Haren's a Diamond pleaser

Dan Haren outpitched Adam Wainwright, hurling eight frames of one-run ball, leading Arizona to a 4-2 win over St Louis.

Haren (10-5) allowed four hits, striking out eight and walking two, in a pitching duel with the unlucky Wainwright (10-6), who surrendered two runs in seven innings.

Haren lowered his ERA to 1.96, the best in the majors, while Mark Reynolds scored three times and Miguel Montero had four hits including a sixth-inning home run.

That result allowed the Chicago Cubs to move to within two games of the Cardinals in the National League Central thanks to a timely return to form for Alfonso Soriano.

Soriano hit his first home run since July 7, a three-run go-ahead shot in the sixth inning which allowed the Cubs to beat the Washington Nationals 6-5.

Aaron Harang's struggles continued as he and the Cincinnati Reds slipped to a 5-1 defeat at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers, also two games back on the Cardinals.

Things were going smoothly for Harang until Craig Counsell's homer, which started a four-run fourth inning from which the Brewers could not recover.

Harang (5-10), who surrendered four runs, three earned, in seven innings, has not won in 10 starts and has dropped his last six straight decisions.

Johan Santana (11-7) made things easy for the struggling New York Mets offence, pitching seven scoreless innings in a 5-1 win over the Atlanta Braves.

The Mets made things certain with three runs in the ninth inning, started off by Angel Pagan's RBI triple, but the only homer of the game came off the bat of Atlanta's Chipper Jones.

Clayton Kershaw (8-5) was impressive yet again for the Los Angeles Dodgers, pitching seven scoreless innings as they beat the Houston Astros 5-2.

On the back of a 3-for-4 night for Orlando Hudson and two RBI from Matt Kemp, the 21-year-old departed with a 5-0 lead having lowered his ERA to 2.95, before the bullpen contrived to make things interesting, James McDonald giving up two runs in the eighth.

Closer Jonathan Broxton then walked two to load the bases in the ninth before striking out pinch hitter Ivan Rodriguez for his 21st save of the season.

Kevin Correia allowed one run in six innings and Chase Headley hit a go-ahead home run as the San Diego Padres beat the Colorado Rockies 3-1.

Padres second baseman Edgar Gonzalez was taken to hospital after being struck by a Jason Hammel fastball on the side of the head.

Charlie Morton (2-2) tossed seven scoreless innings as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the San Francisco Giants 2-0.

Rain in Florida meant the Marlins' game against the Philadelphia Phillies was scratched.