Mulder Wins 7th in a Row

The best way to describe Mark Mulder’s effect on the St. Louis Cardinals’ rotation is their record when he’s on the mound.

Mulder won his seventh decision in a row, and the Cardinals won for the ninth time in his 10 starts overall Wednesday in beating the Pittsburgh Pirates for the 12th consecutive time, 11-5, to complete a three-game sweep at St. Louis.

“I want to keep the team in position to win the game; that’s first and foremost my goal every time I pitch,” said Mulder (7-1), who gave up three runs and six hits in seven innings with three strikeouts and one walk. “If they score one, you’ve got to throw a shutout. That’s just the way it is.”

No shutout was necessary. Yadier Molina had career bests by going four for four with four runs batted in, and David Eckstein had a two-run homer and a sacrifice fly for the Cardinals, who have beaten the Pirates 12 straight times dating to August.

Houston 5, Chicago 1 -- Brandon Backe (4-3) outpitched Greg Maddux (2-3), and Morgan Ensberg hit a go-ahead home run in the fifth inning at Chicago to help the Astros end a seven-game skid.

Backe got his first win in six road starts, giving up seven hits and a run in seven-plus innings. Maddux gave up five runs and eight hits in 7 2/3 innings.

Atlanta 3, N.Y. Mets 0 -- Rookie Kyle Davies (2-0), from nearby Stockbridge, Ga., gave up five hits and one walk in 5 1/3 innings in his home debut, and the Braves shut out the Mets for the second night in a row to complete a three-game sweep.

Philadelphia 8, Florida 5 -- Jimmy Rollins had four hits, and Jim Thome had three at Miami to end the Marlins’ winning streak at six games. Al Leiter (2-5) lasted only 2 1/3 innings, giving up five runs and seven hits.

San Diego 12, Arizona 11 -- Royce Clayton drove in three runs, two on an eighth-inning single, to help the Diamondbacks win at Phoenix.

Akinori Otsuka (1-3), who faced only three batters and gave up three runs as well as two singles and a walk, took the loss.

Troy Glaus, Tony Clark and Luis Terrero homered in Arizona’s five-run fifth inning, the 10th three-homer inning for the franchise.

Cincinnati 12, Washington 3 -- Ryan Freel had four hits, including his first homer since Sept. 5, to lead the host Reds and emergency starter Matt Belisle (2-4) to a three-game sweep. Belisle started because Aaron Harang had flu-like symptoms.

Milwaukee 11, Colorado 1 -- Gary Glover (3-3) won for the first time since April 29, giving up one unearned run and three hits in six innings to help the Brewers finish a three-game sweep at Milwaukee. Bill Hall had four RBIs for the Brewers.

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Houston Astro right-hander Roger Clemens said he felt about the same a day after a sore groin forced him from a game at Chicago after five innings, but Manager Phil Garner doesn’t expect him to miss his next start Monday. ... Former Secretary of State Colin Powell joined one of nine groups bidding to buy the Washington Nationals.