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Willis becomes the National League's first 8-game winner

Dontrelle Willis became the first eight-game winner in the National League, and Carlos Delgado and Miguel Cabrera hit consecutive homers to carry the Florida Marlins past the Philadelphia Phillies 5-2 on Monday.

Willis (8-1) allowed two runs and seven hits in eight innings, to help Florida win its season-high fifth straight victory.

Delgado and Cabrera each extended their hitting streaks to 12 games. Todd Jones worked the ninth for his seventh save in eight opportunities.

Jon Lieber (5-4) matched Willis pitch for pitch and carried a 1-0 lead into the sixth before serving up the home runs.

Reds 5, Nationals 3

At Cincinnati, slumping Jason LaRue had three hits off Esteban Loaiza, including a solo homer, and the Reds recovered from the shock of losing closer Danny Graves by beating Washington.

A few hours before the game, the Reds designated their career-saves leader for assignment, abruptly ending his eight-year stay in Cincinnati. Dumbfounded players sat by their lockers and stared at the floor.

Left-hander Eric Milton (3-5), who hasn't pitched much better than Graves lately, settled his teammates by going a season-high eight innings and getting a pair of hits.

Hall of fame game

Minor leaguer Derek Nicholson hit a two-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning on Monday, sending the Detroit Tigers to a 6-4 victory over the Boston Red Sox in Major League Baseball's annual Hall of Fame game.

Nicholson, who plays for the Class A Lakeland Tigers of the Florida State League, sent a 1-0 pitch from reliever Barry Hertzler of the Class A Wilmington Blue Rocks of the Carolina League over the fence in left-center field. It was his only hit in four at-bats.

Carlos Pena went 4-for-4, scored two runs and hit a home run to earn the MVP honors.

It marked the third straight year the game was not played during induction weekend.
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