Pat Sullivan/Associated Press
Astros shortstop Jed Lowrie jumps over Cardinal Daniel Descalso after throwing to first to complete the double play.
Astros 8, Cardinals 2
HOUSTON -- Chris Johnson hit his first career grand slam, Bud Norris continued his dominance of the Cardinals and the Houston Astros beat St. Louis 8-2 on Saturday night to win a fifth consecutive game for the first time since late 2010.
The victory earned the Astros their second consecutive home series win with a game to spare. The last time the Astros won five straight was Aug. 22-26, 2010.
Norris (2-1) limited the Cardinals to one unearned run on three hits over six innings to improve to 7-2 in 11 career starts against them.
Left-hander Jaime Garcia (2-2) was charged with six runs on four hits in six innings for the Cardinals, who lost their season-worst third straight. Garcia walked four and struck out two for his second loss in as many starts.
"The problem was the walks," said Garcia, whose ERA against the Astros rose to 6.89. "It was a terrible job right there, and I didn't get the job done. They got me. That is the worst thing you can do as a pitcher -- walk guys."
National League
Pirates 3, Reds 2 at Pittsburgh: Neil Walker hit his first homer since September and James McDonald put together another strong start to lead Pittsburgh over Cincinnati.
Mets 4, Diamondbacks 3 at New York: Johan Santana won for the first time in 20 months, finally getting some run support from his teammates, and New York beat Arizona to snap a four-game losing streak.
Mike Nickeas and Andres Torres each hit a two-run single to back Santana, who toughed out seven innings for his first victory since the two-time Cy Young Award winner had shoulder surgery in September 2010.
Nationals 7, Phillies 1 at Washington: Gio Gonzalez allowed one run over seven innings and Washington hit a season-high three home runs in the win over Philadelphia.
Dodgers 5, Cubs 1 at Chicago: Chris Capuano threw seven shutout innings and drove in two runs to lead Los Angeles past Chicago.
Capuano (4-0) held Chicago to three hits and struck out seven, extending his scoreless innings streak to 182/3 . His two-run double in the second gave him his first RBIs since Aug. 24, 2007.
Giants 5, Brewers 2 at San Francisco: Madison Bumgarner shut down Milwaukee for seven innings and added an RBI double to win his eighth straight home start as San Francisco snapped a four-game skid.
Buster Posey and Brett Pill added RBI hits in a three-run sixth inning.
American League
Orioles 8, Red Sox 2 at Boston: Mark Reynolds hit a three-run homer, Jason Hammel continued his strong start this season and Baltimore extended Boston's recent home struggles.
Adam Jones added a two-run homer for Baltimore, which won its fourth straight and 10th in the last 12 games.
White Sox 3, Tigers 2 at Detroit: Adam Dunn hit a two-run homer deep into the right-field seats off Jose Valverde in the ninth inning to lift Chicago over Detroit.
Dunn hit a 422-foot drive off Valverde (2-1) for his eighth homer this season and Paul Konerko also went deep for the White Sox.
Rangers 5, Indians 2 (11) at Cleveland: Pinch-hitter Adrian Beltre hit a three-run homer in the 11th to lift Texas over Cleveland.
Beltre didn't start for the fourth straight game due to a tender hamstring, but he hit a 1-0 pitch from Joe Smith (1-1) over the center-field wall for his fifth homer, snapping the Rangers' three-game losing streak.
Royals 5, Yankees 1 at Kansas City, Mo.: Felipe Paulino came off the disabled list to toss six shutout innings, Billy Butler drove in three runs and Kansas City beat New York.
Paulino (1-0) retired 11 straight to start the game and did not allow a ball out of the infield until Raul Ibanez singled with one out in the fifth.
A's 4, Rays 3 (12) at St. Petersburg, Fla.: Jonny Gomes came through against his former team, hitting a go-ahead homer in the 12th that sent Oakland over Tampa Bay.
Gomes, who spent six seasons with Tampa Bay from 2003-08, hit his fifth home run of the season off reliever Joel Peralta (0-1) to stop the Rays' six-game winning streak.
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