Braves end losing skid, stop Cardinals win streak

ST. LOUIS — Brandon Phillips hit a two-run homer to back R.A. Dickey, and the Atlanta Braves stopped the St. Louis Cardinals’ season-high, eight-game winning streak with a 6-3 victory Sunday.

Phillips connected in the fifth for his 10th home run this season and the 17th of his career against St. Louis. Phillips is still booed by Cardinals fans for his part of a bench-clearing brawl when he played for Cincinnati in 2010.

Dickey (8-7) allowed one run and seven hits in seven innings. The 42-year-old knuckleballer has given up one or no earned runs in eight of 23 starts.

Atlanta stopped a five-game losing streak, beat the Cardinals for the first time in six meetings this year and avoided getting swept in the season series for the first time.

Arodys Vizcaino pitched a perfect ninth for his first save since Aug. 5 and his sixth in eight tries.

Michael Wacha (9-5) gave up four runs and five hits in eight innings, just the second time in 10 starts he has allowed four or more earned runs.

Marlins 5, Rockies 3

MIAMI — Giancarlo Stanton reached a couple of milestones by hitting a homer in his fourth consecutive game, and the Marlins completed their first series sweep of the Colorado Rockies since 2006.

Stanton hit his 42nd homer leading off the third inning to tie Gary Sheffield’s team season record set in 1996. It was the 250th homer of Stanton’s career and came in his 941st game.

Only five players since 1913 have reached the 250-milestone faster, and Stanton’s pace is accelerating. The homer was his 21st in the past 33 games.

Dodgers 6, Padres 4

LOS ANGELES — Justin Turner hit two home runs and the Los Angeles Dodgers won another series, beating the San Diego Padres.

Yasmani Grandal also homered as the Dodgers won for the 28th time in 33 games, improving the best record in the majors to 83-34.

Brewers 7, Reds 4

MILWAUKEE — When Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell found out the Brewers had traded for Neil Walker, he immediately wanted to know if he could get the veteran infielder into the lineup for Sunday’s game against Cincinnati.

After collecting just 3 1/2 hours of sleep, Walker arrived in plenty of time to collect a pair of hits in his Milwaukee debut, helping the Brewers to a victory over the Reds.

Cubs 7, Diamondbacks 2

PHOENIX — Jake Arrieta (12-8) won consecutive starts for the first time since early April, Javier Baez and Ian Happ hit consecutive home runs in the eighth inning and Chicago reopened a one-game lead over St. Louis in the NL Central.

Mets 6, Phillies 2

PHILADELPHIA — Michael Conforto and Curtis Granderson hit two-run homers and the Phillies ran themselves into trouble after Chris Flexen (2-1) loaded the bases in the fifth inning with no outs.

Nick Williams hit a shallow fly to center, and Conforto’s throw home scooted away from Travis d’Arnaud. Odubel Herrera put his head down and sprinted for third, unaware Freddy Galvis hadn’t moved off the base. D’Arnaud hustled to third to complete a short toss and an 8-2-5 double play.

Zach Eflin (1-4) allowed Conforto’s 26th homer and Granderson’s 17th.