Pittsburgh, PA -- (Sports Network) - Nate McLouth homered, and his two-run single capped a three-run eighth inning, sending the Pirates to a 4-3 win over Houston in a game that was delayed by rain for over three hours. Adam LaRoche, who had three hits, homered during the eighth for Pittsburgh, which endured 3 hours and seven minutes of delays in the fourth and sixth innings. The middle contest of the three-game set ended at 1:11 a.m. John Grabow (5-2) walked four batters over two innings, but managed to get the victory. Damaso Marte pitched the ninth for his third save as the Pirates won their second straight following a three-game skid. Doug Brocail (4-4) surrendered three hits and was charged with three runs over two-thirds of an inning to suffer the loss. Carlos Lee and Hunter Pence homered for the Astros, losers in seven of their last eight.

Final Score: St. Louis 2, Philadelphia 0

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Joel Pineiro and three St. Louis relievers combined on a six-hit shutout, while Rick Ankiel and Ryan Ludwick each homered, as the Cardinals topped Philadelphia, 2-0, in the opener of a three-game set at Citizens Bank Park. Pineiro (3-4) blanked the Phillies over 6 1/3 innings, allowing just five hits and three walks while striking out three. The right-hander snapped a nine- start winless streak stretching back to an April 29 win over the Reds. Ryan Franklin tossed a scoreless ninth for his 12th save. Adam Kennedy added a double for the Cardinals, who have won two of their last three. St. Louis won despite picking up just five hits, thanks largely to three timely double plays in the field. Cole Hamels (9-6) was the hard-luck loser, allowing both runs on just three hits in seven innings, striking out eight without walking a batter. Pat Burrell went 2-for-3 with a double for the Phillies, who have lost four straight after a four-game win streak.

Final Score: New York 7, San Francisco 0

Flushing, NY (Sports Network) - Mike Pelfrey threw seven shutout innings to win his fifth consecutive start, and Carlos Beltran blasted a three-run homer in the opening inning off Tim Lincecum, as the surging New York Mets beat the San Francisco Giants, 7-0, in the opener of a three-game series. Beltran had three hits and four RBI for the Mets, who have won four contests in a row and six of their last eight to pull within 1 1/2 games of Philadelphia for the top spot in the National League East. The Phillies lost at home to St. Louis, 2-0, Tuesday night. Carlos Delgado and Fernando Tatis also homered. Pelfrey (7-6) allowed three hits and struck out five to remain unbeaten in his last eight trips to the mound. The right-hander hasn't lost since May 26 at home against Florida. Scott Schoeneweis and Joe Smith each threw a perfect inning in relief as the Mets retired 25 of the final 27 San Francisco batters. The Giants didn't have a runner past first base after the opening inning. Lincecum (10-2), an All-Star this year, had been unbeaten in his previous 12 outings and was dealt his first defeat since April 29 against Colorado. He allowed nine hits and four runs through six innings. Aaron Rowand, John Bowker and Rich Aurilia each singled the Giants, who have lost back-to-back contests.

Final Score: Arizona 2, Washington 0

Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Brandon Webb continued his mastery of Washington to log his major league-best 13th victory, leading the Diamondbacks to a 2-0 win in the opener of a three-game set at Nationals Park. Webb (13-4), who has now pitched 25 consecutive scoreless innings against Washington dating back to 2007, threw six shutout innings on six hits, striking out six and walking two on Tuesday. The righty has now won four consecutive starts against the Nationals, allowing one run in 31 innings in those outings. Brandon Lyon pitched a perfect ninth for his 19th save. Chris Young was the only player in the game to be credited with a run batted in, singling home a run in the third and giving the Diamondbacks their second straight win after losing four of five. Odalis Perez (2-6) pitched very well in 2 2/3 innings before being ejected, but received the loss nonetheless. He allowed one unearned run on one hit, striking out two and walking one. Steven Shell took over for Perez and didn't miss a beat, throwing a career- high 2 1/3 innings, allowing only a hit while striking out two and walking four. Austin Kearns and Dmitri Young had two hits apiece for Washington, which lost its sixth straight game.

