SAN DIEGO - Geoff Blum hit a three-run homer and drove in four runs and Houston beat San Diego 7-2 on Thursday in a game delayed 52 minutes in the top of the ninth inning when a swarm of bees took over part of left field at Petco Park.
A beekeeper was called to the downtown ballpark and sprayed a chair and a ballgirl's jacket that had attracted the bees. Padres president Tom Garfinkel said a few thousand bees attached themselves to a queen bee.
The game was halted at 3:09 p.m. with the Astros leading 6-1. Five minutes later, both teams were cleared from the field. The beekeeper arrived at 3:56 p.m., quickly did his job to applause from the fans who remained, and the game resumed five minutes later.
The Astros won three of four in the series and outscored the Padres 20-7.
San Diego has lost eight of nine games against Houston dating to last season.
Houston's Wandy Rodriguez (7-6) allowed one run and seven hits in seven innings.
Cubs 9, Brewers 5
CHICAGO - Derrek Lee hit a grand slam and a three-run homer Thursday night for a career-high seven RBIs for Chicago.
Lee drove his 10th career grand slam off reliever Chris Smith in the fourth after connecting for a three-run shot off starter Seth McClung in the first. Jake Fox and Geovany Soto also had solo shots off McClung (3-2), who was making his second start of the season.
Braves 5, Phillies 2
ATLANTA - Matt Diaz drove in the go-ahead run with an eighth-inning double and Atlanta completed their first home sweep of Philadelphia in four years.
Diaz had his second straight three-hit game to lift the Braves to their fourth consecutive win.
With the score tied at 2, Brian McCann led off the eighth with a single off Ryan Madson (2-4). Pinch-runner Jair Jurrjens moved to second on a sacrifice and Diaz followed with his hit to the center-field wall.
Mets 9, Pirates 8, 10 innings
PITTSBURGH - Ryan Church singled in the go-ahead run in the 10th inning for New York, which overcame a five-run deficit and then wasted a ninth-inning lead.
Adam LaRoche hit a tying two-run homer in the ninth against Francisco Rodriguez (2-2) before the Mets rebounded to win the makeup of a June 3 rainout.
Reds 3, Diamondbacks 2, 10 innings
CINCINNATI - Joey Votto singled with the bases loaded and two outs in the 10th inning for Cincinnati.
The Reds loaded the bases with no outs against Clay Zavada (1-2), stringing together a walk and two singles. After two outs, Votto singled past shortstop for his fourth hit of the game.
Francisco Cordero (1-2) escaped a bases-loaded threat in the top of the 10th with the help of a double play.