Lowly Nationals make it 8 straight

Associated Press

Published: Sunday, Aug. 9, 2009 11:05 p.m. MDT

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WASHINGTON — Elijah Dukes drove in three runs, Ryan Zimmerman had three hits and the surprising Washington Nationals won their eighth straight with a 9-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday.

The Nationals' eight-game run is the second longest in their five seasons in the nation's capital. They won 10 straight from June 2-12, 2005.

J.D. Martin (1-2) became the fifth Nationals pitcher to record their first win as a starter — and the second in two games. On a sultry afternoon, with temperatures in the low 90s, Martin allowed one run and five hits in five innings. He walked one and struck out one.

Martin's only mistake came three pitches in, when Trent Oeltjen led off the game with a homer. It was Oeltjen's second home run in four major league games.

MARLINS 12, PHILLIES 3: At Philadelphia, Josh Johnson pitched six impressive innings, helping the Marlins complete a three-game sweep over the Phillies. The Marlins moved within four games of the NL East-leading Phillies with their first sweep in Philadelphia since April 2004.

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ASTROS 2, BREWERS 0: At Houston, Wandy Rodriguez pitched seven shutout innings and Geoff Blum hit a two-run homer in the Astros' win over the Brewers. Rodriguez (11-6) allowed five hits and struck out three in his first start since leaving his outing eight days ago with a strained right hamstring.

CARDINALS 7, PIRATES 3: At Pittsburgh, Skip Schumaker's first career pinch-hit home run started a five-run eighth-inning rally for St. Louis that included Pirates pitcher Matt Capps' ejection for hitting Albert Pujols, and the Cardinals finished off a three-game sweep.

REDS 5, GIANTS 2: At San Francisco, Aaron Harang ended the worst winless stretch of his career with his first victory since late May, Brandon Phillips and Adam Rosales each homered and the Reds beat the Giants. The lowly Reds — led by former San Francisco skipper Dusty Baker — had to feel pretty good about themselves after taking this series, in which they won both games started by Giants All-Stars Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum.