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Chicago, IL - Jason Kendall registered two runs batted in and Jason Marquis pitched six solid innings, as the Chicago Cubs downed the Philadelphia Phillies, 7-3, at Wrigley Field.

Marquis (8-6) earned the win after he allowed three runs on eight hits with four strikeouts for the Cubs, who evened this four-game series after a 4-1 loss in Monday’s opener. Chicago has won three of its last four games.

Chris Roberson, who was recalled earlier Tuesday from Triple-A Ottawa, finished 4-for-4 with an RBI for Philadelphia, which saw its four-game win streak halted. Pat Burrell hit his 14th home run of the season for the Phillies, who lost for only the second time in their last 11 games overall.

Adam Eaton (9-7) suffered the loss after he surrendered five runs — four earned — on eight hits with two walks and two strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings.

Prior to the game, the Phillies placed outfielders Shane Victorino and Michael Bourn on the 15-day disabled list. Both were injured in Monday’s game. Victorino left after the fourth inning, when he suffered a right calf strain running out a ground ball. He was replaced by Bourn, who then fell awkwardly on the bullpen mound while chasing down a foul ball with two outs in the fifth inning.

Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Cubs moved in front with three runs. Cliff Floyd and Mark DeRosa both singled before another base hit by Jacque Jones — and a fielding error by Burrell on the play — allowed both runners to score. Jones, who ended up on second base, moved to third on a bunt by Kendall and scored on a single by pinch-hitter Mike Fontenot for a 5-3 Cubs lead.

After Kendall’s two-run single in the home seventh made it a 7-3 game, Carlos Marmol tossed a perfect eighth and Bob Howry took the mound in the ninth. Howry allowed a one-out single to Tadahito Iguchi before a double by Jimmy Rollins put runners on second and third. However, Howry fanned both Ryan Howard and Aaron Rowand to end the game.

The scheduled starters for Wednesday’s game are veteran Jamie Moyer versus Chicago youngster Rich Hill.

The Cubs took an early lead with a pair of runs in the first inning. Derrek Lee’s groundout scored Alfonso Soriano before an RBI double by Aramis Ramirez allowed Ryan Theriot to cross the plate.

Roberson’s RBI single in the top of the second made it 2-1 before the Phillies knotted the score in the fifth. Greg Dobbs singled leading off, moved to third on a double by Iguchi and scored on a groundout by Rollins.

Burrell’s solo blast in the sixth gave the visitors a 3-2 advantage.

Game Notes

The Phillies made a minor deal prior to Tuesday’s non-waiver trade deadline — they acquired relief pitcher Julio Mateo from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for minor league shortstop Jesus Merchan…The Phils outhit the Cubs, 12-10… Marquis is now 4-3 in 10 career starts versus the Phillies…Attendance was 40,495.

Minneapolis, MN - Carlos Silva threw eight innings and Torii Hunter homered as the Twins posted their fourth consecutive victory, 5-3 over the Kansas City Royals.

Alexi Casilla, Lew Ford and Jason Bartlett each had two hits and an RBI for the Twins.

“I think guys just turned up the energy level a little bit,” Twins catcher Mike Redmond said. “We’ve reached the point in the season where we need to win ball games. We’re getting it going.”

Silva (9-11) allowed seven hits and two runs, while fanning three to win for the third time in four decisions.

Mark Grudzielanek had three hits, including a solo homer, for the Royals, in the second contest of the four-game series. Jason LaRue and Jason Smith also homered for Kansas City, which has lost each of the first two games by a pair of runs.

Jorge De La Rosa (8-11) yielded eight hits and five runs in six innings for the Royals, who saw some changes on Tuesday. Kansas City dealt right-handed reliever Octavio Dotel to Atlanta for pitcher Kyle Davies.

“We’ve been passive. We’ve been swinging early in the count,” Royals manager Buddy Bell said. “When you’re going to swing early in the count you have to get after it. We’re just putting the ball in play without any kind of legs underneath it. It’s just a very passive approach.”

The Twins struck for four runs in the second inning. Hunter led off with a blast over the wall in left for his 22nd homer of the year. Ford and Casilla singled in runs later in the inning, and Bartlett doubled to left to make it 4-0.

LaRue homered to left with two outs in the next inning, but the Twins padded their lead in the fourth when Ford scored on a Jason Tyner double-play ball.

