Rockies left fielder Matt Holliday is making a strong push for NL MVP. Holliday homered in Thursday’s 9-4 win over the Dodgers, his fourth in three games and 11th in the last 12. He now has a career-high 36 home runs to go with 131 RBIs and a .339 average.
Jeff Bennett dealt his former team a blow. Making his first major-league start, Bennett pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing one run as the Braves beat the Brewers 3-1. Bennett was 1-5 for the Brewers in 2004 and in the minors since until being recalled for Thursday’s start.
Normally brilliant at home and terrible on the road, Houston’s Wandy Rodriguez pitched eight innings in St. Louis, allowing just one run in an 18-1 Astros rout. Before Thursday, Rodriguez was 2-10 with a 7.31 ERA on the road while going 6-3 with a 2.94 at home.
THREE DOWN
Phillies starter Kyle Lohse can thank his teammates for bailing him out in a 7-6 victory over the Nationals. Lohse lasted just 37 pitches, allowing six runs, six hits, two walks and one hit batter in two innings. The Phils were trailing 6-2 when he was lifted.
Mets ace Tom Glavine had a rough night in Florida, giving up 11 hits and four runs in just five innings of work as the Mets lost 8-7 to the Marlins in 10 innings. The Mets took the lead in the ninth to get Glavine off the hook but couldn’t hold it.
When Aaron Miles is the most effective pitcher of the night, it’s been a long night. Miles pitched the ninth inning of St. Louis’ 18-1 drubbing to Houston. Miles allowed three hits and two runs in an inning of work, the only Cardinal to allow fewer than three runs.
