By Dennis Waszak Jr.
The Associated Press

Rickey Henderson's first home run since returning to the majors came without the theatrics that made him one of baseball's most colorful characters.

There was no flamboyant body language, flashy trot or playful stares. Henderson just put his head down and coolly ran around the bases.

"My teammates got mad at me because I didn't do none of my styling or my tricks that I do around the basepaths when we're leading in the ballgame," Henderson said. "I'd rather celebrate when we're winning."

And Henderson was able to in the end, as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the St. Louis Cardinals 8-5 on Friday night.

The 44-year-old Henderson trimmed the Cardinals' lead to 4-3 in the third inning with his 296th homer - and first since Aug. 17, 2002.

Despite a standing ovation from the Dodger Stadium crowd of 43,504, baseball's career stolen base leader didn't come out of the dugout for a bow.

"Usually, I wouldn't take a curtain call when we're behind," Henderson said. "I mean, you appreciate the fans for what they're doing, but you don't want to be celebrating when you're losing."

Henderson, the career leader in stolen bases, walks and runs scored, spent last year with Boston, but wasn't re-signed and played 56 games for Newark of the independent Atlantic League before the Dodgers signed him Monday.

"If he's playing, he knows he's got something left," said Cardinals manager Tony La Russa, who managed Henderson for seven seasons in Oakland.

"When a guy's a great player, anything he does is not a surprise," La Russa said.

In other NL games, it was: Florida 6, Chicago 0; Atlanta 11, New York 4; Arizona 6, San Diego 0; San Francisco 7, Colorado 0; Montreal 3, Philadelphia 1; Houston 5, Cincinnati 3; and Pittsburgh 7, Milwaukee 2.

With the Dodgers trailing 5-3 in the sixth, Shawn Green triggered Los Angeles' rally with a double and scored on Adrian Beltre's sacrifice fly against Cal Eldred (3-3).

After a two-out walk to David Ross, Cesar Izturis hit an RBI single to tie it, and Daryle Ward made it 6-5 with a run-scoring single while batting for Kazuhisa Ishii (9-3).

Ishii allowed five runs - four earned - and seven hits over six innings and struck out five. Eric Gagne got three outs for his 41st consecutive save and 33rd this season.

Jim Edmonds and Albert Pujols hit back-to-back homers in the first for St. Louis, and Edgar Renteria had a solo shot in the sixth.

Marlins 6, Cubs 0

Mark Redman allowed four hits in seven innings and combined with two relievers for Florida's sixth shutout.

Ugueth Urbina pitched a perfect eighth in his home debut for Florida, and Braden Looper finished as the Marlins sent the Cubs (47-48) below .500 for the first time this season.

Redman (8-4) struck out nine, and Ivan Rodriguez and Derrek Lee homered for the Marlins.

Braves 11, Mets 4

Gary Sheffield went 5-for-5 with two homers and Mike Hampton (6-5) won his third straight start to lead Atlanta past visiting New York.

Sheffield broke out of a 1-for-14 slump by tying a career high for hits, and his homer in the fifth was his first since June 27. He added a three-run shot in the eighth off Graeme Lloyd and scored four runs.

Javy Lopez went 2-for-4 and drove in five runs for the Braves, who have won 11 of 12 and improved the best record in the majors to 63-32 - their best 95-game start.

Diamondbacks 6, Padres 0

Steve Finley hit a three-run homer for the second straight game and Miguel Batista pitched a five-hitter for his second career shutout as Arizona won at San Diego.

Batista (7-4), backed by four double plays, struck out five and walked one in his fifth career complete game.

Giants 7, Rockies 0

Jim Brower (6-2) struck out seven in six sharp innings, Pedro Feliz hit a two-run homer and Rich Aurilia added a three-run triple as San Francisco beat Colorado at home.

Barry Bonds went 3-for-4, doubled twice and scored a run in San Francisco's five-run sixth. He also threw out Jay Payton at second from left field in the seventh.

Expos 3, Phillies 1

Javier Vazquez (7-6) scattered nine hits for his 13th career complete game. He struck out seven and snapped a personal three-game losing streak with his first win since June 10.

Michael Barrett hit a go-ahead RBI double in the sixth for the visiting Expos.

Pirates 7, Brewers 2

At Pittsburgh, Aramis Ramirez went 4-for-4 and drove in three runs, and Jeff Suppan (9-7) won his fourth straight.

Jason Kendall extended his hitting streak to 20 games with a single in the fifth, making Pittsburgh the first major league team in 23 years - and first NL team in 60 years - to have at least three players with hitting streaks of 20 games or longer in a season.