NATIONAL LEAGUE Redding, Bagwell lead Astros to victory

Aramis Ramirez had the Cubs' only two hits.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
HOUSTON -- This time, Tim Redding wasn't rusty at all.
Redding allowed just two hits in seven strong innings and Jeff Bagwell homered Saturday as the Houston Astros beat the Chicago Cubs, 3-1.
After a strong start before the All-Star break, Redding lasted only 2 1/3 innings in his previous outing -- a 5-3 loss at Pittsburgh.
"My last start before the All-Star break was dynamite, it was the same way I pitched today," Redding said. "I didn't pick up the ball all three days of the All-Star break. I figured I'd have time after the All-Star break to get ready.
"I won't make that mistake again."
Redding (7-9) didn't allow a hit until Aramis Ramirez tripled with one out in the fifth inning. Ramirez also singled in the seventh for the other hit off the right-hander.
"Redding spotted his fastball and he was staying away from our hitters," Cubs manager Dusty Baker said. "He was keeping it away. We didn't hit many balls hard. They say good pitching beats good hitting. That's what you saw today.
"People will ask about our hitting, well, he threw a good game. If it wasn't for Ramirez we wouldn't have had any hits at all."
Lance Berkman had an RBI double for the NL Central-leading Astros, who took a 3-1 lead on Bagwell's 22nd homer in the sixth.
Jeff Kent, the next batter, objected to a strike call by plate umpire Matt Hollowell and was ejected with two strikes.
Kent had to be restrained, and Astros manager Jimy Williams rushed out and was ejected as well.
Before leaving the field, Williams kicked dirt on home plate and shook his index finger in Hollowell's face to the delight of the sellout crowd of 42,679.
CHICAGOHOUSTON
abrhbiabrhbi
Lofton cf4000Biggio cf4110
Grdzln 2b4000Blum 3b3000
SSosa rf4000Bgwell 1b4211
Alou lf4000JKent 2b3001
ARmrz 3b3120Ensbrg 3b1010
Karros 1b3000Brkmn lf2011
ASGzlz ss3000Hidalgo rf3010
Bako c2000Asmus c3000
LHarrs ph1000AEvrtt ss3000
DMiller c0000Rdding p1000
JuCruz p2000Merced ph1000
Frnswr p0000Lidge p0000
O'Lery ph0000Wagner p0000
Guthrie p0000
Alfnsca p0000
Totals30120Totals28353
Chicago000010000--1
Houston20000100x--3
E--Blum (4). DP--Chicago 1. LOB--Chicago 3, Houston 5. 2B--Berkman (21), Hidalgo (28). 3B--ARamirez (2). HR--Bagwell (22).
IPHRERBBSO
Chicago
JuCruz L,1-4643335
Farnsworth100002
Guthrie1-300000
Alfonseca2-310000
Houston
Redding W,7-9721004
Lidge2-300011
Wagner S,311 1-300001
HBP--by JuCruz (Berkman). WP--JuCruz 2. Umpires--Home, Matt Hollowell; First, Mike Fichter; Second, John Hirschbeck; Third, Bill Welke. T--2:28. A--42,679.
Diamondbacks 1, Dodgers 0
PHOENIX -- Elmer Dessens drove in a run with his first triple and pitched seven shutout innings to lead Arizona.
It was Arizona's second straight narrow decision over the Dodgers, coming hours after a 2-1 victory in 15 innings Friday night.
Eddie Oropesa and Jose Valverde worked out of a jam in the eighth and Matt Mantei pitched the ninth for his 11th save, finishing the Diamondbacks' fifth shutout of the season -- a six-hitter.
Dessens (6-7), the only member of the Diamondbacks opening day rotation to make every start this year, allowed four hits and one intentional walk while striking out six.
Dessens retired 16 consecutive batters between singles by Cesar Izturis in the first inning and Dave Roberts in the sixth. Roberts reached second on a balk, but Dessens struck out Izturis, the next batter, for the third out.
In the seventh, he pitched out of a bases-loaded jam after giving up singles to Shawn Green and Jeromy Burnitz. Green reached third and Burnitz second on Burnitz's broken-bat blooper to center, and Dessens walked Adrian Beltre before striking out David Ross.
Los Angeles threatened in the eighth against Oropesa, who walked pinch-hitter Rickey Henderson on four pitches and gave up a single to Izturis in the first three batters.
But Green struck out looking for the second out. Valverde came on to pitch to Paul Lo Duca and walked him, but got Burnitz to pop out.
Third baseman Craig Counsell ended the threat with the play of the game, catching Burnitz's popup just as he ran into the railing of the grandstand in short right field.
LOS ANGELESARIZONA
abrhbiabrhbi
DRbrts cf4010Cunsell 3b4000
Izturis ss4020Kata 2b4000
ShGren rf4010LGnzlz lf2010
L Duca 1b3000Hlnbrn 1b3010
Burnitz lf4010SFinley cf3010
Beltre 3b3000Cintron ss3000
Ross c3000Dllucci rf3000
JoCbra ph1010Brajas c3110
Cora 2b3000Dssens p1011
Knkade ph1000Orpesa p0000
Ashby p2000Vlverde p0000
Hndrsn ph0000Spivey ph1000
TMartn p0000Mantei p0000
Crosby ph1000
Totals33060Totals27151
Los Angeles000000000--0
Arizona00001000x--1
E--Izturis (8). DP--Los Angeles 2. LOB--Los Angeles 9, Arizona 4. 3B--Dessens (1). SB--Izturis (6).
IPHRERBBSO
Los Angeles
Ashby L,2-8751123
TMartin100001
Arizona
Dessens W,6-7740016
Oropesa2-310011
Valverde1-300010
Mantei S,11110001
Balk--Dessens. Umpires--Home, Brian Gorman; First, Bruce Dreckman; Second, Brian Runge; Third, Ed Montague. T--2:28. A--45,421.