PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Roy Halladay started the game by throwing 18 straight strikes and helped Philadelphia set a club record with its 18th victory in April as the Phillies beat the New York Mets 2-1 on Saturday.
Halladay (4-1) allowed one run and seven hits. He walked one while striking out eight to lead the Phillies to their third straight victory. Philadelphia went 17-5 in April 1993.
The NL Cy Young award winner cruised in the beginning of the game- he threw all strikes the first time he went through the Mets' order, and didn't toss a ball until missing high to Jose Reyes in the third inning.
It was his seventh straight win over the Mets dating to the 2006 season.
Mets starter Jonathon Niese (2-3) took the loss after Placido Polanco's sacrifice fly in the seventh broke a 1-1 tie.
Cardinals 3, Braves 2
ATLANTA (AP) - Gerald Laird's ninth-inning triple capped a late rally to give the Cardinals a win over the Braves.
Backed by rookie Brandon Beachy's seven scoreless innings to start the game, the Braves led 2-0 before St. Louis began its comeback. David Freese tied the game with a two-run single in the eighth before Laird's go-ahead triple drove in Matt Holliday.
Closer Craig Kimbrel (0-1), who had a blown save in the Braves' 5-3 loss to the Cardinals in 11 innings on Friday night, couldn't hold a 2-2 tie in the ninth.
Holliday led off with a single to right, advanced to second on catcher Brian McCann's passed ball, and scored on Laird's one-out triple to left.
Miguel Batista (2-1) earned the win.
Giants 2, Nationals 1
WASHINGTON (AP) - Taken out of the starting lineup, slumping Aubrey Huff drew a bases-loaded walk as a pinch hitter to force home the go-ahead run, and the Giants overcame Jonathan Sanchez's wild start and Brian Wilson's wild finish to edge the punchless Nationals.
Sanchez walked or hit seven of Washington's first 10 batters but allowed just two hits and one unearned run in his five innings. Guillermo Mota (2-0) pitched a perfect sixth for the win, and four other relievers followed with hitless work.
Still, Wilson made it interesting in the ninth. He walked two batters and hit Jayson Werth to load the bases with two outs, before striking out Adam LaRoche swinging for his eighth save.
John Lannan (2-3) allowed two runs in 6 2-3 innings.
Astros 2, Brewers 1
HOUSTON (AP) - Jason Bourgeois singled home the winning run with two outs in the ninth inning for Houston.
Kameron Loe (2-2) walked pinch-hitter Brett Wallace and Michael Bourn with two outs. Bourgeois followed with his third hit, and pinch-runner Bill Hall scored.
Bourgeois also doubled and stole two bases.
Prince Fielder's sixth homer of the season was a tying, solo shot with one out in the ninth off Houston closer Brandon Lyon (3-1). Casey McGehee singled after that, but Lyon retired the next two batters to get out of the inning.
Rockies 4, Pirates 1
DENVER (AP) - Jason Hammel shook off a leadoff home run to pitch seven strong innings and Chris Iannetta backed him with a three-run homer.
Hammel (3-1) allowed six hits, including Andrew McCutchen's eighth career homer to start a game.
But Hammel kept the Pirates in check after that, striking out four and walking two. He also benefited from a Rockies defense that turned three double plays.
Rafael Betancourt pitched a scoreless eighth and Huston Street got the final three outs for his NL-leading 10th save in 10 chances.
Paul Maholm (1-4) allowed four runs on seven hits in seven innings.
Cubs 5, Diamondbacks 3
PHOENIX (AP) - Darwin Barney singled up the middle to score Geovany Soto in the top of the ninth inning and Chicago beat Arizona.
Alfonso Soriano hit his 10th home run, tying him with Ryan Braun for the National League lead, and Matt Garza threw eight solid innings for the Cubs.
Garza (1-3) scatted three runs on six hits with 10 strikeouts and two walks over a season-best eight innings for his first win with the Cubs. Carlos Marmol pitched a hitless ninth for his seventh save.
J.J. Putz (0-1) gave up two runs and three hits in the ninth for the Diamondbacks.
Reds 4, Marlins 3
CINCINNATI (AP) - Pinch-hitter Edgar Renteria singled with two outs in the 10th inning to lift Cincinnati.
Marlins starter Josh Johnson left after seven innings, and reliever Randy Choate took over in the eighth with a 3-0 lead. Cincinnati scored three times to tie it.
The Reds loaded the bases with no outs in the 10th against rookie Michael Dunn (1-1) with walks to Brandon Phillips and Jonny Gomes and the pitcher's error on Miguel Cairo's sacrifice bunt.
The Marlins brought in center fielder Chris Coghlan as an extra infielder, but he returned to the outfield after Ramon Hernandez grounded into a forceout at the plate. Paul Janish popped up before Renteria singled through the hole into left field.
Francisco Cordero (1-0) worked two scoreless innings for the Reds.
Padres 5, Dodgers 2
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Will Venable scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch by reliever Matt Guerrier with two outs in the eighth inning, and the San Diego Padres got two other runs on dropped throws at home plate to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Andre Ethier extended his hitting streak to 26 games, a record for the month of April. He had two singles for the Dodgers.
Heath Bell got three outs for his sixth save. He has converted 40 straight chances, one shy of Trevor Hoffman's franchise record.
Luke Gregerson (1-1) got the win. Guerrier (2-2) took the loss.