Pittsburgh Pirates' Neil Walker (R) slides past New York Mets catcher Mike Nickeas during their MLB game in Pittsburgh Monday. — APNEW YORK — Perennial prospect Tyler Greene is finally getting a full shot with the St. Louis Cardinals. Opening some eyes, too. Greene capped his third three-hit game of the month with a go-ahead two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth, trumping Jesus Guzman's two-run double in the top half, as the Cardinals beat the San Diego Padres, 4-3, to snap a four-game losing streak Monday at Busch Stadium. The former 2005 first-round pick with a career average of .220 in parts of four seasons has started 10 of the last 15 games at second base. Jaime Garcia allowed two runs and struck out seven in seven-plus innings for the injury-riddled Cardinals, who held their half-game lead over Cincinnati in the NL Central. St. Louis has won just three of its last 11 and Matheny said there was “extreme urgency” before the start of a five-game homestand. Giants 4, Brewers 3 (14 innings): At Milwaukee, backup catcher Hector Sanchez led off the 14th inning with a home run to lead San Francisco. Ryan Braun hit a two-run homer for Milwaukee. Astros 8, Cubs 4: At Houston, Jason Castro and Chris Johnson each hit a three-run homer and Bud Norris threw seven scoreless innings to lift Houston. Cubs starter Matt Garza (2-2) yielded a season-high seven runs in three innings. Nationals 2, Phillies 1: At Philadelphia, Gio Gonzalez allowed three hits over six shutout innings and Ian Desmond homered and drove in both Washington runs. Gonzalez (6-1), a former Phillies farmhand, struck out seven of the first nine batters and finished with nine strikeouts. Marlins 7, Rockies 4: At Miami, Giancarlo Stanton hit a grand slam off Jamie Moyer in a five-run fourth inning, and Mark Buehrle was dominant after a shaky first for surging Miami. Reds 4, Braves 1: At Cincinnati, Right-hander Mike Leake hit his first career homer — one of three solo shots in a row by Cincinnati — and allowed only two hits over eight innings for Cincinnati. Pirates 5, Mets 4: At Pittsburgh: Neil Walker scored on Clint Barmes' tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the eighth inning. Dodgers 6, Diamondbacks 1: At Phoenix: Matt Treanor, Andre Ethier and James Loney homered to power Chris Capuano to his sixth victory.
