Saturday's National League Capsules

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Jonathon Niese and two relievers combined on a six-hitter, David Wright homered despite a broken finger and the New York Mets beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-0 on Saturday.

Niese (2-0) allowed five hits and struck out five in 6 2-3 innings. Bobby Parnell got four outs and Jon Rauch pitched the ninth.

Wright was 3 for 5, including a long homer on the first pitch he saw after missing three games with a broken right pinkie. Lucas Duda also connected for the Mets, who are off to a surprising 6-2 start.

The five-time defending NL East champion Phillies are 3-5 and struggling offensively without All-Stars Chase Utley and Ryan Howard in the middle of their lineup.

Phillies starter Vance Worley (0-1) allowed four runs and eight hits in six innings.

NATIONALS 4, REDS 1

WASHINGTON (AP) - Edwin Jackson threw a two-hitter for his fifth career complete game and Adam LaRoche added to his unusually strong start with a tiebreaking two-run double, helping the Nationals win their fifth game in a row.

Other than a rocky second inning, Jackson (1-0) was as efficient and effective as can be, striking out nine. He retired 16 consecutive batters in one stretch, until walking Chris Heisey leading off the eighth.

As if all of that weren't enough, Jackson even singled off Reds starter Homer Bailey (0-2).

Jesus Flores went 3 for 3 with an RBI while shrugging off a collision at the plate as a runner and Jayson Werth had two hits.

ROCKIES 8, DIAMONDBACKS 7

DENVER (AP) - Todd Helton hit a two-run homer off closer J.J. Putz in the bottom of the ninth inning and Colorado rallied to beat Arizona in the rain.

With two outs, Helton belted his first homer of the season down the right-field line and the towering shot stayed just fair. Tyler Chatwood (1-0) pitched two innings and gave up a run to earn the win in relief.

The Diamondbacks were trailing 5-1 when the game was halted by a relentless downpour after four innings. But the 71-minute break energized their bats and they came out of the clubhouse swinging.

Miguel Montero hit a three-run homer and pinch-hitter Paul Goldschmidt broke a tie with a sacrifice fly in the seventh. The lead wouldn't last as Putz (0-1) blew his first save of the season.

GIANTS 4, PIRATES 3

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Emmanuel Burriss scored on a throwing error by shortstop Clint Barmes in the ninth inning to give San Francisco a win over struggling Pittsburgh.

With the bases loaded and nobody out, Melky Cabrera hit a sharp grounder to shortstop. Barmes, playing in at the edge of the infield grass, made a low throw home that bounced in front of catcher Rod Barajas. He tried to make a backhand stop, but the ball skipped away.

The Pirates have dropped five straight.

The win was a nice morale boost for the Giants on a night they learned All-Star closer Brian Wilson is likely headed for surgery and could miss the season because of an elbow injury.

Javier Lopez (1-0) struck out Alex Presley with the potential go-ahead run on second.

Burriss hit a leadoff single in the ninth off Chris Resop (0-1), and pinch-hitter Ryan Theriot followed with a sharp single that moved Burriss to third.

DODGERS 6, PADRES 1

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Ted Lilly pitched seven innings of two-hit ball in his season debut after coming off the disabled list, Matt Kemp hit a pair of two-run homers and Andre Ethier also went deep to lead Los Angeles over San Diego.

The Dodgers are off to a major league-leading 8-1 start - their best since beginning their 1981 World Series championship season 9-1.

Lilly (1-0), whose season was delayed because of neck stiffness, threw 79 pitches, struck out four and was charged with an unearned run.

The Dodgers scored four runs in the first and two more in the second against Joe Wieland (0-1) in his major league debut. Kemp hit his first home run after a leadoff walk to Dee Gordon. Ethier followed with a drive into the right-field pavilion.

One inning later, Kemp hit his fifth homer after a single by Tony Gwynn Jr.

CARDINALS 5, CUBS 1

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Lance Lynn pitched effectively into the sixth inning and Yadier Molina had two hits and two RBIs, leading the Cardinals to a win over the Cubs.

Lynn (2-0) gave up four hits and one run in 5 1-3 innings. He struck out five, walked two and lowered his ERA to 1.50.

Jon Jay hit his second home run of the season in the seventh off Shawn Camp.

The Cardinals broke open a scoreless game with four runs in the fourth off Chris Volstad (0-1). Molina brought in Matt Holliday and Matt Carpenter with a single up the middle. Daniel Descalso had an RBI triple and Tyler Greene then hit a RBI single.

ASTROS 5, MARLINS 4

MIAMI (AP) - Carlos Lee drove in the tying run with a two-out single in the ninth inning, and an error by left fielder Logan Morrison allowed the go-ahead run to score as Houston rallied to beat closer Heath Bell and Miami.

Bell, one of the Marlins' All-Star acquisitions this offseason, took the mound with a 4-1 lead to start the ninth but had a shaky performance for the third time in as many outings this season.

The Astros had four hits in the inning and scored four times, taking advantage of three Miami errors.

The last miscue was by Morrison, who misjudged a slicing fly hit by Brian Bogusevic. Morrison staggered and fell as he tried to catch it, and the ball glanced off the heel of his glove, allowing a runner to score from third.

Rhiner Cruz (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings. Brett Myers worked a perfect ninth for his second save.

Bell (0-2), booed when he departed after retiring only two of the seven batters he faced, blew a save for the second time in as many chances. The late rally cost Carlos Zambrano his first win for the Marlins.

BRAVES 2, BREWERS 1

ATLANTA (AP) - Mike Minor pitched two-hit ball into the eighth inning to give Atlanta's rotation a lift and the Braves survived a ninth-inning scare to beat Shaun Marcum and Milwaukee for their fourth straight victory.

Craig Kimbrel pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth, striking out pinch-hitter George Kottaras and Mat Gamel for his fourth save.

Minor (1-1) recorded 18 consecutive outs after hitting Corey Hart with a pitch to open the second inning. The left-hander did not allow an earned run in 7 1-3 innings, becoming the first Braves starter this season to get an out after the fifth. He struck out four and walked one in the longest start of his career.

The Braves have won four straight after losing their first four games. Milwaukee has lost three in a row.

Juan Francisco had a run-scoring double in a two-run second. Marcum (1-1) gave up three hits over seven innings and was hurt by Ryan Braun's throwing error in left field.