San Diego ? Mike Bynum shut down the team he grew up idolizing to earn his first major league victory.

“It means a lot. I’m ecstatic,” the 24-year-old left-hander said after the San Diego Padres beat Atlanta 9-2 on Thursday to take two of three from the Braves. “It couldn’t have come against a better team.”

San Diego rookie pitcher Mike Bynum, making his second major league start, throws against Atlanta, the team with the best record in baseball. Bynum earned his first career win, 9-2, against the Braves on Thursday in San Diego.

The Braves do happen to be baseball’s best team, with an 81-45 record, but Bynum held them to two runs and six hits in 6 2â3 innings, struck out four and walked two.

“It was pretty nerve wracking, but it was fun, going out there competing against those guys I’d grown up watching,” said Bynum, who made just his second big league start.

Giants 3, Mets 1

San Francisco Ryan Jensen pitched six innings to win for the first time in eight starts and San Francisco extended the New York Mets’ longest losing streak since 1991 to 11 games. Jensen (11-8) won for the first time since July 15 after allowing one run on six hits.

Dodgers 6, Marlins 2

Los Angeles Hideo Nomo beat Florida for the first time in 11 decisions and Chad Kreuter went 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs for Los Angeles.

Rockies 14, Expos 6

Denver Jay Payton homered and drove in a career-high five runs and Todd Zeile had a home run and three RBIs.

Phillies 7, Brewers 0

Milwaukee Randy Wolf allowed four hits in eight innings and hit his first career home run to lead Philadelphia. Wolf (9-7) struck out seven and walked four as the Brewers fell to 7-20 against left-handers this season.

Cardinals 5, Pirates 4

St. Louis Fernando Vina doubled in two runs with one out in the ninth inning to lift St. Louis past Pittsburgh. Gabe Molina (1-0) pitched a scoreless ninth to earn the victory, the Cardinals’ 12th in their last 15 and third in the four-game series with the Pirates.

Astros 9, Cubs 1

Houston Roy Oswalt pitched eight innings for his sixth straight win and Brad Ausmus homered in a six-run first.

Diamondbacks 6, Reds 3

Phoenix Tony Womack extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a tiebreaking two-run homer in the fifth inning as Arizona sweet the six-game season series.