Lawrence Pitches Padres Past Mets

Brian Lawrence got out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning and yielded only four hits the rest of the way Wednesday night, pitching the San Diego Padres to a 4-0 victory over the New York Mets at Shea Stadium.

Lawrence (13-10) threw a six-hitter for his second straight complete game, one night after David Wells came within an out of a shutout against the Mets.

The Padres, third in the West Division, moved to within five games of the first-place Dodgers.

San Diego scored a run off Al Leiter (9-5) in the fifth. Jay Payton led off with a walk. After Lawrence popped out trying to sacrifice, Freddy Guzman doubled and Mark Loretta followed with his 13th sacrifice fly of the season. An inning later, Phil Nevin led off with his 18th home run, driving a 3-2 pitch from Leiter over the wall in left.

In the seventh, the Padres loaded the bases when Lawrence walked and Guzman and Loretta singled. Brian Giles hit a sacrifice fly and Nevin’s third hit, a two-out single, made it 4-0.

That was all Lawrence needed for his career-high 13th victory as he struck out four and walked two. He retired 18 of 19 batters after the first inning.

“I’m at the point where I think I have everything going my way,” Lawrence said. “I’m feeling pretty good and my pitches have been sharp.”

Chicago 4, Milwaukee 2 -- Corey Patterson hit a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Cubs their eighth victory in 11 games.

Patterson hit a 2-and-2 pitch off Luis Vizcaino (4-4) after a controversial leadoff double by Mark Grudzielanek, who hit a fly ball into the right-field corner and took third when Brady Clark’s relay went past second for an error.

First base umpire Mark Wegner ruled it a fair ball, and replays were inconclusive. Brewer Manager Ned Yost argued that the ball was foul and was ejected.

Atlanta 8, Colorado 1 -- At Atlanta, Chipper Jones homered twice and matched his career high with five RBIs, leading the surging Braves to their 19th win in 27 games.

Jones, batting only .214 with 12 homers and 34 RBIs at the All-Star break, is batting .346 in August with 10 homers and 25 RBIs.

Houston 7, Philadelphia 4 -- Jeff Kent hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth and the Astros completed a sweep of the season series against the Phillies for the first time. The Astros, who went 6-0 against the Phillies, won for the eighth time in 10 games overall.

Pittsburgh 2, Arizona 1 -- Jack Wilson and Jason Bay hit consecutive home runs off Randy Johnson in the seventh inning at Pittsburgh.

Johnson (12-12) was working on a one-hitter and had retired 17 consecutive batters before Wilson led off the seventh with his 10th homer. Bay followed with his 19th. Johnson made only 82 pitches in a three-hitter for his fourth complete game of the season, walking none and striking out 11.

St. Louis 6, Cincinnati 5 -- Albert Pujols and Jim Edmonds hit two-run homers and pinch-runner Reggie Sanders scored the go-ahead run in the ninth inning on Joe Valentine’s wild pitch to lead the Cardinals.

Julian Tavarez (6-4) pitched one-third of an inning for the victory. Tavarez is pitching while appealing a 10-day suspension announced Tuesday by the commissioner’s office.

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Montreal second baseman Jose Vidro will undergo season-ending knee surgery on Sept. 8 to repair tendinitis in his right knee. Vidro decided to undergo the procedure after a recent MRI. He hasn’t played in four straight games.