, and won for the first time since July 28 against Arizona.
Jonathan Sanchez (6-11) was the hard-luck loser for the Giants. He allowed one run and three hits, striking out eight in six innings.
Cardinals 7, Brewers 6
ST. LOUIS — Matt Holliday’s three-run homer snapped a seventh inning tie, lifting Joel Pineiro to his eighth straight win and the St. Louis Cardinals to a victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.
Albert Pujols added his major league-leading 42nd homer for the Cardinals, who are a major-league best 26-9 since the July 24 trade with the Athletics for Holliday. They’re 30-4 since July 1 in starts by their big three — Adam Wainwright, Chris Carpenter and Pineiro.
Rookie Casey McGehee hit a three-run homer in the first and matched his career high with four RBIs for the Brewers, who entered a three-game series against the NL Central leaders with a three-game winning streak.
Cubs 4, Astros 1
CHICAGO — Randy Wells became the first Cubs rookie in 11 years to reach 10 wins with another strong outing against the Houston Astros, and Milton Bradley homered in Chicago’s victory.
In his previous two starts against Houston, Wells (10-7) pitched 14 scoreless innings. On Tuesday, he allowed just one unearned run and seven hits in 6 2-3 innings, striking out four and walking two.
Kerry Wood was the last Cubs rookie to win 10 games, in 1998. Wells is Chicago’s first 10-game winner this season.
Cubs reliever John Grabow and Kevin Gregg each got two outs and closer Carlos Marmol pitched a scoreless ninth for his seventh save in 11 chances.
Reds 11, Pirates 5
CINCINNATI — Craig Tatum drove in four runs to double his previous career total and Justin Lehr overcame control problems as the Cincinnati Reds sent the Pittsburgh Pirates to their sixth consecutive loss.
Wladimir Balentien hit a two-run homer, Jonny Gomes had three hits and Paul Janish and Kevin Barker also drove in two runs each as the Reds reached double figures in runs for the third time this season and scored their most since setting a season high in a 13-5 win May 11 at Arizona.
Lehr (4-1) finished with five walks, one short of the six he allowed in his first career start July 31. He also gave up six hits and four runs with two strikeouts in six innings.