Peavy Outduels Clemens in Padres’ Victory

Jake Peavy outdueled boyhood idol Roger Clemens, throwing a four-hitter for his third shutout, and the Padres beat the Houston Astros, 2-0, on Tuesday at San Diego.

Peavy (11-6) also had a single against Clemens with one out in the eighth, one of five hits Clemens gave up. Clemens threw his first complete game since July 30, 2003, at Anaheim, and the 118th of his career.

Clemens (11-6) retired 17 in a row before Brian Giles homered with one out in the seventh for a 2-0 lead.

Clemens struck out seven and walked one. Peavy struck out six and walked two.

Philadelphia 10 San Francisco 2 -- After being benched for three games, rookie Ryan Howard returned with a career-high four hits and three runs batted in, and Vicente Padilla pitched eight strong innings at San Francisco to help the Phillies regain a half-game lead in the NL wild-card race over Houston.

After Randy Winn’s leadoff double in the first, Padilla (7-11) retired 15 of the next 16 batters until Todd Linden’s double to start the sixth.

Milwaukee 11, Florida 2 -- Chris Capuano pitched eight strong innings, and Carlos Lee homered for the first time in three weeks in the Brewers’ victory at Milwaukee.

Capuano (14-8) scattered eight hits, walked one and struck out eight, including Carlos Delgado four times. Josh Beckett (12-7) gave up seven runs, six of them earned, and eight hits in only 3 1/3 innings.

Chicago 10, Atlanta 1 -- Jerome Williams (4-6) took a no-hit bid into the fifth inning, and Jeromy Burnitz backed him with a grand slam to lead the Cubs at Chicago.

Williams gave up one run and three hits in 7 2/3 innings. He also went two for four at the plate.

New York 14, Arizona 1 -- Victor Zambrano (7-10) pitched a six-hitter for his first complete game in more than two years and had two of the Mets’ season-high-tying 17 hits at Phoenix.

Ramon Castro drove in a career-high five runs, and Mike Jacobs continued his impressive jump from double-A with a two-run homer.

Pittsburgh 10, St. Louis 0 -- Unbeaten rookie Zach Duke pitched two shutout innings before leaving because of a sprained left ankle, but the Pirates got big games from three other rookies to win at Pittsburgh.

Nate McLouth, one of four rookies in Pittsburgh’s increasingly young lineup, hit his first career homer, and Ty Wigginton had a three-run triple in his first Pirate at-bat in 2 1/2 months. Chris Duffy and Ryan Doumit, the other two rookies, reached base three times apiece and scored a combined five runs.

Cincinnati 6, Washington 2 -- Luke Hudson (5-6) gave up four hits over a career-best seven innings, and the Reds batted around in a four-run third against a hurting Tony Armas Jr. at Washington.

Hudson had never lasted beyond the sixth inning in 21 previous starts. Armas (7-7) left because of soreness in his pitching shoulder after throwing 50 pitches over three innings.