Chicago ? Efficient and economical as always, Greg Maddux mowed down the Cincinnati Reds and moved closer to one of baseball’s most cherished milestones. Maddux needed just 92 pitches over 2 hours, 15 minutes to throw a four-hit, complete game for his 298th career win Thursday, and his Chicago teammates hit four homers in the Cubs’ 13-2 win.

“Runs, man. Runs are a a beautiful thing,” Maddux said in his typically understated fashion.

“When you get a lead like that, it changes the way the game is played.”

Maddux (9-7) pitched his second straight complete game and 105th of his career. It was the first time he pitched back-to-back complete games since Sept. 7 and 13, 2000, when he went the distance against the Diamondbacks and Marlins while with the Braves.

“I’ve never really been that big on complete games. When you have as many runs and you are playing as many days as we are in a row, it’s important to pitch that extra inning,” he said.

Moises Alou, like Maddux a 38-year-old, homered twice, Mark Grudzielanek had a three-run shot and Aramis Ramierz added a grand slam.

“I think we have good genes. With Maddux, there are a couple of pitchers in his family and in the Alou family there a couple of outfielders,” Alou said.

“It’s a matter of having some pride. You try to play at a top level. It’s something Maddux and I have been doing throughout our careers.”

Maddux walked none and struck out six. The only hitter to give him much trouble was Reds catcher Javier Valentin, who entered the game batting .182 but homered twice, solo shots in the third and fifth innings.

“That was my first time. I had seen him on TV,” Valentin said of Maddux. “He’s not a power guy, he’s not going to strike you out. You have to be patient and I was able to hit the ball hard twice.”

But Valentin was impressed with what he saw.

Chicago's Greg Maddux delivers against Cincinnati. Maddux pitched a complete game in the Cubs' 13-2 victory Thursday in Chicago.

“We have guys who hit it out of the park and that’s why he kept the ball down and in. That’s how he pitches, especially in this slow grass. And he made some pretty good plays on the mound — that’s why he’s still in the game,” Valentin said.

Alou hit a solo homer in the second and a two-run shot in the third, giving him 24 for the season and five in his last nine games. Grudzielanek had a three-run homer in the fourth off Cory Lidle, and Ramirez hit a grand slam off Ryan Wagner to make it 12-2 in the sixth.

Lidle (6-8) allowed 10 hits and eighth runs in 41/3 innings and left after yielding RBI doubles to Derrek Lee and Alex Gonzalez in the fifth.

Cardinals 4, Brewers 0

St. Louis — Jason Marquis threw eight sharp innings, Jim Edmonds homered off Ben Sheets and St. Louis shut out Milwaukee for the second consecutive game. Edgar Renteria, Albert Pujols and John Mabry drove in a run apiece to help the Cardinals sweep the two-game series. They also shut out the Brewers, 1-0, Wednesday.

Dodgers 4, Rockies 2

Los Angeles — Milton Bradley hit a go-ahead homer in the eighth inning and Los Angeles pulled off another late comeback, beating Colorado for its 15th victory in 17 games. Aaron Cook pitched seven gritty innings for the Rockies in a spirited duel with Odalis Perez and handed a 2-1 lead to Tim Harikkala (4-2). But Adrian Beltre led off the eighth with a single, and Bradley sent a drive into the second deck in right field for his career-high 11th home run. He became the 12th player to homer into the loge level at Dodger Stadium.

Padres 9, Giants 4

San Francisco — Jay Payton hit a three-run homer in San Diego’s six-run third inning and the Padres ended Jason Schmidt’s 12-game winning streak by beating San Francisco. Schmidt (12-3) was off from the outset in his worst start of the season, allowing nine hits, eight runs and four walks in 5 2/3 innings for his first loss in 17 outings since April 21.

Marlins 10, Phillies 8

Philadelphia — Alex Gonzalez and Jeff Conine each hit three-run homers, and Mike Redmond added a solo shot to lead Florida over the Phillies. Armando Benitez bailed the Marlins out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth inning, helping Florida move within two games of the Phillies and Atlanta for the NL East lead. Carl Pavano (10-4) earned the win.

Braves 2, Pirates 1, 10 innings

Atlanta — Johnny Estrada drove in the winning run with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the 10th inning, leading the Braves past Pittsburgh. The Braves rallied against Salomon Torres (6-4), who was pitching for the first time since serving a three-game suspension for throwing twice at Oakland’s Damian Miller last month.

Eli Marrero reached on an error by shortstop Jack Wilson to open the 10th, and Marcus Giles walked. Rafael Furcal bunted perfectly down the third-base line for a hit, leaving catcher Jason Kendall with no play. Estrada, who entered as a pinch-hitter in the eighth, followed with a long fly to left to bring in Marrero.

Astros 10, D’backs 3

Phoenix — Carlos Beltran drove in three runs with two homers and Adam Everett tied his career high with four RBIs to power Houston past Arizona. The Diamondbacks are on their second 11-game losing streak this season. Everett had a two-run homer and a two-run single before getting spiked in the eighth inning and having to leave the game. He is day to day.

Expos 4, Mets 1

New York — Tony Batista hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the eighth inning, leading Montreal over the Mets. Brad Wilkerson added homer for the Expos, who split the two-game series and finally return to Montreal after going 10-15 on a six-city trip that featured 25 games in 28 days.