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Padres outlast Mets to win wild game

The San Diego Padres' Adrian Gonzalez, right, follows through on a home run in the 10th inning as New York Mets catcher Sandy Alomar Jr looks on at Shea Stadium in New York on Thursday. The Padres won 9-8. PHOTO: AP

Adrian Gonzalez homered in the 10th inning and the San Diego Padres outlasted the New York Mets 9-8 on Thursday in a wild, 10-inning game that included blown saves by Billy Wagner and Trevor Hoffman.

The Padres took two of three from the National League East leaders in a potential playoff preview. San Diego increased its lead in the wild-card race to two games over Philadelphia.

Wagner and Hoffman (3-4), two of baseball's best closers, both struggled mightily all series. Wagner blew one save chance and gave up the go-ahead run in the ninth inning on Tuesday before New York rallied to win. Hoffman blew two saves sandwiched around a successful conversion on Wednesday night.

Gonzalez hit his solo home run with one out in the 10th off Aaron Heilman (7-6).

Dodgers 5, Phillies 2

At Philadelphia, Chad Billingsley struck out seven in seven sharp innings to earn his first victory in a month and Los Angeles beat Philadelphia.

Billingsley (8-4) allowed one run and four hits, and after a month in which he lost consecutive games 1-0 and was 0-4 with a no-decision in five starts.

Juan Pierre drove in the go-ahead run with a bloop single in the seventh inning, and the Dodgers scored three insurance runs off struggling reliever Tom Gordon in the eighth.

Takashi Saito pitched a perfect ninth for his 34th save in 37 chances.

Tadahito Iguchi's solo homer in the eighth was the first allowed by Jonathan Broxton in 96-and-two-third innings, the longest streak in team history and fifth-longest in the majors since the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles in 1958.

Reds 9, Braves 7, 12 innings

At Cincinnati, Adam Dunn hit a two-run homer in the 12th inning to give Cincinnati its third straight win.

Mark Teixeira homered and Chipper Jones matched a career high with five RBIs, but that wasn't enough to keep the Braves from their second three-game losing streak in eight days. Atlanta fell three games behind San Diego, the NL wild card leader.

With one out in the 12th, Brandon Phillips reached on an error by reliever Bob Wickman (3-3), who couldn't handle a flip to first from Teixeira.

Dunn followed with his 35th homer of the season to right-center, giving the Reds their fourth win in five games.

Giants 4, Cubs 1

At San Francisco, Matt Cain (6-13) outpitched and even outslugged opposing starter Carlos Zambrano, shutting down Chicago for seven innings and hitting his second career home run.

In other NL action it was:

* Marlins 11, Cardinals 3

* Pirates 5, Rockies 1

* Nationals 7, Astros 6

Pinch-hitter Kenny Lofton's infield single off Joel Zumaya drove in the go-ahead run with two outs in the 10th inning for the Cleveland Indians to beat the Detroit Tigers 3-1 in the American League on Thursday.

Down 3-0, the Tigers still had a chance to win a series for the first time since the middle of last month. Marcus Thames hit an RBI double with two outs in the 10th off Joe Borowski, putting a pair of runners in scoring position, but Ivan Rodriguez popped up to end it.

Indians starter Jake Westbrook allowed five hits and two walks -- one intentional -- over eight innings.

Blue Jays 5, Angels 4

At Anaheim, California, rookie Jesse Litsch scattered six hits and pitched into the seventh inning, as Toronto trimmed Los Angeles' American League West lead to a game over Seattle.

Matt Stairs doubled home a pair of runs and scored another as the Blue Jays came from behind with a three-run fifth inning against Ervin Santana.

Litsch (5-6) allowed three runs, two earned, on six hits in six innings. He walked two and struck out two. Jeremy Accardo pitched the ninth for his 25th save in 29 chances, and has not allowed a run in his last 10 games.

Mariners 9, Rangers 4

At Arlington, Texas, Ichiro Suzuki hit a three-run double and Seattle also got homers from Jose Guillen and Jose Vidro during Seattle's seven-run sixth inning against Texas.

The Rangers, back home after scoring a record 30 runs in the opener of a doubleheader sweep at Baltimore on Wednesday, came up short on offense this time.

In other AL action it was:

* Twins 5, Orioles 2

* Athletics 12, Devil Rays 2

* Red Sox-White Sox postponed
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