Final Score: Chicago 7, Cincinnati 3

Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Ryan Dempster pitched seven strong innings to remain unbeaten at home and Mike Fontenot belted a two-run homer, as the Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds, 7-3, capping a Tuesday in which Chicago made a push to bolster its pitching staff. Earlier in the day, the Cubs acquired pitchers Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for pitcher Sean Gallagher, outfielder Matt Murton, infielder Eric Patterson and catcher Josh Donaldson. Dempster (10-3) yielded one run on just two hits, walking four while striking out five for the Cubs, who have won four of their last six games. He is the first Cubs starter to win his first 10 decisions at home since Rick Reuschel did it in 1977. Geovany Soto also hit a two-run homer for the Cubs, who have won 16 of their last 18 at home with the only two losses coming to the Baltimore Orioles. Aaron Harang (3-11) went 4 1/3 innings, giving up six runs on five hits and seven walks while striking out six for the Reds, who had a four-game winning streak halted. Jeff Keppinger had two of Cincinnati's five hits and scored once, while Javier Valentin's pinch-hit RBI double in the ninth was the only extra base hit for the visitors.

Final Score: Milwaukee 7, Colorado 3

Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - CC Sabathia threw six effective innings to earn the victory in his Brewers debut, and Ryan Braun helped him with a three- run homer to lead Milwaukee over the Colorado Rockies, 7-3, at Miller Park. Sabathia (1-0), who was acquired from the Indians for minor league prospects on Monday, yielded three runs, two of which were earned. The reigning American League Cy Young Award winner also allowed five hits and five walks, while striking out five. Rickie Weeks scored three runs and had three hits for the Brewers, who bounced back from a 4-3 loss in the opener of the four-game set on Monday. Yorvit Torrealba drove in two runs for the Rockies, who fell for just the second time in eight outings. Mark Redman (2-4) suffered the defeat after surrendering four runs on five hits and one walk in five innings. The lefty is winless (0-3) over his past six outings.

Final Score: San Diego 10, Florida 1

San Diego, CA (Sports Network) - Chase Headley had a career night, going 3- for-5 with four runs batted in, while Randy Wolf hurled seven solid innings as the San Diego Padres took care of the Florida Marlins, 10-1, in the second meeting of a three-game series. Wolf (6-8) halted a personal four-start losing streak, giving up just one run on five hits while striking out seven and walking one to carry the Padres, who snapped a nine-game home losing streak. Scott Hairston kept up his torrid stretch, going 3-for-5 with two runs scored and a three-run homer, his fourth long ball in as many games. Brian Myrow added a pinch-hit solo blast to end San Diego's two-game slide. Andrew Miller (5-8) extended his winless streak to four starts, getting tagged for four runs on six hits while striking out five and walking four in his five-inning start for Florida, which has lost four of six. Jeremy Hermida provided the Marlins' only offense in the first inning with a solo round-tripper.

Final Score: Atlanta 9, Los Angeles 3

Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Yunel Escobar drove in three runs, and Brian McCann belted a pair of solo home runs as the Atlanta Braves easily dispatched of the Los Angeles Dodger, 9-3, in the second of a three-game series at Dodger Stadium. Mark Teixeira also homered for Atlanta, who picked up just their third win in last the last 10 games. Mark Kotsay went 3-for-4 and scored a pair of runs, while Kelly Honson went 2-for-5 and crossed the plate three times. Jair Jurrjens (9-4) allowed a run on five hits to pick up his fifth win in six decisions, striking out six and walking three in the process. An eight-run cushion heading into the ninth allowed the Braves to avoid a disastrous performance from reliever Julian Tavarez, who allowed two runs in one-third of an inning after signing with the Braves earlier Tuesday. James Loney and Nomar Garciaparra each drove in a run for the Dodgers, who had a two-game win streak snapped. Chad Billingsley (8-8) allowed six runs -- five earned -- on six hits in 5 1/3 innings, striking out eight while walking four, and had a four-start winning streak ended.