Silva retired the side in order in the sixth and seventh before Smith homered leading off the eighth. However, Silva got the next three hitters out before turning it over to Joe Nathan for the ninth. Nathan surrendered Grudzielanek’s homer to lead off the inning, but fanned the next two batters and got Ross Gload to fly out to end the game. It was Nathan’s 24th save.

Game Notes

Despite losing, the Royals ended July with a 13-12 record, marking the first time they have recorded back-to-back winning months since the same two months in the 2003 season…Grudzielanek was caught stealing twice…David DeJesus robbed Hunter of a homer in the third inning.

Boston, MA - Kevin Millar drove in a pair of runs as Baltimore topped Boston, 5-3, in the opener of a three-game set at Fenway Park.

Eric Bedard (11-4) allowed just two runs and two hits over six innings, winning his seventh straight decision. Jamie Walker retired the final two batters of the game to earn his fourth save.

Brian Roberts went 2-for-5 with a homer and two RBI and Ramon Hernandez knocked in one for the Orioles, winners in eight of their last 10 games.

Boston hurler Josh Beckett (13-5) was charged with nine hits and five runs with six strikeouts and two walks in eight full innings, losing consecutive starts for the first time all season.

David Ortiz drove in all three runs on a pair of home runs for the Red Sox, who have dropped two straight following a three-game win streak.

Prior to the game, the Sox pulled off a major deal to bolster their bullpen, acquiring Eric Gagne from Texas for starter Kason Gabbard and a pair of minor- league outfielders. In addition, an earlier minor trade sent pitcher Joel Piniero to St. Louis for cash and a player to be named later.

Down by two runs in the ninth against the sidewinding Chad Bradford, Boston put two men on with one out as a Coco Crisp single and walk to Eric Hinske followed Jason Varitek’s fly out. Walker then entered the game and Julio Lugo kept the inning alive by beating out a potential game-ending double-play ball to third, but Dustin Pedroia was retired on a nubber back to the mound to end the rally.

Roberts led off the game with a homer on Beckett’s first pitch, which bounced off the top of the wall near the Pesky Pole in right and settled into the stands.

It was 4-0 for Baltimore in the third on an RBI double by Roberts and a two- run single by Millar, a killer blow by one of the beloved members of Boston’s 2004 World Series winning squad.

Boston finally struck in the home half, as Pedroia worked a two-out walk and Ortiz smacked a two-run homer to right.

The Sox loaded the bases with one out in the fourth, but could not push across a run as Bedard fanned Wily Mo Pena swinging and Lugo looking to end the inning.

Baltimore took a 5-2 lead in the sixth on a Hernandez double which eluded Manny Ramirez at the warning track in left, but Ortiz drew the Sox within 5-3 on an eighth-inning lead-off home run.

Game Notes

Boston fell to 23-12 against the AL East…Boston’s overall ERA coming into the game was 2.62, lowest in the major leagues…Sox reliever Brendan Donnelly, who had been on the disabled list with right arm troubles, will have Tommy John surgery in a week to 10 days, performed by Dr. Lewis Yocum…The Orioles announced prior to the game that interim manager Dave Trembley will manage the club for the remainder of the season…Baltimore won for just the fifth time in 29 meetings with Boston since the start of the 2006 season.

Atlanta, GA - Kelly Johnson went 4-for-4 with two home runs and five runs batted in as the Atlanta Braves crushed the Houston Astros, 12-4, in the opener of a three-game set at Turner Field.

Brian McCann homered and knocked in four runs and Jeff Francoeur went deep and scored three runs for the Braves, who have won two in a row after a four-game skid.

Atlanta starter Chuck James (9-8) picked up the win after pitching an unimpressive five innings. The left-hander gave up four runs on six hits. Braves relievers Peter Moylan, Tyler Yates, Rafael Soriano and Jose Ascanio each tossed a hitless inning of relief.

Atlanta was busy before Tuesday’s non-waiver trading deadline, acquiring coveted first baseman Mark Teixeira, and pitchers Ron Mahay, Octavio Dotel and Royce Ring.

Lance Berkman homered and Craig Biggio knocked in a pair of runs for the Astros, who have lost three of four.

Houston starter Chris Sampson (7-8) was tagged for five runs on nine hits in just four innings of work.

After Berkman’s two-out homer in the first inning gave Houston the lead, the Braves answered with five straight runs to surge in front.

McCann homered with one out in the second to tie the game and Francoeur and Johnson followed with back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners. Ageless wonder Julio Franco lofted a fly ball to center that plated Francoeur for a 2-1 Atlanta lead.

