Hernandez Is Too Tough for Cubs

Livan Hernandez tied a franchise record by winning his 11th consecutive decision, yielding three runs and 10 hits over eight innings to lead the Washington Nationals to a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday at Wrigley Field.

Cub starter Mark Prior (5-2) gave up three runs and six hits, struck out seven and did not walk a batter in five innings in his second start since being activated from the disabled list.

Hernandez (12-2) joined Dennis Martinez as the only pitchers in club history to win 11 consecutive decisions. Martinez did it in 1989.

Hernandez, who has not lost since April 19, took a shutout into the sixth, before Derrek Lee and Todd Hollandsworth hit solo homers.

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St. Louis 6, Colorado 0 -- Chris Carpenter carried a five-hitter into the eighth inning at St. Louis and became the major leagues’ fourth 12-game winner. Carpenter (12-4) joined Hernandez, Dontrelle Willis of the Florida Marlins and Jon Garland of the Chicago White Sox.

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Atlanta 9, Philadelphia 1 -- John Smoltz won his fifth consecutive start, and Andruw Jones and Kelly Johnson each hit three-run homers at Philadelphia. Smoltz (9-5) is 5-0 with three complete games in his last five starts. He went 5-1 with a 2.50 earned-run average in June.

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Milwaukee 8, Pittsburgh 4 -- Rookie Rickie Weeks hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning, but the Brewers may have lost left fielder Carlos Lee because of a left knee bruise.

Lee, who leads the majors with 72 RBIs, skidded to a stop chasing a foul ball near the left-field foul line and appeared to bang his knee against the wall in the first inning.

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Houston 10, Cincinnati 7 -- Morgan Ensberg, one of the majors’ best hitters in June, hit a three-run homer -- his 21st -- to help the Astros win at Cincinnati. The third baseman has 11 home runs and 32 RBIs since June 1.

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New York 7, Florida 6 -- Chris Woodward hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning. Marlon Anderson led off with a double over Marlin center fielder Juan Pierre’s head. He advanced on a sacrifice by Ramon Castro and scored on Woodward’s single off Jim Mecir (1-3).

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San Francisco 3, San Diego 2 -- Todd Linden scored on shortstop Khalil Greene’s throwing error with one out in the eighth inning at San Diego to give the Giants their fourth victory in a row.