NL roundup: Braves edge past Marlins, 3-2

MIAMI (AP) — Jair Jurrjens threw seven solid innings and drove in a run and the Atlanta Braves handed the Florida Marlins their eighth straight loss with a 3-2 victory Thursday night.

Alex Gonzalez also drove in a run with a double to help the Braves complete a three-game sweep at Sun Life Stadium for the first time since May 2-4, 1995. The Marlins’ eight-game losing streak is their longest skid since also dropping eight in a row Aug. 15-22, 2007.

Jurrjens (8-2), the league leader in ERA at 1.82, allowed two runs and six hits. He threw 61 of his 87 pitches for strikes and struck out two. Eric O’Flaherty tossed a scoreless eighth, and Jonny Venters pitched the ninth to earn his second save in three opportunities.

Chris Volstad (2-6) lost his no-hit bid in the sixth on Matt Young’s leadoff single.

Mike Stanton homered off Jurrjens in the seventh.

Diamondbacks 2, Pirates 0

PITTSBURGH — Chris Young hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning, four Arizona pitchers combined for a five-hit shutout and the Diamondbacks beat Pittsburgh to snap a three-game losing streak.

Young pulled a 2-0 pitch from Chris Resop (2-2) down the left-field line just inside the foul pole for his 12th homer of the season. Reliever Micah Owings (2-0) legged out a one-out infield single before Young’s hit.

Arizona rookie starter Josh Collmenter pitched five-plus innings. Joe Patterson, Owings and David Hernandez finished up the Diamondbacks’ sixth shutout of the season. Two days after allowing five runs without retiring a batter, Hernandez earned his second save with a perfect ninth.

Mets 4, Brewers 1

MILWAUKEE — Jonathon Niese pitched effectively into the eighth and New York beat Milwaukee to take two of three games against the best home team in the majors.

Niese (4-6) retired the first 11 hitters and allowed only an RBI double to Prince Fielder in the fourth and singles in the seventh and eighth. Niese matched a career high with eight strikeouts.

Francisco Rodriguez got the final four outs for his 18th save.

The Mets roughed up Brewers ace Yovani Gallardo (8-3) to snap his six-game winning streak. Gallardo allowed 10 hits and didn’t get an out in the fifth.

New York won the series opener, then blew a four-run, eighth-inning lead Wednesday night.

Cardinals 9, Astros 2

HOUSTON (AP) — Lance Berkman broke a tie with an RBI single and pinch-hitter Daniel Descalso had a two-run double in St. Louis’ five-run sixth in the Cardinals’ victory over the Houston Astros.

Berkman, the former Astro who hit a solo homer to break up Bud Norris’ no-hit bid in the seventh inning in the Cardinals’ 4-1 loss Wednesday night, snapped a 1-1 tie with a single off the scoreboard in left after Jon Jay singled and Albert Pujols drew a walk off J.A. Happ (3-8).

Mark Hamilton’s fielder’s choice grounder to second baseman Jeff Keppinger scored Pujols, and Wilton Lopez’s bases-loaded walk brought home Hamilton. Then, Descalso delivered the two-run double to cap the inning.

Berkman added his 15th homer in the ninth.

Lance Lynn (1-1) benefited from the big inning. He pitched five innings, allowed six hits and one run. He walked three and struck out three.

Tags: national league, sports, baseball, mlb