Andruw Jones’ sacrifice fly in the third made it 3-1 and Johnson’s two-run shot in the fourth inning handed the Braves a four-run advantage.

Houston rallied in the fifth as Eric Bruntlett led off with a walk and Eric Munson followed with a single. Pinch-hitter Chris Burke came through with a base hit to left that scored Bruntlett and Biggio’s double chased two runs home to bring the Astros within 5-4.

Bruntlett walked with two outs in the sixth and then tried to score as Johnson mishandled Munson’s groundout. However, Bruntlett was thrown out at home on the play and the Braves proceeded to blow the game open.

Francoeur led off the home half of the sixth with his 12th home run of the season and Atlanta put up four more runs in the seventh.

The Braves loaded the bases on a single and a pair of walks before McCann lofted a fly ball to center to bring in a run. One out later, Johnson’s second blast of the game to make it 10-4.

McCann’s two-out, two-run double in the eighth accounted for the final score.

Game Notes

Edgar Renteria finished 3-for-5 with three runs scored for the Braves…Johnson tied a career high with four hits…Astros third baseman Ty Wigginton, acquired over the weekend from Tampa Bay, went 2-for-4 with a double…Wigginton’s arrival signaled the end of Morgan Ensberg in Houston. On Tuesday, the Astros shipped the struggling third baseman to San Diego for cash considerations.

Pittsburgh, PA - Yadier Molina drove in two runs while Adam Wainwright pitched six solid innings, as the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates, 6-4, in the opener a three-game series at PNC Park.

Wainwright (10-8) allowed two runs on eight hits with three strikeouts and a walk for the Cardinals, who won their fourth consecutive game. Scott Rolen added two hits and two runs scored in the win. This marked the second four- game win streak of the season for St. Louis, and its first since early April.

Ryan Doumit homered for the lowly Pirates, who have lost four straight games and 14 of their last 16 contests overall. Jason Bay finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored and Jack Wilson notched two RBI in the loss.

Paul Maholm absorbed the loss on the mound despite six decent innings of work. Maholm (7-13) allowed three runs — two earned — on six hits with three strikeouts.

Maholm, though, has a new teammate in the starting rotation, as earlier Tuesday the Pirates acquired right-hander Matt Morris from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for minor league outfielder Rajai Davis. Meanwhile, in another deal just prior to Tuesday’s non-waiver trade deadline, the Cardinals received right-handed pitcher Joel Pineiro from Boston for a player to be named.

The Cardinals grabbed an early lead with a run in the top of the first inning on So Taguchi’s RBI double before Wilson singled home Bay in the bottom of the second for a 1-1 tie.

The teams again traded runs in the fourth inning on RBI singles by Molina, whose base hit scored Albert Pujols, and Wilson. Wilson’s single allowed pinch-runner Nate McLouth to score. McLouth was brought into the game for Xavier Nady, who led off the inning with a single but left the game after he limped to first base. Nady injured his left hamstring for the second time this season.

St. Louis took a 3-2 lead in the top of the sixth when Ryan Ludwick doubled home Rolen, and two more runs by the visitors in the seventh created a 5-2 advantage. In the seventh, Aaron Miles led off with a single and moved to third when Chris Duncan followed with a double. David Eckstein’s fly ball allowed Miles to score before another sac fly off the bat of Skip Schumaker gave the Cards a three-run edge.

Bay’s RBI single in the bottom of the seventh brought the Pirates within 5-3.

Molina’s sacrifice fly in the top of the eighth scored Rolen, who’d doubled leading off, but Doumit brought the Pirates back within two when he led off the bottom of the eighth with his eighth home run of the season.

Jason Isringhausen tossed a scoreless ninth for his 21st save of the campaign.

Game Notes

Nady is considered day-to-day…The Cards’ other four-game win streak was from April 8-11…Maholm fell to 1-2 in four career starts versus the Cardinals, who improved to 7-2 against their Central Division foes this season…The Pirates outhit the Cards, 12-10…Attendance was 24,085.

Bronx, NY - Hideki Matsui hit two of eight New York home runs, but one was not from Alex Rodriguez, as the Yankees clobbered the Chicago White Sox, 16-3, to start a three-game series.

Bobby Abreu, Robinson Cano, Melky Cabrera, Jorge Posada, Johnny Damon, and Shelley Duncan also went deep as the Yankees equaled a club record for homers. They also had eight June 28, 1939 versus Philadelphia in the opener of a doubleheader.

