TORONTO, 23 April 2005 — Chris Carpenter pitched a complete game shutout as Larry Walker and Scott Rolen both homered for the St. Louis Cardinals in a 4-0 win over the Chicago Cubs at Busch Stadium on Thursday.

Carpenter (3-1) struck out six and walked one while scattering seven hits — all singles — to register his first shutout since September 2001 when he blanked the New York Yankees while playing for the Toronto Blue Jays. Rolen gave the Cardinals a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning when he doubled to left scoring Walker.

In Philadelphia, Jim Thome cracked his first home run of the season and Jon Lieber provided eight workmanlike innings as the Phillies downed the Colorado Rockies 6-3.

In Miami, Doug Mientkiewicz hit his first career grand slam, Carlos Beltran homered and drove in three runs and Pedro Martinez tossed seven solid innings as the New York Mets pounded the Florida Marlins 10-1.

In Houston, Andy Pettitte pitched seven strong innings to pick up his first win since undergoing elbow surgery last summer and the Astros held on to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 8-7.

In Washington, a throwing error by Cristian Guzman with two-out in the ninth brought in the winning runs allowing the Atlanta Braves to escape with a 2-1 victory over the Nationals at a rainy RFK Stadium.

With Atlanta down to their last out, Raul Mondesi dabbed a bases-loaded grounder that Guzman fielded but misfired on the throw to first bringing across Marcus Giles and Chipper Jones with the tying and go-ahead runs.

In Cincinnati, Jason Bay homered and Kip Wells tossed five good innings as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Reds 4-2 to end a five-game losing skid.

In San Francisco, Deivi Cruz’s 13th-inning pinch-hit single scored Lance Niekro with the winning run as the Giants rallied to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-3.

Mussina Gets First Win as Yanks Edge Blue Jays

In Toronto, Mike Mussina combined with five relievers to get his first win of the season as the New York Yankees held off the Toronto Blue Jays 4-3 on Thursday.

Mussina (1-1) allowed three runs on 10 hits, striking out five and walking one in a scrappy 5 1/3 innings of work before turning the ball over to the bullpen for 3 2/3 innings of shutout ball.

Closer Mariano Rivera came on in the ninth to get the final three outs and his third save of the season, giving the Yankees their first back-to-back victories since taking two from the Boston Red Sox to open the season.

Gustavo Chacin (3-1), who won his first three starts on the road, lost in his home debut giving up four runs in six hits in six innings.

In Baltimore, Matt Clement pitched eight shutout innings and Kevin Millar scored the game’s only run as the Boston Red Sox blanked the Orioles for the second consecutive game with a 1-0 win.

In a masterful performance, Clement (2-0) scattered eight hits and struck out seven before turning the ball over to closer Keith Foulke, who got the final three outs and the save as the Red Sox won for the seventh time in eight.

In Detroit, Scott Podsednik singled home the winning runs in the seventh inning and Mark Buehrle battled his way through seven innings as the Chicago White Sox edged the Tigers 4-3 for their fourth straight win.

In Minneapolis, Lew Ford smacked a 10th-inning bases-loaded single to bring in Jason Bartlett to earn the Minnesota Twins a 10-9 decision over the Kansas City Royals.

In St. Petersburg, Dewon Brazelton tossed 6 1/3 strong innings and Jonny Gomes scored a pair of runs as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays edged the Texas Rangers 3-2.

In Seattle, Mark Kotsay had a two-run homer and Rich Harden (2-0) pitched seven strong innings as the Oakland Athletics blanked the Mariners 3-0.

In Anaheim, Orlando Cabrera homered in the 10th inning to give the Los Angeles Angels a 6-5 comeback win over the Cleveland Indians.