By The Associated Press

Ben Sheets was dealing Saturday. (AP photo)

MILWAUKEE - Ben Sheets struck out a career-high 10 in six scoreless innings, and Wes Helms hit a three-run homer to lead Milwaukee over Houston.

Sheets (1-0) has beaten the Astros seven straight times since losing his first two decisions against them in 2001. He outpitched Tim Redding (0-1), who gave up three runs and six hits in five innings, his first start of the season.

Astros reliever Ricky Stone allowed run-scoring singles to Craig Counsell, Keith Ginter and Lyle Overbay.

The 10 strikeouts by Sheets marked the first time the Brewers had someone in double digits since Aug. 31, 2001, when Jamey Wright struck out 12 against Houston.

The Astros placed pitcher Andy Pettitte on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left elbow. He was hurt checking his swing while batting in his Houston debut Tuesday against San Francisco.

Cardinals 10, Diamondbacks 2

PHOENIX - Scott Rolen homered twice and drove in five runs to power St. Louis to a victory over Arizona.

Edgar Renteria went 4-for-5 with three doubles for the Cardinals, who have outscored Arizona 23-8 and have 30 hits in the first two games of three-game series.

Matt Morris (1-1) threw a five-hitter in his 14th career complete game, bouncing back from his awful outing in the season opener, when he was rocked for seven runs in six innings against Milwaukee.

Knuckleballer Steve Sparks (0-1) took the loss in his first start in two seasons. He allowed six runs, five earned, on eight hits in six innings.

Braves 5, Cubs 2

ATLANTA - Julio Franco hit a tie-breaking, three-run double off Kyle Farnsworth in the eighth, and Atlanta rallied past Chicago.

In the game only because rookie Adam LaRoche fouled a pitch off his foot earlier, Franco drove a 3-2 fastball from Kyle Farnsworth over Sammy Sosa's head in right.

That capped a four-run eighth inning and gave the Braves the win a night after they blew a 1-0 lead in the ninth.

Andy Pratt (0-1) walked the two batters he faced. Antonio Alfonseca (1-0) got two outs for the win, and Kevin Gryboski pitched the ninth for his first career save.

Todd Hollandsworth homered and Sammy Sosa had two doubles for the Cubs.

Marlins 5, Phillies 3

MIAMI - Hee Seop Choi homered twice, and Miguel Cabrera's two-run shot off Rheal Cormier (1-2) propelled Florida over Philadelphia on the day the Marlins received their elaborate World Series rings before the game.

The loss was the Phillies' 12th in the last 14 games against Florida.

Darren Oliver (1-0) allowed eight hits and two earned runs in seven innings. Armando Benitez pitched the ninth for his fourth save.

Expos 1, Mets 0

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - John Patterson pitched seven stellar innings in his Montreal debut, and Peter Bergeron's two-out RBI single in the seventh sent the Expos to a win over New York.

The teams split the first two games of their series at Hiram Bithorn Stadium, where the Expos will play 22 "home" games for the second consecutive season.

Patterson (1-0), acquired from Arizona in a trade late in spring training, allowed just two hits, struck out six and walked one.

Rocky Biddle worked the ninth for his second save.

Jae Weong Seo (0-1) gave up one run and three hits in two innings.

Padres 6, Giants 4

SAN DIEGO - San Diego kept Barry Bonds in the yard for the second straight game and Phil Nevin had four hits to tie his career high in a win over San Francisco.

Bonds went 1-for-3 with a walk and remained on hold with 659 home runs, one behind his godfather, Willie Mays, for third place on the career list. Bonds, who singled to center off Brian Lawrence in the fifth, has 75 career homers against the Padres, his most against any team, but hasn't connected in the first two games at Petco Park. He was 0-for-4 with an intentional walk on Thursday night.

Bonds was on deck in the top of the ninth when Trevor Hoffman struck out Michael Tucker with the bases loaded to end it.

Jim Brower (0-1) was the loser, and Scott Linebrink (1-0) pitched a perfect seventh for the win in relief of Brian Lawrence. Hoffman got his 353rd career save.

Dodgers 7, Rockies 4

LOS ANGELES - Adrian Beltre homered and drove in three runs, and Milton Bradley hit his first home run for Los Angeles in a victory over Colorado.

Hideo Nomo (1-1) allowed two runs and four hits in six innings and struck out seven for Los Angeles, which has won four in a row.

Jeromy Burnitz, who split last season with the Dodgers and New York Mets, hit his first home run for Colorado.

Eric Gagne finished for his first save of the season, extending his major league-record to 64 saves in a row since Aug. 28, 2002.

Los Angeles scored in each of the first three innings and built a 6-1 lead against Denny Stark (0-1).