Streaking Padres Complete Sweep

Clay Hensley pitched his first career shutout, yielding two hits, and Khalil Greene hit a three-run home run to lead the San Diego Padres to a 9-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday at Wrigley Field.

The Padres, who have won 14 of their last 15 -- and eight in a row on the road -- completed a three-game sweep of the Cubs. They had last swept the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Sept. 4-6, 1992.

Padres outfielder Brian Giles walked five times, tying a major league record in a nine-inning game. Hensley (2-2) retired 11 consecutive batters before giving up a double to Michael Barrett in the fifth.

After a 9-15 start, San Diego (22-16) has quickly rebounded to become the top team in the West Division.

“I think we’re starting to become a team. It was a pretty new team coming into spring training,” Hensley said. “A lot of new guys, a lot of new faces. Guys are swinging it and our pitchers are doing a good job. It’s all coming together for us.”

Washington 8, Atlanta 1 -- The Nationals took advantage of a careless defensive play by first baseman Adam LaRoche at Atlanta.

Washington blew it open against John Thomson (1-3) with four unearned runs in the fifth inning -- all of them scoring after LaRoche fielded a routine grounder but nonchalantly jogged to first on what should have been the third out. Nick Johnson was ruled safe by umpire Mark Carlson.

Houston 3, Colorado 0 -- Andy Pettitte (3-4) gave up three hits and Morgan Ensberg and Lance Berkman homered to lead the Astros at Houston.

It was Pettitte’s first shutout with Houston and his first since June 30, 2002, with the New York Yankees against the New York Mets.

Philadelphia 2, Cincinnati 1 -- Ryan Howard tied the score with a pinch-hit homer in the eighth inning, then homered in the 12th to power the Phillies.

The Phillies, who won for the 13th time in 14 games, completed their first three-game sweep in Cincinnati since September 2002.

Milwaukee 6, New York 5 -- Bill Hall hit a two-out home run in the bottom of the 10th inning, lifting the Brewers after they blew leads in the seventh and ninth innings.

Derrick Turnbow, who had converted his first 12 save opportunities, yielded a double to Carlos Delgado, who scored on a two-out infield hit by Xavier Nady in the ninth, tying the score, 5-5.

Florida 8, Pittsburgh 2 -- Brian Moehler (1-4) won for the first time since July, taking a shutout into the eighth inning at Pittsburgh. Miguel Cabrera hit a three-run homer during a five-run second inning against Ian Snell (2-3).

Arizona 7, St. Louis 6 -- Chad Tracy hit a tiebreaking, two-run double during a four-run seventh inning, helping the Diamondbacks avoid a three-game sweep at St. Louis.