The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES - Kevin Brown's career numbers could be just as impressive as those of four-time Cy Young winner Greg Maddux - had Brown not been on the disabled list 10 times. He looked like a Cy Young contender Wednesday night against the Atlanta ace, winning his third straight decision as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Braves 5-1.

Brown (4-1), who has allowed one earned run in each of his last four starts, scattered five hits over seven innings and struck out seven.

"Physically, I'm throwing as good as I have in a long time," Brown said. "Now it's just a matter of continuing to work, trying to refine my pitches and keep trying to find a way to get a little bit better."

Fred McGriff hit his 484th home run and Shawn Green hit a two-run double to help hand the NL East-leading Braves only their fifth loss in 28 games. A victory would have matched the Braves' best 28-game stretch since 1914.

"They're hot, and they've been hot. They've been walking right through people. And they've been doing it with pitching and offense," Brown said. "It speaks well that we didn't lay down tonight against a tough lineup and a tough pitcher."

The rare matchup of All-Star pitchers who both have World Series rings and own six ERA titles between them drew only 29,343. It was the first time Brown faced Maddux since May 30, 1999, and only the fourth time in the regular season. The other three resulted in no-decisions for both.

"It's just the luck of the draw, as far as who you're facing on a given night," Brown said. "They throw a great lineup at you, so I knew it was going to be tough against Maddux. But my job is to worry about facing that lineup, not about what Greg's doing. So the approach doesn't really change - except for realizing that it could be a tough game.''

"You might enjoy things like that years down the road when you talk about them. But at the time, you don't. You treat them as any other game," said Maddux.

Maddux (3-5) allowed four runs and seven hits in six innings, striking out three and walking one.

Diamondbacks 2, Phillies 0

PHILADELPHIA - Curt Schilling pitched a two-hitter for his second consecutive shutout.

Making his third start since undergoing an appendectomy, Schilling (3-2) struck out 14 - all swinging - and walked just one. He recorded his first victory against his former teammates in four starts.

Alex Cintron hit his first major league homer and Luis Gonzalez had an RBI single for Arizona, which has won six of eight. The Phillies have lost three straight.

Facing his mentor for the first time, Brett Myers (3-3) allowed two runs and four hits in eight innings.

Pirates 3, Astros 2

PITTSBURGH - Kenny Lofton's two-run homer backed Jeff D'Amico's seven shutout innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates stopped their 10-game losing streak to Houston.

It was Pittsburgh's longest streak against an opponent since dropping 11 straight to the Cardinals in 2000-01.

D'Amico (3-4) gave up four hits and struck out a career high-tying 10, retiring 14 of 15 batters after pitching out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the third.

Houston's Jeff Kent hit a two-run homer in the eighth off Brian Boehringer. But Julian Tavarez got Jose Vizcaino to fly out with two on and two outs, and Mike Williams pitched the ninth for his ninth save in 11 chances.

Wade Miller (1-5) took the loss for the Astros.

Rockies 6, Mets 5

DENVER - Chris Stynes hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the eighth inning and Larry Walker hit a two-run single in a five-run fifth to lead the Colorado Rockies.

Charles Johnson started the go-ahead rally with a walk in the eighth inning against Mike Stanton (2-3). One out later, pinch-runner Gabe Kapler moved to second on a wild pitch. Stynes then singled to left with two outs to give the Rockies the lead.

Mike Piazza hit his third homer in the past two days for New York. Steve Reed (4-1) got one out in the eighth for the win and Jose Jimenez worked a perfect ninth for his 10th save.

Expos 6, Giants 3

SAN FRANCISCO - Claudio Vargas pitched into the ninth inning for his first major league victory and the Montreal Expos sent the San Francisco Giants to their fifth straight loss.

Ron Calloway and Jeff Liefer homered, and Vladimir Guerrero hit a two-run single in a five-run seventh for the Expos (25-15), who moved 10 games over .500 for the first time since finishing the 1996 season at 88-74.

Montreal swept a series in San Francisco for the first time since 1995 and have won six of eight at Pacific Bell Park. The Giants are on their longest skid since dropping eight straight in May 2000.

The 23-year-old Vargas (1-1) outpitched fellow rookie Jesse Foppert (2-3), who had won his previous two outings.

Cubs 6, Brewers 1

MILWAUKEE - Carlos Zambrano allowed three hits in eight innings, and Troy O'Leary hit a three-run homer to lead the Chicago Cubs.

The Cubs are 4-0 since Sammy Sosa went on the disabled list. Milwaukee has dropped four straight.

Zambrano (4-3) held Milwaukee hitless until Scott Podsednik's pop bunt with one out in the fourth landed between the mound and second base for a single. Zambrano matched the longest outing of his career. He allowed one run, struck out seven and walked one.

Matt Kinney (2-3) took the loss for Milwaukee.

Marlins 10, Padres 3

SAN DIEGO - Light-hitting Brian Banks connected for a three-run homer and drove in four runs as Florida beat San Diego to take two of three from the Padres.

Rookie Dontrelle Willis (1-0) pitched five innings for his first big league win, helping Jack McKeon improve to 3-1 as Marlins manager. Willis, a 21-year-old left-hander, was making just his second start.

Banks, who came in batting just .139, went 3-for-5 for his first multihit game of the season and finished a double short of the cycle. Mike Lowell also hit a three-run homer and Derrek Lee a solo shot off rookie Mike Bynum (0-2). Juan Encarnacion had four singles and reached base five times, and Juan Pierre had three hits.

The Padres lost for the 14th time in 17 games and are only 21/2 games ahead of Detroit for the worst record in the majors.