Cincinnati Reds' Todd Frazier (21) points to the crowd after he hit a two-run home run off San Diego Padres starting pitcher Ross Ohlendorf in the second inning on Thursday. The Reds are on a long roll. (David Kohl/Associated Press)
CINCINNATI — Todd Frazier hit a two-run homer and Johnny Cueto overcame a pair of rare long balls to pitch into the eighth inning Thursday and lead the surging Cincinnati Reds to their 13th win in 14 games, 9-4 over the San Diego Padres.
Scott Rolen had three hits, Frazier had three RBIs and Jay Bruce drove in two runs, helping push the Reds to 23 games over .500 (64-41) for the first time since Sept. 4, 2010.
The Reds took three of four from San Diego and have won 20 of 23.
They are 14-3 since All-Star first baseman Joey Votto left the lineup with a knee injury that required surgery and have won two straight since star second baseman Brandon Phillips was sidelined with a strained left calf.
Mets 9, Giants 1
SAN FRANCISCO — Ronny Cedeno drove in five runs to match his career high, Jason Bay had only his second multi-RBI game this year and the New York Mets beat San Francisco 9-1 Thursday to take three of four from the Giants and win their first series in a month.
Bay had three RBIs as Mets won for the fourth time in five games following a 2-14 slide. His only other multi-RBI game was April 13, when he hit a two-run homer against Philadelphia.
Chris Young (3-5) allowed one run and four hits in seven innings, struck out four and walked none. He had been 0-4 with a 6.00 ERA in five starts since winning at the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 28.
Hunter Pence had a fourth-inning sacrifice fly for San Francisco, which has lost seven of eight since opening a three-game NL lead over the Dodgers on July 25. Melky Cabrera was a home run shy of a cycle.
Nationals 3, Phillies 0
WASHINGTON — Ross Detwiler pitched three-hit ball for seven innings, Adam LaRoche homered and the Washington Nationals beat the Philadelphia Phillies 3-0.
LaRoche had three hits and two RBIs. Jayson Werth also drove in a run in his first game in nearly three months to back Detwiler (6-4) who won for the second time in his last 11 starts. He gave up three singles and retired his final 14 batters, finishing with three strikeouts and two walks.
Sean Burnett tossed a perfect eighth and Tyler Clippard worked a hitless ninth for his 21st save in 23 chances. He walked two but struck out pinch-hitter Ryan Howard for the third out.
Howard is in a 2-for-20 slump.
Braves 6, Marlins 1
ATLANTA — Chipper Jones and Freddie Freeman each hit a two-run double, and the Atlanta Braves scored six runs in the first two innings to beat the Miami Marlins 6-1.
The 40-year-old Jones had two hits and is batting .316 in his final season before retirement.
The Braves, 6-1 on their 10-game home stand, remained 2 1/2 games behind first-place Washington in the NL East. They won three times in the four-game series.
Miami's Jose Reyes led off the sixth with a triple to left field, giving him a 20-game hitting streak to match his career high.
Reyes scored on Carlos Lee's sacrifice fly.
Rockies 8, Cardinals 2
DENVER — Tyler Colvin hit a tiebreaking double and rookie Josh Rutledge homered in his fourth straight game, lifting the Colorado Rockies over the St. Louis Cardinals 8-2 to avert a three-game sweep.
Wilin Rosario hit his first career pinch-hit homer, a two-run shot off reliever Brian Fuentes in the eighth inning, and Jordan Pacheco went 3 for 3 with two doubles and two RBIs to help the Rockies snap a five-game losing streak. It was their first win in their last eight games at Coors Field.
With the score deadlocked at 2, DJ LeMahieu singled off reliever Fernando Salas (1-4) to start the seventh inning and was sacrificed to second. Colvin then doubled to left to put the Rockies back on top.
