Cubs' rookie has right stuff

CHICAGO — A few more starts like this and those minor league T-shirts Sean Gallagher distributed to his teammates will become relics.

Gallagher had his best start, and Aramis Ramirez and Kosuke Fukudome capped a three-run seventh with run-scoring hits to lead the Chicago Cubs to their second straight 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on a bone-chilling, windy Tuesday night.

"Definitely with the wind blowing, you go out there with a little less fear," Gallagher said after allowing one run and four hits in a career-high seven innings while striking out three and walking two.

The rookie (2-1) started the season in the minors after making eight relief appearances for the Cubs last season. If he keeps pitching like this, he'll remain in the rotation.

"He's still got a couple things to work on, but he's telling us that he wants to stay in the rotation," manager Lou Piniella said.

The Dodgers got an RBI single from Blake DeWitt in the fourth, but the third baseman's error in the seventh allowed the tying run to score and helped turn what looked like a win for Hiroki Kuroda (2-4) into a loss.

National League

METS 5, MARLINS 3: At New York, Johan Santana snapped the Mets out of their recent doldrums, pitching seven effective innings to beat feisty Florida. Fernando Tatis and Ramon Castro each hit a pair of two-out RBI singles for the Mets, who won for only the second time in nine games. Santana (6-3) struck out seven and worked around eight hits and two walks, allowing three runs.

REDS 9, PIRATES 6: At Cincinnati, Adam Dunn hit a three-run homer that set a club record for left-handed batters, and Jay Bruce went 3-for-3 in his eagerly awaited debut to lead the Reds. Dunn's three-run shot in the fifth off Ian Snell (2-4) was his eighth in his last 12 games. With 252 career homers, he moved ahead of Ted Kluszewski — the bare-armed "Big Klu" — for most by a left-handed Reds hitter. Bruce, a 21-year-old outfielder who is the Reds' top prospect, had a pair of singles, a double, two walks, a stolen base and a pair of RBIs.

BREWERS 3, BRAVES 2: At Milwaukee, Bill Hall scored the winning run in the Brewers' victory after grousing earlier in the day about being placed in a platoon situation at third base. Mike Cameron lofted a fly ball to center field, and Hall's slide narrowly beat the throw home. Salomon Torres (4-1) earned the victory for Milwaukee.