run single off Octavio Dotel with the bases loaded in the ninth inning capped a three-run rally that lifted Atlanta Braves to a 4-3 victory over Los Angeles Monday night. Dotel took over for Hong-Chih Kuo (3-2), who failed to protect a 3-1 lead. Kuo gave up two singles and a walk to load the bases. Dotel walked pinch-hitter David Ross to force in a run. Cabrera then lined the game-winning single past shortstop Jamey Carroll. The first-place Braves moved 2½ games ahead of Philadelphia in the NL East. Peter Moylan (4-2) pitched a perfect ninth for Atlanta. Los Angeles starter Chad Billingsley gave up five hits and one run in seven innings. Atlanta's Tommy Hanson gave up five hits and a run in seven innings. Mets 3, Astros 1: At Houston, Carlos Beltran homered in the 4th and New York took the lead in the ninth inning on a wild pitch by Houston closer Matt Lindstrom. Hisanori Takahashi worked a perfect ninth for his first save, filling in as closer on the day the Mets learned Francisco Rodriguez will miss the rest of the season. The four-time All-Star needs season-ending surgery on a torn thumb ligament in his pitching hand sustained during a fight with his girlfriend's father at Citi Field last week. Lindstrom (2-4) allowed a single to David Wright with one out in the ninth before a single by Beltran put runners at the corners. With Jeff Francoeur batting, Lindstrom's pitch in the dirt got away from rookie catcher Jason Castro, allowing Wright to score and give the Mets a 2-1 lead. Francoeur added an insurance run with an RBI triple off the left-center fence. Pirates 7, Marlins 1: At Pittsburgh, James McDonald pitched seven sharp innings and Garrett Jones and Pedro Alvarez both drove in three runs as Pittsburgh ended a seven-game losing streak. Making his third start with the Pirates since being acquired from the Dodgers in a deadline day trade, McDonald (2-2) pitched more than six innings for the first time in his career. He gave up a run and three hits, striking out six and walking two in improving to 2-1 with Pittsburgh. Andrew McCutchen hit his 10th home run for Pittsburgh. Dan Uggla went 3 for 4 with an RBI for the Marlins. Chris Volstad (6-9) gave up five runs, five hits and two walks in five-plus innings. Padres 9, Cubs 5: At Chicago, Kevin Correia pitched six scoreless innings and hit an RBI double to lead San Diego over the Cubs. Miguel Tejada was 4 for 5 with a double and two RBIs and Chris Denorfia added three hits for the NL West-leading Padres, who have won seven of eight. They moved four games ahead of second-place San Francisco. Correia (10-7) allowed five hits and struck out five with one walk. After giving up four hits in the first two innings, he settled down to retire his last eight batters and became the fourth Padres starting pitcher to win at least 10 games this season.
