St. Louis ? Pittsburgh’s Jeff Suppan changed speeds effectively to shut out St. Louis Monday.

Suppan pitched his third complete game and second shutout of the season, leading the Pirates to a 3-0 win over the Cardinals. It was just the third time this season the Cardinals, who lead the National League in hitting with a team average of .288, have been shut out.

“Today was just one of those days where I was trying to change speeds on everything,” Suppan said. “I was trying to throw my curveballs slower than slow. I kept my changeups down. I tried to use my fastball effectively.

“I felt my control was consistent. I wasn’t overthrowing. I wasn’t trying to throw my fastball as hard as I could.”

Suppan (10-7) won his fifth consecutive decision, allowing seven hits in pitching his fifth career shutout. He struck out five and walked one in throwing 121 pitches. The 10 wins matched a career high last set in 2001 when Suppan pitched for the Kansas City Royals.

“He was outstanding,” Pittsburgh manager Lloyd McClendon said about Suppan. “He’s our guy. When he goes out there, we always feel like we have an outstanding chance to win.”

Suppan credited his defense with helping him. In the first inning, center fielder Brian Giles made a diving catch of a ball hit by J. D. Drew after Bo Hart hit a leadoff single.

“There was some tremendous defense out there,” Suppan said. “Giles, that play right there, set the tone right there because our defense went all out to make a play. I tried to use my defense. I wanted to stay out there as long as I could and be as effective as I could be.”

Brett Tomko (6-7) gave up three runs on eight hits in seven innings. Tomko remained winless at Busch Stadium. In 10 home starts, he is 0-4. Tomko leads in the National League in hits allowed with 177 and runs allowed with 93 and is tied for second in the league with 24 home runs allowed.

“It would have been nice to get a win,” Tomko said. “I’ve gone on the road and given up five runs and gotten wins. I give up three today and don’t get a win. I just think it’s something for you guys (the media) to have fun with.”

Pittsburgh pitcher Jeff Suppan is congratulated by teammate Reggie Sanders after Suppan's complete-game victory against St. Louis. Sanders had a two-run home run in the Pirates, 3-0, victory Monday at St. Louis.

Reggie Sanders gave the Pirates a 2-0 lead in the second with his team-leading 18th home run. Matt Stairs, playing his 1,000th major league game, led off with a double. Sanders then hit a 2-0 pitch 449 feet into the upper deck in left field.

Reds 6, Phillies 5 (10)

Cincinnati — Kelly Stinnett hit a bases-loaded single in the 10th inning as Cincinnati beat Philadelphia just hours after Reds general manager Jim Bowden and manager Bob Boone were fired.

Bench coach Ray Knight managed the Reds. Dave Miley, manager of the Reds’ Triple-A Louisville farm team, is to take over today as interim manager for the rest of the season

Sean Casey tied the game with an eighth-inning homer against Randy Wolf, and Stinnett won the game after Aaron Boone — Bob Boone’s son — started the 10th with a walk off Terry Adams (1-4).

Scott Williamson (5-3) pitched a perfect 10th for the win. Cincinnati, which was 7-16 since July 2, is fifth in the NL Central at 47-58.

Braves 10, Expos 8

Montreal — Marcus Giles homered twice, hitting his second career grand slam, and had a career-high six RBIs and four hits to lead Atlanta.

Montreal's Vladimir Guerrero hits his second solo home run -- the first one was a 502-foot shot -- against Atlanta. Guerrero's heroics weren't enough, though, as the Expos lost to the Braves, 10-8, Monday night in Montreal.

Giles, who tied a major league record Sunday by hitting doubles in his first four at-bats, had Atlanta’s fifth slam this season, a drive off Javier Vazquez (8-7) that capped a five-run sixth.

Giles, who also hit an RBI single in the fourth, hit his second homer of the game in the eighth off Joey Eischen. He went 13-for-20 (.650) in the four-game series with five doubles, two homers and nine RBIs.

Vladimir Guerrero homered twice off Mike Hampton (7-5), including a 502-foot drive off the base of Olympic Stadium’s middle deck — one of the longest home runs since the Expos moved into the ballpark in 1977.

Brewers 4, Mets 2

New York — Scott Podsednik’s tiebreaking two-run single in the ninth inning led Milwaukee past New York.

Richie Sexson homered and drove in two runs for the Brewers, who snapped a three-game losing streak. Milwaukee won at Shea Stadium for the third straight game — its longest winning streak there in franchise history.

David Weathers (1-5) allowed two runs, one hit and walked two in one inning for the Mets, who have lost three in a row after opening their 10-game homestand with a win.

Reliever Leo Estrella (3-2) pitched 12/3 perfect innings for the win, and Dan Kolb pitched the ninth for his third save in three chances.

Marlins 3, Diamondbacks 2

Miami — Miguel Cabrera drove in three runs and Mark Redman gave up one run in 71/3 innings to lead Florida.

The Marlins have won four straight and seven of eight, closing within one game of Philadelphia, the NL wild-card leader. At 57-49, the Marlins are eight games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 1997 season (92-70).

Miguel Batista (7-6) struck out a career-high 11 in seven innings for Arizona, which lost for the eighth time in 10 games and dropped 111/2 games behind first-place San Francisco in the NL West. He allowed all three runs and seven hits.

Rookie Matt Kata was 4-for-5 for Arizona, raising his average to .305.

Florida first baseman Derrek Lee left the game in the eighth inning after partially dislocating a joint in his right shoulder.