Rodriguez remained at 499 career homers, going hitless in five at-bats. He flied out to right in the first, then to deep center in third, and was robbed of an extra-base hit by Jermaine Dye, who crashed into the wall in right in the fourth. Rodriguez, who also flied out in the sixth and lined out to center in the seventh, is mired in an 0-for-16 slump since his last hit, a homer July 25 at Kansas City.

Posada had four hits and scored three times, while Matsui had three RBI and crossed the plate four times, as the Yankees posted their second straight victory.

Mike Mussina (6-7) allowed six hits and three runs and fanned six over six innings to get the victory.

The problems continued for Jose Contreras (5-14), who leads the majors in defeats. He surrendered eight hits, including three homers, and seven runs in 2 2/3 innings. The veteran right-hander has lost seven consecutive starts. He’s been atrocious in the last three outings, having given up 30 hits and 26 earned runs in that span.

Juan Uribe clubbed a three-run homer for the White Sox, losers of two straight.

The White Sox also lost their cool. Manager Ozzie Guillen was ejected by home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi in the bottom of the first inning for arguing balls and strikes. First baseman Paul Konerko was thrown out by Cuzzi in the top of the sixth inning after being called out on strikes.

Washington, DC - Ryan Zimmerman hit a three-run double in the fifth inning as the Washington Nationals downed the Cincinnati Reds, 6-3, in the opener of a three-game set at RFK Stadium.

Ryan Church went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI and Nook Logan was 3-for-4 with a run scored for the Nationals, who have won four of their last six games.

Matt Chico (5-6) got the win as he gave up two runs on nine hits with three walks and four strikeouts in five innings of work.

Edwin Encarnacion and Brandon Phillips each had a pair of hits and an RBI for the Reds, who have dropped their last three games.

Bobby Livingston (2-2) was handed the loss as he gave up five runs on eight hits in four-plus innings of work.

The Nationals were trailing 2-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth, but took the lead with a five-run frame. The team put their first three batters on board to load the bases and Ronnie Belliard singled to bring home Logan. Zimmerman then had the big hit of the inning as he cleared the bases with a double to the right-center gap and chased Livingston from the game.

Todd Coffey then took over on the mound and got the next two batter out, but Church punched a single to right to score Zimmerman for a 5-2 lead.

The Reds got a run back in the sixth inning as Phillips’ RBI single scored Jeff Keppinger to make it a 5-3 game.

Washington padded its cushion in the seventh as Dmitri Young led off with a walk and, after Austin Kearns popped out and Jon Coutlangus took the mound in place of Coffey, Church smacked a double to deep center and Young came home for a 6-3 lead.

Luis Ayala worked a scoreless eighth inning while Chad Cordero threw a perfect ninth to pick up his 22nd save of the season.

The Reds grabbed a 2-0 lead in the fifth inning. Adam Dunn punched a one-out double to center and Jeff Conine followed with a double to plate Dunn. Encarnacion then smacked a single to score Conine.

St. Petersburg, FL - Former Devil Rays bat boy Jesse Litsch pitched 6 2/3 shutout innings, as the Toronto Blue Jays blanked Tampa Bay, 2-0, in the middle contest of a three-game set at Tropicana Field.

Litsch (4-4), a Tampa Bay native, scattered seven hits to notch his third win in his last four starts.

Scott Downs pitched 1 1/3 perfect innings and Jeremy Accardo worked around trouble in the ninth to record his 18th save of the season.

Delmon Young led off the inning with a single. After Brendan Harris grounded into a force out at second, Jonny Gomes walked. Accardo, though, got Josh Paul to ground into a force out and pinch-hitter Josh Wilson to fly out.

Vernon Wells hit an RBI double and scored a run for the Blue Jays, who have won two of three.

Young collected three hits for the Devil Rays, who lost for the ninth time in their last 11 games.

Tampa Bay starter Edwin Jackson (2-11) was the hard-luck loser after giving up just one unearned run on five hits through six innings. The right-hander struck out five and walked one.

Toronto got on the board in the second as Wells led off the inning and reached second on a fielding error by Devil Rays shortstop Ben Zobrist.

A Jackson wild pitch allowed Wells to go to third, and Matt Stairs’ single to left gave Toronto the lead.

In the home half of the second, Young and Harris hit back-to-back, one-out singles, but Litsch retired both Gomes and Paul on fly balls to end the threat.

The Devil Rays then loaded the bases with one out in the third on a pair of singles and a walk. However, Blue Jays second baseman Aaron Hill knocked down Carlos Pena’s line drive before starting a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.

