Lieber flirts with perfection; Phils blank Reds, 2-0

Mike Piazza's three-run blast lifted San Diego over Chicago, 4-3.
CINCINNATI -- Jon Lieber took a perfect game into the seventh inning and gave up two hits in 82/3 innings to help the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Cincinnati Reds 2-0 on Saturday night.
Lieber (3-4) didn't allow a walk and struck out six to earn his third straight win.
The 36-year-old right-hander retired the first 20 batters he faced before Adam Dunn lined a single up the middle past shortstop Jimmy Rollins with two outs in the seventh inning. Lieber regrouped to get Austin Kearns to fly out to right fielder Chris Roberson in foul territory.
The only other hit Lieber gave up was a two-out single to pinch-hitter Ken Griffey Jr. in the ninth inning. Tom Gordon got the final out for his 12th save in 13 opportunities.
The Phillies have won 12 of their last 13 games and have handed the Reds their first back-to-back losses at home this season. The loss guaranteed Cincinnati its first losing series at home in seven series this season.
Reds' left-hander Dave Williams almost matched Lieber pitch for pitch. He allowed a first-inning single up the middle by Shane Victorino and a fifth-inning single to left by Sal Fasano. They were the only two Phillies batters to reach base until center fielder Quinton McCracken dropped Ryan Howard's routine fly ball with two outs in the seventh inning. David Bell followed with a run-scoring double to right field.
Williams hit Chase Utley to lead off the ninth inning. Utley stole second, moved to third on Pat Burrell's single to right and scored on a wild pitch by reliever Todd Coffey.
PHILACINCINNATI
abrhbiabrhbi
Rollins ss4000McCkn cf3000
Vctrno cf4010Grf Jr. ph1010
Utley 2b3100FLopez ss4010
Burrell lf4010Dunn lf4010
Dllucci lf0000Kearns rf3000
Howard 1b4100Httberg 1b3000
DaBell 3b4011EEcrcn 3b3000
Fasano c4020BPhllps 2b3000
Roberson rf4010LaRue c3000
Lieber p2000DWlms p2000
Gordon p0000Coffey p0000
Vlentin ph1000
Totals33261Totals30030
Philadelphia000000101--2
Cincinnati000000000--0
E--McCracken (1). LOB--Philadelphia 6, Cincinnati 3. 2B--DaBell (8). SB--Utley (3). S--Lieber.
IPHRERBBSO
Philadelphia
Lieber W,3-48 2-320006
Gordon S,121-310001
Cincinnati
DWilliams L,2-38 1-352105
Coffey2-310000
HBP--by DWilliams (Utley). WP--DWilliams, Coffey. Umpires--Home, Tim Welke; First, Kerwin Danley; Second, Gary Cederstrom; Third, Jim Reynolds. T--2:16. A--32,620.
Padres 4, Cubs 3
CHICAGO -- Mike Piazza hit a three-run homer off Ryan Dempster in the ninth inning, as San Diego rallied for its 13th victory in 14 games.
Mike Cameron led off the ninth with a single to center, and Brian Giles followed with a base hit to right. Piazza then hit his fourth homer, pulling an 0-1 pitch over the left-field wall to make it 4-3.
The Cubs have lost 13 of 15 games.
The blown save was the first in eight opportunities for Dempster (0-1). It spoiled a terrific start by Greg Maddux, who allowed an unearned run in 71/3 innings. Maddux left to a standing ovation with two runners on and a run in. Scott Eyre relieved, and pinch hitter Eric Young grounded into a double play.
SAN DIEGOCHICAGO
abrhbiabrhbi
DRbrts lf3000Pierre cf4000
EYong lf1000Cedeno ss4110
Cmeron cf4120TWalkr 1b3000
BGiles rf4110ARmrz 3b3110
Piazza c4113JJones rf4021
Hffman p0000Hrst Jr lf3011
KGreen ss4000NPerez 2b4110
Castilla 3b4110HBlnco c4000
AGnzlz 1b4000Mddux p3010
Brfield 2b3021Eyre p0000
CYoung p1000Dmpstr p0000
McAnulty ph0000Mabry ph1000
Meredith p0000
Bard c0000
Totals32474Totals33372
San Diego000000013--4
Chicago200001000--3
E--BGiles (1), Meredith (1), JJones (2). DP--Chicago 1. LOB--San Diego 3, Chicago 8. 2B--Cameron (5), NPerez (4). HR--Piazza (4). SB--Maddux (1). S--CYoung, Cedeno, Hairston Jr..
IPHRERBBSO
San Diego
CYoung763234
Meredith W,1-0110001
Hoffman S,7100001
Chicago
Maddux7 1-341013
Eyre2-300000
Dempster L,0-1133301
Umpires--Home, Brian Knight; First, Gary Darling; Second, Larry Poncino; Third, Bruce Dreckman. T--2:17. A--40,095.
Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.