WASHINGTON — Michael Morse hit a grand slam, Bryce Harper also homered and the Washington Nationals became the latest team to tag a struggling Johan Santana in their 6-4 victory over the New York Mets Friday. Ross Detwiler (7-5) tossed six solid innings and the Nationals sent Santana to his fifth loss in the last five starts. Handed a 2-0 lead, the two-time Cy Young Award winner was perfect through three innings. But the NL East leaders strung together four consecutive hits in the fourth, capped by Morse's 12th homer. Harper added a two-run shot in the fifth. Tyler Clippard earned his 26th save. The Nationals, who own the best record in baseball, have won 10 of 12 overall. The Mets fell to 10-23 since the All-Star break and have dropped 10 of 13 to the Nationals this season. Reds 7, Cubs 3: Todd Frazier hit a two-run homer, Ryan Ludwick and Jay Bruce added solo shots, and Cincinnati beat Chicago in the opener of a four-game series. Bronson Arroyo (9-7) overcame a shaky start to improve to 5-1 in his last six outings. He gave up nine hits and three runs in 6 1-3 innings. Braves 4, Dodgers 3 (11 innings): Pinch-hitter Juan Francisco's two-out single in the 11th inning lifted Atlanta over Los Angeles for its fourth straight win. Backup catcher David Ross and light-hitting Paul Janish kept the inning going with back-to-back singles off Brandon League (0-1) before Francisco punched one to left off Jamey Wright. Jonny Venters (4-3) earned the win. The Braves rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the eighth on Martin Prado's run-scoring groundout and Jason Heyward's two-out single, ruining a strong performance by Dodgers starter Chris Capuano. After giving up second-inning shot to Chipper Jones, his third homer in two nights, Capuano stifled the Braves until the eighth. Pirates 2, Cardinals 1: James McDonald halted a string of ineffective starts with six innings of two-hit ball, helping Pittsburgh beat St. Louis in the opener of a series between NL Central playoff contenders. Giants 10, Padres 1: Matt Cain pitched eight dominant innings and San Francisco scored eight runs in the third to move into first place in the NL West with a blowout of San Diego. Elsewhere it was: Diamondbacks 3, Astros 1; Brewers 6, Phillies 2; Marlins 6, Rockies 5. — Agencies
