ST. LOUIS (AP) - Bronson Arroyo worked eight strong innings and the Cincinnati Reds broke loose with three home runs Thursday for a 6-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals that averted a three-game sweep.
Brandon Phillips, Ryan Ludwick and Drew Stubbs homered. The Reds had connected just once in their previous nine games and began the day with a .211 batting average.
The Reds picked on Adam Wainwright (0-3), a 20-game winner in 2010 coming off reconstructive elbow surgery that sidelined him all of 2011. Wainwright is winless in his first three decisions for the first time in his career. He allowed four runs in five innings, leaving him with a 9.88 ERA.
Matt Holliday's three-run homer in the sixth was the only damage against Arroyo (1-0), who struck out five and walked none while scattering five hits.
MARLINS 5, CUBS 3
MIAMI (AP) - Greg Dobbs hit a two-run double and the Miami Marlins' strong bullpen finished off a three-game sweep that sent Chicago to its fifth straight loss.
Ricky Nolasco (2-0) went 5 1-3 innings for the victory. Five relievers combined to throw 3 2-3 perfect innings and Heath Bell recorded his second save in four chances.
An announced attendance of 23,168 saw the Marlins complete their first home series sweep against the Cubs since September 2007 and improve to 5-2 in their new ballpark.
Jeff Samardzija (2-1) was tagged for five runs and eight hits in 3 2-3 innings.
DODGERS 4, BREWERS 3
MILWAUKEE (AP) - Matt Kemp hit his seventh home run of the season and the Los Angeles Dodgers avoided a three-game sweep.
Andre Ethier and Juan Rivera added RBI singles while third baseman Jerry Hairston Jr. made two big late-inning defensive plays for the Dodgers.
Aaron Harang (1-1) went six innings and Javy Guerra pitched a scoreless ninth, his sixth save in seven opportunities this season.
Brewers starter Randy Wolf (0-2) went six innings. Milwaukee star Ryan Braun was 0 for 11 in the series.
ASTROS 11, NATIONALS 4
WASHINGTON (AP) - Houston set a franchise record by hitting three triples in a five-run first inning, backing starter Bud Norris with a season-high 17 hits against Washington.
Norris (1-0) pitched six innings for the win and helped himself with a two-run single. Brian Bogusevic and Jason Castro each had three hits for the Astros, who had lost four straight.
The Nationals entered with a major league-leading 1.92 ERA, but they allowed more runs or hits than they had in any of their first 13 games. Washington had won eight of nine.
Ryan Zimmerman hit a three-run homer for the Nationals. Edwin Jackson (1-1) gave up five runs and seven hits in five innings.
PHILLIES 2, PADRES 0
SAN DIEGO (AP) - Vance Worley struck out a career-high 11 in seven innings and combined with two relievers on a four-hitter as Philadelphia blanked San Diego.
The Phillies have beaten the Padres 12 straight times at Petco Park dating to 2008. Overall, the Phillies are 23-4 at the ballpark since it opened in 2004. Dating back to Qualcomm Stadium, the Phillies have won 25 of 29 in San Diego.
Worley (1-1) held San Diego to four hits while walking three. Jonathan Papelbon pitched the ninth for his fourth save.
Joe Wieland (0-2), making his second big league start, allowed Jimmy Rollins' sacrifice fly in the first. Philadelphia added a run in the ninth on a passed ball.
BRAVES 10, DIAMONDBACKS 2
PHOENIX (AP) - Freddie Freeman hit a pair of two-run homers and drove in five, Mike Minor struck out nine in a career-high eight innings and Atlanta cruised past Arizona.
The Braves scored three runs each in the sixth and eighth, highlighted by a two-run single from Juan Francisco in the sixth and Martin Prado's two-run double in the eighth. Freeman has 10 RBIs in his last three games.
Arizona starter Josh Collmenter (0-1) had his longest outing of the season after struggling in his first two. He was charged with four earned runs and six hits in 5 1-3 innings, dropping his ERA to 10.22.
The Diamondbacks, defending NL West champions, lost their third straight - all without star right fielder Justin Upton (thumb) in the starting lineup.
Minor (2-1) allowed one earned run and five hits.