Washington ? Angered by a strikeout and an ejection, Washington Nationals outfielder Marlon Byrd began running toward the umpire responsible for both calls. Another umpire, Joe Brinkman, stepped in the way and put out an arm, and Byrd knocked him to the ground.

Brinkman was left with a red scrape on his forehead and a bump on his arm, and the ugly moment marred what otherwise should have been a very satisfying evening for the Nationals, who beat the Florida Marlins, 7-3, Saturday night.

“I thought I could get in front of him. He was running pretty hard,” Brinkman said. “Once I couldn’t get in front of him, I put my arm out. He hit my arm and just spun me around and flipped me, and I ended up on the ground. That’s all that happened.”

Asked if he thought it was intentional, Brinkman said: “I really don’t know. He was just running, and I was just thinking I could get in front of him, so I don’t know what the intent was.”

Byrd, an all-state football player for his Georgia high school, was called out on strikes to end the sixth. It was a full count, and Byrd checked his swing. Marlins catcher Paul Lo Duca appealed to first-base umpire Miller, who ruled Byrd went around. Byrd, thinking he had drawn a walk, was about halfway to first when he realized Miller had called him out. Byrd began arguing with Miller, and Nationals first-base coach Don Buford stepped between them. As the Nationals took the field for the top of the seventh, Byrd continued arguing on his way to left, and Miller ejected him.

Cubs 11, Padres 5

San Diego – Greg Maddux won his 309th game, and Chicago Cubs beat San Diego for their eighth victory in nine games. Maddux’s victory tied him for 19th on the all-time list.

Phillies 10-5, Diamondbacks 6-3

Washington's Marlon Byrd breaks his bat on a fifth-inning foul ball. Later, Byrd knocked down umpire Joe Brinkman during an argument with another umpire during the Nationals' 7-3 victory over Florida on Saturday night in Washington.

Philadelphia – Placido Polanco homered twice, and Philadelphia beat Arizona, 5-3, for its fifth straight victory and a doubleheader sweep. In the opener, Bobby Abreu homered twice, and Vicente Padilla won for only the second time this year in a 10-6 victory.

Mets 5, Giants 1

New York – Tom Glavine pitched effectively into the eighth inning, and the New York Mets beat San Francisco, sending the Giants to their eighth straight loss.

Rockies 7, Reds 5

Denver – J.D. Closser hit a two-run double in a six-run sixth inning, and Colorado won its season-high third straight. Clint Barmes added two hits to help Jamey Wright (3-5) win for the first time since May 9.

Braves 1, Pirates 0

Pittsburgh – Julio Franco’s two-out double in the ninth scored the game’s only run, and rookie Kyle Davies shut down the Pirates into the eighth inning, leading Atlanta over Pittsburgh.

Cardinals 11, Astros 9

Houston – Reggie Sanders hit a grand slam, and pitcher Jason Marquis added a two-run homer during an eight-run third inning for St. Louis.

Dodgers 2, Brewers 1

Los Angeles – D.J. Houlton earned his first major-league victory in his first start, and J.D. Drew and Jeff Kent hit consecutive homers.

Late Friday game

Brewers 7, Dodgers 5

Los Angeles – Carlos Lee hit a grand slam in the first inning, and Bill Hall added a three-run shot.