Willis Stops Padres, 6-0

Dontrelle Willis needed only 1 hour, 55 minutes to pitch his fifth shutout, which made it a long game for San Diego.

With a five-hitter and a two-run double, Willis helped the Florida Marlins defeat the Padres, 6-0, on Wednesday night at Miami.

The Marlins shook a hitting slump and scored all their runs in the first two innings against Woody Williams. Carlos Delgado hit his 23rd home run.

Willis (16-8) struck out three, walked one and benefited from three double plays. He threw 109 pitches on an 89-degree night.

“He’s as good as anybody,” Padre Manager Bruce Bochy said. “We aren’t the first team he has shut out this year.”

Willis leads the major leagues in shutouts and is tied with St. Louis’ Chris Carpenter for the most complete games with six. Only Carpenter (17-4) has more victories.

The Marlins’ high-kicking left-hander has given up only two earned runs in 37 innings over his last five starts, an ERA of 0.49.

San Diego fell a game below .500 but remained atop the National League West.

St. Louis 5, Arizona 0 -- Mark Mulder threw a five-hitter for his second shutout of the season and John Mabry hit a two-run homer at St. Louis.

Mulder (14-6) has won seven of his last nine decisions, and rebounded from a four-inning stint in Chicago on Aug. 11 in which he gave up seven runs. He struck out four, walked two and benefited from three double plays.

Chicago 4, Houston 2 -- Nomar Garciaparra homered one inning before leaving the game with a stiff lower back, and starter Carlos Zambrano homered and went 8 1/3 innings at Houston.

Garciaparra was said to be day-to-day after hitting his second homer of the season and then leaving in the fifth inning.

San Francisco 3, Cincinnati 2 -- Noah Lowry pitched a season-high 8 1/3 innings, drove in the tying run and scored the go-ahead run at Cincinnati.

Lowry left because of a blister after striking out Ken Griffey Jr. to start the ninth.

New York 5, Pittsburgh 1 -- Carlos Beltran scored twice in his return from a frightening injury, sparking pitcher Tom Glavine and the Mets at New York.

Beltran’s successful return came only six days after his head-to-head collision with right fielder Mike Cameron in a loss at San Diego that left him with a concussion and a facial fracture.

Philadelphia 4, Washington 3 -- Jon Lieber pitched six strong innings and Bobby Abreu hit a two-run double at Philadelphia. The Phillies tied Houston for the lead in the NL wild-card race.

Milwaukee 2, Colorado 0 -- Chris Capuano (13-8) gave up six hits over seven innings and drove in both runs at Denver.