Hot Willis Cools Off the Nationals

When Dontrelle Willis is on the mound, the Florida Marlins don’t need much help.

They got some, anyway, from the Washington Nationals, whose five-game winning streak ended Monday night thanks to a combination of their miscues, Willis’ wizardry, and Florida’s suddenly potent offense.

Willis (3-0) extended his season-opening shutout streak to 24 innings before giving up three runs in the seventh, a half-inning after Florida batted around to build a big lead en route to a 9-4 victory over the Nationals at Washington.

Willis must have been pleased, right? Not exactly.

“Regardless of how I’m doing, I want to stay in the game,� Willis said. “I don’t care if they are making a run at me or not. I didn’t want to come out of that game.�

Popping gum, tugging on his flat brim and using that high leg kick, Willis was as impressive as he was in a five-hitter against Washington on April 8 and a three-hitter against Philadelphia on April 13.

“Why he dominates us, I don’t know,� National Manager Frank Robinson said. “Going against a guy like Willis, you can’t afford to give runs away and give him the lead.�

That’s precisely what Washington did. The Marlins went up 2-0 in the fifth with a solitary single and an assortment of help: two four-pitch walks, an error and a passed ball.

Arizona 5, Colorado 3 -- Troy Glaus hit his fifth homer, and Brandon Webb benefited from the Rockies’ shaky bullpen for the second time in a week, helping the Diamondbacks win at Denver and end a three-game losing streak.

Shawn Chacon gave up a run in six innings in a tight duel with Webb last Tuesday, only to see the bullpen spoil the game by giving up three runs in a 4-2 loss.

This time, Chacon was lifted for a pinch hitter in the sixth inning after giving up a run and five hits, a questionable move considering how well he had pitched. Right-hander Ryan Speier (1-1) replaced Chacon, and 14 pitches later the lead was gone.

San Diego 7, San Francisco 2 -- Mark Loretta hit a go-ahead, bases-loaded double with two out in the seventh inning, and the Padres won at San Diego to end a four-game losing streak.

The big hit was precisely what the Padres lacked for several games. They were embarrassed in a weekend sweep by the Dodgers, who outscored the Padres 18-3 and threw two complete-game shutouts.

Giant first baseman J.T. Snow left the game in the fifth inning after suffering a strained groin.

Philadelphia 5, New York 4 -- Randy Wolf took a shutout into the ninth inning, and the Phillie bullpen barely held on to defeat the Mets at Philadelphia.

Wolf’s shutout bid ended when Jose Reyes, Kaz Matsui and Carlos Beltran hit singles to start the ninth, cutting the deficit to 5-1.

Kazuhisa Ishii (0-2) gave up five runs, six hits and walked six in five innings.

Cincinnati 7, Chicago 6 -- Adam Dunn hit two solo homers off Kerry Wood, and the Reds rallied for an improbable victory at Cincinnati against a pitcher who is almost always at his best when the Cubs comes to town.

Derrek Lee hit the longest of the Cubs’ four homers, a estimated 482-foot shot, as Chicago went up 5-1 after three innings.

Rich Aurilia’s broken-bat, two-run single off Wood tied the score in the sixth and left him with no-decision. Wood is 10-0 in 12 career starts in Cincinnati.

St. Louis 11, Pittsburgh 1 -- Mark Mulder, the Cardinals’ top off-season pickup, ended a nine-game winless streak by giving up two hits over eight innings in a victory at Pittsburgh.

Atlanta 1, Houston 0 -- Tim Hudson outpitched Roger Clemens, and rookie Ryan Langerhans had a pinch-hit homer in the 12th inning to lead the Braves at Houston.