Chicago, IL (Best E Casino) - Brian Moehler pitched until the Chicago skies first opened up, dumping heavy rain and tornadic activity in the area surrounding Wrigley Field, eventually causing Houston's 2-0 rain-shortened victory over Chicago in National League Central action. Moehler (7-4) scattered four hits with four strikeouts in five innings. LaTroy Hawkins recorded one out in the eighth -- the game's final out -- to record his first save. Carlos Lee drove home a run and finished 2-for-4 for the Astros, winners in four straight. The game was called for good in the bottom of the eighth inning. Ryan Dempster (12-5) was the hard-luck loser, giving up two runs on five hits with seven strikeouts and one walk over five frames for the Cubs, who had won seven of eight coming in. The game's story was a massive storm system that rolled in the Chicago metropolitan area, bringing heavy downpours, extensive lightning and clocked 68 mph winds to Wrigley Field. All fans were ordered from their seats and the civil defense siren out beyond left field actually rang twice. A tornado was reported 15-20 miles west of the ballpark.
Final Score: Cincinnati 6, Milwaukee 3
Cincinnati, OH (Best E Casino) - Bronson Arroyo threw six strong innings and was a factor at the plate to help the Cincinnati Reds to a 6-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in the opener of a three-game set at Great American Ball Park. Arroyo (10-8) gave up just one run on four hits with a pair of walks and six strikeouts and also added a two-run double for the Reds, who had dropped eight of nine coming into the game. Jay Bruce hit a two-run home run in the win. Mike Cameron and Ryan Braun each hit solo home runs while Manny Parra (9-5) got the loss as he gave up six runs on four hits with four walks and six strikeouts for the struggling Brewers, who have dropped seven of their last nine overall. Milwaukee sits five games behind the Cubs for first place in the NL Central and holds just a half-game lead on St. Louis for the NL Wild Card spot. Tempers flared in the Milwaukee dugout in the seventh inning as Parra and first baseman Prince Fielder got into an argument and Fielder then shoved the pitcher twice before it was broken up.
Final Score: Washington 9, Colorado 4
Denver, CO (Best E Casino) - Willie Harris and Jesus Flores each homered and the Washington Nationals rode to a 9-4 victory over Colorado in the opener of a four-game set at Coors Field. One of baseball's worst teams knocked around one of baseball's best pitchers on Monday night, as the suddenly hot Nationals -- winners of four straight -- belted 11 hits off Aaron Cook (14-7), scoring seven runs -- four earned -- off the right-hander while walking once and striking out three times. Emilio Bonifacio finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI, Harris drove home three and scored twice and Alberto Gonzalez, acquired just before the deadline in a deal with the Yankees, went 2-for-3 before leaving the game in the sixth frame with an apparent leg injury. Tim Redding (8-6) was the benefactor, pitching five- plus frames and allowing four runs on six hits with three walks and six strikeouts. Brad Hawpe drove home two runs and Matt Holliday added an RBI for the Rockies, who scored three runs before an out was recorded in this contest, but only mustered one run and four hits the rest of the way.
Final Score: Arizona 13, Pittsburgh 7
Phoenix, AZ (Best E Casino) - Mark Reynolds homered and finished with three hits and three RBI to lead the Arizona Diamondbacks past the Pittsburgh Pirates, 13-7, in the first game of a three-game set at Chase Field. Stephen Drew drove in a pair of runs for the Diamondbacks, who won for the first time in three games. Arizona finished with 18 hits and 13 runs, both season highs. Doug Mientkiewicz homered en route to a three-hit game for the Pirates, who fell to 1-3 on their 10-game, four-city road trip. Pittsburgh, which also received a home run from Jason Michaels, is a mere 19-35 as the visiting club this year. Dan Haren (12-5) earned the victory after yielding four runs on eight hits, while striking out eight in six innings. Arizona has won 10 of his last 12 starts. Jason Davis (1-1) suffered the loss after allowing two runs on four hits and one walk in 3 2/3 innings. Pittsburgh's Yoslan Herrera took the no-decision. The 27-year-old was tagged for three runs on four hits and three walks in only 1 1/3 innings.
Final Score: San Francisco 4, Atlanta 2
San Francisco, CA (Best E Casino) - Matt Cain pitched into the seventh frame as San Francisco got off on the right foot with a 4-2 victory over Atlanta in the initial contest of a three-game set at AT&T Park. Cain (7-9), mired by a lack of run support this season, lowered his earned run average to 3.60 after yielding one run on five hits with six strikeouts and five walks over 6 2/3 frames. Randy Winn finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and run scored for the Giants, who had dropped six of nine entering the contest. They did muster four runs off Jair Jurrjens (10-7), who scattered nine hits and three walks while allowing all four runs -- three earned. San Francisco scored only eight runs in Cain's six July starts, in which the right-hander posted a 1.88 ERA but just a 2-3 mark. Omar Infante and Kelly Johnson each collected two hits for Atlanta.
