Hot Padres Rally Over Braves, 5-3

Mark Sweeney hit a sacrifice fly with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning to drive in the go-ahead run, and the San Diego Padres rallied to beat the Atlanta Braves, 5-3, Monday night at Petco Park in a matchup of two of baseball’s hottest teams.

The Padres, who have won five in a row, rallied for the second consecutive game. On Sunday, they scored 10 runs in the seventh inning en route to a 12-4 victory over the Florida Marlins.

Trevor Hoffman pitched the ninth inning for his 405th save, and 12th in 14 chances this year.

The Padres, who have won 14 of 17, trailed, 3-2, going into the eighth inning and rallied with four consecutive singles against reliever Chris Reitsma (1-2).

The Braves lost for only the fifth time in 15 games. Adam LaRoche was three for four and scored twice.

New York 9, Cincinnati 2 -- Cliff Floyd hit his 11th home run and Kris Benson gave up four hits in 7 2/3 innings to help lift the host Mets.

Benson (1-1), who began the season on the disabled list because of a strained chest muscle, struck out eight and gave up only two hits after the second inning.

Floyd lined a 2-and-2 pitch from Paul Wilson (1-5) in the first inning into one of the mezzanine suites in right field, a drive estimated at 395 feet. On Friday night, he hit two 400-plus-foot homers off the right-field scoreboard.

Washington 5, Milwaukee 2 -- Marlon Byrd was three for four and drove in three runs in his debut with the Nationals, Vinny Castilla homered and Tony Armas Jr. was solid for seven innings at Washington.

Armas (1-1) earned his first win since July 23 against the Florida Marlins. The right-hander was working on a pitch count and was lifted after seven innings.