CHICAGO — Francisco Liriano pitched a four-hitter for his first complete game in more than two years, and the Pittsburgh Pirates won for the 11th time in 13 games, beating the Chicago Cubs, 6-2, Friday. Liriano (8-3) went the distance for the first time since he tossed a no-hitter for Minnesota against the White Sox on May 3, 2011. He struck out seven and walked four to improve 5-1 in his last six starts. He also had an RBI single. The Pirates, meanwhile, continue to roll along. They came in with the best record in the majors and a two-game lead over St. Louis in the NL Central, and they had little trouble with Jeff Samardzija (5-8) and the Cubs. Phillies 5, Braves 4: Humberto Quintero and Ryan Howard hit home runs to give Cliff Lee a five-run cushion, and the Philadelphia Phillies held on for a 5-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves. Dan Uggla hit a three-run shot, and the Braves snapped Lee's streak of 11 straight games pitching at least seven innings and allowing three earned runs or less. But Lee (10-2) still won his eighth straight decision. Nationals 8, Padres 5: Wilson Ramos drove in three runs, Gio Gonzalez won his third straight start and Washington defeated San Diego for its second straight win. Jayson Werth had three hits and Denard Span added a two-run double for Washington. Ramos has driven in eight runs in two games since coming off the disabled list Thursday. Diamondbacks 5, Rockies 0: Tyler Skaggs pitched eight innings of three-hit ball in his return to Arizona's rotation, and the Diamondbacks opened a 10-game homestand with a victory over the Colorado Rockies. Skaggs (2-1), who turns 22 next week and is considered one of the top pitching prospects in the game, struck out five and walked one after he was recalled from Triple-A Reno for the second time this season. Cardinals 4, Marlins 1: Jake Westbrook worked seven strong innings and Allen Craig had two RBIs for a lineup that spoiled Jacob Turner's homecoming early on in St. Louis' victory over Miami. Matt Holliday doubled twice with an RBI and Edward Mujica rebounded with the save for the Cardinals, who had lost eight of 11 and plummeted from the majors' best record to second place in the NL Central entering a five-game homestand. Mets 12, Brewers 5: Kirk Nieuwenhuis drove in a career-best five runs and Zack Wheeler allowed one earned run over five shaky innings to pace New York to its victory over Milwaukee. Nieuwenhuis entered the game hitting .179 in 56 at-bats after being recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas on June 9, but raised his average to .233 with his first four-hit game, getting two singles, a triple, a double and two walks. Inter-League Mariners 4, Reds 2: Aaron Harang pitched six innings in the ballpark where he still holds the strikeout record, and Nick Franklin and Michael Saunders homered to lead Seattle over Cincinnati in the Mariners' first to Great American Ball Park. — Agencies
