Chicago ? The distractions about Dusty Baker are over for now.

Todd Walker and Michael Barrett hit back-to-back homers, the fourth time Chicago did it this week, and the Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals for the seventh time in 10 games this season, a 5-4 victory Thursday night.

Before the game, Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said Baker would be the manager for the rest of the season.

Baker is in the fourth and final year of his contract for the Cubs (40-61).

“I’m glad to see he got a vote of confidence and the coaches will be here and we can go out there just worrying about focusing on playing games and not have to talk about their situation for the rest of they year like we have been talking about all year,” closer Ryan Dempster said.

Baker hopes his new job security will take the pressure off his players.

“I hope it relieves my team’s mind as much as anything. Let’s go play baseball, that’s the main thing,” Baker said. “We have to play well to save my job that’s not why we are here. We’re here to play baseball. I don’t know how much of a lift it is, but it’s relief to my guys.”

The Philadelphia Phillies' Chase Utley is hit by a pitch from Arizona Diamondbacks starter Claudio Vargas in the first inning. Utley later extended his hitting streak to 27 games as the Phillies picked up a 5-2 victory Thursday at Citizens Bank Ballpark.

Nationals 6, Giants 5

Washington – Possibly playing his final home game in D.C., Alfonso Soriano homered in his first at-bat as Washington earned its season-high sixth consecutive victory.

Soriano’s 32nd homer was his sixth leadoff shot of the season, tying for the major league lead. He’s at the center of talks as Monday’s trade deadline approaches, and the Nationals now embark on a nine-game road trip.

Also a candidate to leave via trade in the coming days is Livan Hernandez (8-8). He retired the last 10 batters he faced and allowed three runs and six hits over seven innings.

Chad Cordero recorded his 17th save despite giving up Eliezer Alfonzo’s second homer of the game, a two-run shot in the ninth.

Giants starter Matt Cain (7-7) allowed six runs on five hits and five walks over 62â3 innings.

Phillies 5, Diamondbacks 2

Philadelphia – Chase Utley extended his hitting streak to 27 games and Cory Lidle (8-7) boosted his trade value with four-hit ball over eight innings.

Mike Lieberthal homered for the first time since last September for the Phillies, who won the last two games of the three-game series.

Utley hit a soft liner to center leading off the fifth inning against Diamondbacks starter Claudio Vargas (8-7) to extend the longest hitting streak in the major leagues this season and equal the third-longest streak in team history.

Tom Gordon tossed a perfect ninth for his 25th save.

Vargas allowed four runs and struck out a season-high eight in six-plus innings.

Marlins 6, Braves 1

Atlanta – Scott Olsen pitched six shutout innings, Matt Treanor hit his second career homer and Florida won a series in Atlanta for the first time since 2002.

Olsen (9-4) allowed only two hits and retired the last 12 hitters he faced on a sweltering day. He also had two singles at the plate, including a run-scoring hit in the sixth when the Marlins scored three runs to break open the game.

Florida won two of three, ending a streak of 10 straight series in Atlanta that were either lost or split. The Marlins’ last series win at Turner Field came from Sept. 20-22, 2002.

Treanor, batting just .212 coming into the game, hit a two-run homer off Jason Shiell (0-2) in the second to give Florida a 3-0 lead.

Reds 8, Astros 4

Houston – Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey, Jr. homered and Cincinnati starter Elizardo Ramirez struck out seven straight hitters.

Dunn went 3-for-3 with four RBIs and Ramirez (4-6) went 6 2-3 innings to win for the first time since June 25, allowing six hits and striking out eight. He struck out seven in a row from the third to fifth innings.

Dunn and Rich Aurilia added RBI singles in the ninth off Brad Lidge, ending the Houston bullpen’s scoreless streak at 27 innings, the longest in the majors this season.

Astros starter Taylor Buchholz (6-9) lasted only two innings.

Rockies 9, Padres 8, 10 innings

Denver – Jamey Carroll doubled home the game-winning run in the bottom of the 10th after Yorvit Torrealba had tied the game with a two-out homer off Trevor Hoffman an inning earlier.

Choo Freeman doubled off the wall in left with one out off Scott Williamson (2-4). On a 1-1 pitch, Carroll slapped the ball to right. Freeman dived under the tag of catcher Rob Bowen.

Torrealba had three hits and three RBIs and Clint Barmes had two hits and an RBI each for Colorado, which won for the fourth time in 17 games.

American League

Athletics 5, Blue Jays 2

Oakland, Calif. – Eric Chavez hit a go-ahead two-run single in the sixth inning to help Joe Blanton win his third straight start. Jay Payton homered and singled in a run as the A’s moved a half-game ahead of the idle Los Angeles Angels at the top of the AL West.

Blanton (11-8) pitched seven strong innings to win for the fourth time in five starts and improved to 3-0 since the All-Star break. Blanton allowed two runs and five hits, struck out four and walked one.

Huston Street recorded the final three outs for his 21st save in 27 chances and hasn’t allowed a run in 122â3 innings over his last 13 appearances.