NL: Kemp HR beats Braves in 12th

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Matt Kemp hit his second game-ending homer in five days, connecting in the 12th inning Thursday to lift the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Atlanta Braves 5-3.

Both teams were down to their final strike much earlier.

David Ross hit a two-out, two-run single in the top of the ninth off Clayton Kershaw to put the Braves ahead 3-2.

Casey Blake, who had homered earlier, hit an RBI single with two outs in the bottom half off Craig Kimbrel to make it 3-all.

Andre Ethier doubled with one out in the Dodgers 12th against Christhian Martinez (0-1). Kemp drove an 0-2 pitch over the fence in left-center for his fourth homer of the season.

On Sunday, Kemp hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to beat St. Louis 2-1.

Matt Guerrier (1-0) pitched two innings for his first NL victory after seven seasons with Minnesota. Reds 7, Diamondbacks 4

CINCINNATI (AP) - Mike Leake got razzed by a few fans during his first appearance since a shoplifting arrest, but ignored the nasty signs and gave the Cincinnati Reds a much-needed boost, going seven innings to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Leake (3-0) led the Reds to only their second win in eight games. He allowed three runs and fanned six in his longest outing of the season.

Daniel Hudson (0-4) couldn't overcome a rough first inning, when Cincinnati scored four times. Joey Votto later homered off Hudson.

It was a rough week for Leake, a 23-year-old pitcher who was the Reds' top draft pick last June. Police reports said he removed the tags from six shirts at a Macy's store downtown on Monday and tried to leave without paying for them. The shirts were valued at $59.88.

At a court hearing the next day, his lawyer asked that the case be moved into a diversion program for first-time offenders. In a statement, Leake apologized to fans and the team "for this distraction." Cardinals 5, Nationals 0

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Kyle Lohse threw a career-best two-hitter and Matt Holliday kept his average near .500 with a two-run homer and single as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Washington Nationals 5-0.

Albert Pujols added a two-run homer off Collin Balester in a three-run eighth for the Cardinals. St. Louis took two of three from the Nationals and has won eight of 11 overall.

The Nationals are 4-14 at 6-year-old Busch Stadium. The combined Expos/Nationals franchise has won only two of 16 series in St. Louis dating to 1997.

Lohse (3-1) struck out six and walked two in his eighth career complete game and sixth shutout, both accomplished last on April 12, 2009, with a three-hitter against Houston.

Tom Gorzelanny (0-2) kept going the Nationals' run of five-inning starts in every game, but had to work for it.

Mets 9, Astros 1

NEW YORK (AP) - David Wright ended his career-worst hitless drought with a homer and a two-run double, Chris Capuano pitched seven sharp innings and the New York Mets welcomed Jason Bay back to their lineup with a 9-1 romp over the Houston Astros on Thursday night to end a seven-game home winless skid.

Bay hit a ground-rule double and later raced around the bases on a rare four-base error in the eighth inning to give the Mets a lift in a sobering season thus far. Bay was out with a strained rib cage since late March and hadn't played since July 25,when he went out with a concussion.

Mike Nickeas connected for his first major league home run, Ike Davis hit a monster shot over the apple in center field and Capuano (2-1) added a double for New York.

J.A. Happ (1-3) gave up six runs and six hits in 4 2-3 innings. He walked one and struck out five.

Marlins 9, Pirates 5

MIAMI (AP) - Scott Cousins hit a grand slam for his first career home run, Brett Hayes added a three-run shot and Florida beat Pittsburgh to finish off a three-game sweep.

Cousins' shot to right-center field gave Florida the lead in the second inning.

Hayes extended the lead to 8-1 in the third with his first home run of the season. Both of the home runs came off James McDonald (0-2), who lasted just three innings for Pittsburgh.

Chris Volstad (1-1) allowed five runs in 5 1-3 innings for the Marlins, who also got a home run from Mike Stanton and pounded out nine hits in the game.