Atlanta Braves snap losing streak

ATLANTA — Jason Heyward homered and scored three runs and the Atlanta Braves snapped a string of 16 straight losses on Mondays, including 12 this season, by beating the Miami Marlins 8-2 Monday night.

Starting pitcher Tommy Hanson was the only Atlanta player or coach who did not wear high socks in an apparent attempt to end the Monday curse.

Hanson (12-5) had his pants low to his shoes as he gave up one run on six hits in five innings. The Braves, coming off a three-game sweep of the Phillies, have won six straight.

The Braves won on a Monday for the first time since Aug. 22, 2011, a 3-0 win at the Cubs.

PADRES 11, REDS 5: At Cincinnati, Will Venable drove in four runs and former Reds Edinson Volquez and Yonder Alonso had a role in ending Cincinnati's 10-game winning streak.

CUBS 14, PIRATES 4: At Chicago, Anthony Rizzo and Darwin Barney hit three-run homers to power Chicago to its highest-scoring game of the season.

Starlin Castro added a two-run shot and reached base four times as the Cubs won for the 11th time in their last 13 games at Wrigley Field.

BREWERS 8, ASTROS 7: At Milwaukee, Cody Ransom's homer capped a four-run burst in the eighth inning and Milwaukee held off Houston after firing bullpen coach Stan Kyles.

The Brewers dismissed Kyles before the game, then watched their shaky relievers barely preserve this victory.

DIAMONDBACKS 7, DODGERS 2: At Los Angeles, Chris Johnson hit a grand slam in his first game with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Paul Goldschmidt hit a three-run shot in the first inning — both off Aaron Harang.

American League

ANGELS 15, RANGERS 8: At Arlington, Texas, Kendrys Morales homered from both sides of the plate during a nine-run sixth inning, capping the burst with a grand slam, to become the third switch-hitter in major league history to homer as a lefty and righty in the same inning. Carlos Baerga did it for Cleveland in 1993 and Mark Bellhorn of the Chicago Cubs duplicated the feat in 2002.

RED SOX 7, TIGERS 3: At Boston, Dustin Pedroia hit a tiebreaking homer and drove in three runs to support Clay Buchholz's eight solid innings in leading Boston to its third straight win.

ORIOLES 5, YANKEES 4: At New York, Nick Markakis drove in two runs, backing a solid outing by rookie Miguel Gonzalez.

Gonzalez (3-2) cruised through 62/3 innings, giving up just four hits and two runs before he was chased by consecutive homers from Eric Chavez and Ichiro Suzuki that made it 5-4.

Suzuki had a chance to tie it with two runners on in the ninth against Orioles closer Jim Johnson, but grounded into a fielder's choice.

TWINS 7, WHITE SOX 6: At Minneapolis, Jamey Caroll's sacrifice fly in the ninth inning scored Alexi Casilla and the Minnesota Twins won their fourth straight game.

MARINERS 4, BLUE JAYS 1: At Seattle, Hisashi Iwakuma struck out a career-high 13 and Michael Saunders and Kyle Seager had two hits apiece to help Seattle win its fifth consecutive game.

BRAVES ACQUIRE MAHOLM, JOHNSON: The Atlanta Braves have boosted their rotation and added a right-handed bat to their bench by acquiring left-hander Paul Maholm and outfielder Reed Johnson from the Chicago Cubs.

Braves general manager Frank Wren confirmed late Monday night the team is sending right-handed pitchers Arodys Vizcaino, a top prospect who had season-ending Tommy John surgery in April, and Jaye Chapman to the Cubs.

The 29-year-old Maholm is 9-6 with a 3.74 ERA, including a 4-0 record and 1.23 ERA in July.

Johnson is hitting .333 against left-handers this season. He is 13 for 29 (.448) as a pinch hitter.

SWEENEY PUNCHES DOOR: Red Sox outfielder Ryan Sweeney hurt his left hand after punching a door and had to leave the Boston's victory over Detroit in the ninth inning Monday night.

Manager Bobby Valentine said after the game that Sweeney was taken out for a defensive replacement because he had done something to his hand in his last at-bat and couldn't throw.

Sweeney, however, said following the 7-3 victory that he "punched a door."

THOME TO HAVE TEST ON NECK: Orioles designated hitter Jim Thome is headed back to Baltimore to have tests on his sore neck.

Thome said Monday, before the Orioles played the New York Yankees, that he will have an MRI this morning because the spasms in his neck aren't subsiding.