1. Just enough to win: Ryan Vogelsong didn't have his smoothest outing of the season, allowing seven hits in five innings. But baserunning mistakes and lack of a key hit prevented the Milwaukee Brewers from scoring more than two runs. That pushed Vogelsong's ERA to 2.10, now best in the National League.
Five relievers pitched four shutout innings, including a five-pitch ninth for Brian Wilson.
"Yeah, I deserve those sometimes," Wilson said, smirking. "I liked it. I could do it again. I could get used to it."
Andrew Baggarly of the Mercury News said it felt like a playoff game. The San Francisco Giants certainly know how to win those, and finished with�a 4-2 victory.
2. Berkman blasts Bucs:The St. Louis Cardinals won't give up the NL Central without a fight. They won their second straight game over the Pittsburgh Pirates, who may be learning that holding onto first place is harder than getting there.
Kevin Correia pitched his worst game of the season, giving up seven runs in 4 2/3 innings, thanks largely to a three-run shot by Lance Berkman (who leads the NL with 27 homers). After their 9-1 loss, the Pirates are now a game behind the Cards and Brewers.
3. Unlucky number 14: The Seattle Mariners had�plenty of chances to break their 13-game losing streak, none better than loading the bases with no outs in the eighth inning. But Daniel Bard got out of that jam and the Boston Red Sox got�a 3-1 win. The M's have now tied a franchise record with 14 straight losses, the longest skid in the majors since 2005.
4. Who needs small ball? No better way to move runners along the bases than hitting the ball over the fence. The Philadelphia Phillies scored all eight of their runs via the long ball, hitting three of those home runs in the seventh inning. Chase Utley hit two homers on the day, as the Phillies outslugged the San Diego Padres,�8-6.
5. Some dig small ball: The Texas Rangers don't mind playing it small, laying down three consecutive bunts in the ninth inning. Elvis Andrus' suicide squeeze tied the game at 4-4. That set up Michael Young to single in the winning run for�a 5-4 walkoff victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.
6. Hammel hammered: The Arizona Diamondbacks put up a 4-0 lead before Jason Hammel could get his first out. That put the Colorado Rockies in a deep enough hole, but the D-Backs kept pouring it on. Justin Upton and Miguel Montero combined for 11 RBI in a 12-3 rout.
7. Stick the fork in? The Tampa Bay Rays needed a series win, if not a sweep, over the Kansas City Royals this weekend to stay in the AL East race. They'll get neither, as they lost their second straight game to the Royals. Joakim Soria escaped a bases-loaded, no-outs jam in the top of the 10th, and Eric Hosmer drove in Mike Aviles for a walkoff, 5-4 win. The Rays are now 9 1/2 games behind the Red Sox.
8. Gaby Gaby hey: Gaby Sanchez hit two home runs for the Florida Marlins. The first one gave the Marlins their first lead in five games, while the second made sure that lead held up. Sanchez racked up four RBI altogeher in�an 8-5 win over the New York Mets.
9. Can't win the close ones: The Washington Nationals broke out to a 6-2 third-inning lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers, but couldn't hold it up. Eugenio Valez scored the game-tying run in the sixth on a wild pitch by Henry Rodriguez. And a ninth-inning double by Rafael Furcal scored Trent Oeltjen for a 7-6 walkoff win.
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