The NL West-leading Giants need one more victory to capture their first division crown and playoff berth since 2003. San Diego pulled within one game of wild card-leading Atlanta, which lost 11-5 to Philadelphia.

Clayton Richard (14-9) won for the second time in seven starts and held down a Giants team that has hit 17 homers in its last eight games. Pinch-hitter Aaron Rowand connected for a two-run shot in the sixth to chase Richard.

Ludwick hit a towering drive over the center-field wall leading off the second against Matt Cain (13-11), who surrendered a season-high three homers as the Giants had a four-game winning streak snapped.

San Diego’s offense came to life after managing just five runs and 17 hits in losing three of four at home to Chicago. The Padres, who led 6-0 early, had to hold off threats in the eighth and ninth.

In Atlanta, Jimmy Rollins’ grand slam capped a five-run sixth inning and Philadelphia kept Bobby Cox and the Braves from moving closer to a wild-card berth.

The Braves’ lead in the wild-card was cut to one with San Diego’s 6-4 victory over San Francisco.

Rollins made his third start since returning from a tight right hamstring. Ryan Howard had two hits for the Phillies, including a two-run single in a four-run eighth. Carlos Ruiz had three hits.

Atlanta has a tribute planned for Cox on Saturday. The Braves are trying to send their longtime manager into retirement with one final postseason appearance.

With Rollins back in the lineup, the NL East champions had 13 hits and looked ready for the postseason.

Kyle Kendrick (11-10) gave up two runs and five hits in five innings for Philadelphia.

Braves rookie Brandon Beachy (0-2) allowed four runs, two earned, and seven hits over 5 2-3 innings in his first home start.

In Cincinnati, Casey McGehee hit a grounder off Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips in the 11th inning, driving in Corey Hart and sending the Brewers to a victory that ensured Cincinnati will begin the postseason on the road.

With one out and runners on the corners, McGehee hit a bouncer up the middle that caromed off Phillips’ chest and into short center field. Hart scampered home to give Milwaukee a 4-3 lead.

Phillips said he was screened by second base umpire Mike DiMuro. It was ruled an error then changed to a hit by the official scorer after the game.

The NL Central champion Reds will open the postseason on the road against top-seeded Philadelphia or the winner of the West.

In New York, with the New York Mets braced for a management shakeup, Josh Thole homered in the 10th inning to begin the final series of the season with a victory over Washington.

Thole connected against Tyler Clippard (11-7), hitting a one-out drive into the right-field seats for New York’s fourth hit and first since the fourth inning.

Mets rookie Ike Davis homered in the fourth off Jordan Zimmermann as New York stopped a three-game losing streak. Michael Morse’s homer tied it in the seventh.

Hisanori Takahashi (10-6) pitched two hitless innings, combining with Pat Misch on a three-hitter. Washington hitters struck out 14 times.

Mets manager Jerry Manuel and general manager Omar Minaya both said they have not been notified they are losing their jobs following another season filled with injuries rather than accomplishments. Sports Illustrated, citing unidentified sources, reported on its website earlier in the day that the team will announce after the season that the pair won’t return in their current roles.

In Miami, Chris Snyder and surging rookie Pedro Alvarez homered to lead Pittsburgh past Florida.

It was a rare road victory for the Pirates, who improved to 17-62 away from home. They must win one of their final two games to avoid matching the 1963 New York Mets for the worst road record in a 162-game season.

Chan Ho Park (4-3) pitched three hitless innings in relief for his 124th career win, breaking Hideo Nomo’s major league record for Asian-born pitchers. The 37-year-old right-hander from South Korea struck out six.

The crowd of 23,124 included 701 dogs as part of a Bark at the Park promotion.

In Houston, Casey Coleman pitched seven strong innings and drove in a run for Chicago.

Coleman (4-2) allowed six hits and struck out two, improving to 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA in his last three starts. He doubled in a run for the Cubs, who have won four of five.

Carlos Marmol pitched a perfect ninth for his 38th save. He has converted 17 straight chances and has held opponents scoreless in his last 19 outings.

Bud Norris (9-10) pitched six innings for Houston, yielding two runs and three hits. The right-hander issued a career-high seven walks as the Astros lost for the fifth time in six games.

In St. Louis, Jake Westbrook matched his career high with nine strikeouts and got his first RBI of the season for St. Louis.

Dexter Fowler had two hits for the Rockies, who have lost 11 of 12 in a late-season free fall that began with them one game out of first place in the NL West and left them eight games behind at game time.

The Rockies, who were shut out for the first time since Aug. 19 at Los Angeles, had won 11 of the previous 13 against St. Louis.

Westbrook (4-4) allowed four hits, two in the eighth inning when he left leading 3-0 with the bases loaded and two outs. 

In Los Angeles, Adam LaRoche homered and drove in three runs to reach 100 RBIs for the first time, leading Arizona to the victory.

Zach Kroenke (1-0) allowed one run and two hits over five innings to earn his first major league win.

The Dodgers, coming off a three-game sweep of Colorado, assured themselves of a losing season for the first time since 2005 after going to the playoffs the last two years.

It marks the first losing 162-game season for outgoing Los Angeles manager Joe Torre since 1984 with Atlanta, when the Braves went 80-82. Backup catcher Brad Ausmus managed the Dodgers in place of Torre, who will end his three-year stint running the team on Sunday.

The Diamondbacks ended a three-game skid as LaRoche set a franchise season record for RBIs by a first baseman.