Washington ? Tom Glavine was missing his best stuff. A pair of baserunning errors stopped a big inning cold. A few groundballs weren’t fielded cleanly. The opposing pitcher was riding a 21â2-month winning streak.

The New York Mets could easily have unraveled, especially when Jose Guillen stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs in the sixth.

It took starter-turned-reliever Aaron Heilman to settle the team. He retired Guillen and preserved Glavine’s victory with 21â3 scoreless innings in Wednesday night’s 5-3 victory over the Washington Nationals.

“I certainly didn’t leave him with an easy situation,” Glavine said, “but he got us out of that inning.”

The Mets tagged a laboring Livan Hernandez for four runs and eight hits, ending the All-Star right-hander’s run of 11 consecutive winning decisions that equaled the franchise record. Hernandez (12-3) stalked the mound in frustration after some of his 125 pitches before leaving after Carlos Beltran’s single to start the eighth, with a standing ovation following him to the dugout. It was his first loss since April 19, when he allowed six runs in a 6-3 loss to Florida.

“I’m not going to be perfect all the time,” Hernandez said. “I’m happy for my work today, and I’ll be better next time.”

Mike Cameron homered in the first for the Mets, and three more runs followed in a sixth that would have been more productive if not for the baserunning errors. Glavine (6-7) pitched 52â3 innings and allowed three runs and nine hits – all singles.

For a while, the Nationals hit virtually everything Glavine threw over the plate. He had an 0-1 count on just one of the 21 batters he faced in the first four innings. He finished with three walks, including one intentional.

“It wasn’t easy,” Glavine said. “They hit some decent pitches. They hit some mistakes, obviously, but it’s the kind of game where you’re just kind of battling to keep your team in the game.”

He did so until the sixth. With the Mets leading 4-3, the Nationals loaded the bases with two walks and third baseman David Wright’s error. Glavine was gone, and Heilman came on to face Guillen.

“I thought,” Nationals second baseman Jose Vidro said, “we were going to take over the game right there.”

But Guillen grounded to second. The inning was over, and Washington didn’t threaten again.

Phillies 5, Pirates 0

Pittsburgh – Vicente Padilla pitched six innings, and the Pirates’ helped Philadelphia Phillies score three runs.

Mike Lieberthal drove in the first run of a four-run seventh with a sacrifice fly.

Marlins 5, Brewers 4

Miami – Juan Encarnacion’s single won the game in the 12th inning after A.J. Burnett had 14 of Florida’s 22 strikeouts in six innings on the mound. Encarnacion lined a single to center with one out off Wes Obermueller (1-2). Valerio De Los Santos (1-0) pitched one scoreless inning.

Astros 5, Padres 4

Houston – Andy Pettitte won despite an elbow problem, and the surging Astros beat slumping San Diego. The Astros have won seven of eight and San Diego has lost nine of 14. Houston got to All-Star Jake Peavy for three runs in the first inning on run-scoring singles by Lance Berkman and Adam Everett.

Dodgers 9, Rockies 5

Denver – Antonio Perez homered and drove in a career-high five runs, and Jason Phillips added a three-run shot for Los Angeles.

Cardinals 2, D’backs 1

Phoenix – David Eckstein’s suicide squeeze scored pinch-runner So Taguchi in the ninth inning, giving St. Louis’ Chris Carpenter his 13th victory – tied for most in the majors. Carpenter (13-4) allowed a run on three hits in eight innings for his fifth consecutive victory.

Giants 7, Reds 2

San Francisco – Pinch-hitter Lance Niekro’s two-run triple broke a tie in the fifth inning, and the Giants ended their four-game losing streak. Adam Dunn drove in both runs for the Reds, who lost for the eighth time in 11 games.

Cubs at Braves, ppd.

Atlanta – The Atlanta Braves postponed their game against the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night as heavy rain from a tropical depression pounded Turner Field. The game would be made up Thursday as part of a day-night doubleheader.