Cards edge Mets at Shea Stadium

Larry Walker pinch-hit a sacrifice fly for the go-ahead run in the eighth inning to help the St. Louis Cardinals rally past the New York Mets 7-6 on Saturday.

Kaz Matsui chased Mark Mulder with a tying three-run triple in a four-run sixth inning, but the Mets failed to hold a 6-5 lead in the eighth.

Jim Edmonds doubled home the tying run against Roberto Hernandez (2-1). Then, with Walker batting for So Taguchi and the bases loaded, he lofted a fly to left that drove in Albert Pujols. Mark Grudzielanek tied a career high with four RBIs.

Julian Tavarez (1-1) pitched 1 2-3 scoreless innings, and Jason Isringhausen, activated from the disabled list on Friday, got three outs for his eighth save in eight chances.

Mulder, who had won five straight starts, allowed six runs and 10 hits in five-plus innings, his ERA rising from 2.70 to 3.44.

Mets Pedro Martinez gave up five runs -- four earned -- and five hits in six innings.

Nationals 4, Cubs 3

In Washington, Livan Hernandez won his fifth consecutive start, Vinny Castilla had a two-run single, and Washington defeated Chicago.

Hernandez pitched 6 1-3 innings before leaving with an injured right knee. He allowed two runs and five hits, walked none and struck out six _ all after enduring a lengthy rain delay at the start of the game.

Chicago a three-game winning streak snapped and the Nationals halted a three-game skid.

Gary Majewski pitched 1 2-3 scoreless innings in relief of Hernandez, and Chad Cordero allowed Corey Patterson's RBI single in the ninth before getting his eighth save in 10 chances.

The start of the game was delayed for 2 hours, 40 minutes by severe thunderstorms, lightning and heavy rain. Carlos Zambrano (3-2) retired his first nine batters before running into trouble in the fourth and eventually leaving the game with tightness in his right forearm.

Braves 5, Dodgers 1

In Los Angeles, Eric Gagne gave up homers to Chipper Jones and Andruw Jones, his first two batters since coming off the disabled list, and Atlanta beat Los Angeles.

Andruw Jones homered twice and drove in three runs, Raul Mondesi also homered and Adam Bernero (3-0) allowed a run and four hits in three innings for the victory after Braves starter Mike Hampton left the game with tightness in his left forearm.

Mondesi, who began his career with the Dodgers and was the NL Rookie of the Year in 1994, hit a two-out homer to left field in the fifth against Odalis Perez (4-4). The left-hander lost his third straight start, allowing three runs, five hits and no walks in six innings while striking out six.

Jhonny Peralta homered to snap a seventh-inning tie, and the Cleveland Indians beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 for their first three-game winning streak of the season on Saturday.

Peralta a 2-2 pitch from Jason Frasor (1-3) over the wall in right-center for his fifth home run, helping Cleveland win for the fourth time in five games.

Arthur Rhodes (2-1), the fourth of six pitchers used by Indians manager Eric Wedge in a game delayed twice by rain, retired all three batters he faced for the win.

Bob Howry worked a perfect eighth and Bob Wickman pitched the ninth for his 11th save in 13 tries, retiring Orlando Hudson on a grounder with a runner on third to end it.

Orioles 9, White Sox 6

In Chicago, Brian Roberts had three doubles, and Miguel Tejada doubled in the go-ahead run in a four-run seventh inning as Baltimore beat Chicago.

The Orioles erased an early three-run deficit to win after losing the first two games of the four-game series between division leaders.

Freddy Garcia (3-3) allowed 10 hits and seven runs in six-plus innings, becoming the first White Sox pitcher to lose consecutive starts this season.

Daniel Cabrera (3-2) allowed five runs and six hits with four walks in six innings, but he retired the final nine batters he faced. It helped that Chicago had three runners thrown out at the plate -- Paul Konerko in the first, Jermaine Dye in the third and Scott Podsednik in the fourth.

B.J. Ryan pitched the ninth for his 10th save in 11 chances.

Yankees 15, Athletics 6

In Oakland, California, Derek Jeter and Tino Martinez hit three-run homers, Alex Rodriguez added his major league-leading 12th shot and New York thrashed Oakland for its seventh straight win. The A's have lost a season-high seven straight.

Jorge Posada also homered, while Martinez had three hits and drove in five runs for the Yankees, who have scored 59 runs during their longest winning streak in more than a year. Hideki Matsui matched his career high with four of New York's 18 hits.

Kevin Brown (2-4) won his second straight start for the Yankees (18-19), who are back within a game of third-place Toronto in the American League East after their April struggles.

New York demolished Joe Blanton (0-4) and the A's early on: Every batter except Gary Sheffield had a hit by the fourth.