NL Capsules

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MIAMI -- Luis Valbuena hit a tie-breaking solo home run in the ninth inning to lift the Chicago Cubs to a 4-3 win over the Miami Marlins on Thursday night.

The Marlins fell to 5-17, matching the worst start in franchise history through 22 games according to STATS. Miami had the same record in 1995.

Shawn Camp (1-1) pitched the eighth and Carlos Marmol got the final three outs for his second save in four opportunities.

Nate Schierholtz doubled and homered for Chicago, which scored the final three runs of the game.

Valbuena put the first pitch he saw from Steve Cishek (1-3) into the Marlins bullpen in right-center field with two outs in the ninth breaking a 3-all tie.

NATIONALS 8, REDS 1

WASHINGTON -- Gio Gonzalez allowed just one hit in eight innings, and Denard Span and Danny Espinosa drove in three runs each to lead Washington to the victory over Cincinnati.

Gonzalez, who allowed 12 runs in his previous nine innings, retired the first 11 Reds batters before Joey Votto homered with two outs in the fourth. He struck out seven and walked two.

By the time Votto homered, Gonzalez (2-1) had a 6-0 lead.

Washington had lost nine of 12 and their previous six home games. Cincinnati lost for the sixth time in its last seven road games.

DODGERS 3, METS 2

NEW YORK -- Andre Ethier hit a tiebreaking single in the ninth inning and Los Angeles, boosted by a sharp outing from Hyun-Jin Ryu, defeated New York.

After Ryu and Mets starter Jeremy Hefner each threw seven impressive innings and left with the score 1-all, the Dodgers won a game decided by the bullpens.

Nick Punto opened the ninth with a double off Scott Rice (1-1) and moved to third on a grounder to the right side by Adrian Gonzalez. After an intentional walk to Matt Kemp, Mets manager Terry Collins visited the left-handed Rice on the mound.

The left-handed Ethier put the Dodgers ahead with his hit, and Juan Uribe drove in another run with an infield single for a 3-1 lead.

PIRATES 6, PHILLIES 4

PHILADELPHIA -- Gaby Sanchez homered and drove in three runs, and Garrett Jones hit a go-ahead, two-run double to lead Pittsburgh to a comeback victory over struggling Philadelphia.

Justin Wilson (2-0) pitched two hitless innings in relief of James McDonald, and the Pirates won their third straight and 10th in 13 games. Taking the four-game series gave Pittsburgh its first series win in Philadelphia since April 4-6, 2003, at now demolished Veterans Stadium.

Ryan Howard went 2 for 4 with a double and two RBIs and Domonic Brown had a pair of doubles with an RBI for the Phillies, who have lost three straight and eight of 11.

Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press

This story is from ESPN.com's automated news wire. Wire index

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