Enquirer news services

HOUSTON - Roger Clemens won his seventh straight start and struck out a season-high 11, leading the Houston Astros over the Florida Marlins' Brad Penny 6-1 Tuesday.

Clemens (7-0) allowed only three hits, including a second-inning solo homer to Ramon Castro, over seven innings for his 317th win, one behind Phil Niekro for 14th place on the career list.

The Marlins probably thought they had seen the last of Clemens when he walked off the mound after striking out Luis Castillo to end the seventh inning in Game 4 of the World Series, thinking it was his final major-league pitch.

Clemens changed his mind about retirement and signed with his hometown Astros. The 41-year-old right-hander has won 11 straight regular-season starts and is the first seven-game winner in the major leagues this season.

Penny (3-2) allowed two runs and five hits in 6 2/3 innings with five strikeouts.

Clemens, who moved into second place on the career strikeout list when he beat Pittsburgh last week, raised his total to 4,151, second to Nolan Ryan's 5,714.

Morgan Ensberg had three RBI, Lance Berkman went 3-for-4 with two RBI and Craig Biggio homered for Houston. Brad Lidge pitched a one-hit eighth, and Brandon Backe finished the four-hitter.

Houston, which has won 10 of its last 12 games, tied the 1973 Astros for the best start in franchise history through 32 games at 21-11.

This showdown of NL division leaders was dominated early by defense and late by the Astros' offense.

Penny didn't allow a hit until Jeff Bagwell's shot bounced off the glove of shortstop Alex Gonzalez in the fourth.

Houston didn't score until the seventh, when Berkman doubled in Jeff Kent and Ensberg hit an RBI single for a 2-1 lead.

Biggio homered in the eighth, Berkman hit an RBI single off Franklyn Gracesqui and Ensberg had a two-run single against Nate Bump.

Cardinals 5, Braves 1

ST. LOUIS - Woody Williams, an 18-game winner last year, won for the first time in seven starts this season with eight strong innings in St. Louis' victory over Atlanta on Tuesday night.

Mike Matheny drove in two runs without a hit, getting RBIs on a bases-loaded groundout in the second and a squeeze bunt in the sixth. A third run scored for St. Louis when Williams' two-out grounder in the second scooted between first baseman Adam LaRoche's legs for an error.

The Cardinals are 7-11 at Busch Stadium and have won consecutive home games for the first time this season. They're 10-5 on the road.

Williams (1-3) entered with a 6.27 ERA and only four victories in his last 18 starts dating to last July. Shoulder tendinitis limited him to five innings in spring training and he struggled to start the season.

Williams was in control in the clubhouse hours before game-time when he walked in and immediately turned down the stereo.

That carried over to the game when he limited the Braves, who have lost five of six, to one run and three hits with five strikeouts and two walks.

Williams has never started a season 0-4. He outpitched Jaret Wright (2-3) to raise his career record against the Braves to 3-1 with a 2.05 ERA.

Brewers 8, Expos 5, 14 innings

MILWAUKEE - The Brewers overcame a five-run deficit in the ninth inning, and Wes Helms hit a three-run homer off T.J. Tucker in the 14th.

Helms, who hadn't driven in a run since April 10, ended a 4-hour, 20-minute game with a drive of left-center off Tucker (0-1). Dave Burba (3-1) pitched one scoreless inning for the win.

With Milwaukee down to its last out in the ninth, six straight Brewers reached base to force extra innings. Scott Podsednik tied it with a two-run single.

Dodgers 7, Cubs 3

LOS ANGELES - Chicago ace Kerry Wood gave up second-inning homers to Adrian Beltre and rookie Jason Grabowski before hurting his arm.

Wood didn't come out for the third inning because of tightness in his triceps.

The Dodgers, whose 21-10 record is the best in the NL, battered Glendon Rusch for four runs and eight hits over the next three innings to take a 7-1 lead.

Jeff Weaver (2-4) Weaver pitched eight innings, allowing two runs and six hits with seven strikeouts.

Diamondbacks 9, Mets 5

PHOENIX - Steve Finley hit a grand slam and Shea Hillenbrand went 3-for-5 with a home run and four RBIs for Arizona.

The two-out slam off Mike Stanton's 0-2 pitch was the ninth of Finley's 16-year career, and first in three seasons.

Ty Wigginton hit a two-run homer for the Mets.

Brian Bruney (1-0) struck out two in one inning for his first major league victory. Al Leiter (1-2) - who entered the game leading the majors with a 1.53 ERA - walked five batters in four innings, including two ahead of Hillenbrand's first-inning homer.

Phillies 10, Giants 4

SAN FRANCISCO - Kevin Millwood shut down San Francisco in his first start against the Giants since no-hitting them last year.

Chase Utley had two hits with a double and an RBI. Marlon Byrd hit a three-run triple and Pat Burrell had three hits, scored twice and drove in a run as the Phillies had 15 hits in their fourth straight victory.

Millwood (4-2) allowed six hits and struck out four in 6 2-3 innings, beating Jerome Williams (3-2), who left in the fourth inning with a slight biceps strain.