Medlen leads Braves again

ATLANTA — The Rockies couldn't hit Kris Medlen, who threw almost nothing but strikes.

The Braves didn't have to rely on hits against Colorado's Tyler Chatwood, who threw far too many balls.

Chatwood matched his career high with five walks and gave up six runs in only three innings as the Rockies lost to Medlen and Atlanta, 6-1, on Monday.

Chatwood (4-4) gave up six runs, five earned, in only three innings. He gave up only three hits but couldn't overcome the walks.

"There was no consistency to his release point," said Rockies manager Jim Tracy, who said that Chatwood's 74 pitches in three innings "is really not a formula for success."

"He couldn't get his fastball in the strike zone," Tracy said.

By comparison, Medlen was masterful. He threw 111 pitches, including 85 strikes.

Medlen (7-1) struck out a career high 12 to win his sixth straight decision. He allowed five hits without a walk in his second complete game of the season.

"He was terrific," said Tracy of Medlen. "And he's been terrific for a while.

"He had three pitches for strikes whenever he wanted them. Unfortunately, with the way he's been throwing the ball, we pretty much put him in a rocking chair right from the outset."

Medlen extended his streak of scoreless innings to 34?— the Braves' longest since Greg Maddux's 39? in 2000 — before the Rockies scored an unearned run in the seventh.

Medlen appeared in 38 games in relief before moving into the rotation on July 31. He is 6-0 with a 0.54 ERA in seven starts. He spent most of 2011 on the disabled list recovering from elbow ligament-replacement surgery on Aug. 18. 2010.

Medlen was 5-0 as a starter in 2010. Atlanta has won his last 18 starts.

Adding a curveball as a starter, he said, has been "huge."

"You can just attack guys so differently with an extra pitch, an effective pitch, too," he said. "I got a couple strikeouts with it."

Medlen said he is glad he doesn't have to worry about an innings limit, but he noted pitching in relief "was not easy on your arm."

Nationals 2, Cubs 1

In Washington, Ross Detwiler allowed four hits in seven shutout innings and Adam LaRoche homered, giving the Nationals their first winning season with a victory over Chicago.

The NL East-leading Nationals improved to 82-52. The club moved from Montreal to Washington for the 2005 season and went 81-81 that year. In 2008 and 2009, the team lost a combined 205 games, then finished 80-81 in 2011.

Phillies 4, Reds 2

In Cincinnati, Jimmy Rollins hit a three-run homer off Johnny Cueto during a cloudburst that sent fans scurrying for cover, leading Philadelphia over the Reds.

John Mayberry Jr. added a solo homer off Cueto (17-7), who failed in his attempt to become the majors' first 18-game winner. Cueto also lost a day game for the first time this season — he'd been 11-0 in 13 afternoon starts.

Rookie right-hander Tyler Cloyd (1-1) got his first major league hit and win.

Giants 9, Diamondbacks 8 (10)

In San Francisco, Marco Scutaro hit an RBI single in the 10th inning after Buster Posey's tying double in the ninth as the Giants rallied to beat Arizona.

Brandon Crawford beat out a single to short leading off the 10th and moved to second when Brett Pill dropped a sacrifice bunt. Angel Pagan grounded out to first to advance Crawford.

Scutaro sent the final fastball from Bryan Shaw (1-5) past diving third baseman Chris Johnson for San Francisco's seventh walk-off win. Scutaro also doubled and scored the tying run in the ninth to help hand J.J. Putz his second straight blown save.

Astros 5, Pirates 1

In Pittsburgh, Brett Wallace had three hits, including a three-run homer, to lift Houston past the struggling Pirates.

Edgar Gonzalez (1-0) picked up his first win as a starter in more than four years, giving up a run on five hits in 5? innings.

Cardinals 5, Mets 4

In St. Louis, rookie Joe Kelly pitched 6? effective innings and also doubled, and the Cardinals held off New York.

Marlins 7, Brewers 3

In Miami, Jose Reyes drove in three runs and the hosts snapped a four-game losing streak with a victory over Milwaukee.

Carlos Gomez hit a two-run home run in the second for the Brewers. Teammate Norichika Aoki was 2-for-5, and is now batting .286.

Dodgers 4, Padres 3 (11)

In Los Angeles, A.J. Ellis singled in the winning run in the bottom of the 11th, giving the Dodgers a victory over San Diego for their second consecutive walk-off win.

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