Perez Finds Form to Lead Pirates, 2-0

After puzzling his own team this season, Pittsburgh Pirate left-hander Oliver Perez decided to start fooling the guys wearing the other uniforms.

Perez shook off an early-season slump and gave up four hits over 7 2/3 mostly dominant innings, outpitching Roy Oswalt to lead the Pirates to only their second home victory this season, 2-0, over the Houston Astros on Monday.

Perez (1-2), taking his catcher’s advice by mixing up his pitches, didn’t give up a hit until two out in the sixth and struck out nine.

Oswalt (3-2) gave up two runs on sacrifice flies to end his three-game winning streak.

Perez developed into one of the National League’s top starters at age 22 last season, going 12-10 with a 2.98 earned-run average and 239 strikeouts. But this season couldn’t have gone much worse for the left-hander before Monday, as he was 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA and six homers given up in 19 innings.

“But I forget everything tonight,” Perez said. “I had to be focused, because this was an important game for us. We needed to win.”

The Pirates had been a major league-worst 1-6 at home. The Astros are a league-worst 1-9 on the road.

Chicago 10, Cincinnati 6 -- Mark Prior struck out a season-high 10 in six strong innings, and Neifi Perez hit a three-run homer and had four runs batted in to lead the Cubs over the Reds at Chicago.

Prior (3-0) fought through wildness over the first three innings, throwing 63 pitches and walking two but still struck out six.

Prior has won all three of his starts this season and is looking a lot like the pitcher he was in 2003 when he went 18-6. He gave up his first earned run of the year in the fourth, a leadoff homer to Austin Kearns.

New York 5, Atlanta 4 -- Mike Piazza broke out of a slump with three hits, and Cliff Floyd and David Wright hit two-run homers as the Mets came from behind at New York to end the Braves’ four-game winning streak.

Aaron Heilman (2-2) gave up two hits over seven innings and retired 15 batters in a row but was trailing 1-0 when the Mets came to bat in the sixth against Horacio Ramirez (1-2).

Kaz Matsui singled with one out and moved up on a wild pitch. After Carlos Beltran struck out, Piazza hit a double into the left-field corner, scoring Matsui with the tying run. Floyd followed with his fifth home run of the season.

Philadelphia 5, Washington 4 -- The Phillies took advantage of seven walks and two errors to build a four-run lead, then held on to defeat the Nationals at Washington to end a three-game losing streak.

Cory Lidle (1-2) pitched six innings, giving up three runs and helped himself with a run-scoring single.

Closer Billy Wagner got the last four outs for his 250th career save.

San Diego 5, San Francisco 3 -- Geoff Blum had a two-run homer and a go-ahead single, and the Padres ended a three-game losing streak with a victory at San Francisco.

Woody Williams (2-1) pitched seven strong innings as the Padres spoiled another chance for Felipe Alou to earn his 200th win as Giant manager.

Milwaukee at St. Louis, ppd. -- The game involving the Brewers and Cardinals was postponed because of rain. It will be made up Thursday, which had been a scheduled off day for both teams.