Clemens claims his 339th win; ERA now 1.38

SAN FRANCISCO — Roger Clemens won his fourth straight start with another dominant road performance, and Jason Lane's three-run homer capped the Houston Astros' eighth-inning rally for an 8-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Sunday.

Clemens (11-4) earned his 339th career win and lowered the majors' tiniest ERA to 1.38 with seven outstanding innings in the first appearance of his career in San Francisco. Houston's 43-year-old right-hander allowed an unearned run in the first, but didn't let another runner reach third base while improving to 7-1 in his last 11 starts.

The seven-time Cy Young award winner gave up six hits and two walks while striking out four.

But Clemens left for a pinch-hitter in the eighth with the score tied at 1. That's because journeyman right-hander Brian Cooper matched him, pitching seven innings of four-hit ball in his first appearance of the season for the Giants.

The Astros avoided a series sweep and rewarded Clemens in the eighth with a two-out rally against reliever Scott Eyre (2-2).

CARDINALS 5, BRAVES 3: At St. Louis, David Eckstein hit a game-winning grand slam off Chris Reitsma with one out in the ninth inning.

Eckstein hit his fourth career grand slam and the second game-winning home run of his career on a 1-0 pitch from Reitsma (3-3), who had entered the game with nine straight saves. Eckstein also doubled, walked twice and stole a base.

PADRES 3, NATIONALS 0: At Washington, Jake Peavy scattered five hits and helped himself with an RBI single, and Eric Young and Xavier Nady added solo homers to lead San Diego past the Nationals for a three-game series sweep.

The Nationals have lost eight of their last nine series and are just 6-17 since the All-Star break. The NL West-leading Padres, meanwhile, have won four straight and five of six to get back to a game over .500.

MARLINS 2, REDS 0: At Cincinnati, Dontrelle Willis allowed four hits in eight innings to earn his career-high 15th win, and Jeff Conine drove in Juan Pierre twice.

The Reds tied their season high with four errors — three by starter Ramon Ortiz while trying to pick off Pierre at first base. The first two set up both of Florida's unearned runs.

That was enough for Willis (15-7) to earn his second win in his last three starts after three consecutive losses.