Struggling Padres Drop Below .500

Adam Dunn hit a pair of two-run homers, and the Cincinnati Reds beat San Diego, 8-3, Friday night at San Diego to drop the West Division-leading Padres one game below .500.

The Padres (51-52) have lost 10 of 11 overall and 33 of 51 since June 1, when they were 14 games over .500. Amazingly, they still have a two-game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks, who lost to the Chicago Cubs.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Padres are the first team to lead a division this late in a season with a losing record since the Texas Rangers led the AL West at 52-62 on Aug. 11, 1994. That was the day before a players’ strike began.

The Reds, fifth in the Central at 45-58, won three in a row on the road for the first time this season.

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Atlanta 2, Pittsburgh 1 -- The Braves’ victory at Atlanta was marred by a serious injury to right-handed reliever Jay Powell.

Powell started the ninth inning, but his second pitch sailed about 15 feet high and wide of the plate and he fell to the ground, holding his right elbow and writhing in pain. X-rays showed a severe elbow injury, Brave officials said.

“He was in tremendous pain,” Atlanta Manager Bobby Cox said. “He could barely walk, the pain in his elbow was so severe. It’s sort of a bittersweet win tonight.”

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Chicago 4, Arizona 3 -- Pinch-hitters Michael Barrett and Aramis Ramirez drove in the tying and winning runs in the bottom of the ninth. Todd Walker led off with a walk off Brian Bruney (1-3). Pinch-runner Ronny Cedeno was sacrificed to second, Jose Macias walked and Barrett singled in the tying run. Ramirez then singled to drive in Macias.

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Florida 4, Washington 3 -- Josh Beckett reached 10 victories in a season for the first time, pitching 6 1/3 innings to help the Marlins win at Miami. Paul Lo Duca doubled home three runs in the first inning, and the Nationals were on their way to their fifth loss in a row.

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Houston 5, New York 2 -- Morgan Ensberg, Lance Berkman and Craig Biggio homered at Houston, and the Astros won for the 12th time in 13 games and 21st time in July, breaking a club record set in 1976.

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San Francisco 7, Milwaukee 6 -- Pinch-hitter Ray Durham doubled in the go-ahead runs during a five-run eighth inning, and the Giants won their 11th in a row at Milwaukee’s Miller Park.

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Philadelphia 5, Colorado 3 -- Jimmy Rollins hit a two-run single during a four-run second inning at Denver, helping the Phillies end a three-game losing streak.