Wells gave the Blue Jays an insurance run in the eighth with a two-out RBI double that deflected off the glove of Young in right field.

Game Notes

Jackson lowered his ERA from 7.00 to 6.56…In the fifth inning, Wells made a nice catch on Akinori Iwamura’s fly ball to the warning track in center field…Attendance was 10,569.

Cleveland, OH - Brandon McCarthy pitched into the seventh inning and Marlon Byrd drove in a run as Texas put the clamps on Cleveland, 3-1, in the opening contest of a three-game set at Jacobs Field.

At least for one night, the Rangers didn’t miss traded Mark Teixeira and Eric Gagne. Rumored since Monday, Teixeira was officially dealt to Atlanta on Tuesday for a host of Atlanta’s top prospects highlighted by catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, while Gagne was shipped to Boston just before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. (et) trade deadline for three players led by southpaw Kason Gabbard.

After the exodus of stars, the night belonged to McCarthy, Byrd and Nelson Cruz, who belted his sixth home run of the season in the fifth. McCarthy (5-7) gave up one run on four hits with three walks and one strikeout in 6 2/3 frames to outduel Fausto Carmona (13-5), who lost for the first time in six starts.

Carmona surrendered three runs — a pair earned — on five hits with one walk and four strikeouts over seven frames. Ryan Garko accounted for the only Indians run with a solo homer.

The Indians have lost three straight, while Texas put a halt to a three-game skid.

Cruz’s solo shot in the fifth accounted for the game’s first run, then the Rangers jumped on the hard-throwing right-hander again in the sixth.

Ian Kinsler walked and Michael Young singled before Sammy Sosa was plunked by a pitch to load the bases with nobody out. Byrd then chopped a hard grounder toward Casey Blake at third, and a bad hop took the ball into left field which plated a pair of runs.

Garko made it 3-1 in the seventh, but C.J. Wilson worked the final 1 2/3 frames for his first save of the season and third of his career.

Game Notes

Gagne was sent to Boston for Gabbard and a pair of minor-league outfielders…Teixeira was traded to Atlanta with Ron Mahay in exchange for catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, minor league infielder Elvis Andrus and minor league pitchers Matt Harrison, Beau Jones and Neftali Feliz…Garko has 14 homers on the season…McCarthy’s start was his longest outing of the season…Young has hit safely in 12 of his 13 games…Attendance 21,811.

Miami, FL - Red-hot right-hander Aaron Cook got his third straight win and fourth in five decisions, as the Colorado Rockies downed the Florida Marlins, 6-3, in the first of three games at Dolphin Stadium.

Cook (8-6), coming off a complete-game victory over San Diego on July 25, allowed three runs — two earned — on five hits with five strikeouts and two walks over 7 2/3 innings. He hasn’t lost since July 8. Manny Corpas pitched a perfect ninth for his seventh save this season.

Matt Holliday ended 3-for-4 and scored two runs for the Rockies, who won their third straight game. Garrett Atkins hit a three-run double, and Willy Taveras finished 2-for-4 and scored twice in the win.

Miguel Olivo homered for the Marlins, who have lost seven of their last eight. Florida lefty Scott Olsen (8-9) gave up six runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and four walks over five frames to absorb the loss.

Colorado plated a run in the first when Taveras tripled on the game’s third pitch and came home on Jamey Carroll’s sacrifice fly.

The Rockies added four more runs in the third. Cook walked and Taveras singled before Carroll bunted both baserunners into scoring position. Holliday was intentionally walked for Atkins, whose double to left field cleared the bases. Atkins later scored on an RBI single by Troy Tulowitzki.

The Marlins scored three runs in the home third, sparked by Olivo’s homer to left field on the first pitch of the frame. Alfredo Amezaga then reached on a throwing error by Tulowitzki, and Olsen bunted him over to second. Amezaga next stole third before a Hanley Ramirez walk, and Dan Uggla and Miguel Cabrera both came through with RBI singles.

Colorado tacked on another run in the fifth, as Holliday led off with a double, advanced to third on Atkins’ fly ball, and came home on a Ryan Spilborghs sac fly.

Florida got a runner on third in the eighth, but Uggla struck out swinging to end the inning.

Game Notes

Colorado ended its scoreless-innings drought on the road at 20 in the first…The Rockies have won five straight in Florida…Florida played the Rockies for the first time this season, and is 11-8 in the series since the start of the 2004 campaign.