Matt Holliday hit a two-run homer off veteran closer Trevor Hoffman in the top of the ninth to lift the St. Louis Cardinals over the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 in the National League on Tuesday. Hoffman, trying to protect a 3-2 lead, walked Albert Pujols with one out before serving up a 2-1 pitch that Holliday drove over the wall in center. It was only the third blown save for Hoffman this season. St. Louis maintained its 11-1/2 game lead in the NL Central with only 22 games to play. Dodgers 5, Diamondbacks 4: In Phoenix, Ronnie Belliard hit the last of Los Angeles' five two-out singles in the eighth inning, putting Los Angeles ahead to stay against Arizona. Los Angeles scored just one run in the first seven innings before the Dodgers cashed in against the Arizona bullpen for their third straight victory, retaining a 3-1/2 game lead in the AL West. Arizona, which tied a franchise record with five double plays, has lost six straight. Rockies 3, Reds 1: In Denver, Colorado increased its lead in the wild card race to three games by downing Cincinnati. The win was the fifth straight by the Rockies, moving them 19 games above .500 (79-60) for the first time in franchise history. Pitcher Jason Marquis went 7-1/3 innings, allowing only one run and striking out a season-high seven. He got 12 groundball outs as he matched his career-high in wins at 15. Colorado's Eric Young Jr. hit his first major league homer. Padres 4, Giants 3: In San Francisco, Chase Headley homered and singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning as San Diego pipped San Francisco. The result spoiled an impressive major league debut by San Francisco pitcher Madison Bumgarner, who ceded just two runs. The Giants fell three games behind Colorado in the NL wild-card race. Braves 2, Astros 1: In Houston, Atlanta ended a five-game losing skid by outlasting Houston. Braves pitcher Javier Vazquez struck out nine in seven shutout innings. Houston's four-game winning streak was ended. Marlins 4, Mets 2: In New York, Hanley Ramirez and Cameron Maybin hit long two-run homers as Florida kept up its surprising playoff push by defeating New York. The Marlins remained 5-1/2 games behind Colorado in the wild card race and 6 games off first-place Philadelphia in the NL East despite starting the season with the majors' smallest payroll. Ramirez, the NL's leading hitter, drove a pitch to deep left in the third. Maybin connected in the fourth with a shot that sailed over the home run apple nestled behind the 408-feet marker on the center-field fence. Phillies 5, Nationals 3: In Washington, Philadelphia hit five solo home runs _ including three in the seventh inning _ to down Washington. Cubs 9, Pirates 4: In Pittsburgh, Aramis Ramirez, Geovany Soto and Kosuke Fukudome had two-run hits in a record-tying first inning for Chicago.
