By The Associated Press

HOUSTON - Greg Maddux pitched seven sharp innings to win his third straight decision and Gary Sheffield hit a two-run single as the Atlanta Braves beat the Houston Astros 3-1 Tuesday night.

The Braves have won 12 of 14 following a 4-8 start, and Maddux (3-3) also has recovered nicely.

The right-hander lost his first three starts for the first time in his career, at which point he had an 11.05 ERA. But he held Houston to just one run and five hits, outpitching Roy Oswalt (2-3).

John Smoltz worked the ninth for his 10th save in as many tries and 26th in a row dating to last season.

Cardinals 13, Mets 3

ST. LOUIS - Matt Morris pitched six solid innings and Scott Rolen and Edgar Renteria each drove in four runs as St. Louis beat New York.

The struggling Mets began a six-game road trip looking just as awful as they did Sunday at Shea Stadium, when they made eight errors and struck out a record 27 times in a doubleheader sweep by Arizona.

Morris (2-2) gave up two runs and five hits. Eduardo Perez homered for the Cardinals.

Mike Piazza had three hits, including an RBI double, for New York, which made two more errors. The Mets have lost three in a row and are in last place in the NL East at 11-15.

Rolen's two-run double highlighted a four-run first against Al Leiter (3-1), and he added a two-run single in a seven-run eighth.

Expos 3, Brewers 2

MILWAUKEE - Brian Schneider hit a tiebreaking RBI infield single with one out in the ninth inning to lead Montreal over Milwaukee.

Brad Wilkerson homered and scored the go-ahead run and Montreal starter Javier Vazquez struck out 12 in seven innings as the Expos won for the fourth time in five games.

With one out in the ninth, Wilkerson drew a walk from Mike DeJean (0-2), stole second and went to third on Keith Osik's errant throw into center field. Schneider then hit a one-hopper off second baseman Keith Ginter's glove to score Wilkerson.

Scott Stewart (2-0) got two outs for the win. Rocky Biddle pitched the ninth for his sixth save in seven chances.

Wes Helms and Royce Clayton homered for the Brewers.

Dodgers 6, Phillies 2

LOS ANGELES - Kevin Brown pitched seven strong innings and Los Angeles got solo homers from Paul Lo Duca and Adrian Beltre to beat Philadelphia.

Lo Duca's one-out homer to left field in the third ended a string of 20 consecutive scoreless innings by the Phillies' staff, including Kevin Millwood's no-hitter Sunday and Brett Myers' 3-0 win Monday night.

Brown (2-1) struck out seven, walked none and allowed five hits, including a home run by Mike Lieberthal.

Lo Duca opened the scoring against Randy Wolf (3-2) with his first home run of the year. Wolf allowed six runs and 11 hits in 6 2-3 innings.

Marlins 7, Diamondbacks 5

PHOENIX - Mark Redman pitched shutout ball for seven innings and Alex Gonzalez hit a three-run homer, sending Florida past Arizona.

Mike Lowell and Todd Hollandsworth added two-run shots for the Marlins, who snapped Arizona's first three-game winning streak of the season.

Redman (3-2) gave Florida a big lift just hours after No. 1 starter A.J. Burnett had reconstructive elbow surgery. He is expected to miss 12-to-18 months.

Redman allowed just three hits, struck out five and walked none. The Diamondbacks rallied for five runs against the Marlins' bullpen before Braden Looper retired Lyle Overbay on a liner to left with runners at the corners to end it.

Arizona starter Byung-Hyun Kim (1-5) tied his career high with seven strikeouts in five innings.

Pirates 7, Padres 2

SAN DIEGO - Jeff D'Amico pitched six solid innings and Pittsburgh broke out of its offensive slump against San Diego.

D'Amico (2-2) held the Padres in check, limiting them to one run on five hits. He allowed a homer to pitcher Adam Eaton.

The Pirates broke their five-game losing streak by scoring more than three runs for only the fourth time in 21 games. In 45 innings coming in, Pittsburgh scored just eight runs.

Randall Simon drove in two runs for the Pirates and Rob Mackowiak hit a solo homer.

Eaton (1-2) lasted 3 1-3 innings, giving up five runs on seven hits. He tied a club record with four wild pitches.

Cubs 4, Giants 2

SAN FRANCISCO - Moises Alou homered and drove in two runs, and Dusty Baker won in his first game back in San Francisco as Chicago beat the Giants.

Kerry Wood (4-1) struck out eight over six strong innings for the Cubs, who turned their new manager's emotional homecoming into a success. Baker spent the past 10 seasons with the Giants, winning 840 games and leading them to the World Series last fall before leaving in a dispute with owner Peter Magowan.

Ray Durham hit a leadoff homer for the Giants, who have lost three straight for the first time this season. Still, at 18-7, San Francisco is off to its best start in 30 years.

Alou hit an RBI single in the fifth and a solo homer in the eighth to hurt the team now managed by his father, Felipe.

Joe Borowski got his fourth save in four chances.

Kirk Rueter (2-1) allowed eight hits and three runs over six innings.