Lieber Is Pitching In for the Phillies

With another efficient and effective outing, Jon Lieber looked more and more like Philadelphia’s ace.

Jim Thome ended his season-long homer drought to back another solid outing from Lieber, who became the major leagues’ first four-game winner in the Phillies’ 6-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Thursday at Philadelphia.

With Thome slugging, Lieber cruising and Billy Wagner finishing with a save, this was exactly how the Phillies expected to contend in the National League East.

Lieber (4-0) so far has lived up to his billing as the ace of Philadelphia’s otherwise so-so staff. He has done what No. 1 starters are supposed to -- stop losing streaks. In his previous start, he ended a three-game skid and ended a two-game losing streak in this one.

Lieber gave up nine hits and struck out only one in eight innings. But he didn’t walk anyone. And he didn’t waste any time, throwing 57 strikes in 98 pitches, completing a game that took 2 hours 15 minutes.

A 20-game winner with Chicago in 2001, Lieber has delivered for the Phillies in his return to the National League. He’s the first Philadelphia pitcher to win his first four starts since Dennis Cook in 1990.

New York 10, Florida 1 -- Pedro Martinez (2-0) pitched seven strong innings at Miami, Doug Mientkiewicz hit a grand slam and the Mets ended the Marlins’ four-game winning streak.

Carlos Beltran homered and drove in three runs for the Mets, who scored seven runs in the second inning against former teammate Al Leiter (0-2). Martinez yielded three hits and one run, retiring 13 in a row during one stretch.

Atlanta 2, Washington 1 -- Shortstop Cristian Guzman’s two-run throwing error on Raul Mondesi’s bases-loaded grounder with two out in the top of the ninth inning gave the Braves the victory. It was the first loss of the season for the Nationals’ bullpen, which entered leading the major leagues with a 5-0 record.

Houston 8, Milwaukee 7 -- Andy Pettitte pitched seven strong innings at Houston to win for the first time since last July 21.

Pettitte (1-1), who had season-ending elbow surgery Aug. 13, scattered five hits, gave up three runs and struck out five in his fourth start.

Trailing, 8-3, in the ninth, the Brewers rallied for four runs, highlighted by Brady Clark’s three-run homer off closer Brad Lidge with two out. Lidge, who was called on to face Clark, then struck out Junior Spivey for his fifth save.

San Francisco 4, Arizona 3 -- Pinch-hitter Deivi Cruz singled to left in the bottom of the 13th inning and the Giants ended a three-game losing streak. The Giants loaded the bases with none out against Mike Gosling (0-2). Lance Niekro singled, Pedro Feliz doubled and Edgardo Alfonzo was intentionally walked before Cruz’s hit scored Niekro.

St. Louis 4, Chicago 0 -- Chris Carpenter (3-1) pitched a seven-hitter and Scott Rolen homered, doubled and had three RBIs at St. Louis, helping the Cardinals beat the Cubs. The Cardinals, who broke open a one-run game in the eighth inning on homers by Larry Walker and Rolen, are 32-10 at home against the Cubs over the last six seasons.

Pittsburgh 4, Cincinnati 2 -- Kip Wells (1-3), pitching on his 28th birthday in Cincinnati, won for the first time in six starts since Aug. 7 at San Diego, yielding three hits and two runs in five innings. Wells, 3-0 when pitching on his birthday, avoided what would have been the first 0-4 start of his career.