By The Associated Press

DENVER - Mark Prior (4-1) drove in four runs, hit his first career homer and pitched into the eighth inning as Chicago beat Colorado.

Corey Patterson was 4-for-5 with a homer and three RBIs for the Cubs, who had 16 hits after managing just 16 in three games against San Diego. Chicago avoided its first three-game losing streak of the season, winning for the ninth time in 13 games.

Colorado lost its fourth straight and had its five-game home winning streak snapped. The Rockies are 8-2 at Coors Field.

Colorado starter Nelson Cruz (3-1) allowed seven runs in 5 2-3 innings.

Brewers 12, Braves 5

ATLANTA - Richie Sexson tied a career high with three home runs and John Vander Wal homered twice to lead the Milwaukee Brewers over the Atlanta Braves 12-5 Friday night.

Sexson hit a three-run homer in the first off Shane Reynolds (1-1), a solo shot in the third and another solo drive in the sixth off Trey Hodges. Sexson also doubled in the fourth and grounded out in the ninth. He finished with five RBIs and a franchise-record 14 total bases.

Vander Wal had a two-run homer in the third and added a grand slam in the fourth, giving him six RBIs. The Brewers had lost three in a row and hadn't homered in a week.

Atlanta had won nine of its previous 10 games.

Ben Sheets (2-2) allowed five runs in seven innings for the win.

Expos 10, Astros 2

MONTREAL - Zach Day came within two outs of his first career shutout and Wil Cordero hit a two-run homer off Jeriome Robertson (1-3) to lead Montreal.

Day (2-1) allowed four hits before getting into trouble in the ninth. After getting the first out, Day loaded the bases on two walks and a single before losing his bid for Montreal's second straight shutout - and third in four games - on Morgan Ensberg's run-scoring infield single.

Day left after the Astros added another run on third baseman Jamey Carroll's error. Luis Ayala came on for the last two outs.

Dodgers 5, Pirates 2

PITTSBURGH - Adrian Beltre, benched twice earlier in the week, hit a tiebreaking double in a five-run ninth inning as the Los Angeles beat Pittsburgh.

Los Angeles had only four hits until the ninth against Kip Wells, who helped himself with one of the longest homers at PNC Park. The Dodgers then rallied with four doubles in a span of five batters against Wells and Mike Williams (0-1).

Troy Brohawn (2-0) pitched a hitless eighth and Eric Gagne finished for his sixth save.

Giants 7, Phillies 4

PHILADELPHIA - Pat Burrell dropped J.T. Snow's shallow fly to left, allowing three runs to score in the eighth inning, as San Francisco beat Philadelphia.

Marquis Grissom hit a two-run homer and Jose Cruz Jr. added a solo shot for the Giants, off to an NL-best 18-4 start.

Joe Nathan (2-0) pitched two scoreless innings in relief of Kurt Ainsworth, who allowed two runs and eight hits in six innings.

Phillies starter Vicente Padilla (3-2) gave up five runs - two earned - in 7 2-3 innings.

Mets 4, Diamondbacks 3

NEW YORK - Raul Gonzalez delivered yet another big hit since being promoted from the minors, a tiebreaking double in the seventh inning that sent New York to its third straight victory.

Struggling reliever Armando Benitez escaped a ninth-inning jam to earn his eighth save and give the Mets their longest winning streak of the season.

Mo Vaughn drew four walks and scored twice and Mike Piazza returned to the lineup and got three hits. The Mets also got a lucky bounce to score the tying run on their way to breaking Arizona's five-game winning streak at Shea Stadium.

Mike Stanton (1-2) earned the win and Oscar Villarreal (1-1) took the loss.

Cardinals 9, Marlins 2

MIAMI - Brett Tomko pitched a nine-hitter, Albert Pujols hit a two-run homer and St. Louis snapped a five-game losing streak.

Tomko (2-2) struck out three and walked one en route to his first complete game of the year. He also drove in a run with a bases-loaded walk in the sixth to knock out A.J. Burnett (0-2).

With the Cardinals in an offensive slump, manager Tony La Russa started Pujols in left field despite a bruised right thumb that makes it difficult for him to throw. Batting third for the first time this season, Pujols hit the first pitch for a two-run homer in the first, his third homer this year.