The Associated Press

MIAMI - Rookie sensation Dontrelle Willis won a battle of showcase left-handers Wednesday night - thanks to an errant throw by second baseman Junior Spivey - and the surging Florida Marlins beat the slumping Arizona Diamondbacks 3-1.

The game drew a crowd of 37,735 to see Willis battle Arizona's Randy Johnson. It's the Marlins' largest turnout since July 14, 2001. Nearly half the tickets were purchased Wednesday in anticipation of a pitching gem, and that's what the fans got.

They also saw the Marlins win their sixth game in a row and complete their first-ever series sweep of Arizona. The Diamondbacks have lost nine consecutive road games, a team record.

In a battle of the ages, the 21-year-old Willis (10-2) gave up four hits in seven innings. The only run scored by the D-Backs against the D-Train was a homer by Alex Cintron.

The 39-year-old Johnson, making just his third start after missing 2 1/2 months following arthroscopic knee surgery, was almost as good. Johnson (1-4) allowed four hits in six innings but gave up two runs in the pivotal sixth.

Astros 7, Braves 3

ATLANTA - Adam Everett singled in two runs to cap a four-run first inning, and Ron Villone overcame a wild streak to lead Houston.

Marcus Giles, who came into the game with a streak of nine straight hits, flied out to the warning track his first time up to finish one short of the NL record for consecutive hits. After going 13-of-15 the previous three games, he was hitless in four at-bats and walked.

Pirates 7, Padres 2

PITTSBURGH - Reggie Sanders homered twice and drove in five runs to lead the Pirates. Pittsburgh trailed 2-0 until Sanders hit a go-ahead, three-run shot in the fourth off Brian Lawrence (5-13), who lost his fourth straight decision and sixth in seven decisions.

Brian Giles added a two-run homer in the sixth, a batter before Sanders hit his second homer in as many at-bats and 21st of the season. Sanders has four homers in three games and five in six games.

Cardinals 11, Expos 1

MONTREAL - Rookie Dan Haren pitched seven shutout innings, and Mike Matheny hit a three-run double in a seven-run first to lead St. Louis. Haren (2-2) hit an RBI double to cap the first, then scattered four hits in seven innings. He is 2-0 in his last four starts.

Phillies 4, Dodgers 2

PHILADELPHIA - Ricky Ledee hit a go-ahead triple in the seventh inning and Jim Thome drove two runs as the Philadelphia defeated Los Angeles.

The Dodgers' offensive woes continued as they failed to score more than two runs for the sixth straight game. They have totaled just five runs in going 3-3 over that span.

Giants 6, Cubs 3

CHICAGO - Jason Schmidt (11-4) went six innings, giving up two hits and two runs and striking out seven to win for the sixth time in seven starts for the Giants.

Edgardo Alfonzo staked the Giants to a 4-0 lead in the second inning with his second career grand slam. Schmidt and the bullpen did the rest for the Giants, who won for the 11th time in 13 games.